I have just returned home from the trip of a lifetime. I spent the last month away from home, living in a trailer with my wife and 1 year old daughter. In all we covered almost 4,000 miles and traveled through 7 states!! We left home from Southern California and drove up to Glacier National Park where we enjoyed the sights and hikes. After several weeks of living on the road and exploring our beautiful country, we made our way to Colorado. It was my goal this year to learn how to shoot a bow proficiently, and then learn everything I can about elk. I set the bar high- being new to hunting... but I am a pretty determined fella once I set my mind to something. With the help and advice of many of you here on Hunt Talk (you know who you guys are) I felt somewhat prepared to give this elk hunting thing a go. I loaded my pack and set out into the Colorado mountains with the hopes of at least seeing an elk (I had never even seen one before). Those expectations were blown away when I ran into a group of spikes and cows/calves 2 hours into my hike on day 1 of my first ever elk hunt, and minutes later I called in the first bull I ever heard bugle!!! It was insane!! I heard a bull bugle from the aspen towards all the cows I was watching, so I figured what the heck- I'll bugle back. 10 minutes later I was at full draw on a 5x5 bull 10 yards away from me... talk about a great introduction to elk hunting. He didn't present a clean shot, and walked off into the hills... leaving me with a trembling bow arm and a pounding heart. After hunting hard for a few more days I finally came across another vocal bull... and this time I had the help of a few friends of mine that met up with me. We set up on a wallow and began a 45 minute calling sequence. A beautiful 5x5 bull showed up and bugled 7 yards from me... and I arrowed him at 5 yards!! The shot was good, and the bull piled up 20 yards from me. The emotions were high, I couldn't believe it... I was actually teary eyed from the whole experience. I started the year off having never seen a bull or fired a bow, and I will be ending the year with a freezer of meat and a photo album full of memories I will cherish forever. Let me encourage all the new guys like me... just buy the dang tag, and go for it. And let me thank all the "old" guys... you guys gave me the tools and motivation to get it done! I'm hooked for life...
