IowaHawkeye
New member
- Aug 7, 2017
- 11
Camp Life! Gotta love the high country!
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IowaHawkeye
New member
- Aug 7, 2017
- 11
From the Field. Even when the elk are quiet, how can you not love the views!!
IowaHawkeye
New member
- Aug 7, 2017
- 11
Great Success! Even though this isn't my biggest bull to date, it is a great success in my mind. This bull makes three years in a row of harvesting a bull on public land, DIY archery hunts. Feeling lucky and proud all at the same time.
IowaHawkeye
New member
- Aug 7, 2017
- 11
A-HA Moment.
I don't think that there was really a singular moment this year that comes to mind. To me, my A-HA is a constant thing. I am a believer that you will never know it all. I want to be constantly learning new things and adapting strategies on the move. What worked this year may not work next. If you think you know it all, the elk will quickly teach you that you don't know as much as you think you do. Always keep an open mind and be a sponge. There is always someone better than you, and you can always learn. My late father once told me that you will never learn anything when your mouth is moving... A lesson I will never forget.
I don't think that there was really a singular moment this year that comes to mind. To me, my A-HA is a constant thing. I am a believer that you will never know it all. I want to be constantly learning new things and adapting strategies on the move. What worked this year may not work next. If you think you know it all, the elk will quickly teach you that you don't know as much as you think you do. Always keep an open mind and be a sponge. There is always someone better than you, and you can always learn. My late father once told me that you will never learn anything when your mouth is moving... A lesson I will never forget.
IowaHawkeye
New member
- Aug 7, 2017
- 11
The Story.
I wanted to kill a bull this year while calling. I have always felt like I was proficient with my raging bull diaphragm and my bully bull tube, but have never killed an elk in a way that I thought was a direct result of using them. After watching Corey Jacobsen unsuccessfully call in a bull in New Mexico with Randy Newburg, I thought what the heck, just because a 9 time world champion elk caller can't do it doesn't mean I can't get it done... HAHA! Oh and by the way Corey, if you read this, I would love to have a Sitka subalpine cover for my Bully Bull tube!
It was a breezy morning and the bugles seemed few and far between. I was working a ridgeline and it was about 8AM when I got a response from the next ridge over. I quickly dropped down and back up the other side. Once I felt like I had the wind in my favor and was far enough in front of the elk I bugled again. He responded!! But was already farther down the ridge than anticipated. I dropped back down into the drainage and ran to try and get ahead of him. Back up top and another bugle. Crap!! He was again further down the ridge than anticipated. We played this game for an hour. The entire time I was wishing I had a buddy with me to be calling from the first ridge that I was on, paralleling this one, to keep him talking so I could slip in quiet, but I didn't have that option, and he would only bugle in response to me. Eventually around 9am he decided to go quiet.
I dropped back down into the drainage and made the mile or so walk back to my pack that I had left behind. I was in the middle of drinking some water and eating a granola bar when I heard another bugle from the next ridge over! Heck, what do I have to lose. I threw my pack on and took off. After cresting the ridge I bugled to him and he responded right away! He sounded like he was a little ways off so I started at him. After about 10 steps I see an antler move through the trees! And I don't even have an arrow nocked yet! I freeze and nock an arrow. While I was moving at the bull, he was coming to me. I pick an opening and wait for him to get close. While he was still behind some oak brush I draw, and into my window he comes at 20 yards. The shot was true and I had my first bull that I can honestly say was thank you to Rocky Mountain Calls.
I wanted to kill a bull this year while calling. I have always felt like I was proficient with my raging bull diaphragm and my bully bull tube, but have never killed an elk in a way that I thought was a direct result of using them. After watching Corey Jacobsen unsuccessfully call in a bull in New Mexico with Randy Newburg, I thought what the heck, just because a 9 time world champion elk caller can't do it doesn't mean I can't get it done... HAHA! Oh and by the way Corey, if you read this, I would love to have a Sitka subalpine cover for my Bully Bull tube!
It was a breezy morning and the bugles seemed few and far between. I was working a ridgeline and it was about 8AM when I got a response from the next ridge over. I quickly dropped down and back up the other side. Once I felt like I had the wind in my favor and was far enough in front of the elk I bugled again. He responded!! But was already farther down the ridge than anticipated. I dropped back down into the drainage and ran to try and get ahead of him. Back up top and another bugle. Crap!! He was again further down the ridge than anticipated. We played this game for an hour. The entire time I was wishing I had a buddy with me to be calling from the first ridge that I was on, paralleling this one, to keep him talking so I could slip in quiet, but I didn't have that option, and he would only bugle in response to me. Eventually around 9am he decided to go quiet.
I dropped back down into the drainage and made the mile or so walk back to my pack that I had left behind. I was in the middle of drinking some water and eating a granola bar when I heard another bugle from the next ridge over! Heck, what do I have to lose. I threw my pack on and took off. After cresting the ridge I bugled to him and he responded right away! He sounded like he was a little ways off so I started at him. After about 10 steps I see an antler move through the trees! And I don't even have an arrow nocked yet! I freeze and nock an arrow. While I was moving at the bull, he was coming to me. I pick an opening and wait for him to get close. While he was still behind some oak brush I draw, and into my window he comes at 20 yards. The shot was true and I had my first bull that I can honestly say was thank you to Rocky Mountain Calls.
BrentLaBere
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 358
My short archery season story[/size][/color]ND Archery buck[/color][/size]I went out the last two nights for this deer. For whatever reason he was coming out in daylight hours. Haunting me was what I assumed. Typically see good deer like this in daylight (shooting hours) for the first few days of the season and they tend to go nocturnal after losing their velvet. A north north east wind isnt favorable for the property this deer was on, went out to test my luck anyway. Deer were on the move early last night. Had a doe come by to the south of me at 6. She caught a scent of something she didnt like but must not have been a full nose of it. She hesitated, walked back and forth looking for the source, continued on after she calmed back down. As im watching to the south, keeping an eye on the doe, I hear crunching behind me. A doe and fawn coming up the creek bed had snuck in on me. The wind was perfect for this trail, I had plenty of time so I took some video and a picture wishing they were bucks. Nice seeing deer moving this early. I was hoping it was due to the weather system moving through, but who knows. Time is passing and I caught movement again, another doe to the south. She passed with no hesitation. I check the time and its 745, 15 minutes to sunset. Movement on the trail to the north of me, turns out to be a smaller buck and its the one traveling with the buck im after. Watching him circle down into the ravine my stand is in I grab my bow. As I turn around, reaching for my bow, I hear crunching of leaves down to my left on the same trail the doe and fawn had passed on. I see tall heavy tines through the thick brush and I know which deer it is. My heart started beating pretty hard and I kept reminding myself to stay calm. I have a mantra I go over when practicing, trying to stay calm, but I kept getting it wrong. Funny how buck/bull fever gets to a guy. The deer is calm. The wind is good. I gather myself and come to full draw with the buck slightly quartering away. Set my anchor and get the mantra right this time settling the pin. A good thump and he hunched up wasting no time fleeing the area. I hear a loud crash seconds later. Confident with the blood and shot, I opt to back out and give him some time. 30 minutes and 60 yards later im up the trail and looking at a white belly in my headlamp light. It was a late night. Got him d boned and in the fridge. Working on the trimmings tonight and trying to savor the moment.
BrentLaBere
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 358
Great Success
Posted in the elk meat pole
Was able to arrow a cow on a short trip out west. Said I wouldnt pass anything after two years tag soup.
Posted in the elk meat pole
Was able to arrow a cow on a short trip out west. Said I wouldnt pass anything after two years tag soup.
BrentLaBere
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 358
Ah Ha moment goes with my ND archery story. Take what you get when you get it, its that simple for hunting. Not even in the mindset to hunt whitetails yet but when you have a buck coming through in daylight consistently, go out for him. The best time to hunt is when you can and when the deer are patterned. No reason to wait for colder temps, rut, ect.
Ill add to it, Ah Ha moment hunting elk this year. Tons of people backpacking in to an area we normally dont have much pressure, elk go quiet and on top of that its hot. Packing all of the way out and getting the trail head, load the car up and start heading off the mountain. On the way down we noticed that no one was hunting off of the road. Ah Ha we have it to ourselves. We better try it out. half mile hike later im arrowing an elk. Hunt where others arent and you can find un pressured animals. Sometimes those areas are right in front of you, not over the mountains.
Ill add to it, Ah Ha moment hunting elk this year. Tons of people backpacking in to an area we normally dont have much pressure, elk go quiet and on top of that its hot. Packing all of the way out and getting the trail head, load the car up and start heading off the mountain. On the way down we noticed that no one was hunting off of the road. Ah Ha we have it to ourselves. We better try it out. half mile hike later im arrowing an elk. Hunt where others arent and you can find un pressured animals. Sometimes those areas are right in front of you, not over the mountains.
Here's my 2017 story:
This was my first season elk hunting, diy otc in CO with a deer hunting buddy. We covered 11 miles a day, starting at 9500-10k ft and usually getting up to 12k depending on the day. Day 3 heard first bugles right before shooting light. They seemed a long way away, but hiked a few ridges over to see if we could spot anything. The hike took us 45-1hr and when we got there saw/heard nothing
Day 5, we climbed 2300 feet in the first mile to this timber not too far off a trail. Saw elk one drainage over during the summer and this was the only way to get near there. About 9:30am heard 2 bugles one in each direction. One kept coming closer and was responding to cow calls. We moved to close the distance and spotted a cow at 45 yards that was walking on a game trail ahead of the bull maybe 75 yards (by the sound of it). Never saw the bull as he kept moving down below on other side of game trail. My guess was they were headed to their bed. My buddy and I decided to try and follow them to their bed and not even 5 minutes later heard a muzzleloader in very close proximity go off. Never heard a thing the rest of the day.
To make matters worse my buddy who volunteered to drive, decided he had many reasons to go home. We still had 4 more days of planned hunting left as I had burned all my vacation for this trip. Talk about frustrating. Should have rented a car and stayed the full trip, but was too frustrated to think of it at the time.
Already planning next seasons trip where I'll be driving myself. Ha.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This was my first season elk hunting, diy otc in CO with a deer hunting buddy. We covered 11 miles a day, starting at 9500-10k ft and usually getting up to 12k depending on the day. Day 3 heard first bugles right before shooting light. They seemed a long way away, but hiked a few ridges over to see if we could spot anything. The hike took us 45-1hr and when we got there saw/heard nothing
Day 5, we climbed 2300 feet in the first mile to this timber not too far off a trail. Saw elk one drainage over during the summer and this was the only way to get near there. About 9:30am heard 2 bugles one in each direction. One kept coming closer and was responding to cow calls. We moved to close the distance and spotted a cow at 45 yards that was walking on a game trail ahead of the bull maybe 75 yards (by the sound of it). Never saw the bull as he kept moving down below on other side of game trail. My guess was they were headed to their bed. My buddy and I decided to try and follow them to their bed and not even 5 minutes later heard a muzzleloader in very close proximity go off. Never heard a thing the rest of the day.
To make matters worse my buddy who volunteered to drive, decided he had many reasons to go home. We still had 4 more days of planned hunting left as I had burned all my vacation for this trip. Talk about frustrating. Should have rented a car and stayed the full trip, but was too frustrated to think of it at the time.
Already planning next seasons trip where I'll be driving myself. Ha.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Story... The season started off with a bang, Bobby, neckofredness, and I started out hunting together. I think the first 2 1/2 days we had 6 or so bulls inside of 50 yards, he was able to get drawn back on one but the last step needed for a clean shot never happened and he held his arrow, kudo's to him being new to bow hunting and not just trying to make a shot. We had a really nice bull at 42 yards one day but with the way we circled him after he got quiet the first time and the wind change, when he came in he crossed a trail we had walked, got a whiff, and walked away bugling.
The next couple of days we saw more hunters than elk, which is highly untypical for the area I like to hunt. A lot of guys were moving and searching. The elk were still there, we could hear them at night and see sign but they were unresponsive and active during the day. On day 5 Bobby went to hunt with another buddy of his that was coming up and I decided to stay and wait it out. That afternoon 2 guys came by camp headed up the canyon. That afternoon as I sat in the spot pictured in a previous post I heard them coming down from above bugling and a bull responded with a low short bugle directly across in front of me. They didn't hear him because of the wind and kept working their way down, I didn't hear him again that afternoon and decided with the wind swirling, not to go in after him.
The next morning I was back in the same spot and not a peep, winds were still high and swirling so I stayed out. The weather forecast on my inreach said the winds would calm that afternoon so I was hopeful for the afternoon hunt.
That afternoon I set up in the very bottom on a side hill opposite of where I thought he was. A few cow calls, a short low bugle from him and I crossed over andstarted working the ridge up. About 1/3 of the way up I could hear him in a wallow to my left in the timber and started side hilling that way. Cow called again, a low grunt response and a calf heading my way, 4 cows later I could see him dragging the rear. At this point in the hunt a cow was looking good but I waited on him. Once he got about even with me I drew and shot, my pins were clear but I wasn't too sure on my bubble, he ran back across the hill above me and crashed, everything was silent but I decided to back out and track in the morning. 2nd year in a row I had a sleepless night after a shot.
The next morning picking up the bloodtrail wasn't hard at all, the Gravedigger extreme coc did it's job and the bloodtrail was wide and bright. After packing him out that day and camp the next I decided the Mule Deer in the area were safe this year and that tag would be soup, but that's ok, mixed in with fresh elk soup and deer tag is edible.
The next couple of days we saw more hunters than elk, which is highly untypical for the area I like to hunt. A lot of guys were moving and searching. The elk were still there, we could hear them at night and see sign but they were unresponsive and active during the day. On day 5 Bobby went to hunt with another buddy of his that was coming up and I decided to stay and wait it out. That afternoon 2 guys came by camp headed up the canyon. That afternoon as I sat in the spot pictured in a previous post I heard them coming down from above bugling and a bull responded with a low short bugle directly across in front of me. They didn't hear him because of the wind and kept working their way down, I didn't hear him again that afternoon and decided with the wind swirling, not to go in after him.
The next morning I was back in the same spot and not a peep, winds were still high and swirling so I stayed out. The weather forecast on my inreach said the winds would calm that afternoon so I was hopeful for the afternoon hunt.
That afternoon I set up in the very bottom on a side hill opposite of where I thought he was. A few cow calls, a short low bugle from him and I crossed over andstarted working the ridge up. About 1/3 of the way up I could hear him in a wallow to my left in the timber and started side hilling that way. Cow called again, a low grunt response and a calf heading my way, 4 cows later I could see him dragging the rear. At this point in the hunt a cow was looking good but I waited on him. Once he got about even with me I drew and shot, my pins were clear but I wasn't too sure on my bubble, he ran back across the hill above me and crashed, everything was silent but I decided to back out and track in the morning. 2nd year in a row I had a sleepless night after a shot.
The next morning picking up the bloodtrail wasn't hard at all, the Gravedigger extreme coc did it's job and the bloodtrail was wide and bright. After packing him out that day and camp the next I decided the Mule Deer in the area were safe this year and that tag would be soup, but that's ok, mixed in with fresh elk soup and deer tag is edible.
blake_mhoona
New member
- Sep 26, 2017
- 10
blake_mhoona
New member
- Sep 26, 2017
- 10
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