Post by deadeye on Sept 30, 2007 15:47:03 GMT -5
Well we made it back from CO last week hunting the last week of the archery season in area 521. Very warm temps and following a very busy muzzle loading season made for some tough hunting. The elk had the guides scratching their heads as well with mid day movement, bulls not rounding up cows and responding to calls but not coming to them. We did a lot of scouting and hunted the few ponds that showed activity in the afternoon.
I saw a very nice chocolate phase black bear one afternoon heading to a pond. She was standing on the trail I was walking in a large aspen stand. I wondered why she stood her ground at 30 yds when the guide mentioned there were two cubs with her. I slowly backed up 8 or 10 steps to give her plenty of room. Eventually the cubs came down and met up with mom and they moved up the ridge. She had a beautiful coat and I would guess her weight at 300 lbs.
We had a bull responding to the calls and coming in until just before dark. All went quiet. Upon meeting the others in the aspens, we were told one of the cubs actually came back and walked right up to the guide that was calling for my son and another hunter in our party. He gave it a kick and the cub ran downhill spooking the bull. We heard another bull bugle several times while we made our way back down the draw. that would be one of the bulls that my son would play cat and mouse with the next 4 days.
I went to Bear Pond on Thursday afternoon. Plenty of tracks held hope for a sighting of some type. I set up in a small depression of young aspen trees about 15 yds from the pond. There were two trails well used coming and going to the pond. One down hill directly in front and another trail to the right. The wind was perfect for both routes so I kicked all the grass and leaves from the ground to avoid any sounds I may make while moving.
I nocked an arrow and leaned my bow up against a tree. I put on my face mask, release, adjusted my arm guard, and ate an energy bar. I blew 4 or 5 cow calls and settled in to enjoy the scenery. I heard some noise to my right shortly after calling. I figured it was the wind and didn't pay to much attention. More limbs breaking had me double thinking as I knew a squirrel couldn't make that much noise. I got to my knees and grabbed my bow.
The noise grew louder and it wasn't long before I noticed movement through the brush. A bull walked in quartering to me. I double checked the number of points to make sure he was legal and drew back to anchor. He turned facing me, took a quick look and then turned back toward the pond. He took a few steps into the water when the pin 20 pin settled mid way back on his side and the arrow was on it's way.
Upon impact, the bull broke into a run. I could see blood coming from the entrance wound as he ran trough the water and turned uphill. I cow called to stop him but he wasn't falling for that. I watched as he turned again and crossed the trail I walked in one. I listened as he crashed through the aspens and brush and thought I heard him go down. I looked at my watch, it was 5:15 p.m. Replaying what happened had me thinking the shot was high and a bit farther back that what I had wanted.
I waited 5 minutes and went to find my arrow. It was on the trail that came down the hill. Good blood with small bubbles looked good. I walked over to where the bull turned uphill and found blood. I waited until dark and made my way down to meet up with another member in our party. We went back to camp and I told the news to the others. We got our tracking gear together and went back up to the pond.
We took up the blood trial which started out slow but really picked up where he crossed the trail above the pond. Another 70 yards of very good blood on both sides of the path he ran brought us to my first elk. He isn't record book material but a decent bull non the less. 4 X 5 with good mass makes it a keeper in my book. After some pictures, the guides got busy quartering and we attached them on the pack frames. I never thought that much meat and bone could feel so light.
I used the Simmons Razorshark 100 gr head this year. Traditional type two blade with good size bleeders. Pics of the entrance below. The camera battery died before I could get the exit. I am very satisfied with the flight and performance of these heads. I am going to use them for whitetails this year and expect excellent results.
I saw a very nice chocolate phase black bear one afternoon heading to a pond. She was standing on the trail I was walking in a large aspen stand. I wondered why she stood her ground at 30 yds when the guide mentioned there were two cubs with her. I slowly backed up 8 or 10 steps to give her plenty of room. Eventually the cubs came down and met up with mom and they moved up the ridge. She had a beautiful coat and I would guess her weight at 300 lbs.
We had a bull responding to the calls and coming in until just before dark. All went quiet. Upon meeting the others in the aspens, we were told one of the cubs actually came back and walked right up to the guide that was calling for my son and another hunter in our party. He gave it a kick and the cub ran downhill spooking the bull. We heard another bull bugle several times while we made our way back down the draw. that would be one of the bulls that my son would play cat and mouse with the next 4 days.
I went to Bear Pond on Thursday afternoon. Plenty of tracks held hope for a sighting of some type. I set up in a small depression of young aspen trees about 15 yds from the pond. There were two trails well used coming and going to the pond. One down hill directly in front and another trail to the right. The wind was perfect for both routes so I kicked all the grass and leaves from the ground to avoid any sounds I may make while moving.
I nocked an arrow and leaned my bow up against a tree. I put on my face mask, release, adjusted my arm guard, and ate an energy bar. I blew 4 or 5 cow calls and settled in to enjoy the scenery. I heard some noise to my right shortly after calling. I figured it was the wind and didn't pay to much attention. More limbs breaking had me double thinking as I knew a squirrel couldn't make that much noise. I got to my knees and grabbed my bow.
The noise grew louder and it wasn't long before I noticed movement through the brush. A bull walked in quartering to me. I double checked the number of points to make sure he was legal and drew back to anchor. He turned facing me, took a quick look and then turned back toward the pond. He took a few steps into the water when the pin 20 pin settled mid way back on his side and the arrow was on it's way.
Upon impact, the bull broke into a run. I could see blood coming from the entrance wound as he ran trough the water and turned uphill. I cow called to stop him but he wasn't falling for that. I watched as he turned again and crossed the trail I walked in one. I listened as he crashed through the aspens and brush and thought I heard him go down. I looked at my watch, it was 5:15 p.m. Replaying what happened had me thinking the shot was high and a bit farther back that what I had wanted.
I waited 5 minutes and went to find my arrow. It was on the trail that came down the hill. Good blood with small bubbles looked good. I walked over to where the bull turned uphill and found blood. I waited until dark and made my way down to meet up with another member in our party. We went back to camp and I told the news to the others. We got our tracking gear together and went back up to the pond.
We took up the blood trial which started out slow but really picked up where he crossed the trail above the pond. Another 70 yards of very good blood on both sides of the path he ran brought us to my first elk. He isn't record book material but a decent bull non the less. 4 X 5 with good mass makes it a keeper in my book. After some pictures, the guides got busy quartering and we attached them on the pack frames. I never thought that much meat and bone could feel so light.
I used the Simmons Razorshark 100 gr head this year. Traditional type two blade with good size bleeders. Pics of the entrance below. The camera battery died before I could get the exit. I am very satisfied with the flight and performance of these heads. I am going to use them for whitetails this year and expect excellent results.
!!! I can give you some ideas for cooking if you'd like...
, glad to hear someone had some luck with these crazy Elk this year, never even got one in bow range this year myself...they were just being weird.
I never had an opportunity to go Elk hunting but it is on my list of things I would like to do someday. I'm an avid turkey hunter and love to call them to me, but I can't imagine calling in an 800# Tom!