Birthday encounter

[redtop]

Yesterday was my 60th birthday. I have no idea how I got this far along but here I am still crawling around chasing elk and loving every minute of it. An elkaholic for sure. Yesterday was the second to last day of bow season here in Wyoming before rifle season starts tomorrow. I'm looking for my 40th consecutive elk, not all with a bow by any means, but I do love bowhunting elk the most unless I'm bowhunting mulies which is way more difficult.
I started the day off by going to a place that I've only hunted a few times. I hiked for an hour or so in dark thinking that I'd just stay silent and see if anything was happening. Nada not a peep. I passed a few tracks from the night before but nothing to get too excited about and after about 3 hours decided to head back a different way. I started down a nice aspen covered slope and immediately found lots of very very fresh sign. As I crept in to deep dark nasty I bumped a cow. Oh well. She didn't do the super hot take off that I've become familiar with over the years so I just sat down. After about 1/2 hour I made one cow call. Immediately a bull bugled back from at least a couple of hundred yards out. I immediately answered with another sweet cow call and he answered again. I moved forward about 50 yds and plopped down again. 15 minutes go by with nothing happening so I cow call again and he squeals back at me. I cow call once more and advance another 50 yards. He's interested but it's getting on toward 10:30 now and he's doesn't seem to eager to move so I cow call again and advance 30 yds to where I'm sure he'll come through, if he comes. 15 minutes of silence and I see his 5 point rack bending around the small trees and he's on the perfect course to get an arrow in him, the wind is perfect, steady from him to me for a change. 40 yds no shot, 30 yds no shot, there's the perfect avenue at 20 yds where he's heading and I'm ready. At 22 yds he stops behind your classic Christmas tree. I can see his butt and his rack but not his eyes or more importantly his vitals. All he has to do is 2 steps. Ten minutes he just stands there and by now I'm pissed off and I'm going to shoot the bastard as soon as he steps 2 steps. That's when he turns tail and dashed back the way he came. I cow call he bugles I cow call he bugles but he's out of there. I bugle at him and then it's just silence.....I know which christmas tree I'm going to cut this year anyway.

[Indian Summer]

Ha ha... I love a well written story. Even if it is the story of my life dammit!

Even though gun season starts on Saturday you can still find undisturbed elk to bow hunt. Or... you could take your gun a seek revenge right! Good luck Redtop.

I think I asked you this before but: Have you heard of Redtop Meadows?

[pmiller45]

Great story! Hope I'm hunting elk at 60!

[redtop]

Indian Summer, Redtop meadows is where I've made my home for a long long time. Out my door 5 minutes and I'm elk hunting. How do you know of it?

[Indian Summer]

I've done some guiding up Dog Creek. Hunted all over that area. See you next weekend!

[ElkNut1]

LOL! Love the story & your patience! Happy birthday! (grin)

ElkNut1