My 20 Minute Archey Season

[CurlyTail]

After months of anticipation, preparation, purchasing new gear, and trying to educate myself on Archery, and Archery Elk Hunting. Hours in the gym and on the range -

My much anticipated first Archery Elk Hunt lasted 20 minutes. I called in a group of cows and spikes, and I shot a Spike at 30 yards broadside, perfect double lung hit, went 70 yards and left a great blood trail.

Shot him at 6:20am Saturday Morning. Had him quartered up and carried out and in the coolers by 2:30pm. Delivered to the processor by 3:30 pm - their first elk of the Colorado season. Invoice #0001.

An easy carry out of 1.25 miles on rather gentle terrain. Got him out in one trip with 3 guys.

Thank You all for sharing your elk hunting knowledge and experience with me. But lets face it - I just got lucky. It does feel great to have Elk meat in the freezer for another year!

My hunting partners still have one tag to fill so now I am the caller and hauler, and we will all hunt until the last tag is filled.

And I still have a Nebraska Bull Elk tag to fill, and that may have some Trophy potential. So hopefully you have not heard the last of me this season.

I hope all you guys and gals are as fortunate as I have been this season.

[Elkduds]

Congratulations, Jim. Meat in the freezer and you are still in the hunt w partners. That's the ticket! Hope you'll post it on the Meatpole thread as well.

[WapitiTalk1]

How awesome is that! Congrats on a quick/clean harvest and a bunch of tasty eating meat. Now, on to that big bruiser in Nebraska

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

Boom! Congratulations! Unless others are holding out or I've missed it completely, you're the first of the gang here to punch a tag this fall!

Got pictures?

[currie]

good to hear, congrats

[avluey]

Congrats!!

[Mike_Parson]

Congrats to you !!!!!!

[sojurner 65]

Very good, congrats!

[the weasel]

congrats! I'd be happy with that!

[cohunter]

Spikes are not legal game in Colorado!

[BRazz]

Spikes are not legal game in Colorado!

In most units, no. But there are some (mostly draw-only) that allow it.

[cohunter]

Well, sure enough! =) Copied from brochure:

FOUR-POINT RULE Bull elk taken in all
seasons must have four points or more
on one antler, or a brow tine of at least 5
inches long in GMUs: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22,
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,
35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52,
53, 54, 55, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67,
68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80,
81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 131, 140, 161, 171, 181,
191, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411,
421, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 551, 581,
681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851 and 861.

NO RESTRICTIONS There are no antlerpoint
restrictions for any season in
GMUs: 1, 2, 10, 20, 29, 39, 40, 46, 48, 49,
50, 51, 56, 57, 58, 61, 69, 76, 84, 201, 391,
461, 481, 500, 501, 561, 591, 682, 791,
or units east of I-25 (except unit 140).
Antlers must meet the minimum length
of 5 inches long.

[BRazz]

Now we can start to narrow down where Jim was hunting. Tagging out after 20 minutes is not a bad problem to have.

[cohunter]

Now that's not nice! Let him have his area!=)

[Csrbowhunter]

I hoping to do the same thing this year so I can just do all the calling for my hunting buddy. Great job!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Nice job. What calls did you use...cow, bugle?

Lots of strategy with elk. Hunting a draw area for cow or spike is a great way to start and meat is superior to a big herd bull.

[bald9eagle]

I'm not going to be greedy. I hope my season lasts at least an hour...lol.

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

Awesome congratulations! Can't beat a quick hunt and easy pack out!

[Backyard]

Woohoo!! Way to go JIm!

[Dr. Rx]

You know, that is just sweet! Good for you for putting in the hard work and getting rewarded!

Kris

[JKaboom]

CurlyTail - Well done and congratulations!!!

[CurlyTail]

Spike was legal in my unit

Here is a pic to get you guys fired up!

Started with a location bugle - no response. Moved 250 yards - another location bugle - no response. Crossed a creek, stopped on a small rise - gave some Chuckles - in less than 10 seconds a cow ran up to me at 20 yards. I let her pass. As she wandered off , I did some cow calls to her and the woods erupted with cows answering all around me, another couple of soft mews and in comes 4 cows and 2 spikes single file at 30 yards. They saw me in the shadows of some small Aspen, but with the wind good - did not spook.

My only disappointment is that I wanted to do a European Mount with a Spike Elk, but when he went down he rolled and broke an antler. Decided not to mess with it then.

[BrentLaBere]

Congratulations, Curly! Nice work. Good luck on your upcoming hunt as well!

[Deanmac]

congrats on the harvest, I enjoyed the read

[rowdycwby1]

Congratulations man!

[Old school]

Congrats Jim! Nothing wrong with success on the first morning of the hunt, that's for sure!

--Mitch

[Fridaythe13th]

Nice job, great shot

[BRazz]

Way to go Jim! I do believe you are the first for the year (hard to beat your time record)!

[Ryan Conkle]

Congratulations...awesome job!

[Lefty]

Sweet. Sometimes we deserve an easy hunt!!
Congratulations.

I had a neighbor kill a depredation cow on Monday with archery tackle. . He got out of his truck and had just walked feet from his truck when a herd ran his direction and stopped. Dropping the cow 70 yards from his truck. And in the freezer before sunset

[Elkhunttoo]

Congratulations

[wunder6]

Congrats and good luck on that Nebraska hunt.

[oldnovice]

Way to go, Curly! I hope mine lasts at least one day!