Well I best keep my word and get some photos up.
As I said I was hunting with my ESR in .54 Cal. made by Herb here on the forum.
I went up and hunted Elk & bear in a new to me area, Colorado Unit 62. I was the guest of Bill (Who I small game hunt with) and Scott. They had a "tin Teepee" camp and all that was required of me was my gear AM & afternoon food for myself and one evening meal for everyone.
The days would start at 4:30 or 5, no cooking just coffee and out the door. a short drive or ATV ride to a trail
*** I did not die on an ATV although it was sketchy as it was my 1st time driving one, and I was learning how to ATV on mountain trails...in the dark :shocked2: *** then walk into an area scouting for elk. We never really did get into good elk sign, just a fresh track or two here and there. Because of this we changed up areas a lot. Often quitting an area by noon, back to camp for lunch and an hour rest, then hunt a new area from early afternoon until shooting light ended then walking out in the dark, back at camp by around 9:30 for dinner.
Where we did find a little elk sign was in the old burns, with thick blow downs, over grown by young quakeys.
http://vid1062.photobucket.com/albums/t493/4koden/IMG_0824_zpsq6a1l6q7.mp4
That's not to say there were no elk, we just seemed 48 hours to a week behind them. They had been there...
and I found some good wallows but there were Many of them and none seemed to be favored.
I thought I had a good stand, when I found a spring with a wallow and a big bear scat all within a small fold in the ridge. I sat the wallow until a noise then a large black shape slipping down the ridge.
http://vid1062.photobucket.com/albums/t493/4koden/IMG_0820_zpshji1wrri.mp4
Two big black bulls ear tags and all
they even slurped from the wallow! They went up the hill a hundred yards and started a bellowing contest
The Afternoon of the 3rd day the weather came in fast.....
http://vid1062.photobucket.com/albums/t493/4koden/IMG_0831_zpsowjxogrg.mp4
And became an on and off drizzle
http://vid1062.photobucket.com/albums/t493/4koden/IMG_0830_zps2br9ahxr.mp4
On my last evening I was ghosting down a trickle of a creek headed in to hunt another wallow about 2-3 miles back. I had seen a lone elk track in the wallow 2 days before and some fresh bear scat on a trail 100 yards above the little creek.
As I turned a corned on the winding creek bottom, a young bear turned a corner coming up the creek :shocked2: We were both shocked but I a second less then he.......
The Rifle did it's part, I hit high, but that was
ALL my doing. My shot was at about 27 yards and I am sighted in at 80, I made no allowances :redface:
The .54 round ball hit back bone and wreaked havoc.
The Young bear made 25 yards before anchoring, where I gave him another shot. Bill was almost a mile away but heard my shot and came in time to help me pack out.
Thank goodness Bill took the photo, I was so concerned with getting the bear out & skinned I took nary a one
The elk never did show, and Bill & Scott have only through tomorrow. I am headed to WY this next weekend To hunt a Doe Antelope, it is a rifle tag but I will again be hunting with the ESR. Margret is just hitting her stride :grin: There's a buck tag and a cow tag still to come.
