Couple pics from the western adventure

[jimikinz]

Some may remember my Colorado elk hunt/wyoming antelope hunt two week adventure (I bugged everyone with a lot of questions)....I've been back for about 6 weeks, and am finally getting to posting some results.

The elk hunt was an education to say the least! No elk, but I'd say there were easily 1,000 guys in the same drainages as me. That was a bit discouraging. Lesson learned on that area.
I had fun tromping around in the rockies though. Pine martins, some deer, grouse, tons of elk sign to keep me motivated, and weather from 60 and sunny to blowing snow and freezing my California-raised butt off!

On to WY for some antelope, where I was greeted by a animals who were REALLY spooky, and more cows that I could count. I learned that these particular cows were not well mannered and would chase off any deer or antelope that they saw. Particularly around water.
I wanted to shoot a cow really bad after a couple days...but I persevered and managed to put on about a thousand stalks to got my two 'lopes. Fun with the BP guns, that's for sure!

I had a deer tag too, and spent every night drooling over a massive 5x that was in a field literally on the other side of the rode that bounded my unit...I just KNEW that I would find him on my side one of the evenings, but alas...tag soup was in the cards. For me, that was a MONSTER of a deer...next year!

And as luck would have it, I took a tour of my local mountains a couple days after I got back and killed this little SoCal buck....these are our local deer, and that's why I thought that 5x was so incredible.

Thanks for all the elk advice...I'll try again next year.

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Sure beats work! :wink:

Glad you had a good time!

 

[Little Wattsy]

Outstanding!!! Sounds like a good hunt with enough "wanting" to get you to go back and try again! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[chance]

Great Hunt!!Congrats.

 

[rabjr]

Niice! Grats! :thumbsup:

 

[wattlebuster]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Congrats to ya

 

[smo]

Congrats :thumbsup:

 

[Tony Logan]

Sounds like you had a good trip, nice pics, I'd say you were the only one to go home without an elk with odds like those

 

[Randall Slemp]

Great little story and pics. Congratulations on your success! :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

:hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[BillinOregon]

Jim: Meat's made for the winter! That's a mighty handsome rifle you have there.

 

[Spikebuck]

Stalking antelope with a muzzleloader has to be a real challenge! Congrats!

 

[longcruise]

The elk hunt was an education to say the least! No elk, but I'd say there were easily 1,000 guys in the same drainages as me.

Wow! I hope that was not in any of the spots I suggested. :redface: If so, I apologize for stearing you wrong.

 

[paguy]

nice pics

 

[jimikinz]

Haha....I think it was actually, but believe me, there is no reason to feel the least bit bad. Maybe keep the info in mind if you think of going back.

I was originally in Bunker basin, then moved after a couple days up to the Morapos trailhead. In between I drove the Flat-Tops highway, and it was a literal parking lot along both sides of the road.

Ironically, the zone from 2-4 miles from a road was the MOST crowded, I think everyone has the same idea to get away from the road, but that's as far as they (me included)felt safe getting an elk out. That's my theory. 5 or 6 miles each way for several heavy loads on my back at 9K feet would be a killer. All the guys I saw wtih elk had horses.

 

[longcruise]

Sorry it worked out that way. It has been a few years since I was in Bunker Basin. I thought it might be even better now since back then there was a road that one could drive a 4X4 on at about the point I recommended you walk in.

I spent five days in there back when I could drive in and only saw two other hunters. They had walked in to where I met them and they asked me which way I;d come in. I pointed to my truck and tent about 50 yards away and said "I just drove to right there". They were pretty bummed out.

It snowed six inches of heavy wet stuff on that trip. The dirt under the snow on the open ground turned to super goombah. Called a herd bull to within 30 yards at the very bottom just on the edge of that little piece of BLM before it goes private. Passed on the shot. :shocked2: Did not have enough salt to eat it right there.

I understand what you encountered up on the flat tops. Actually, the bow hunters get most of those top side elk pushed into the lower rougher stuff before ml season opens. Any place where it is easy to get on top that will happen!

If you decide to come this way again, get in touch and I'll try to get spotted for you in advance!

 

[jimikinz]

Hey Marmot, again, no worries, I still had fun and that's all that matters. If you ever need a buddy for a ML hunt let me know!

 

[longcruise]

Will do. :thumbsup:

Will be starting to formulate plans in Feb and Mar. Apps usually due first week of April.

Good work on the Wyoming end!

Am thinking next year to use a plywood horse or cow to get up on the antelope. Nutty, but might be fun.

 

[jimikinz]

Haha...I think that would work! They are funny in that they are both curios and nervous at the same time. would the horse cut-out have a rider? :rotf:

 

[hoochiepapa]

THat's the thing about elk hunting here in the west, once the shooting starts, and that includes bow hunters, the elk move into the nastiest areas you can imagine. Then, if you want an elk, you have to resign yourself to pack it out. Greenmtnboy bones his, and it makes it easier to pack out, you get more meat out in one trip.
Go where the other hunters won't and that's where you'll find the elk.