This year's elk hunt was a little different than years past. For starters I was working in California for the majority of the elk season. To add to the fun a forest fire closed a huge portion of our elk area. This concentrated large amounts of hunters in one localized area. In turn the elk moved deep into the area's most would not go. After making the two day trip from California to Cheyenne spending some much needed time with my girlfriend swapping out my gear for elk hunting goods I hit the road to Sheridan. I arrived in camp late in the evening Dad and his buddy were out hunting so I unloaded my gear and made a short walk around camp. The next day Dad and I went to an area he had been seeing elk the week before. That night was proof of just how much pressure the elk were under. There was neither a sound nor an elk to be seen. That night in camp a friend who had been on his last hunt for the year that night and was thinking about whether his boss would let him stay a little longer told me where he had found a good bull. After looking at the pictures and hearing his stories my spirits were lifted.
Let me take a second here to tell you what makes the group of hunters I call my friends so special. This guy I have only known for a few years, I see him only during elk season, we all make sure to stop at each other's camps each year(had it not been for the fire we would not have been camping together) and he was telling me of this bull he found. The next day as we helped him through the somber task of taking down his camp and loading his truck he told me his thoughts on how to approach the area and what he had seen this bull do. As we shook hands before he left his words were "I sure hope you get him I really want to see him up close". I have hunted with those who will not even talk to you if you see a bull bigger than they seen. This man understands what hunting should mean and passes it on to all he comes in contact with. Don't know if he will ever read this but THANK YOU Phil.
Monday came around and I was ready for a long day hunting. I took the morning easy to gather my things get some food in me. At noon I took off for what turned out to be an amazing night. After a six mile hike to the area I was told about I found ELK. Quickly I moved into some cover and started observing the situation. One bull, two bulls, four cows, no six cows, now five bulls, wait where did he come from. Then behind me I heard one bugle. More and more elk came out of the timber. I believe there were 16 cows and 18 bulls in one canyon. Now anyone who hunts elk will attest this is the making for one awesome scene!!!!
Now here is where I fault. When I was in the middle of the elk I never thought gee I should take a picture of some of them. I just keep maneuvering and working for a shot. Well turns out my conscious and me had a talk and I should have taken pictures.
:campfire:
I was wondering about your season...
Keep it coming!
Joshua
I have been elk hunting since my Dad would take me along as a little kid and I have never in any elk encounter experienced what I did that night. The dynamic was interesting. Normally you would have a heard bull with some satellites. With hunting pressure heavy and space a commodity these elk had no definable heard structure. (A Bowhunters Dream) The Bugles were rolling. This bull to that one and back and forth. Then another would but in and another all night. Fights were happening more than I have ever seen. Two nice bulls would wallow then steal a cow get it stolen back then wallow again and repeat the whole thing. Now there was one bull in this group that was exceptional, mid 350 range. Of the rest 7 would score over 300 with the majority of the others still record book quality.
After being in the midst of this elk frenzy. For over an hour with three hours of daylight left I had a five point with a broken horn, from what I could see he was the smallest bull in the group, coming my way. He fed to within 14 yards before making his way past me and up the hill.
As I moved toward the next closest bull I could tell he was a dandy. 50 yards, 40 yards, 30 yards I closed the gap to under 20 yards. I was at the edge of the cover as he tended the cows he was claiming at the time. Another of the larger bulls came running over after being ran off by the big boy. Now right in front of me are two great bulls who have no idea I am anywhere in the forest. Decision time was here
I had some choices to make. It was HOT HOT HOT only getting into the mid 50's at night and reaching in the 80's during the day. I was asking myself the whole time. Ok now you are over seven miles in a straight line from a road with two substantial canyons in the way. Can I get an elk out of here before I lose him to spoilage? My answer was likely not. I felt the responsible choice was not to harvest a bull here. It would have taken me at the least two days to get one out of this area and that was to long.
I slowly backed out and continued to watch the show. Throughout the night I probably heard 300 or more bugles. I heard cows talk constantly. I saw bulls fight, wallow and breed cows. I could almost understand the conversations they were having at times. I walked out that night in the dark confident I made the right choice and so very thankful for the opportunity I was given to observe all I had seen that night.
The next day had me back in the same area. Though they had scattered out some the second day was nothing like the first. I knew they would start moving back into the areas that were more accessible soon.
Great story, good choice, thanks for sharing.
Great stuff Randy, that was one incredible evening! You may have been short changed this year on number of days in the field, but one night like that sure helps make up for it.
QuoteOriginally posted by FerretWYO:
... Can I get an elk out of here before I lose him to spoilage? My answer was likely not. I felt the responsible choice was not to harvest a bull here. ...
Esteem meter: ++++10
I commend you on your decision... ya get three gold stars... Next year
I had put on nearly 40 miles in the last two days so the middle of the week I took it easy and hunted a different area I had heard good things about and took a few pictures of the fire and saw a couple elk as well.
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I had a feeling if I let those elk be they would fill in the vacant areas. Turns out I was right and they brought friends.
Thursday afternoon I decided I would go see how the elk were doing where I had found them earlier in the week as I had a hunch they would be scattered out a little more and in a more accessible area. As I began my hike it was not long before I started to see the thought was paying off. After the first mile I started to see tracks. Then on closer inspection I noticed the tracks were on top of my tracks leaving two nights before. A change of plans was in order. It was time to get to a vantage point. I like to hunt from as high as I can get for two reasons. It allows me to hunt a lot of country in the shortest amount of time. The second is the higher you are the more stable the mountain winds will be.
So here is my starting point right in the middle of the park.
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This was my vantage.
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Randy very interest story, sounds like you found elk heaven.
As I sat and enjoyed Gods creation I could not help but be amazed with what I was seeing. Huge canyons, towering mountains, bluest of blue skies and felt nothing but relaxed something I really needed. As four rolled around I was sure I would start hearing bugles so I began to walk the ridge line listening and glassing. It was not long before I heard the first bugle rang out in the canyon. Quickly I moved to a position where I could see a little better and where I hoped the wind would hold. It was quiet for the next fifteen minutes or so with not an elk to be seen. At almost 6 they TURNED ON. I started hearing bugles all over. One I knew, it was one of the bulls I had passed up on Monday almost five miles from here. I once again quickly moved to make an approach. Then across the canyon level with me I heard another bull screaming. I looked over to see a MONSTER and four cows running full bore down the hill. When they reached the bottom they instantly went to feeding. I thought to myself gee they were hungry. Now the bull I had heard before and this new bull posed a choice. It would be much easier I thought to get to the bull in the bottom, plus I knew he was much much larger than the bull from Monday.
Then I did something I knew better than to try. I went done the point of a ridge line to get off the mountain into the bottom with the bugling giant. I could see him wallowing and his cows feeding nearly 100 yards from him. What more could you ask for. Well the point of the ridge gave me the wind and the visual to approach fast. It also gave me a rim rock. Yea I was stuck 80 yards away and no parachute. I scrambled back up the hill to what felt like the top but was likely only a couple hundred feet in elevation gain before I could get around this rim. I was late to the party though and he had rejoined his cows and was pushing them down the creek. After making a huge loop to regain the wind I made another stock again I was behind him. Again a huge loop and I just knew I was there. He was drinking from the creek and I got my first really good look at him. 70 yards away I could see a bull bigger than any I have taken with my bow. His cows above me he had to go by me. Finally he started towards his cows as I readied for a shot. Just when I thought my plan worked he decided to start trotting faster and faster. Past me he went 35-40 yards but never offering a clean shot. Shortly after they moved off into the trees as darkness fell. As I walked out I ran into my friend Kendal. He had also been on the same bull and said he thought they had winded him in a swirl and that is why they moved into the trees. I estimated this bull in the mid 380 range. So twice in a week I had been on great bulls with up close action.
At the edge of this park is where this large bull wallowed as I scrambled to find a way to get close enough.
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Friday myself and some others went to the same area. There was not a single bugle cow talk or bird chirp all morning. Friday night I again went on a hunt with my Dad, same as the morning quiet and still. Here he is playing with his GPS. He has learned to name things in it finally
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All in all it was a great week of hunting despite the difficulties and shorted time.
Randy,congrats once again on a great elk hunt.You could have been successful many times during that hunt and I share your decisions.
Once again you have showed what a great elk hunter you are also if you haven't taken any shot!
What a hunt! I sure was hoping you'd have a good one this year and it was! Happy for you!
Randy
You sure hunt some amazing country and to find bulls like that on public ground says alot about your skills as a hunter. Thanks for sharing your season with us......sounds like it was a success no matter how you look at it.
Randy - Sounds like a great hunt......really great that you got to see a couple of world class bulls.
Things pop up sometimes to give us shortened seasons. However, given all the nice bulls you've taken over the years, I'm sure you will store away the knowledge gained this year and be posting photos of a big rank bull next season! I, for one, will be patiently looking forward to next elk season for your thread!
:campfire:
Randy,
Great story, thanks for sharing!
I can't imagine hunting in an area where 300+ class Bulls are not uncommon. Good to see you made it back for some down time.
Hopefully you will get to make a couple shoots here after the first of the year and we can catch up.
Pat
Wow Randy, sounds like a lot of fun. To have a big bull like that so close for so long is such a special thing. I wish he'd have given you a shot...just one.
Thankyou for sharing your story. :notworthy:
WOW Randy, What a Great Hunt and a Great Story! Thank You for Sharing it With Us and CONGRATS!
Pat I will be down there when the shoots start. Randy you are right it is a special thing.
Great pics and story! That area is just awesome :campfire:
Randy,
Your hunt sounds wonderful. As much as I like to put an animal on the ground before the hunt ends, most of the time that is not what happens. If hunting were mainly about the killing, I would find some other activity to occupy my recreational time. You definitely got the vast majority of the enjoyment of pursuing big game with a bow and arrow. Congratulations on a great hunt -- and you did the right thing in passing up the early shot so far from the take-out.
Allan
Looks like you should have stopped by and picked me up. You could have shot one of those bulls, I'm a good pack mule :) Glad you got some hunting in and the weather cooperated.
Thanks for sharing. I've quietly followed your stories for some time now. Hats off to you for your good decision and your obvious skills as a hunter.
Good luck in the future!
It is about the journey !
Hey Randy you need to say to your pro packer(girlfriend)to train more during the summer,she had to do that job!LOL.
What a fantastic hunt.Thanks for the story. I miss elk country.
You hunt hard enough to find elk wherever you go; that says a lot. Just think how much better your home area is going to be in a few years after the burn...look out!
A great hunt, and you didn't have to pack meat! There is nothing like being in the middle of great country with elk bugles resounding all around.
awesome story and pics! look out world, your dad is learning to use technology lol!!!!!!
Awesome country there sir! Thanks for taking us along!
Thank you for taking us along on your hunt. Great stuff..
I used to hunt Colorado quite a lot and miss it terribly!
I also read your "What it Means" thread..
It's amazing how Gods great outdoors brings out the best in us.. Enjoy the journey !
Diddo on the heat.... We must have been hunting the same weekend. You made the right choice. That bull would have spoiled. We had my bull back to my place in just under 24 hours (80 % of the llama packing was in the dark) and it was none too soon. By the time I got out again 3 days later, the skull was beyond turned. It was putrid! Congrats on a good hunt.
Ryan if I would have know that was an option I would have ha ha.
Steve you are exactly right the fire burned some very nasty timeber. The elk will love it once it recovers a little.
Brad thats funny ha ha
Thanks for taking time to share with us Randy!
:archer:
Excellent story buddy! :clapper: :clapper:
Great call on the spoilage too!
I know some other guys that didn't care much for the heat! LOL
Amazing. I also tip the hat to your reserve to honor the elk and it's bounty by passing when so far in you couldn't get it out in good shape.
Been a long, long time since in elk country for me and those who share stories and pics make me realize how wonderous those times must be for you folks.
THANK YOU for sharing and allowing a person without the means or stamina to get into such wonderous places!
Kenny The heat will will get everything ya know lol.
Doc Noc thanks sir. The ablity to hunt these places is a never ending process.
I know more about elk now, thanks Randy.
Only 11 months to go! Reading your story makes my decision to apply for a WY tag easier, what a great state for a DIY public land hunt, with a chance at a truly great bull. Thanks
Oh for horses and mules....been there. Good man for making the right decision. A very successful and rewarding hunt none the less. Especially being about to be in His creation with your dad. Glad you got that much needed R&R. Thanks for the ride.
David
Sounds like you had a great time Randy. Thats what it's all about. :thumbsup:
Great story Randy. Good decisions on the first bull and just plain poor luck on the second bull.
Thanks for the story, Randy. I always enjoy tagging along with you on them. What a great experience that must have been. Go get 'em next year.
I tip my hat to you sir! Your decision not to shoot wasn't easy i am sure!
Great stuff Randy, been wondering how you where getting on. Nice looking country out there.
Always look forward to your elk season stories. Even without the hero shot we've gotten used to from you, still delivering incredible stuff.
Thanks for sharing, Randy.
up for a great story