2020- Giant forest fire, no public access. Returned my tag and stayed here in NC, channeled my time and energy towards finally getting my general contracting license. Best decision I’ve made in a long time! (My mother in law likes to say everything happens for a reason)
2021- Made it out to the elk grounds only to contract the virus and laid in bed sick for days. Tucked my tail and headed home to my family the moment my fever broke. (I’d love for my mother in law to give me a reason for that one)
2022- Business is rolling, family is healthy, and supportive as always, so I head west with a courageous adult onset hunter in tow. Well 6 months of e-scouting went down the drain the day we got to base camp after some intel from a local contact (and bad ass hunter in his own right). We make the decision to pack in 4 miles to an unknown location and boy did we make the right call.
Got camp set the afternoon before season and ended up with a sleepless night. We had a bull 400 yards from camp ripping bugles for 8 hours straight. He was from then on known as Lionel Richie, think “All Night Long.” I was honestly scared he was going to push the herd through camp a couple times. Opening morning he was still ripping and we set up on him on the edge of a small park. I slingshotted my partner out in front of me to set up for a shot and let out a cow call. The call was answered immediately and I proceeded to challenge him. All my bugling and branch breaking got him coming but he hung up at 150 yards. My partner had a clear view of his “huge” antlers and head, but due to topography and high grass couldn’t get a clean shot at vitals. I was very proud of him for being ethical and not trying to force a questionable shot. Lionel continued bugling his way up the mountain and had we known the terrain better, perhaps things would’ve ended differently. We reset and had close encounters with cows later in the morning, and were both truly excited to be in the elk!
Opener ended without any other major happenings, lots of interactions but no shots at legal bulls. Evening of day 2, it all came together. I was set up watching some cows feed at 75 yards when the wind swirled and they bumped off. I thought nothing of it as time passed and twilight grew nearer. About 15 minutes later they returned, but this time they had a new accompaniment, legal 5x5. Well, he’s certainly not my biggest bull but I couldn’t be any happier with my harvest. I told everyone after my last two years I was going to shoot the first legal bull I saw, and I am a man of my word.
After the initial excitement we set to work. We spent the next 2 days shuttling the bull and camp down the mountain. My partner held a tag but decided one bull was enough, and we both were anxious to return to our families. My heart wanted him to keep hunting but my legs weren’t putting up an argument, so we decided to split the meat and head east. I couldn’t have been happier to be back in the Rockies amongst bugling elk, to be successful, and to have shared a surely spoiling elk experience with a new hunter. We decided on the ride home that next season starts now, and I look forward to standing over his harvest and sharing his story next year! Good luck to all still hunting!
2021- Made it out to the elk grounds only to contract the virus and laid in bed sick for days. Tucked my tail and headed home to my family the moment my fever broke. (I’d love for my mother in law to give me a reason for that one)
2022- Business is rolling, family is healthy, and supportive as always, so I head west with a courageous adult onset hunter in tow. Well 6 months of e-scouting went down the drain the day we got to base camp after some intel from a local contact (and bad ass hunter in his own right). We make the decision to pack in 4 miles to an unknown location and boy did we make the right call.
Got camp set the afternoon before season and ended up with a sleepless night. We had a bull 400 yards from camp ripping bugles for 8 hours straight. He was from then on known as Lionel Richie, think “All Night Long.” I was honestly scared he was going to push the herd through camp a couple times. Opening morning he was still ripping and we set up on him on the edge of a small park. I slingshotted my partner out in front of me to set up for a shot and let out a cow call. The call was answered immediately and I proceeded to challenge him. All my bugling and branch breaking got him coming but he hung up at 150 yards. My partner had a clear view of his “huge” antlers and head, but due to topography and high grass couldn’t get a clean shot at vitals. I was very proud of him for being ethical and not trying to force a questionable shot. Lionel continued bugling his way up the mountain and had we known the terrain better, perhaps things would’ve ended differently. We reset and had close encounters with cows later in the morning, and were both truly excited to be in the elk!
Opener ended without any other major happenings, lots of interactions but no shots at legal bulls. Evening of day 2, it all came together. I was set up watching some cows feed at 75 yards when the wind swirled and they bumped off. I thought nothing of it as time passed and twilight grew nearer. About 15 minutes later they returned, but this time they had a new accompaniment, legal 5x5. Well, he’s certainly not my biggest bull but I couldn’t be any happier with my harvest. I told everyone after my last two years I was going to shoot the first legal bull I saw, and I am a man of my word.
After the initial excitement we set to work. We spent the next 2 days shuttling the bull and camp down the mountain. My partner held a tag but decided one bull was enough, and we both were anxious to return to our families. My heart wanted him to keep hunting but my legs weren’t putting up an argument, so we decided to split the meat and head east. I couldn’t have been happier to be back in the Rockies amongst bugling elk, to be successful, and to have shared a surely spoiling elk experience with a new hunter. We decided on the ride home that next season starts now, and I look forward to standing over his harvest and sharing his story next year! Good luck to all still hunting!
