1st year elk hunter

[imadbee]

This is my first year hunting elk, I just moved to CO last Fall. I had an interesting/funny/scary occurrence Sunday while hunting and I thought I might share it.
It all started last night while lying in my tent before I fell asleep, I heard some elk bugling. They were in an area I had been thinking of taking a look at, so I decided to give it a go this morning. So at daylight I started creeping into this area. Nothing special to talk about till I had been there a couple hours and came across the biggest pile of bear poop I have seen to date. I have seen plenty of bear sign all over the place ever since I have been going and scouting, but this came from a huge bear. Ok fast-forward another 45 minutes or so and I come into a place that has plenty of elk sign, so I decided to stop and make a few call, as I had been doing all morning. After a few minutes I hear a limb break to my left, alright it’s going to happen now. I make another soft cow call and wait. Shortly after that cow I hear a sound that “could” be a young bull trying to bugle. Then I hear it again….and I realize this is not an elk, that’s a bear roar. This bear roared for 45 seconds to a full minute, putting me on edge because it is only about 75 yards away, remember the big poop. So, I have my bow in my left hand, my bear spray on my left hip, and my pistol on my right hip. I decide to get the bear spray just in case it does come this way. I put the spray in my right hand still holding the bow in my left. I had the safety off of the spray and ready to go in case I needed it. Well after a very short time I look and see something come out of the brush directly in front of me. I had to straighten up a little to see over the brush in front of me and see this elk colored animal coming out and immediately think that’s a cow elk…split second later THAT’ A HUGE BEAR. This thing is a very big cinnamon black bear and it is only 15 steps from me. This scared me so bad I inadvertently hit the button on the bear spray. So now I have a bear in front of me and pepper spray all around me because I was pointing it at the ground. Dumb me. OK, now what, and so I back up and put some distance between the two of us and lay down my bow while drawing my pistol. So here I am with a .357 in my right and bear spray in my left. Where is the D**N bear, it has disappeared. Holy crap where is the bear? Luckily, I see it going around me, with its 2 cubs. I watched her and the babies creep off over the hill, they were just taking their time in no hurry. I thought about getting my phone out and snapping some pictures because I had some great shots, but to be honest with you, I didn't want to put down either weapon until she was gone. After she left I got to wondering what in the world was she roaring at? It couldn't have been me, it may have been another bear, or the cubs. Either way I decided to avoid this section of wood for the near future. I left in the other direction from her and the roaring and gave them both a wide berth the rest of the morning. I made it back to camp safely without a bear or elk.

As an afterthought I had a dream last that a bear had gotten into my tent with me and was attempting to eat me. Maybe next time I have a dream like that I will stay in camp the next day.

[Castnblast]

Opening day saw a nice boar bear walk right up to my pack sniffing s round. 10 feet from me. Great video. Then I moved and scared it away before he crawled up in my lap. I don't carry spray or a pistol. To much weight. Might reconsider.

[ElkNut1]

James, welcome to the Forum! That's a good story, one you won't be forgetting for quite some time. Get out there & get your elk now! (grin)

ElkNut1