oldillini
Active member
Passed the 1/2 century mark several years ago and 2015 was my first elk hunt. Was fortunate to draw a bull tag for GMU 24 during 1st rifle season. All summer couldn't wait for October to come. But time did pass, October arrived and on Oct. 9th headed to base camp.
On opening day we were welcomed with the bugling of bulls within an hour after sunrise. WOW! Is what I should expect everyday? Now to find these guys.
But no matter how great it was to hear those bugles, reality set in and I saw neither a cow or bull until day 3 ... and then it was a cow. The rest of my party was seeing both in good numbers. One of my partners took his bull on opening day. Another on day 3. But by midday on closing day I had only seen 2 cows and 1 bull, the bull being a quick moving ghost.
So I head into the evening of closing day feeling a little down, having minimal sightings and zero chances. For that evening I chose to set up overlooking the same meadow where my friend took his bull on opening day. But the evening quickly drew to a close without any sightings.
About 15 minutes before sunset, dejected, I decided that maybe it was time to call it quits. So as sunlight evaporated I chose to move from my vantage point when something caught my eye about 300 yards across the meadow on a slope. The light was fast disappearing and I at first thought it was a cow. Then he turned towards me and I finally made out his rack, although I could not accurately say how big. He then decided to lay down in a wallow at the base of the slope.
Finally a bull was within range, of legal size and he lays down in a wallow with daylight nearly gone. The next 2-3 minutes seemed like eternity as I waited to see if he would stand up in time for a shot. But the time did give me the opportunity to get in a good prone position for a shot now around 275 yards. Then he stood, took 4-5 steps, and turned broadside. I really don't remember the next couple of seconds, except for the muzzle flash from my 7 mag. He took 1-2 steps and dropped.
Not sure what my pulse was as I walked quickly to where he lay, but it felt like I had just climbed 200 feet of a CO "hill". He was definitely not a record bull, but he was a nice 5x5 and a dream fulfilled.
Sorry for the darkness if the evening photo, but my camera flash is not he brightest. Pictures taken the next morning are definitely better.
On opening day we were welcomed with the bugling of bulls within an hour after sunrise. WOW! Is what I should expect everyday? Now to find these guys.
But no matter how great it was to hear those bugles, reality set in and I saw neither a cow or bull until day 3 ... and then it was a cow. The rest of my party was seeing both in good numbers. One of my partners took his bull on opening day. Another on day 3. But by midday on closing day I had only seen 2 cows and 1 bull, the bull being a quick moving ghost.
So I head into the evening of closing day feeling a little down, having minimal sightings and zero chances. For that evening I chose to set up overlooking the same meadow where my friend took his bull on opening day. But the evening quickly drew to a close without any sightings.
About 15 minutes before sunset, dejected, I decided that maybe it was time to call it quits. So as sunlight evaporated I chose to move from my vantage point when something caught my eye about 300 yards across the meadow on a slope. The light was fast disappearing and I at first thought it was a cow. Then he turned towards me and I finally made out his rack, although I could not accurately say how big. He then decided to lay down in a wallow at the base of the slope.
Finally a bull was within range, of legal size and he lays down in a wallow with daylight nearly gone. The next 2-3 minutes seemed like eternity as I waited to see if he would stand up in time for a shot. But the time did give me the opportunity to get in a good prone position for a shot now around 275 yards. Then he stood, took 4-5 steps, and turned broadside. I really don't remember the next couple of seconds, except for the muzzle flash from my 7 mag. He took 1-2 steps and dropped.
Not sure what my pulse was as I walked quickly to where he lay, but it felt like I had just climbed 200 feet of a CO "hill". He was definitely not a record bull, but he was a nice 5x5 and a dream fulfilled.
Sorry for the darkness if the evening photo, but my camera flash is not he brightest. Pictures taken the next morning are definitely better.
