Bonnet Bruce Paty and I just returned from another successful elk hunt.
We hunted outside Gunnison Country Outfitters this year. Base camp was right at 10,000’ elevation.
The first day we chased a small herd around in the foothills for too many miles up and down steep rock and sagebrush covered hills. Bruce finally was able to take his 5x5 at 8800’ elevation.
Because of the inclines, rock slides, and foot grabbing sagebrush, I think this may have been the toughest hiking either of us had done.
Sunday, while Bruce slept in, we glassed the same area with no sightings so we went back to camp and saddled the mules and worked our way up the mountain to try and find an area protected from the 35 mph winds. Without much luck and snow flurries starting, we decided to call it a day.
I woke up at 4AM Monday and after breakfast we rode 2 1/2 hours to the summit at 11,500, and watched a saddle for a few hours.
On the way down to an area we planned to still hunt we came upon a bull at around 80 yards through the thick aspens. Everything happened fast from here. I dismounted, rested my rifle across the outfitters backpack as he bent over and braced against an aspen. I was able to thread the needle and my hunt was complete.
I am very tired and sore but we had a great time, ate well, enjoyed a true Rocky Mountain elk hunt, and met another hunter from Pagosa Springs that we will spend more time with in the future.
Our bulls didn’t have monster headgear but we brought a lot of great meat home.
We hunted outside Gunnison Country Outfitters this year. Base camp was right at 10,000’ elevation.
The first day we chased a small herd around in the foothills for too many miles up and down steep rock and sagebrush covered hills. Bruce finally was able to take his 5x5 at 8800’ elevation.
Because of the inclines, rock slides, and foot grabbing sagebrush, I think this may have been the toughest hiking either of us had done.
Sunday, while Bruce slept in, we glassed the same area with no sightings so we went back to camp and saddled the mules and worked our way up the mountain to try and find an area protected from the 35 mph winds. Without much luck and snow flurries starting, we decided to call it a day.
I woke up at 4AM Monday and after breakfast we rode 2 1/2 hours to the summit at 11,500, and watched a saddle for a few hours.
On the way down to an area we planned to still hunt we came upon a bull at around 80 yards through the thick aspens. Everything happened fast from here. I dismounted, rested my rifle across the outfitters backpack as he bent over and braced against an aspen. I was able to thread the needle and my hunt was complete.
I am very tired and sore but we had a great time, ate well, enjoyed a true Rocky Mountain elk hunt, and met another hunter from Pagosa Springs that we will spend more time with in the future.
Our bulls didn’t have monster headgear but we brought a lot of great meat home.
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