Colorado Elk

[salmonchaser]

Hunted elk with our crew 1st season in Colorado. Had a great hunt, passed on several bulls looking to hang my tag on a monster I had seen the night before the season opened.
About 10 minutes into legal shooting light our 30 year old rookie and I had just completed a forced 1.5 mile march at 10,500 feet. We paused to glass and immediately found elk. I moved about 50 yards up the trail and found a bull worthy of attention. At 500 yards he looked great. I whistled my buddy up as I adjusted my VX5. " oh my God I'd love to shoot him, he said, I've never seen a bull like that". Go a head, shoot him, I said, handing him my sticks. A few seconds later his 28 nosler roared. The bull field scored 364, I think I may have a screw loose letting him take the shot
We went 4/5 on bulls. I passed several rag horns looking for the bull I wanted. It was a great trip.


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[Guy Miner]

Excellent!

You do have a screw loose, but for a good cause.

Guy

 

[DrMike]

Great report. Your generosity doesn't indicate a loose screw, just generosity and consideration. Congratulations to both of you.

 

[AFG270]

Great story and great photo! That smile tells it all. Congratulations to you both.

My hat is off to you for your generosity, well done.

 

[truck driver]

Thanks for sharing. That's a very nice Bull you gave away. You the man!

 

[Europe]

Very nicely done Don, Have a safe trip home

 

[salmonchaser]

Another look at AJs bull.
The data:
Aj is 6 foot and 190
The bull was old, teeth were worn to nubs.
He was shooting an MOA rifle in 28 Nosler topped by a Huskama scope.
195 grain Bergers at 3050 FPS.
Distance; 518 yards +/-
Temp; 11 f
Altitude; shot was taken at 10,000
The bull was standing at 10,400 (according to gps way points.)
Wind was negligible.
Shot analysis: bull was standing left to right, angled slightly away.
1. Entered an inch behind the right elbow, transecting the body cavity and disintegrated in the area between neck left shoulder.
2. Missed, cold fingers and light triggers. Short stroked the bolt, expletive deleted, enough time for me to say slow is smooth smooth is fast.
3. Bull had turned 180, bullet entered just in front of diaphragm angled back and blew up in the guts.
4 bull turned almost facing us, bullet left a streak on the shoulder entered and exiting just under the spine. That dropped him. He slid about 100 yards before crashing into some trees.


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[gbflyer]

Great bull!

 

[DrMike]

Even more impressive, all around.

 

[6mm Remington]

Way to go and congratulations for letting him take the bull. You a little off the deep end, but you blessed him with something really special!!

David

 

[69gto]

Great bull! and you are a very good friend. Were those over the counter tags?

 

[hunternyny]

This is very impressive. This is not like picking up the tab for a beer when you out with someone. Think about the expense and preparation that salmon chaser endured and then did what you did. My hats off to you.

Congratulations to the rookie hunter and you!

 

[Europe]

This is very impressive. This is not like picking up the tab for a beer when you out with someone. Think about the expense and preparation that salmon chaser endured and then did what you did. My hats off to you.

Congratulations to the rookie hunter and you!

Exactly!!!

Don, you dah man!

 

[salmonchaser]

Not sure what came over me, he's a great young man. He was so much like a kid at Christmas seeing that perfect gift under the tree, when he looked at that bull through his binoculars, what the hell, I've killed plenty of elk. With three kids under 7 it may be awhile before he can take a trip like this again. With point creep in Oregons trophy elk areas he may be as old as me when he draws a good tag.
Driving home today we made a pact. When he is as old as me (63) he has to devote that elk season to me. We'll see how much he likes carting a 90 something duffer elk hunting.

The unit was a draw unit, we were drop camped by an outfitter in a wilderness area. Never saw another hunter but did hear some shooting, always a long way off. Never cut a man track from another hunter.

We have reserved a spot for next year with the outfitter.

My phone/camera froze to death so I didn't get any more pics. We took another six by broken main beam. One of the guys missed a dandy six point, passed on a couple of rag horns then killed a four point too close to the horse trail to ignore, died seven feet off the trail. I never got a shot at the bull I was after, though I blew an opportunity. I had slipped over a ridge, crawled into some sage brush and was face to face with the biggest mule deer I had ever seen. I was screwwing around trying to get my camera to work when I caught movement about 300 yards away. My bull was slipping into the timber. I finally over several days pushed him over a ridge, 11,200 feet, and into next years dreams.


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[cloverleaf]

A screw loose in the heart. Likely, hopefully, he will do the same some day, for some one else. They tell me that a stiff drink is poor locktite, but I think he owes you one. Outstanding!! CL

 

[Europe]

Not sure what came over me, he's a great young man. He was so much like a kid at Christmas seeing that perfect gift under the tree, when he looked at that bull through his binoculars, what the hell, I've killed plenty of elk. With three kids under 7 it may be awhile before he can take a trip like this again. With point creep in Oregons trophy elk areas he may be as old as me when he draws a good tag.
Driving home today we made a pact. When he is as old as me (63) he has to devote that elk season to me. We'll see how much he likes carting a 90 something duffer elk hunting.

The unit was a draw unit, we were drop camped by an outfitter in a wilderness area. Never saw another hunter but did hear some shooting, always a long way off. Never cut a man track from another hunter.

We have reserved a spot for next year with the outfitter.

My phone/camera froze to death so I didn't get any more pics. We took another six by broken main beam. One of the guys missed a dandy six point, passed on a couple of rag horns then killed a four point too close to the horse trail to ignore, died seven feet off the trail. I never got a shot at the bull I was after, though I blew an opportunity. I had slipped over a ridge, crawled into some sage brush and was face to face with the biggest mule deer I had ever seen. I was screwwing around trying to get my camera to work when I caught movement about 300 yards away. My bull was slipping into the timber. I finally over several days pushed him over a ridge, 11,200 feet, and into next years dreams.


What a fantastic hunt. It sounds like you had a great time and made some excellent memories ---congratulations to all and good luck next year

 

[Elkman]

Outstanding Ron, that is truly a beautiful bull, you don’t see a lot like that come out of Colorado. Hope to see you again in the near future.

 

[salmonchaser]

Bill get a hold of me when you are done, I may be hunting solo for elk. 3/4 of the boys have advised they have been re-assigned given our success in Colorado. One may make it, but only for the opening weekend. I may have to mix the week up with guiding a couple of pheasant hunts. We'll try to hook up for lunch when you head home.


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[hunternyny]

Bill get a hold of me when you are done, I may be hunting solo for elk. 3/4 of the boys have advised they have been re-assigned given our success in Colorado. One may make it, but only for the opening weekend. I may have to mix the week up with guiding a couple of pheasant hunts. We'll try to hook up for lunch when you head home.


LOL !!!

Love it--fish in Alaska all summer, Elk hunt in Colorado and Oregon and throw in a couple of pheasant hunts, just to mix things up. It is a tough life but somebody has to do it

Does anybody know if Scotty got an Elk ?

 

[salmonchaser]

Talked to Bill last night on the phone, said they got two but I don't recall who dropped the hammer.

It is a hard life,. I've been blessed by opportunity, the accident of birth and a gene pool that extends from German and Irish soldiers of fortune that came to the New World to fight in the revolution. From there to Pennsylvania and Ohio to the Oregon territory and Alaska. It's just instinct to pick up a rifle and go as deep into a dark canyon as my legs will carry me.
Yep I'm blessed but next week no legal bull gets a pass.


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