The Elk Thread

[a3dhunter]

Wow and tough luck! I dry fired once when an arrow came unknocked and ruined my CAMs.

My cams were good, no other damage either.

Weekend recap:
Headed in Saturday morning and ended up bumping what I think was the same bull from last weekend a couple hundred yards away from where I had called him in. Kept hunting and around 4pm called in a nice 6 point bull 2 ridges away. Came in bugling to cow calls, like he was on a string.

Bull gave me a straight ahead shot at 40 yards but I let down and waited, he kept coming and gave me a broadside shot. Not sure what happened, but I stuck him and he left with my arrow. I must have hit the front shoulder, it's the only thing I can imagine with the results I had.
Found very little blood trail, and spent a few hours searching last night then all day today and couldn't find him, and couldn't find anymore blood past about 80 yards out.
Covered about 7 miles grid searching the mountain, me and another guy, without finding anything.

Things just keep getting worse for me, but I will lick my wounds and get back in there next weekend.

Good luck to all those hunting Colorado this week, was hit with rain, hail, and snow to finish the day around 10,500 feet.

[drthornton]

Not sure what happened, but I stuck him and he left with my arrow. I must have hit the front shoulder, it's the only thing I can imagine with the results I had.
Found very little blood trail, and spent a few hours searching last night then all day today and couldn't find him.

Seems to be catching this year....had the same thing happen to me.

I need to do a write up of my hunt. I usually don't when I'm unsucessful but I think some of my encounters and conditions endured could help some others.

[supertrooperl14]

Congrats coonazz

[old killer]

I got back from New Mexico yesterday, I'm glad I had a good base camp. In 22 days of elk season we had 7 dry days.
Ron killed on the 20th and I killed on the 22nd in the morning. A last day kill.
It will take some time to figure out how to get it to the green screen.
Maybe drthornton can help with some I sent him.

[coonazz]

Got this From Danny.

Great job Old Killer.

[a3dhunter]

Congrats OldKiller!

My season ended with an unfilled tag, well two really. I had a deer tag that I spent 6 out of the first 8 days trying to fill before I gave up on it, and it became an opportunity tag only. The deer tag was either sex, and just as I was getting ready to shoot a big doe yesterday out stepped a young fawn, so I let her walk.

My elk season was filled with adventure for sure.
I saw more elk in one day than I have in an entire year previously.
On one ridge that I hunted 4 days out of the last three weeks I ended up seeing a bull there on every day I hunted it, and getting a shot twice.

I have now nicknamed that mountain "where the bulls won't die", because it seems they have 9 lives on that mountain.

It was a season of learning, but with the luck I was having I'm glad it's over!

[drthornton]

My season ended with an unfilled tag

Tough luck buddy...I feel your pain.

I hate this time of year. Just as far away from next year's elk as possible and an un-punched tag makes it even worse.

[old killer]

The rain was a game changer this year. The elk were acting different, cows running from bulls on the last day, 9/22. That was my luck on the last day, the cows ran off and the bull came to me.

[drthornton]

Cool pics! Rain was a game changer for sure!

[old killer]

I was telling my hunting partner how sorry I felt for those who only had a short hunt in the middle of the monsoon.

[supertrooperl14]

Well I got back from guiding my buddy in NM unit 36. He missed a great non typical bull at 42 yards. Had a couple more chances and just could not finish the deal

I hunted in northern NM but things were waaaay slow. Almost no bugling made it tough. We had some chances on this hunt as well and it stars just did not align. We did have great food and fellowship and ther is no price tag on that.

Next, my wife has a muzzle tag in NM unit 34. I have never been this nervous for an elk hunt. I so want my wife to have a hunt of a life time and understand why my passion for elk is never ending. The goal is 300 inch bull or better but I will drop the expectation as the hunt moves along.

I got an update that you could hear the bulls bugling from the porch of our cabin. That's agreat sign.

[a3dhunter]

Cool pics! Rain was a game changer for sure!

pm sent...


The rain changed things up, had some wallows I wanted to sit and ended up raining too much for that to be dependable.

Then the snow this last weekend really threw a wrench in my plans.
Had a tough trail I wanted to pack in Friday night, but not even an option with snow on the ground. Too steep and dangerous. Took a longer trail around to the same area next morning, but instead of being there at daylight didn't hit the area until 8:30am.
There are times we just need to put safety first, and this was one of those times in my opinion.

[drthornton]

I was telling my hunting partner how sorry I felt for those who only had a short hunt in the middle of the monsoon.

Ha, I think I resemble that remark....rain sucked for sure but I had opportunities and got into elk every day. It's funny, as miserable as all that rain was I'd love to be back in it hunting.

I read of guys with 3rd season tags in the Gila that could not even get in to hunt because the access roads were rivers....now that sucks!

[supertrooperl14]

Ha, I think I resemble that remark....rain sucked for sure but I had opportunities and got into elk every day. It's funny, as miserable as all that rain was I'd love to be back in it hunting.

I read of guys with 3rd season tags in the Gila that could not even get in to hunt because the access roads were rivers....now that sucks!

I bet some folks walked a loooong way trying to access some country that holds the big boys. I know I would.

[Floor Man]

Had a little luck in Colorado.