I drew a late January bull tag for my home area. It took 5 years to gather up enough points to draw it. I have un-successfully hunted bulls in the past in other areas. I had high hopes for this paticular tag as it was near my home....In there areas, I knew.
This year is nothing like the years past. Usually we have 18-36" of snow and it is bitter cold. It drives the elk out of the National Park and down into National forest. We have seen many BIG bulls in the 330 class, over the years, but always had cow tags. This year, we got very little snow and warm weather. A skiff of snow and 50 degree days makes late season elk hunting tough!!
Saturday morning for the opener. Hardcore247 and I found ourselves at the trailhead. I have always seen a good bull in the area, we were heading into too. I was excited that I had the tag and could finally get my crack at one of them. We walked for most of the morning over brown ground and didn't see a single sign of elk. I was disappointed, that there wasn't even any sign, that they had been there recently. It was very unusual for this area.
We decided to head back for the trucks about noon and try another spot. Jeremy had to head for home so I went about the new spot by myself. I got into the new location and found some more "recent" sign. As I was getting ready to go in after them. The mountain fog rolled in and I couldn't see 50 yards. I decided I would back out and try it again another day.
I was going to go back in there on Sunday. But got a call from a friend that is a caretaker of a big ranch near Estes Park. He felt pretty confindent we could get the deal done and told me to bring some help. I hired the help of "Highlander". We made the early morning trek to the ranch. We drove thru 3" of new snow on the way to the ranch. It was a PERFECT day for elk hunting. We spent a few hours trying to cut some tracks but there was nothing moving. We spent the entire day on the ranch and never saw a hair of an elk.
I elected to stay home yesterday and get some rest. It was nice to relax for the day. My knees were feeling the near 20 miles of walking , I had put on in the last two days.
I couldn't find anyone to tag along this morning. So I opted to head in myself. It was windy so I concentrated on the wind protected areas. I was walking to another spot when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I put my field glasses up to see it was a decent bull elk. I wasn't about to get real picky as the pickens were pretty slim. I closed the distance to near 200 yards and put the cross hairs on him. At the sound of my 7MM Rem Mag, he dropped and never flinched.
As I was watching him, two other bulls came out to see what the noise was all about. I had to sit there and watch a 5 point that was a STUD! looking around. I never even saw him in behind some aspens. As I sat behind the tree I was rested on, he walked to 75 yards. I was SICK!
I shot my bull at 8 am this morning. It was a little over a mile to where the bull was over some rough terrain. I had him dressed, quartered, and packed back to the truck at 2:52pm. On teh way home, I was so happy, I had to stop for a celebratory cigar.
I was shooting my custom HOWA action, 7 MM Rem Mag., Shooting 175 grain Hornady Interlock bullets pushed by 58 grains of IMR 4831. I found the bullet lodged just under the skin of the off side. it was a perfect mushroom.
My bull is laying in the upper left corner of the picture. With the two other bulls trying to figure out what just happened.
When I first walked up on him.
I was shooting my custom HOWA action, 7 MM Rem Mag., Shooting 175 grain Hornady Interlock bullets pushed by 58 grains of IMR 4831. I found the bullet lodged jsut under the skin of the off side. It was a perfect mushroom.
My 2009 Bull elk... (5x3)
Late bull down!
