Lurker No More - Intro

[ShowMeElk]

Hello, Heading into CO GMU 54 in a couple weeks to see if I can get rid of the 1st season rifle tag that has been burning a hole in my pocket for the past few months!

Never elk hunted before, so I have been pretty much consumed with learning all that I can, buying gear, training, etc....It has been an absolute blast and we haven't even left yet.

6 Man crew heading in several days early to get base camp set up, acclimate, scout. Then heading out in 2 man groups, prepared to spike camp for the full 5 days if need be. Not really looking for any specific info, just wanted to say Hi, and let you all know that this board is awesome!! I have been reading about all these encounters, and I am pumped.

My strategy for this hunt:

1. Enjoy the mountains - hunt as hard as possible, but my #1 goal is to just try and soak it all in.
2. Shoot the first legal animal that gives me an opportunity. I would love to shoot a bull, but I am not gonna pass on a cow if she gives me a money shot!
3. I don't think any of us are very good at calling, and certainly do not have much elk hunting experience - so I am mainly going to concentrate on getting away from the crowd, doing a lot of glassing, and trying to cut them off when at all possible.

[Broken arrow]

Welcome to the addiction! 54 is some step rough country. My guess is hunt from 9 to over 10'000ft at least that's where they where when I left. Again welcome great bunch of people here.

[mtnmutt]

Welcome to the elk addiction. If you don't know you have it now, you will after your elk hunt.

Please be prepared for snow conditions. If the snow gets deep, you can always rent snowshoes in town if needed. Your season likely will not need snowshoes but you never know. It is the CO mountains and mother nature does whatever. As we all found out this year with these unusually heavy daily September rains.

This past weekend, I did a backcountry deer hunt in CO central mountains at 11K. There was already snow at >12K on North facing slopes. Another storm came in on Sunday. These early storms do not normally produce much snow and it melts quickly from West and South facing slopes.

Another 2 storms are coming this week, but not likely for the snow to accumulate.

Here is an example of NOAA weather. Zoom out and click on your hunting location. Pay attention to the elevation you are clicking on to get the best results.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... kDF1D9v7pc

If your sleeping bag is rated 20 degree, buy a 0 degree bag or lower. You will be happier.

If you prepare for anything, your hunt will be far better for you. It can be in 40's in the morning or it can be 0 degrees in the morning.

Good luck and have fun. We would love to hear summary of hunt after you return.

[Indian Summer]

I like your attitude and your game plan a lot.

Welcome ShowMe!

[ST52V]

Enjoy your trip and also like your attitude and plan. I have been there twice. Are you going in on 721 or 723? Last year in mid September there were a ton of people in the wilderness of the end of 721. Good luck and let me know how you do. Robin

[ShowMeElk]

Thanks all - we are going in on 721.

I am packing all new C4E layers, plus some good old wool backups if it gets crazy cold. I am pretty hot blooded, so I have a 20 deg bag....I have had a 0 before, and I a.ways had to unzip due to sweat

Broken Arrow - I read your post - simply awesome !! I feel your pain too, I think the hardest part of this trip is being away from my wife and 4 kids for so long......but don't get me wrong, I'd leave tomorrow if I could!!!!

[ST52V]

Have you been in there before?? Are you prepared for jeep hill?

[ShowMeElk]

4 of the guys hunted there last year.... We are driving over jeep hill - man I have heard a lot about that thing this summer. Tire chains are bought and I have even practiced putting them on!

[BRazz]

1. Enjoy the mountains - hunt as hard as possible, but my #1 goal is to just try and soak it all in.
2. Shoot the first legal animal that gives me an opportunity. I would love to shoot a bull, but I am not gonna pass on a cow if she gives me a money shot!
3. I don't think any of us are very good at calling, and certainly do not have much elk hunting experience - so I am mainly going to concentrate on getting away from the crowd, doing a lot of glassing, and trying to cut them off when at all possible.

Your 1-2-3 plan is perfect. We hunt first rifle every year and that is exactly what we do. I will add that frequently the elk are still quite vocal, though we haven't had many instances of actually calling them in (we don't really try, either, just maybe an occasional location bugle then put the sneak on 'em).

[ShowMeElk]

I hope they are this year BRAZZ - Hearing a screaming bugle up close would be icing on the cake!!! If they are talking, I am definitely ready to be in pursuit!

[ShowMeElk]

This week is D R A G G I N G ....... I am ready to fill my lungs with mountain air! Pack is getting heavier every day, should be full tomorrow!

[ShowMeElk]

1. Enjoy the mountains - hunt as hard as possible, but my #1 goal is to just try and soak it all in.CHECK!
2. Shoot the first legal animal that gives me an opportunity. I would love to shoot a bull, but I am not gonna pass on a cow if she gives me a money shot!CHECK!
3. I don't think any of us are very good at calling, and certainly do not have much elk hunting experience - so I am mainly going to concentrate on getting away from the crowd, doing a lot of glassing, and trying to cut them off when at all possible.CHECK!

Where to start????
Arrived on Wed. setup base camp, was immediately overtaken at how steep everything was - Wow, this is going to hurt.
Scouted Wed, Thurs, and Fri am - no animals, but had picked up some semi-fresh sign so we headed to a spike camp nearby.
Saturday - Opening morning - nada, That afternoon I decided to hike to a nearby meadow and just cover more ground looking for fresh sign - 300 yds from the meadow and out rips a giant bugle, then another, and another....Herd bull is rounding up cows, there are elk everywhere. I took a knee, and had the scope on him several times, but never felt comfortable with the shot so I let them move on up the mountain and then sat in the meadow all afternoon waiting for them to come back down which did not happen.
Sunday am - I put one guy at the bottom, 1 in the middle, and myself at the top of the meadow - they came in between the bottom 2 men, 1 of them shot a cow just as the other was pulling the trigger on a bull, causing it to turn sharply and make the shooter unaware of where he hit it. I scrambled across the top of the meadow, as the elk were all coming up towards me - I had several different shots at elk, but none that I felt comfortable with (some were just a step or two away from getting shot, but always seemed to go the other way).
We 1/4 the cow, and followed blood on the bull until he headed downhill in a good shaded gulch - we felt we could pick the blood back up in the am so we backed out.
Monday - 3 guys packed the cow out - the other 3 of us spent the day trying to locate the bull - it snowed 4" overnight and covered up our bloodtrail, so we basically just climbed through deadfalls and oak brush for 5 miles - never found the bull or any sign....Spent monday night in base camp as we were out of gas (and water)
Tuesday - Packed back up to spike camp - hunted the afternoon and saw 1 spike.
Wednesday - last morning - plan was to hunt until 9, and then pack up spike camp and head down - we were physically and emotionally exhausted... 8 am I had just taken some pictures when I caught movement - a bull was coming down a trail 100 yds away...he stopped, 1/4 ing to me, and I p[ut it right on his front shoulder - BOOM! He turned and ran as if nothing happened - I sat for about 10 minutes just trying to compose myself and headed over to where he stood. Tracks were easily followed in the new snow, and after about 20 yds, the blood started....30 more yards and there he lay - Heart shot to pieces....Luckily all 6 of us were up there, so we boned and packed him to spike camp, then rolled up spike camp as well - One Loooong Heeeaavvyy hike down the mountain and it was done.

I don't think I have ever experienced so many different physical and emotional feelings in such a short amount of time.....One cannot explain it to those who have not experienced it firsthand....

[JJ Overkill]

congrats on your bull. very nice.

[Swede]

ShowMeElk: Congratulation on a very successful hunt, and welcome to the forum.

[Triplebhunters]

Congrats and awesome write up

[Magic]

Welcome and Congratulations on a very successful first elk hunt.