Hi all. I told myself I was going to take more pictures this year on my elk hunt so here are a few with some narration to go with them. This was a DIY in an OTC unit in Colorado.
Steve (Colotrad) and myself took off the last week of season to go on a Sat - Fri elk hunt up at my cabin. Here is a pic of the cabin that me and my Dad built one summer that provides endless enjoyment and access to Nat'l Forest that is a little tough to get too from the public side.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0660.jpg)
We got in Saturday afternoon in time for an evening hunt. We headed out on a trail on a dark north slope tha leads to some nice parks/meadows in the south side of the basin.
Steve at one of the parks.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0639.jpg)
We set up on a park at the far end of the basin and cow called a bit. We heard some noise above us almost immediately and this is what eventually came in.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0644.jpg)
The next morning we headed to the north side of the basin. We started hearing bugling as we started our climb. There were two bulls bugling good and maybe a third further off. Very encouraging. We started moving in on the two bulls and as it started getting light we could see some cows high above us on the ridge across the small drainage from us. We could hear the bulls fighting and decided to move in and try cow calling one of them in. We had to cross a clearing in the bottom of the drainage to do so but we made it across without being seen. Steve set up to call and I moved in another 70 yds or so. It sounded like the herd was moving up over the ridge so Steve started calling to try and bring them back. Nothing, the bugles became more distant. Steve moved up to me and we decided to keep after them and had just started climbing when we heard a bugle right above us. We stopped in the wide open and here came some antlers. A nice 5x5 cruised by us at about 50 yds and he wasn't stopping for anything (he must have been the loser in the fight). We then kept after the herd and got within about 60 yds of some cows but they were on the move to their bedding area. We remained in the area they bedded hoping the bull would start talking again in the evening. The weather turned wet, light rain/sleet/snow and we took cover under some big trees waiting it out (Steve below). Heard one distant bugle that evening.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0646.jpg)
The next day was even wetter and it snowed hard in the morning, a wet snow that didn't stick around long.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0653.jpg)
Steve and I split up in the north side of the basin. I spotted a bear and had a tag. He was feeding on choke cherries and I decided to stalk in. I got to within 25 yds and decided that seemed plenty close to get to 300lbs of teeth, claws, and muscle. I have never stalked bears before and I was a little nervous. He finally came into a clearing but was facing me, no shot. He never saw me but sensed something because he just turned and walked away. No elk encounters at all on this Monday.
Tuesday we split up and went into the east end of the basin and about 8:30 I heard a bugle up high. We met up and decided to go up after them. We climbed.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0655.jpg)
We got to a high bench and found fresh tracks in the snow from a herd. We followed until we figured we were close and decided to wait it out and hopefully hear the bull in the afternoon. We tried to nap on the snowy wet ground in the wet snow and actually managed to dose off a few times. The bull did bugle again mid afternoon so we decided to try and get on both sides of the herd and slowly move through the timber towards them. This is a steep nasty downfall ridden slope that you can't even get through in places. We knew chances were slim but we gave it a shot. Steve came across their bedding area and followed tracks for a while but you can't keep up with elk on these slopes. I busted two small bulls as I fought my way out into a clearing. We did have a nice sunset.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0657.jpg)
Continued in next post.
Wednesday, we didn't see a thing but more wet cold weather that cleared for another nice sunset.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0666.jpg)
Thursday morning, our last day to hunt ( I had to be home on Friday), we heard nothing. We did see a spike. We stopped for lunch on a log.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0672.jpg)
We wandered a bit more, the sun came out and we found a nice place for a nap. After hunting hard all week it felt great to get a good nap. We were tired and after waking we were trying to figure out what to do for our last evening of hunting when we heard a bugle in the valley west of us. Decision made. We split up and Steve went high and I went low. The bull continued to bugle every 10-15 minutes and I was getting close. I finally spotted a small bull and figured he was a loner out looking for cows. I lost track of him and then heard a bugle up higher again. I continued to move in until I was on a small bench right off the bottom of the drainage. I knelt down in a good shooting location. I spotted cows and calves and thought there was no way that little bull had cows. About then a cow starts coming my way and I would have no problem shooting a cow. She comes by at 8 yds but never looks away and is too close for me to move/draw without beeing seen. She goes down below me. The wind is perfect. The rest of the herd slowly starts to follow and I finally see the herd bull. He is not huge but a decent bull for an OTC unit. They keep coming and before I know it the bull is broadside at 25 yds, of course the only branch around is going right across his vitals. They continue to move and I'm thinking they are going to get by me without me getting a shot. Then the bull turns back up to circle around the last couple of cows. When he turns back down he stops broadside at about 28 yds. I hardly even remember drawing my bow. What I do remember was seeing the flight of the arrow and watching it disappear about 2 inches behind the shoulder crease. They all busted out of there. Now I start shaking (I am lucky in that I usually don't start the shaking until after the shot). The questions start, did I really see what I thought I saw. I go look for my arrow and it looks good.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0674.jpg)
I call Steve on the radio and tell him the good news. It takes him a bit to get down to me which was good because it made me wait. We start to follow the blood trail which is not a gusher. I hit him about mid body up and down so I knew most blood was staying inside him. We went about 70 yds when I spotted him. Woo Hoo! Finally a traditiional bull.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0675.jpg)
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0677.jpg)
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0687.jpg)
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0689.jpg)
I was a happy camper. I don't know why but after I saw the bull the thought of shooting a cow just vanished. Since it was getting late we just gutted the bull, got it about 2/3 skinned, opened it up to cool and cut the head off. I carried the head and antlers out that night.
The next morning we deboned a little better than half of the bull and carried that meat out and then came back and carried the last two quarters out bone in. It was about 1.5 miles down to a road so we got him out in two heavy trips each.
I shot him with my new TD Super Shrew 56# @ 28" (53# at my draw), carbon arrows, brass inserts, woodsmen head, total arrow weight of 525 gr. and got a clean pass through.
When I look back I am always amazed at how many things have to go right to get off a shot at close range. We hunted hard all week and we hunted until the end and it payed off.
Steve may have some more pics to add.
Hope you enjoyed it.
beutiful. congratulations :thumbsup:
Fantastic.
Thrilling story. Good hunt & bull. Thanks much.
That is nice! Congratulations.Great story,great pictures,great bull and great bow.Thanks for sharing that.
Very nice! Great elk and story.
A Big CONGRATS Mark!! Thanks for taking us along...
Great pics and story...congrats!
EXCELLENT hunt and shot Kadbow!
Thank you for takin' us along on your FULL week hunt.
Great bull and great photos.
Enjoy the feast!
Shoot straight, Shinken
Great job i cant wait to do that some day.
thanks man.......maybe someday, I would love to hunt elk and bighorn sheep, that is my ultimate dream, your time and work to show us these things keep those dreams alive....... again thank you so much!!!!!!!
very nice congrats
GREAT story and a GREAT job;
:clapper: :clapper:
"He is not huge but a decent bull"
He would be a huge bull in my book! Congrats!
Sounds like an awesome hunt!
Congrats :thumbsup: :clapper:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
WOW! Thanks for the great pics! Congrats.
GLENN
WOW! Congratulations on sticking with it to the end and taking a beautiful animal!
Nice job!
It was a great hunt! We worked hard for this elk. I'm tired and sore, but I'm butchering half of the bull that Mark (Kadbow) so graciously gave me. It's getting warm here in Grand Junction, so I need to get that meat in the freezer. I'll post some more pics this evening. CONGRATS MARK, on blooding that new Shrew and putting that first elk taken with a longbow in your hunting journal.
congrats. :thumbsup:
:clapper:
Great story and pics!!
Congrats Kadbow! OTC DIY longbow bull in Colorado! Doesn't get any better than that. Way to go!
Hey guys! Congratulations and thanks for the pics and story. The scenery is awesome!
Awesome bull Mark and thanks for the story and Photos.Blake
Very nicely done. That's the way it's supposed to work. Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:
Very Nice!! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats on an awesome bull I just got home yesterday from 11 days of chasing them critters round the mountains of Idaho with no success but had a great time and saw some beautiful country. Did kill a few grouse that ate good and had a few close calls but no elk steaks until next year anyway.
Thats good stuff!!!!! congrads and thank for sharing......
WTG, that is getting it done the right way. I am feeling pretty bad about my abilities now, I live in elk country and no bull this year in 4-5 hunting days. Thanks for the story.
Very good story and pics. Excellent bull!
That's awesome. I leave in 3 weeks for a firestick hunt with dad and these stories are making the time pass slowly.
That bull is really dark. Is that mud he was rolling in or is his hair really that dark?
good job.
Well done!
Well done guys. Nice read.
Way ta go Mark!!
Eric
Dang Mark, That's awesome bud!
Excellent writing and I'm glad you decided to take more pix, they're great!
Congrats!!
Awful lot'a bulls falling to 3 blade heads this fall....
More real world proof that you don't have to shoot crazy heavy arrows with 2 blade heads to get good penetration.....well done buddy!!
Thanks guys, seems like all I've been doing is cutting up elk for the past 2 days. I have always enjoyed seeing pics and hearing stories of other's hunts (kill or no kill) so glad to finally add one of my own.
Great story and a great animal. Thanks for sharing.
Rob
Great Job! Thanks for sharing your sucesss.
OK. The meat is in the freezer, thanks to help from my wife. Here are a few more pics of the hunt as promised.
Mark with an arrow ready...before we saw that the elk sneaking up on us was a fork horn...only 4 point or better bulls are legal in this unit. (http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/Colotrad/P1010280.jpg)
Remember Mark's comment about trying to catch a nap in a snowstorm... well here he is... really looks comfortable, Hunh? (http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/Colotrad/P1010289.jpg)
After Mark's new Super Shrew did the job, the work began. Packing out an elk is a labor of love. (http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/Colotrad/P1010299.jpg)
Finally, getting the load from the road to Mark's cabin... man am I glad we were able to use the ATV for that final uphill haul. Yes, the whole mostly boned out bull is on there.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/Colotrad/P1010301.jpg)
Darrel - To answer your question, it was awesome to hear the bull really splashing around in that wallow as we were closing in on the herd. He was absolutely covered in mud from tines to tail.
Though it was a tough hunt with some challenging conditions, I'll remember sharing a great hunt with a great friend. Thanks Mark!
Mark,thanks for the pics,great bull too! :clapper:
Congratulations!! Great story about a great hunt.
:thumbsup: :campfire: :archer:
Congratulations
Great story Mark! Thanks for sharing with us.
:notworthy: :archer: :biglaugh:
Good story and good bull, makes a flatlander from Illinois jelous.
What a bull Mark!!!! And for a guys first, I would say hard to top!!!
Congratulations and good shooting!!!
:clapper:
Thanks Jake. Not my first elk, first archery elk or first bull but my first trad elk is the most gratifying.
That is a very nice bull! Congrats!
Good bull congrats.
Congrats to the both of ya!! Firstly on having a good huntin partner,then working the elk and sharing the results!!
Excellent job!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats, Mark! Wish I could have ended my story that way!
Mark,I am very happy for your success
I must agree Mark, the first one with Trad Gear is always the best!!
He is going to the Taxidermist I presume???
See ya soon I hope!
Mark,
Congratulations on a great bull! Thanks for sharing the pictures and story...Awesome.
Thanks for sharing!
Mark thats awesome Bud. Great story and pics. But it should have been my story. :D
I'm shaking my head right now because of the bull I lost last week shooting identical set-up to you (arrow, broadhead, total weight, shot distance etc). My result was 8" penetration and a very short bloodtrail that left me dismayed how in the world it went so bad. I read Curts post back a page or two about your kill giving more real world evidence about not needing this and that to kill Elk and I wish my experience could have been another example of same. Unfortunately it was the opposite outcome and I thought worthy of mention. I've switched over to 2-blade in-case I'm blessed with another shot-op in the last few days I have left to hunt Elk this year. Gonna keep shooting the WW for deer.
I am very happy for you...that is a sweet OTC bull for your first trad bull. Gonna be hard to top but have fun trying. :clapper:
Congrats!!!! story and pics were both outstanding.
Congradulations Mark!
First blood with the new Shrew!
Any Elk with Traditional gear is a trophy in my book.
Thanks Pat. I was worried I might jinx myself with the naming of my new bow but it turned out just the opposite.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/IMG_0680.jpg)
Great job!!! :clapper:
Congrats!! Thats a fine bull, thanks for sharing. Joe
Congrats! A fine elk and great pictures and story.
My dream.....
Great story and wonderful pics.
:clapper: Well Done!!!! :clapper:
Well done mate, thanks for the efforts of posting!
ak.
Great write up there MK. Not sure I believe the photo of you smiling while packin Elk or was that a grimace. Did you get your third trophy deer? Need to talk to you about Bear. I have mega stories from this year....nothing on the ground. later my friend congrats :thumbsup:
Nice mark! Like I said when I was up there. Don't know why you would want to hunt anywhere else. Again great job mark!
Congrat's! Mark.........Nice Bull.
It's a great feeling, isn't it? I shot my first on Thursday last week....guess we both are now in the minority.
:notworthy:
Congrats!....The Wensel Woodsman strikes yet again!!!
great stuff and thats a great bull! I can remember that feeling of first trad bull too. You'll never forget it. Sounded like a good hunt, thanks for taking the time to write it all up. Its always intriguing to hear how others do it, how they spend their days on the mountain.
Way to close the deal on your last day. Love those dark coloed antlers!
Very nice
That's what I want to accomplish with my Classic Hunter too. Great work, Mark!
Allan
What a story, what a bull! Congratulations!
finally caught up with this
great hunt buddy and congrats on a great Bull
nice Bow you got there too :clapper: :clapper: