I started hunting public land out West in 2009 due to the high cost of Texas hunting and took my first bull last year in Wyoming during the 2015 season. I followed the same script this year in Northern Colorado and got as far as my horse would carry me off the beaten path. We were about 6 miles from the trailhead in more open country than I was used to but I had some good reports that elk were in the area.
We arrived a full 6 days before the season started right after first rifle kicked off. We met a father and son at the trailhead that had mountain biked deep into the hunting area and had two bulls on the ground one of which was still way up on the mountain. With a rain/snow storm in the forecast the following day my hunting partner offered to help pack their bull out on our horses if they would give us the run down of the elk in the area. They readily agreed and the next day we rode off only to have to turn back because the snow had completely blocked their field of reference and covered up the trails and they could not find their bull. My hunting buddy packed their bull out the following blue bird day and we had a good idea on where to start looking.
On the Thursday before the opener we were at the trailhead about to leave for spike camp when a group from California showed up wearing shorts and flip flops. We jacked with them a little bit and had some good natured fun and wished them good luck on their hunt. We rode in the 6 miles to spike camp and dropped our gear and two buddies to set up then headed back to the trailhead for one more load and to pick up one more hunting buddy who was running late. On the way back to the trailhead we passed the Californians who were all walking and carrying heavy packs while leading two pack horses full of gear. I could tell they were a little uncomfortable around horses and they asked where we were camping and we said up by the lake. They said they were headed in the same direction and would stop by the fire later for a drink and to share intel on the area. I was thinking the last thing I want is to share spike camp with dudes that show up wearing shorts and flip flops but it turned into a fortuitous relationship. One of the Californians was a former Navy Seal who had hunted the area 12 years in a row and stated he was 12 for 12 with bulls. He said he would gladly show us around as there were plenty of elk in the area and very few people will pack this far away from the road.
On Friday morning, with our buddy in tow, along with two pack horses full of food/water/whiskey we made the final trip to spike camp. We made the 6 mile trip, and to our dismay, found the Californians had set up camp about 20 feet from our tent. I was thinking WTF, I don't know these guys, and this is way too close. Again, it turned out to be fortunate as the Californians were a lot of fun to be around and they informed us there is a HUGE difference between Southern Californians and Northern Californians. The four guys were all Northern Californians and really good guys. Additionally, they had the spotting scope set up and had already located two bulls.
Opening day is here and we get up at zero dark thirty and hike all the way to top of the 9000 foot mountain. It was warm and balmy 37 degrees when I left spike camp so I ditched my heavy jacket in my Eberlestock. We blaze up the mountain and get set up about 1.5 hours before first light and the wind is blowing like 20 mph. I am now freezing my tail off but super excited with the possibility. Starting about 0530 the elk were bugling and cow calling like I've never heard before. My usual hunting partner got bucked off a new horse a week before the trip and broke his wrist and bruised his pelvis. He elected to hunt low and I went up high with the Navy Seal. After about an hour, he asked if I wanted to head to another spot around the mountain and I said sure. We round a bend and see about a 340 bull across the canyon with about 20 cows. Above the herd was another herd, probably close to 100 head right at the tree line with probably a 300 bull with about 10 dink satellite bulls. On all of my previous trips I had never seen so many elk. We maneuvered to try and get a shot a the 340 bull but the wind shifted and they all ran off into the dark timber. We make it to another vantage point only to see the elk slowing start to filter back onto the hillside and start to calmly feed and bed down. I ranged the bull at 405 yards but did not feel comfortable shooting that far with a gusty 20 to 25 mph cross wind. As we were watching the herd waiting for an opportunity for the wind to die down or for them to move into position another group of elk moved up from below us with a small 5x5. The Navy Seal said he was a meat hunter and was going to take the 5x5 and there was another forked horn with a brow tine over 5 inches. We had them at 80 yards when the Seal dropped the 5x5 and I elected the let the forked horn bull walk. After watching the 340 I just couldn't pull the trigger, plus I was nervous about the length of the brow tine.
Since the Seal had showed me some great country, I elected to help him pack his bull down on opening day. I was a brutal pack out because we had to side hill the mountain on old elk trails and sometimes crawling underneath blow downs. After 20 years in law enforcement I have some lower back issues and the elk quarters did not help any.
The next day I elect to hunt lower as my 46 year old body could not make it back up to 9300 feet. My buddy that got bucked off the horse had dropped a 4x4 the previous evening and had him gutted and was asking for help with the pack out. I said let me hunt until about 0930 and if I don't see anything I'll help you quarter and pack out. Sure enough, the elk are silent and I don't see a single animal so I spent the rest of the day packing my buddies bull off the mountain. It was another brutal pack out as the snow had melted and left thick, sticky, slippery mud in its place. That day my other buddy killed a 550 LB black bear that, according to the game wardens, will probably make the B&C record book. The lucky SOB then killed a 6x6 the following day. With packing out 2 bulls and a black bear, riding over 70 miles on horseback, and not sleeping well I was done. The Californians had 2 bulls on the ground and we helped everyone pack out to base camp.
There were a few negative aspects of the trip which is all part of hunting public land especially with people with little hunting knowledge and ethics. Across the mountain there were 13 hunters set up hunting a draw when a huge herd of probably 300 elk were working their way from their feeding area into the dark timber. Right at 0800, on opening day, two men on horse back ride right into the drainage with hunters all over the hillside and spook off the elk. Two of my other hunting buddies were on the hillside and said there were some nice elk in the herd. Additionally, the big 340 bull that I watched for 40 minutes, that was peacefully in his bedding area and going nowhere, was shot at from about 700 yards from two hunters working their way up from below. I'm 95% sure they missed him but they disturbed the bedding area and scared all of those elk back onto private land. We could have hunted them for a few more day if those yahoos had not lobbed rounds at them from 700 yards below. Please do not disturb peaceful elk in their bedding areas on opening day.
I did not personally kill an elk on this trip but was sitting right next to a Navy Seal who did and I had a legal bull in my sights. I saw some incredible country, heard a ton of wild elk bugles, and shared a fire with some new friends which I'm sure I will see again. I hope everyone's season turns out well. Ya'll take care and God bless.
We arrived a full 6 days before the season started right after first rifle kicked off. We met a father and son at the trailhead that had mountain biked deep into the hunting area and had two bulls on the ground one of which was still way up on the mountain. With a rain/snow storm in the forecast the following day my hunting partner offered to help pack their bull out on our horses if they would give us the run down of the elk in the area. They readily agreed and the next day we rode off only to have to turn back because the snow had completely blocked their field of reference and covered up the trails and they could not find their bull. My hunting buddy packed their bull out the following blue bird day and we had a good idea on where to start looking.
On the Thursday before the opener we were at the trailhead about to leave for spike camp when a group from California showed up wearing shorts and flip flops. We jacked with them a little bit and had some good natured fun and wished them good luck on their hunt. We rode in the 6 miles to spike camp and dropped our gear and two buddies to set up then headed back to the trailhead for one more load and to pick up one more hunting buddy who was running late. On the way back to the trailhead we passed the Californians who were all walking and carrying heavy packs while leading two pack horses full of gear. I could tell they were a little uncomfortable around horses and they asked where we were camping and we said up by the lake. They said they were headed in the same direction and would stop by the fire later for a drink and to share intel on the area. I was thinking the last thing I want is to share spike camp with dudes that show up wearing shorts and flip flops but it turned into a fortuitous relationship. One of the Californians was a former Navy Seal who had hunted the area 12 years in a row and stated he was 12 for 12 with bulls. He said he would gladly show us around as there were plenty of elk in the area and very few people will pack this far away from the road.
On Friday morning, with our buddy in tow, along with two pack horses full of food/water/whiskey we made the final trip to spike camp. We made the 6 mile trip, and to our dismay, found the Californians had set up camp about 20 feet from our tent. I was thinking WTF, I don't know these guys, and this is way too close. Again, it turned out to be fortunate as the Californians were a lot of fun to be around and they informed us there is a HUGE difference between Southern Californians and Northern Californians. The four guys were all Northern Californians and really good guys. Additionally, they had the spotting scope set up and had already located two bulls.
Opening day is here and we get up at zero dark thirty and hike all the way to top of the 9000 foot mountain. It was warm and balmy 37 degrees when I left spike camp so I ditched my heavy jacket in my Eberlestock. We blaze up the mountain and get set up about 1.5 hours before first light and the wind is blowing like 20 mph. I am now freezing my tail off but super excited with the possibility. Starting about 0530 the elk were bugling and cow calling like I've never heard before. My usual hunting partner got bucked off a new horse a week before the trip and broke his wrist and bruised his pelvis. He elected to hunt low and I went up high with the Navy Seal. After about an hour, he asked if I wanted to head to another spot around the mountain and I said sure. We round a bend and see about a 340 bull across the canyon with about 20 cows. Above the herd was another herd, probably close to 100 head right at the tree line with probably a 300 bull with about 10 dink satellite bulls. On all of my previous trips I had never seen so many elk. We maneuvered to try and get a shot a the 340 bull but the wind shifted and they all ran off into the dark timber. We make it to another vantage point only to see the elk slowing start to filter back onto the hillside and start to calmly feed and bed down. I ranged the bull at 405 yards but did not feel comfortable shooting that far with a gusty 20 to 25 mph cross wind. As we were watching the herd waiting for an opportunity for the wind to die down or for them to move into position another group of elk moved up from below us with a small 5x5. The Navy Seal said he was a meat hunter and was going to take the 5x5 and there was another forked horn with a brow tine over 5 inches. We had them at 80 yards when the Seal dropped the 5x5 and I elected the let the forked horn bull walk. After watching the 340 I just couldn't pull the trigger, plus I was nervous about the length of the brow tine.
Since the Seal had showed me some great country, I elected to help him pack his bull down on opening day. I was a brutal pack out because we had to side hill the mountain on old elk trails and sometimes crawling underneath blow downs. After 20 years in law enforcement I have some lower back issues and the elk quarters did not help any.
The next day I elect to hunt lower as my 46 year old body could not make it back up to 9300 feet. My buddy that got bucked off the horse had dropped a 4x4 the previous evening and had him gutted and was asking for help with the pack out. I said let me hunt until about 0930 and if I don't see anything I'll help you quarter and pack out. Sure enough, the elk are silent and I don't see a single animal so I spent the rest of the day packing my buddies bull off the mountain. It was another brutal pack out as the snow had melted and left thick, sticky, slippery mud in its place. That day my other buddy killed a 550 LB black bear that, according to the game wardens, will probably make the B&C record book. The lucky SOB then killed a 6x6 the following day. With packing out 2 bulls and a black bear, riding over 70 miles on horseback, and not sleeping well I was done. The Californians had 2 bulls on the ground and we helped everyone pack out to base camp.
There were a few negative aspects of the trip which is all part of hunting public land especially with people with little hunting knowledge and ethics. Across the mountain there were 13 hunters set up hunting a draw when a huge herd of probably 300 elk were working their way from their feeding area into the dark timber. Right at 0800, on opening day, two men on horse back ride right into the drainage with hunters all over the hillside and spook off the elk. Two of my other hunting buddies were on the hillside and said there were some nice elk in the herd. Additionally, the big 340 bull that I watched for 40 minutes, that was peacefully in his bedding area and going nowhere, was shot at from about 700 yards from two hunters working their way up from below. I'm 95% sure they missed him but they disturbed the bedding area and scared all of those elk back onto private land. We could have hunted them for a few more day if those yahoos had not lobbed rounds at them from 700 yards below. Please do not disturb peaceful elk in their bedding areas on opening day.
I did not personally kill an elk on this trip but was sitting right next to a Navy Seal who did and I had a legal bull in my sights. I saw some incredible country, heard a ton of wild elk bugles, and shared a fire with some new friends which I'm sure I will see again. I hope everyone's season turns out well. Ya'll take care and God bless.
