so close but...

[Sucobowhunter]

The hunt starts with a buddy calling me saying he knows were there is a herd and he knows how to get it. I said lets go.. as were driving to the trailhead I see some spots on the hillside. BOOM There they are. A solid 60 pack with 2 nice bulls and there right there. So we pull over and inspect the route. Looks like we have to cross the river and go straight up at em because they are on private now but are milling towards the public and the river. I take off my boots and cross the river. Cold!! For some reason everything worked out perfect and the elk are now 50 yards from public, still coming, wind is right and we have great cover in this little patch of aspens. All of a sudden the big bull starts herding his cows uphill. They have moved downhill 200 yards towards us and now there leaving. What happened?? The herd is in 2 along the hillside with the big bull having most the cows and the little bull having a little chunk of cows. Now all the cows are full fledge running across the field.. I bugle to try and stop them and they all stop and stare. I go thru a full calling sequence trying to get them to stop. Bugling, Raking, cow calling. They like what I'm giving them but something is making them run. I scan the hillside and low and behold there is the property owner jumping up and down clapping his hands and running at the elk. WOW is all we could think. As we get to the truck(after crossing the river again) a guy comes up to us(Clayton) and said he had the same idea but the property owner told him it was illegal and that was HIS land and HIS elk and no one was gonna kill his elk. Now I know we were on public land as I could see the private land signs 200 yards above us and my gps has all private land marked. The "ranch manager" told Clayton that he was gonna call the sherif if he crossed the river and have him arrested even though its public land. NOT COOL!! Clayton has all this on video. I am pretty sure it is illegal for the landowner to do that, Its harassing the wildlife and you not allowed to interfere with legal hunters. So the hunt continues... I will get an elk!!

[bnsafe]

that sucks Jason, we had a few folks back in mo that would do that. most of them have tv shows

[Broken arrow]

That real sucks. I'd be talking to some to find out what can be done.

[mtnmutt]

Call the game warden. CO law is clear. He violated 2 laws:
It is illegal to harass wildlife
It is illegal to interfere with hunting

I have no sympathy for people that say its their elk.

[Buglemaster]

Agree with mtnmutt. Notify the local warden. That crap happens all over the state.

[>>>---WW---->]

Sounds like you were close to the Smith Ranch north of Hayden, Co. Right or wrong?? You wouldn't believe some of the stories about encounters there!

[Sucobowhunter]

Just N. of Silverthorne.. Crackling creek ranch..