Colorado Tradgang Elk Hunt Story

[COOCH]

Sounds like you guys are having a fine adventure.secnd year in a row I havn't been in the pines              Life gets in the way sometimes.Guess I'll just have too live through you guys this year.Nice cow congrats

[Doug Treat]

Actually Cooch, this is the first year I've organized a hunt.  Maybe your thinking of the Oregon elk hunt.

[coaster500]

Wow!! great stuff, can't wait for more  


 

[Doug Treat]

I'm going to throw you guys some more pictures until the other guys in the group can chime in.

[String Cutter]

Kinda heart broken I didn't get to go...

[Steve Humphrey]

Congrats on the cow and thanks for taking us along.
Keep the pics and stories coming.

   

Steve

[Doug Treat]

Thomas (String Cutter).  Don't be fooled by the pictures, it's been a terrible hunt, you didn't miss anything...OK, that was my lame attempt to make you feel better.  Sorry you couldn't make it.

[Doug Treat]

I'll share a little more here about how my hunt went down.  I was sitting and reading on a ridge at just over 10,000' elevation.  I had seen some sign in the area and had spooked two different groups of elk that morning in the area so I thought that my morning hunt was over.  I was trying to warm up so I was out in the sun with my back to a tree.  I heard what sounded like a cow call but there were some Clark's Nutcracker (Camp Robbers) birds flying around in the area and they can sometimes sound like an elk.  I reached down and squeezed my bulb call just in case and went back to reading.  I heard it again so I called again and continued reading.  About a minute later, I looked up and there was a cow coming straight at me from about 50 yds.  I was just able to get to my knees and grab my bow before she was at about 20 yds.  I wanted to scoot back into the shadows and stand up but there was no time.  She first looked like she would come around a blowdown to my left but then turned and came in to my right.  I was able to get my body turned to the right and when her head went behind a tree, I drew.  She stepped out and was 12 yds away. I picked a spot, and I think I hit that spot.  I called like crazy as she ran away but I don't think she even heard me.  She was crashing through trees and running blind.  When I shot, she was quartering slightly toward me so I just got one lung.  She ran over a quarter mile before dying on her feet and sliding under a blowdown.  It took 3 1/2 hours on my knees following the blood trail to find her because the undergrowth is turning colors and it was very difficult to see blood.  Even though I like to hunt alone, it was great to get into camp and share my success with the other guys there.  Even though there were bulls in the area, I had decided that I would not be picky on this hunt and take the first legal elk.  My shoulder has been bothering me so I had to drop my bow weight down into the low 40s.  I was very pleased with the penetration though (20") from my 630 gr. arrow and this cow represents an awesome trophy for me.  She is my 6th. elk taken with a traditional bow but my first traditional elk on public land.  It took until after midnight to get the meat to camp (2 REALLY heavy packs).

[legends1]

Very awesome pictures,and i love the story.CONGRATES

[jomama]

nice country.

[Doug Treat]

We have seen quite a few of these guys:

[Doug Treat]

...and these guys...we have had close encounters with moose walking back to camp in the dark.

[T-Bone]

Like you have said many times, heavy arrows from low poundage bows produce great results.  Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to back up your proof, as I again will be having tag soup after my fourth season hunting traditional with a 50# long bow as I too haave some shoulder issues.  I know when I finally get a shot opportunity my 625 grain arrows will not fail!

Thanks for the wonderful pictures and stories!

[rxhntr]

Awsome pics and hunt story. I always get caught up in the hunt and forget to take pics. Thanks for sharing.

[Doug Treat]

T-bone, I was unsure about shooting my setup this year, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to test it on an elk.  630 gr. with a Zwickey Eskimo (2-blade) going 143 fps.  I heard a crack when the arrow hit so I think it glanced off a rib too.  The drawback is that at 30 yds. it really takes a dive so my shots have to be closer than when I could shoot those heavy arrows faster.  I figured that an average 55# selfbow would shoot the same weight arrow at about the same speed.

[T-Bone]

Hi Doug.

That is awsome!  Right now I am shooting a 50# montana long bow which casts a 625 grain weight tube filled Easton shaft about 145 fps.  I have a two blade Magnus stinger on the business end so we have pretty much identical set ups.  I truly admire your experience in this area from your posts that I have read over the last few years.  congradulations on your trophy!!  I hope that I can connect one of these times.  I have no doubts about my penetration based on my target practice.  My current arrows penetrate just as well as my 550 grains from my 60# longbow that I rarely shoot these days.

[twitchstick]

[doctari]

Very nice Doug, That rib roast over the fire made me start drooling on my keyboard.      

[Cyclic-Rivers]

That is cool. Cogradualtions!

By The Way 50 lbs is NOT enough for ELK!          

Looking forward to the rest of the story.

[charles suttles]

Gotta love elk country and the stories! congatulations on the cow and best of luck to the rest.