Colorado Elk Season recap

[Dirty D]

We had one our most incredible seasons yet to date. Our crew filled 3 out of 5 tags and should have easily been 100%, we blame that on antleritis (horn-porn) and poor shooting but even though we didn’t all tag out our season was a complete success.

We spent one day in what I can only describe as “the swarm”. We estimate there were at least one hundred elk on the mountain side, if not several hundred with at least four different herd bulls all right on top each other, hence "the swarm". Each herd bull had satellites and the satellites had satellites, to say it was insane was an understatement! It’s also the first time I’ve heard glunking in the field (a vocalization I’ve somewhat dismissed as I’d never heard it before), not only did I hear it, I heard it all afternoon. It truly was an incredible day.

One of our guys has been cleaning up our video and has been doing a fantastic job! I wish we were better with the camera as we only caught about 1% of the action during “the swarm”. Oh well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEgxZ7MHfaQ&feature=g-all-u

Man I LOVE elk hunting. How many days until next year??

[FireWillie77]

Awesome video!! Im super super jealous of the year you had!! Nice work!!!

[ORelksniper]

Very nice video. I'm jealous of the swarm. Our swarms are not nearly that swarmy.

[mongopino915]

I know the feeling. On Saturday (September 1st), I was solo hunting and heard the first bugle at 5:30 A.M. about 800 yards away. As I made my way to the bull, one by one, other bulls started bugling. By 7:30, I had a dozen bulls bugling their throats off from all direction. Must have heard 200 plus bugles by 10:00. I was the only one in the mountain that day. Passed up several easy shots at cows even though I had an extra cow tag in the wallet. Passed up several young nice 5x5 satellites. Worked/chased the baddest/loudest/meanest bull (330" plus 6x6 herd bull with 20 plus cows) for 5 hours. Did not need to do much calling. Came to full draw three times but the shot opportunity was just not there. Did not kill elk that day but had the best time of my life. I doubt I may ever experience such day again.

2012 was an amazing season, both sweet and bitter. The team (7 of us) took home 2 bulls (both 5x5), a cow, a 4x4 buck, and a doe.

Thanks for reading.

[Vanish]

I find it interesting that you dared to stand that much in the video. I'd be down as low as I could get. The elk didn't seem to mind though.

[Brad Peterson]

Thats an awesome video, can't wait for next year!

[ColoStateHunter]

Ah the sweet 'ol ElkFest!

You did stand and move around a lot but it goes to show you what you can get way with in this situation (I hunt very aggressivly and would have been doing the same). That was one great day in the elk woods!

[MTLongdraw]

Great footage. I hope CO learns from MT, ID, and WY mistakes and manages their wolf and predator problems. The elk numbers in CO are amazing and I hope they stay ahead of the game.

[Dirty D]

Thanks guys.

Actually I'm about another 20 yards in front of the guy standing in the video and to his left. I kind of got split up from the rest of the guys a little earlier in the afternoon and found myself crawling toward some cows. I got within about 70 yards and grabbed a knee, as I'm sitting there contemplating my next move when the bull appears and starts pushing the cows towards me! After about 30 mins. I've got cows 10 yards on either side of me and I'm just waiting for the whole thing to blow up. As the bull makes another push I figured it's now or never. Not sure how I even got drawn back with all those eyes around me but I did, I tried cow calling to stop him but it took a couple tries(should have gave him the nervous grunt). I did mention something about poor shooting in the original post right!? Right just checking, man was I a ball of nerves, no excuse but holly balls that was an intense situation!

Anyway, I never knew the rest of the guys had caught up. Until after the fact when I had some "explaining" to do... And for the record that wasn't "the swarm" but it's the first time I was almost swallowed whole by a herd! Like I said it was an an incredible season.

The buddy that got roped into pulling the video together says he's got about 4 or 5 more segments, and is just feeding it to us a bit at a time. I'll post the rest as they come in.

[Dirty D]

Got the next installment. Although, they're a bit out of order, this was our pics & video from the trailhead heading up the trail to our spike camp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkDBPGmO ... re=g-all-u

[slim9300]

I find it interesting that you dared to stand that much in the video. I'd be down as low as I could get. The elk didn't seem to mind though.

For the record, I almost never get down on my knees or crouch. I just stand up with something to breakup my outline behind me, and don't move. In the past I didn't and this caused many missed opportunities and lots of frustration.

[Vanish]

I find it interesting that you dared to stand that much in the video. I'd be down as low as I could get. The elk didn't seem to mind though.

For the record, I almost never get down on my knees or crouch. I just stand up with something to breakup my outline behind me, and don't move. In the past I didn't and this caused many missed opportunities and lots of frustration.

I'd love to hear Paul's thoughts on this. It is something that has been hammered into me by all the research I have done, but not by experience ... "These aren't whitetails, don't even dare to stand to shoot!"

Edit: Sorry to hijack, Im watching the other video now!

[slim9300]

I find it interesting that you dared to stand that much in the video. I'd be down as low as I could get. The elk didn't seem to mind though.

For the record, I almost never get down on my knees or crouch. I just stand up with something to breakup my outline behind me, and don't move. In the past I didn't and this caused many missed opportunities and lots of frustration.

I'd love to hear Paul's thoughts on this. It is something that has been hammered into me by all the research I have done, but not by experience ... "These aren't whitetails, don't even dare to stand to shoot!"

Edit: Sorry to hijack, Im watching the other video now!

I know. A few years back I was blowing so many opportunities because I was unable to make clear shots. I just decided one day to just stand there and wait for them to come in. My kill percentage and opportunity percentage has gone way up. Keep in mind a lot of that is due to Paul's material too.

The only time I get on my knees is when it's wide open and getting a clear shot will be a non-issue.

[Dirty D]

I’d like to hear Paul’s thoughts as well. But I’d agree with others that standing allows you to be more flexible and you can react to changing conditions more quickly. I always make sure to get in front of any cover like Paul recommends. And you really can get away with a lot, if the elk don’t know you’re there.

Curious how many noticed the guy with the camera right as the standing scene starts (2:28)? He blends in pretty well, especially crouched down.
And I just got the latest video installment, with some bulls sparing but I got to wait to hear from my buddy if he’s ready for me to post it or not…

[bearman da man]

Love your term "the swarm" Dirty D. We have a similar term and we say each day, "hope were invited to the party". We did make it to the "party" one evening with two differant herd bulls with their cows about a 100 yds from each other...and they had their assortment of satelites with each herd bull. They were screaming at each other and all trying to outdo the other one. I kept them talking and my buddy stalked them. He saw one of the herd bulls and had a shot uphill about 40 yds and was just under him. The screaming went on from 5 to dark and it is the most exciting sounds in the wild. I felt like a conductor with the symphony. Also, I got a 5 x 5 a couple of days later at 12 yds. I got the bull to come in by memicking what I had heard at the "party" a couple of nights ago. How many days till archery season in 2013?