I missed, twice. Yep missed a monster 6x6 bull the biggest bull I have ever seen, and then I missed a rag horn.
Opening day Colorado second rifle season in unit 62 was hot and dry just like last year. I decided to go to the top of the mountain and hunt the dark timber first thing. Not much sign and dry as a pop corn fart. No way could you do any kind of stalking in the timber.
A guy in our camp, Danny most every year stays for the duration of the season. This year he had to be back home on Sunday. He shot a 5x5 bull standing in a pond next to a four wheeler trail at ten o’clock Saturday morning and was gone before I got back to camp. Dang him any way.
Monday morning I went to the pond where Danny shot his bull, there was the carcass about ten yards away from the pond. I then decided to head up the trail that would take me up a grassy valley surrounded with pinion and cedar trees for about three or so miles. I went about a quarter of a mile and jumped some cows and calves laying in the trail. That was a good sign for sure.
After hiking for about an hour I turned and headed back down the trail. I’m almost back to the pond then I see tree branches up ahead that looked like antlers and that sure got my attention. Took a step and the branches started to move! There was a 6x6 bull standing in the pond! Nobody in our camp would go back to the pond because of the fresh kill lying next to the water so that ends that question do live animals go near other dead animals.
The bull sprang out of the water then ran up a hill in and out of trees directly above the pond. I only had time to make an offhand shot, waited for the shot, he finally stopped about three quarters from the top of the hill and gave me a quartering away shot, I held the cross hair on top of his back, then bang! My 325wsm sent a 200gr AB right over his back. He looked to be about 300+ yards away and after I ranged the spot, he was only one hundred and forty yards. That took the wind out of my sail for sure.
OK, Wednesday I’m back at the pond only this time I climb to the top of the hill and sit on a point that intersects two canyons. I’m not there for more that fifteen minutes and here they come! On the other side of the canyon I spot what looked like a 4x4 and a spike coming over the top of the hill fallowed by about fifteen cows and calves all in a row. They ran down the side of the hill then turned and ran across to my left then crossed the quad trail about running over my quad and then back down to a lower draw and out of sight never giving me a shot.
Now I’m thinking well at least I saw something. Then down the same trail the other elk ran, two elk come just walking and taking their time, a rag horn and a spike. I wanted to wait till they got close to the quad trail to take my shot but by then I had time to think about what was about to happen. Buck fever, I started shaking like a leaf. I had ranged every spot and knew about how far the shot was, three hundred and forty yards, bang and another miss.
I took a lot of much deserved ribbing but I sure had a lot of fun. Maybe next year, or the next…..
Opening day Colorado second rifle season in unit 62 was hot and dry just like last year. I decided to go to the top of the mountain and hunt the dark timber first thing. Not much sign and dry as a pop corn fart. No way could you do any kind of stalking in the timber.
A guy in our camp, Danny most every year stays for the duration of the season. This year he had to be back home on Sunday. He shot a 5x5 bull standing in a pond next to a four wheeler trail at ten o’clock Saturday morning and was gone before I got back to camp. Dang him any way.
Monday morning I went to the pond where Danny shot his bull, there was the carcass about ten yards away from the pond. I then decided to head up the trail that would take me up a grassy valley surrounded with pinion and cedar trees for about three or so miles. I went about a quarter of a mile and jumped some cows and calves laying in the trail. That was a good sign for sure.
After hiking for about an hour I turned and headed back down the trail. I’m almost back to the pond then I see tree branches up ahead that looked like antlers and that sure got my attention. Took a step and the branches started to move! There was a 6x6 bull standing in the pond! Nobody in our camp would go back to the pond because of the fresh kill lying next to the water so that ends that question do live animals go near other dead animals.
The bull sprang out of the water then ran up a hill in and out of trees directly above the pond. I only had time to make an offhand shot, waited for the shot, he finally stopped about three quarters from the top of the hill and gave me a quartering away shot, I held the cross hair on top of his back, then bang! My 325wsm sent a 200gr AB right over his back. He looked to be about 300+ yards away and after I ranged the spot, he was only one hundred and forty yards. That took the wind out of my sail for sure.
OK, Wednesday I’m back at the pond only this time I climb to the top of the hill and sit on a point that intersects two canyons. I’m not there for more that fifteen minutes and here they come! On the other side of the canyon I spot what looked like a 4x4 and a spike coming over the top of the hill fallowed by about fifteen cows and calves all in a row. They ran down the side of the hill then turned and ran across to my left then crossed the quad trail about running over my quad and then back down to a lower draw and out of sight never giving me a shot.
Now I’m thinking well at least I saw something. Then down the same trail the other elk ran, two elk come just walking and taking their time, a rag horn and a spike. I wanted to wait till they got close to the quad trail to take my shot but by then I had time to think about what was about to happen. Buck fever, I started shaking like a leaf. I had ranged every spot and knew about how far the shot was, three hundred and forty yards, bang and another miss.
I took a lot of much deserved ribbing but I sure had a lot of fun. Maybe next year, or the next…..
