I just returned from my Colorado elk hunt last night. I would like to share some photo's with a very brief story. Hope you like it.

We did some scouting in July, and that helped prepare us.
Gear used:
Blacktail bow, just because I was shooting it a little better than my Pronghorn.

Arrows from Snag at Wilderness Custom Arrows, see below.
185 grain Grizzly single bevel broadhead.

Zeiss 8X20 binoculars; I have bigger glass from Leica but they are way heavier and that mattered a lot on this trip. the 8X20's worked fine for me.

Eberlestock pack

Meindl  perfekt hiker boots. My feet were kept dry all week. My son's other brand were wet all week. In fairness his were a lot older than mine, therefore it would be unfair to mention the brand name of his boots.

Trekking poles were lifesavers for me. Hint: I have an appointment with a knee specialist this afternoon.

Anyway, I'll start by telling you some things I learned.
1. Next trip I am going to take my gaiters with a poncho instead of rain suit.
2. My preference for freeze dried foods from best to worst (of course just my opinion) is:
 a. Granola and blueberries
 b. Lasagna
 c. Spaghetti and meat balls
 e. beef stew
 f. chicken and rice
 g. beef stroganoff - did not like at all
 h. eggs and bacon - hated this

BTW, we boiled all our water before use.

3. Make your plan and stick to it. I sat for a few hours twenty yards from an elk wallow. Decided it was too much of a random choice and decided to learn more about the mountain. When I returned to the spot I was 75 to one hundred yards a way and in a few minutes a 5X5 bull elk came into my wallow and rolled around in it.  Before I could get my rain gear off and begin the stalk, he left.
Now to the pics-

It helps to have a mule.

 

In this case my son Matt. He did so much to make this hunt enjoyable, and I could not be prouder of the man he has become. He made two trips in to our camp. So, 3.5 miles each way computes to 10.5 miles for him the first day.
Home for six days.
 


My weapon of choice. Blacktail recurve bow complimented by some of the finest arrows I have ever shot. Actually that is another story of the great people on this site.
I had some other arrows that I could have used, but were not "just right". I contacted David (Snag), knowing he would not have time to make me arrows, but wanted to get his opinion. Believe it or not, He said "I hate to see a guy's hunt get messed up - even tho it his fault" :-). David sent me six of his personal arrows! We shoot about the same bow and weight, and these were beautiful arrow. The pic does not do it justice.
 


A photo of the weather when it wasn't actually raining, which it was most days.

 


Actually we had two afternoons of intermittent sunshine.


   

Matt near our hunting area. We were regularly hiking up to about ten thousand feet to get to this spot before dropping back down a bit.

 

On the way home.
 

We decided with all the rain, roads under water, flash flooding that we should try to make it out in one load each because it was mostly down hill.

Unfortunately that meant my pack was up to about sixty pounds. Matt beat me out to the trailhead of course. But instead of waiting for me he dropped off his load and turned around and headed back up the trail to help me. He caught me with about a 1/2 mile more for me to go. Can you see how much this Dad loves his son?

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looks like a great time! I have been elk hunting 3 times and have not yet loosed an arrow at an elk.

Bisch

Great Photos, thanks for taking us along on this adventure...

Very cool!!

Thanks for shafting the pics and story

I hear you Bisch, this was my third effort as well. Watching that bull roll around in that wallow was something I will never forget, but I still want to get one.
The only thing else I can say is it was the toughest hunt I have ever been on and we did not give up, we kept trying up to the last day.
G

Thanks for the story. Hunting with son or daughter can't be beat!!  

Thanks for sharing the pics and the hunt!

Thanks for sharing. That is some great looking country!

Great pictures!  It's hard to beat Colorado in September, even though you had to put up with the rain.  Thanks for sharing!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

Thanks for sharing that!

Thanks for sharing your hunt with us. You obviously did a good job in raising you son.

Looks like a great way to hunt.

Good for you. From the smiles you two were loving every minute of it.

Great Photos,surely some memories were made that will last a lifetime!

Fantastic...

You guys made some great memories..

Hope you make many more together !

Great information and great pics.......thanks for sharing.
Will be headed there in four days, almost bought some gaiters last weekend, wish I would have now.

Looks like you had a memorable hunt regardless of the weather. Thanks for sharing the pictures.