Lets go back to about March when my buddy stopped in. He says, hey, how many points do you have? I said about a dozen. He said good, I have 11, lets go elk hunting. I gotta go one more time. (he's 72 and I'm 60. Yep, a couple old farts) He says I have access to this unit thru a friend.
Did some quick research and I called him up that eve. Hey Calvin, bad news, good news. We do not have enough points for first rifle, but we could/should draw second rifle. He said lets do it.(We drew)
This is a DIY Public Land hunt. Never been there. Fast forward to that Tues morning. All loaded evening before except for horses. 5am, load horses and hit the road.Thinking we would hit Pueblo or so and get a room, we flew thru Pueblo and drove straight thru. 10:15 we're there.Long day.
Sleep in, go to town for groceries, then that afternoon saddle horses and scout for 3 days. Lot of dark timber, found some likely spots with one awesome place (with a wallow). I told Calvin, we can kill a bull here. That is where we both went first morning.
Calvin crawled into some dead falls and I went N about 300 yds to watch this sorta bald point. After daylight a bit, I look back Calvins way a bit and, dang, Elk. They are to far for me but I'm pretty sure Calvin can see them. They are behind some pines a bit so I move up about 20 yds to get a better look. 20 cow, no bull. Dang, wheres the bull? Finally decide there is no bull and go back to watching my country. About 5 minutes later, 'BOOM'. I thought, sonofagun, there was a bull there.
I move over a little ridge to see Calvin and he waves me over. I'm thinking, Thats a good sign. He was still bedded in the meadow when i was glassing for him, but Calvin saw it all. After he stood up, Calvin put him down. Just a beautiful 6 and amlost 50 wide. Skin quarter and hang, high fivin the whole time.
Now I had been battling some sinus and throat problems and when we get back to camp late that afternoon, I go south. Bad. Fever, chills, in the sleeping bag before dark, and i told Calvin, I ain't huntin in the morning. After a long night, I woke up feeling pretty good. Later that day, I'm back. good as new.
For the 3rd mornings hunt, I told Calvin to stay in bed. I'm going to walk in to my spot, about an hour and a half walk. He said ok, I'll be there around 10 with the horses to either help me and/or haul his meat out.
I get to my spot quite early and nestle in. Not long after being there, I hear antlers raking in the trees. I thought, OK, good, but its a long time till daylight. Time passes and finally, just a glimmer of day rising from the east. Throw my binos up to see if I can see anything, and sonofagun, there's some yellow spots out there. After watching a bit, I realize they are grazing to fast and are going to be gone before daylight, Crap!!
All of a sudden, that rear animal kinda starts grazing my direction and after a bit, the others turn and start to follow. Wow, how cool is this, being pretty positive there's a bull with them. Still way to dark to know whats what. Now I'm thinking they are going to be on top of me before daylight. The Gods were with me that morning as they eventually stopped and milled around in one spot for a long while.
Finally, enough daylight to see that lead animal was a pretty nice bull, while the other 6 elk were all bulls also, but rag horns. They ever so slowly started making there way to me again and at 90 yds I let that 300 sing. BULL DOWN!!!. I had the most lengthy moment with our maker that morning kneeling beside my bull. What an incredible moment.
Calvin shows up around 10 as promised and we finished quartering. Went over to his kill 2 days ago and loaded up his meat and back to camp we came. Another memorable evening at camp. We were pumped. Back out the next day to get my meat and its time to load up and head south.
Calvin (and I later) had hunted S. Co. for the last 35 years and this Chief (I am the Indian) is sitting close to 50% on Elk kills. None this caliber, but kills none the less. He says for sure, this was his last trip. I only hope I can go like him when I'm 72. I am blessed
Did some quick research and I called him up that eve. Hey Calvin, bad news, good news. We do not have enough points for first rifle, but we could/should draw second rifle. He said lets do it.(We drew)
This is a DIY Public Land hunt. Never been there. Fast forward to that Tues morning. All loaded evening before except for horses. 5am, load horses and hit the road.Thinking we would hit Pueblo or so and get a room, we flew thru Pueblo and drove straight thru. 10:15 we're there.Long day.
Sleep in, go to town for groceries, then that afternoon saddle horses and scout for 3 days. Lot of dark timber, found some likely spots with one awesome place (with a wallow). I told Calvin, we can kill a bull here. That is where we both went first morning.
Calvin crawled into some dead falls and I went N about 300 yds to watch this sorta bald point. After daylight a bit, I look back Calvins way a bit and, dang, Elk. They are to far for me but I'm pretty sure Calvin can see them. They are behind some pines a bit so I move up about 20 yds to get a better look. 20 cow, no bull. Dang, wheres the bull? Finally decide there is no bull and go back to watching my country. About 5 minutes later, 'BOOM'. I thought, sonofagun, there was a bull there.
I move over a little ridge to see Calvin and he waves me over. I'm thinking, Thats a good sign. He was still bedded in the meadow when i was glassing for him, but Calvin saw it all. After he stood up, Calvin put him down. Just a beautiful 6 and amlost 50 wide. Skin quarter and hang, high fivin the whole time.
Now I had been battling some sinus and throat problems and when we get back to camp late that afternoon, I go south. Bad. Fever, chills, in the sleeping bag before dark, and i told Calvin, I ain't huntin in the morning. After a long night, I woke up feeling pretty good. Later that day, I'm back. good as new.
For the 3rd mornings hunt, I told Calvin to stay in bed. I'm going to walk in to my spot, about an hour and a half walk. He said ok, I'll be there around 10 with the horses to either help me and/or haul his meat out.
I get to my spot quite early and nestle in. Not long after being there, I hear antlers raking in the trees. I thought, OK, good, but its a long time till daylight. Time passes and finally, just a glimmer of day rising from the east. Throw my binos up to see if I can see anything, and sonofagun, there's some yellow spots out there. After watching a bit, I realize they are grazing to fast and are going to be gone before daylight, Crap!!
All of a sudden, that rear animal kinda starts grazing my direction and after a bit, the others turn and start to follow. Wow, how cool is this, being pretty positive there's a bull with them. Still way to dark to know whats what. Now I'm thinking they are going to be on top of me before daylight. The Gods were with me that morning as they eventually stopped and milled around in one spot for a long while.
Finally, enough daylight to see that lead animal was a pretty nice bull, while the other 6 elk were all bulls also, but rag horns. They ever so slowly started making there way to me again and at 90 yds I let that 300 sing. BULL DOWN!!!. I had the most lengthy moment with our maker that morning kneeling beside my bull. What an incredible moment.
Calvin shows up around 10 as promised and we finished quartering. Went over to his kill 2 days ago and loaded up his meat and back to camp we came. Another memorable evening at camp. We were pumped. Back out the next day to get my meat and its time to load up and head south.
Calvin (and I later) had hunted S. Co. for the last 35 years and this Chief (I am the Indian) is sitting close to 50% on Elk kills. None this caliber, but kills none the less. He says for sure, this was his last trip. I only hope I can go like him when I'm 72. I am blessed
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