Colorado Elk and Mule Deer Trip

[CatskillCrawler]

I recently completed a 20-day trip to NW Colorado with some friends. My first attempt for elk and mule deer. We hunted in Unit # 231 for elk and #28 for deer. Overall the trip was outstanding. We all saw elk and had several chances at some nice bulls but things didn't pan out. We took two cows though and had chances at several more cows also. The elk which gave us the best shooting opportunities were three spikes which were illegal to shoot. We saw several moose, numerous coyote, mule deer, black bear, marten, ermine, grouse and a highly disputed lynx sighting. The hunting was very demanding as camp was at 9600' and we hunted up to 11,000' in rough country. Usual hikes to stands were 1-3 miles with varied terrain. It was very disturbing to see the damage the spruce are taking from the beetles. Otherwise the views in the Flat Tops Wilderness area were breathtaking. A lot of breath taking and huffing and sweating!

After five days we packed up camp and drove a bit east into the Arapaho Forest and hunted for mule deer NW of Kremmling, Co. Terrain wasn't as rough but still demanding. We saw three nice shooter bucks in our scouting ventures but once the season hit they felt the pressure and retreated to private land. My bud missed a B&C class buck walking unaware and broadside to him at 60 yds. :shock: He is by no means new to bug bucks but when he refused to shoot his rifle to make sure it hadn't lost its zero we all had nothing to blame then bbbbbbig bbbbuck fever for his miss. :lol: The next day he found the same buck's tracks in fresh snow and followed him for 5 hrs but only saw him once as he busted his bed and only to watch him hop away into the low pines. I shot a young 2x1 buck late in the season to avoid the dreaded tag soup.

I was very impressed with the whole experience and plan on going again for as long as I can afford the time and money. I was very glad to be in good shape for this trip and learned quite a bit about elk hunting from my bud's uncle who had the most experience hunting them in that area. The BLR performed and carried well and the 225gr Partitions didn't disappoint. I'll post more pics soon.

SW of Yampa, Co

Elk Camp - note the freezer ready for action.

Groceries are on the ground!

A deadly combo with gear ready to start field butchering.

Sunset over camp

 

[jmad_81]

Looks like a Good time is some great country!

 

[DrMike]

Those are some great photos; they allow me to share your experience vicariously. I'm truly glad you were able to make this trip and that you did connect on game. Congratulations.

 

[JD338]

Congratulations on your successful hunt.
Looks like a nice sized cow.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Great pictures and looks like a great hunt! Well done, an elk and a deer is a well thought out hunt! Great work!

 

[CatskillCrawler]

My first day in the woods started off with a 1.5 hr hike into where we were going to hunt. The wind was whipping and a light snow seemed like a blizzard from the winds. Hunkered down in some low spruce to try and avoid the wind/snow while maintaining vigil over a crossing between two hilltops. I kept on looking at a large cloud which the snow seemed to be coming from and was dumbfounded as to why it never moved. Saw a mess of ducks flying between the ponds that littered this area. Otherwise tried to stay warm and awake. Once the weather started to clear around 1000 I realized that the immovable cloud was a cliff face which surrounded this 8-10 square mile horseshoe shaped area.

At noon I started to walk around a bit and get a better feel of the land. The altitude was still getting the best of my lungs but I walked a lot and found some areas of interest without disturbing too much. I didn't see any other hunters and felt very isolated in magnificent high country. Perfect!

Day two started off just like day one minus the blizzard conditions. My plan was to get into the bedding area edges I found the day before and poke a little more. Ran across fresh tracks and decided to track them to see where they led. After a short while I came across a large set of single tracks that had blood drops. Switched gears and followed these tracks the next five hours. Based on the size, same size as my rifle butt pad, I figured I was on a large bull's tracks. He led me up, down and over everything but always higher. Came upon one bed site which was frozen under his body which I figured to be made much earlier in the night. When I found a second bed which wasn't frozen, and had a large puddle of blood near the edge, I assumed I had pushed him out of this bed. His course changed after this bed and was full of switchbacks and half circles but always higher. He also started to move through much thicker areas and made steeper ascents. The wind was always in my disfavor now and I realized he knew the gig. I gave up this effort and found a perch near some talus which had several shooting lanes into thick woods and more favorable wind conditions. I started playing tourist and snapping pics and ate my lunch.

At 2:40 I saw a spike bull walk out 40 yds below me. His neck and head were a vibrant mahogany and contrasted sharply with his canvas colored body. I walked my scope all over his rack and body and killed him a half dozen times before I thought of taking a picture. I turned my camera on in my pocket and switched it to video mode and found him on the display. I hit the shutter button and was heartbroken to hear my lens retract motor whirr into action and close down the camera. The spike felt the same dissatisfaction as he whirled his head around towards me and then exploded out of sight. The sound of baseball bats smashing wood reverberated in the air as he beat his hasty retreat. Alas, I hit the power off button instead of the shutter release.

This is the lane which he stepped out into.

The rest of the day went without action. I did come across these tracks which I believe are Lynx.

 

[Guy Miner]

Excellent report and photos. Seems like your group had a good hunt!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

Being in the high country and sensing the majestic isolation is reward in itself. Thanks for posting the vibrant account of those days in the bush.

 

[Kodiak]

Fine hunt! Thanks for sharing! Close shots appear to be the norm there.

I hunted much of that country in the late '50s thru the '60s. It provided very good elk in those days and a spike bull was legal back then, but many mature bulls were taken.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

On day three it warmed up into the 50's. My bud and I approached this same area from the downwind side and did our patented wingman formation. Whenever we track deer or move into a bedding area we will spread apart 20-40 yds and walk in slowly. We both have the same still-hunting pace so we usually stay fairly parallel to each other. All too often when we push a deer off it's bed, the deer will give the other hunter a shot. We did this for 1.5 hrs and covered probably 1/4 mile when Jeff noticed some movement ahead of him. I saw him raise his .270Win and fire. Just then I saw a cow running to his left towards me. He yelled, "Left!" after his shot. The cow was below me in a depression and I felt I had a good look at her shoulder as I swung and fired just before she entered a mess of blowdowns and small pine. She disappeared from view immediately. He said four more elk stood at his shot and broke to his right including what he felt was a smallish raghorn. We picked up a blood trail directly in front of me before the spot where I fired so we knew he got a shot into her. Shortly after we saw a definite increase in blood. There was a fairly steep descent where we saw her disappear and followed the blood down for another 60 yds and found her expired resting atop some blowdowns. Jeff's 140gr TBBC, my load , passed through her in a high lung shot. My 225gr Partition hit her in almost the same location, but due to the depression she was in, it exited low. We were very stoked! We cut her up and started our meat packing duties.

Here's the 358Win exit hole.

We later found out that Jeff's father also shot a cow that morning with his 338WM and the 225gr Fusion.

The Crown Royal flowed that night!

I continued to hunt and the remaining 2 hunters and I both saw elk but couldn't get a decent shot into any.

My jacket tied around my waist and binocs under my vest have led to several unwarranted jokes amongst my family and friends...

 

[DrMike]

My jacket tied around my waist and binocs under my vest have led to several unwarranted jokes amongst my family and friends...

Except for the absence of a white beard, that might look a lot like me! :shock: I see nothing wrong with it. Great photos, and that .358 did a number of that elk.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Thanks folks. It was a great trip despite the fact we couldn't close the deal on any bulls. I'll throw the mule deer pics in tomorrow.

 

[FOTIS]

Congratulations Excellent account of what took place.

 

[SJB358]

CC! Great pictures buddy and that is some serious elk country I would love to visit in the future. Great work on them elk. I was smiling through them all!