Late season, freezing your ass off, seeing mostly bulls.
Wish I'd have been there.
Wish I'd have been there.
We are back. Two nights we had -22 degs and the rest of the nights were -15 to -5degs. 5" of snow which was not enough to force the large herds down from timberline and the dark timber.We needed a foot more of snow. We saw several yotes and tried a couple of setups to no avail. I can tell you this, he is one fine cook. Normally we see 200 to 300 head of elk and limit in 3 days.
I will let him fill in the details of his close encounter with a 5 X 5.
I will let him fill in the details of his close encounter with a 5 X 5.
I USED to like youSay something bad about him, or better yet say something good about him.... He will magically appear.
HAHAHA! That would be my youngest son that is single.
I've heard he lives on facebook."DI logged on their once and canceled the same day as I got a virus from the site. That was over a year ago, and somehow my account got re-opened this week while gone on this trip. No internet access for me up their either. Looks like sombody has hijacked the account, according to facebooks security page.
When I get caught up on some chores, I'll get some pics posted, and a little more story.
Where did you go elk hunting?
Hehe.I USED to like you
You're killin' me! Was it a successful hunt? We need a story! I went to southern New Mexico on a muzzleloader hunt in October, there were 4 of us and we came home with zilch. I hope yours was more fruitful.
Well, we got to NM with about 5" of snow on the ground. Drove the ranch roads, looking for sign, and doing some glassing. First night, in the valley, saw 8 bulls and 3 cows about 1K yds away.
Planned to stay in a barn to bushwack them the next evening. It was a log barn without a nail in it. Found a place to get the rifle out, and waited.
Not long before dark, a pair of coyotes started working toward us.
Finally the elk came out, but on the other side of the valley. Closest being 600 yds away. Finally got dark and walked out.
Next day, at -22 degrees, went out and didn't see anything but fresh track cutting the ranch road. We stopped, and I walked up to a small saddle that looked like it had a meadow behind it. Topping the ridge with only my head, heard noise to the left. 4 bulls, not 70 yds away were coming up out of the meadow. The lead bull,(5X5) and I got into a staredown for almost 20 minutes.
What a terrible day to have a cow tag.
Not being an experienced judge of Elk antlers, I can't say if it was trophy quality, but it had lots of mass, tine length, and was way bigger than the other bulls he was with.
Later that afternoon, Deer Slayer, the land owners grandson, and myself went predator hunting with a foxpro call that Deer Slayer had. Man that thing is nice and clear. I left my western rivers in the truck, too embarassed to get it out and even try to compare it to the foxpro. Didn't call up anything.
That evening we set up in a corral on the other side of the valley, but nothing came out.
Next morning at -11 degrees, went out on foot alone to see where the tracks were going. Deer Slayer and Rick set up down the valley in case I ran something their way, which didn't happen.
What a beautiful day. No wind, crisp, clear, snow on the ground, game tracks everywhere. Saw a Pair of cougar tracks, and followed them for awhile untill they went off in another direction.
(probably migrated here from Grant County)
That alone was worth the price of admission
Stopped for lunch on the side of the mountain and soaked in all the beauty of the scene below, and around me. Followed more game trails, flushing a couple of mule deer does before calling it quits.
Later, back at the cabin, showed my GPS to Deer Slayer. Had 1.25 miles traveled, with a max speed of 4.2mph, average speed of 1.12mph. He was courious how in the hell I could get 4.2mph.
That my friends is the terminal velocity of an adult male falling down a 45degree incline on ones butt
Last day of our hunt, got up early and struck out alone again, following another group of fresh elk tracks that came through during the night. Never could catch up with them, but found where they went into the dark woods, and left the property we were on.
Headed back to the North side of the ranch to do some predator calling. Topped a ridge, and had two cows standing on the very top of a small ridge broadside. Behind them a mile or so away was a house, and livestock.
No brainer for me. Relaxed, put the gun down, and watched them walk over the ridge. As soon as they were out of sight, ran as fast as the snow and altitude would let me, to try an intercept them, but they had already dissapeared.
Had to get back to pack up, so got with Deer Slayer, said goodby's to the land owners, and headed back home.
It was a great first elk hunting trip for me, kill anything or not. Just the experience of being in that part of the country was worth it.
We had good times with each other, ate like Kings, had a warm bunk, and a shower. How good is that?
Just a few more pics:
Elk tracks going into the dark timber
Elk tracks in a high country meadow
Planned to stay in a barn to bushwack them the next evening. It was a log barn without a nail in it. Found a place to get the rifle out, and waited.
Not long before dark, a pair of coyotes started working toward us.
Finally the elk came out, but on the other side of the valley. Closest being 600 yds away. Finally got dark and walked out.
Next day, at -22 degrees, went out and didn't see anything but fresh track cutting the ranch road. We stopped, and I walked up to a small saddle that looked like it had a meadow behind it. Topping the ridge with only my head, heard noise to the left. 4 bulls, not 70 yds away were coming up out of the meadow. The lead bull,(5X5) and I got into a staredown for almost 20 minutes.
What a terrible day to have a cow tag.
Not being an experienced judge of Elk antlers, I can't say if it was trophy quality, but it had lots of mass, tine length, and was way bigger than the other bulls he was with.
Later that afternoon, Deer Slayer, the land owners grandson, and myself went predator hunting with a foxpro call that Deer Slayer had. Man that thing is nice and clear. I left my western rivers in the truck, too embarassed to get it out and even try to compare it to the foxpro. Didn't call up anything.
That evening we set up in a corral on the other side of the valley, but nothing came out.
Next morning at -11 degrees, went out on foot alone to see where the tracks were going. Deer Slayer and Rick set up down the valley in case I ran something their way, which didn't happen.
What a beautiful day. No wind, crisp, clear, snow on the ground, game tracks everywhere. Saw a Pair of cougar tracks, and followed them for awhile untill they went off in another direction.
(probably migrated here from Grant County)
That alone was worth the price of admission
Stopped for lunch on the side of the mountain and soaked in all the beauty of the scene below, and around me. Followed more game trails, flushing a couple of mule deer does before calling it quits.
Later, back at the cabin, showed my GPS to Deer Slayer. Had 1.25 miles traveled, with a max speed of 4.2mph, average speed of 1.12mph. He was courious how in the hell I could get 4.2mph.
That my friends is the terminal velocity of an adult male falling down a 45degree incline on ones butt
Last day of our hunt, got up early and struck out alone again, following another group of fresh elk tracks that came through during the night. Never could catch up with them, but found where they went into the dark woods, and left the property we were on.
Headed back to the North side of the ranch to do some predator calling. Topped a ridge, and had two cows standing on the very top of a small ridge broadside. Behind them a mile or so away was a house, and livestock.
No brainer for me. Relaxed, put the gun down, and watched them walk over the ridge. As soon as they were out of sight, ran as fast as the snow and altitude would let me, to try an intercept them, but they had already dissapeared.
Had to get back to pack up, so got with Deer Slayer, said goodby's to the land owners, and headed back home.
It was a great first elk hunting trip for me, kill anything or not. Just the experience of being in that part of the country was worth it.
We had good times with each other, ate like Kings, had a warm bunk, and a shower. How good is that?
Just a few more pics:
Elk tracks going into the dark timber
Elk tracks in a high country meadow
