Taking a cue from @Bluffgruff - this will be mainly just pictures. Since I am not even close to Andy's league as a photographer, I'll add a line or two of text with each one. Probably more, really, since I suck at editing.
Tldr; Two friends had tags in a unit in Southern CO. A group of 8 of us went down. We have hunted here a bit the last couple years, so have a decent understanding of the unit. Last year in 1st rifle the elk were still largely on top - which in that country means above treeline shaking hands with sheep. We hoped they'd be down a bit this year, but alas, it was up in the tundra we went after day 1.
Buddy's fancy new trailer as viewed from my tent. Site selection much better this year than last:
Welcome to elk camp #1 - This youngster was just a mile from camp, down low(ish). He went in the proverbial 'back pocket':
Welcome to elk camp#2 - From the northern lights:
Opening morning: The two tagholders went to 2 locations we had seen elk before. Me and another guy went up high to pull our last cameras and give timberline a look-see.
A couple hours later - right at the last stand of spruce - we were mixed up in a complet bugle-fest. 3 different bulls. I cow called a few times and all of them were coming. I shut up when a satellite 5-point popped out at 140 yards. Time to get on the Inreach and get the tagholders over here (both were ~45min driving plus however far they had to hike out). Satellite popped out at the bottom right of this pic:
After 45 minutes of bugling, the elk started wandering down to bed in the dark timber on the edge of a canyon. Wind was still good, so we got parallel to them and posted up on the canyon edge to keep track of them until tagholders arrived.
Tagholders arrived, elk were bedded eveywhere. After bouncing a few cows, we backed out down canyon. Returned that evening to watch the bottom of the canyon, to no avail.
We pounded some timber the next day - not much fresh sign, not much going on. A couple glassing sessions turned up faraway elk above treeline, and a few more explorations turned up fresh sign, so that's where we went the last two days.
Last day - both tagholders and 3 others go up a big drainage where we'd glassed elk from a distance. I took a couple of guys up the adjacent drainage to try and get eyes on other elk.
On our walk up the adjacent drainage in the dark, the sign gets heavier consistently as we climb the 3.5mi up the pretty gentle trail. We break for a snack about 8:00 and see some cows and calves moving above us on our side of the steep ridge separating the two basins. Good sign.
At 8:45 we get an InReach message. Bull down! 1 mile away as the crow flies... ...but for my group, up and over the top into the tagholders' drainage. For us that means 11,500->13,000->12,300 where he fell. Our side is steep as hell. I told the other two guys to hustle back the 3.5mi down the trail, drive the mile back to the other trailhead, then 3mi up the other trail to where they should be able to get eyes on the guys. Bring extra packs, water, food, etc . I go up and over. I'm not in the worst shape, but 1500 vertical feet in 1/4 mile is unpleasant for a guy that spends most of my time right now driving a desk at a client site at ~400' of elevation.
I have to negotiate a rock slide to get above the pin they sent, and as I cross a little bench, I can see orange way below me:
I make it down and they have a rear ham and a backstrap off. The bull rolled ~300' after the shot. Broke it's jaw nearly clean off, lost an antler tip and broke it's neck in several places. It is still in a very precarious position and there's not a flat space to stand. I grab a quick picture of the tag-puncher and then get to work.
With all the guys, quartering goes pretty quick despite the pitch of the slope. To remove the head, I have to straddle the carcass and punch the antler tips into the dirt to steady it. When I make the last twist/cut, the carcass slides between my legs another 50 feet into the willows. Break time:
Oh - and my Son-in-law hadn't had the 'raw bread dough' experience with the eyeball fat, so we took care of that:
We got everything packed up and ready. Tagholder was in for one with the head getting through the willows and scree field we had to cross to get back down to the trail:
The pack train started down - the guys that had been with me in the adjacent drainage and the shooter's dad were waiting at the base of the scree field in the center of the picture below. The bull was just short of 4 miles from the truck.
Only the willow maze/marsh directly below the bull and the scree field were 'difficult' - but as the tired face shows, those willows suck when every 3rd or 4th step went up to your shins in marsh.
One of the bull moose we kept running into was waiting for us in his lair at the bottom:
Tagholder 1 and his 'entourage' are from Northern WI. Much cribbage was played that night:
All in all - a great time. The WI boys were a little surprised that the shooter evenly distributed the meat between all 8 of us (and really - even more since he didnt take any loin or tenderloin himself. I also donated my share to them.). We explained (many times), elk hunting is a team sport. Shooter gets the head, everyone shares the rest.
One last little detail - I've been on several elk hunts with multiple tagholders physically together. Usually 'who goes first' if they come upon elk at the same time is a coin flip, Roshambo, or some other kind of 50/50-esque proposition. Ideally decided in advance. These guys went with a yardage. If <=250, the guy from WI got 1st shot (he's never shot at anything over 100yds in his life). If >250, other guy got it. First shot opportunity was at 385 when it was clear it was not going to get any closer. 1st shot was a Miss, then 2nd shooter took next at 390 (also a miss, both were over the bulls back). 3rd shot at 402 was the final bell.
Such impressive country. Can't wait to go back.
Tldr; Two friends had tags in a unit in Southern CO. A group of 8 of us went down. We have hunted here a bit the last couple years, so have a decent understanding of the unit. Last year in 1st rifle the elk were still largely on top - which in that country means above treeline shaking hands with sheep. We hoped they'd be down a bit this year, but alas, it was up in the tundra we went after day 1.
Buddy's fancy new trailer as viewed from my tent. Site selection much better this year than last:
Welcome to elk camp #1 - This youngster was just a mile from camp, down low(ish). He went in the proverbial 'back pocket':
Welcome to elk camp#2 - From the northern lights:
Opening morning: The two tagholders went to 2 locations we had seen elk before. Me and another guy went up high to pull our last cameras and give timberline a look-see.
A couple hours later - right at the last stand of spruce - we were mixed up in a complet bugle-fest. 3 different bulls. I cow called a few times and all of them were coming. I shut up when a satellite 5-point popped out at 140 yards. Time to get on the Inreach and get the tagholders over here (both were ~45min driving plus however far they had to hike out). Satellite popped out at the bottom right of this pic:
After 45 minutes of bugling, the elk started wandering down to bed in the dark timber on the edge of a canyon. Wind was still good, so we got parallel to them and posted up on the canyon edge to keep track of them until tagholders arrived.
Tagholders arrived, elk were bedded eveywhere. After bouncing a few cows, we backed out down canyon. Returned that evening to watch the bottom of the canyon, to no avail.
We pounded some timber the next day - not much fresh sign, not much going on. A couple glassing sessions turned up faraway elk above treeline, and a few more explorations turned up fresh sign, so that's where we went the last two days.
Last day - both tagholders and 3 others go up a big drainage where we'd glassed elk from a distance. I took a couple of guys up the adjacent drainage to try and get eyes on other elk.
On our walk up the adjacent drainage in the dark, the sign gets heavier consistently as we climb the 3.5mi up the pretty gentle trail. We break for a snack about 8:00 and see some cows and calves moving above us on our side of the steep ridge separating the two basins. Good sign.
At 8:45 we get an InReach message. Bull down! 1 mile away as the crow flies... ...but for my group, up and over the top into the tagholders' drainage. For us that means 11,500->13,000->12,300 where he fell. Our side is steep as hell. I told the other two guys to hustle back the 3.5mi down the trail, drive the mile back to the other trailhead, then 3mi up the other trail to where they should be able to get eyes on the guys. Bring extra packs, water, food, etc . I go up and over. I'm not in the worst shape, but 1500 vertical feet in 1/4 mile is unpleasant for a guy that spends most of my time right now driving a desk at a client site at ~400' of elevation.
I have to negotiate a rock slide to get above the pin they sent, and as I cross a little bench, I can see orange way below me:
I make it down and they have a rear ham and a backstrap off. The bull rolled ~300' after the shot. Broke it's jaw nearly clean off, lost an antler tip and broke it's neck in several places. It is still in a very precarious position and there's not a flat space to stand. I grab a quick picture of the tag-puncher and then get to work.
With all the guys, quartering goes pretty quick despite the pitch of the slope. To remove the head, I have to straddle the carcass and punch the antler tips into the dirt to steady it. When I make the last twist/cut, the carcass slides between my legs another 50 feet into the willows. Break time:
Oh - and my Son-in-law hadn't had the 'raw bread dough' experience with the eyeball fat, so we took care of that:
We got everything packed up and ready. Tagholder was in for one with the head getting through the willows and scree field we had to cross to get back down to the trail:
The pack train started down - the guys that had been with me in the adjacent drainage and the shooter's dad were waiting at the base of the scree field in the center of the picture below. The bull was just short of 4 miles from the truck.
Only the willow maze/marsh directly below the bull and the scree field were 'difficult' - but as the tired face shows, those willows suck when every 3rd or 4th step went up to your shins in marsh.
One of the bull moose we kept running into was waiting for us in his lair at the bottom:
Tagholder 1 and his 'entourage' are from Northern WI. Much cribbage was played that night:
All in all - a great time. The WI boys were a little surprised that the shooter evenly distributed the meat between all 8 of us (and really - even more since he didnt take any loin or tenderloin himself. I also donated my share to them.). We explained (many times), elk hunting is a team sport. Shooter gets the head, everyone shares the rest.
One last little detail - I've been on several elk hunts with multiple tagholders physically together. Usually 'who goes first' if they come upon elk at the same time is a coin flip, Roshambo, or some other kind of 50/50-esque proposition. Ideally decided in advance. These guys went with a yardage. If <=250, the guy from WI got 1st shot (he's never shot at anything over 100yds in his life). If >250, other guy got it. First shot opportunity was at 385 when it was clear it was not going to get any closer. 1st shot was a Miss, then 2nd shooter took next at 390 (also a miss, both were over the bulls back). 3rd shot at 402 was the final bell.
Such impressive country. Can't wait to go back.
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