I'm 27 now, and 3 years ago decided to try to get some meat where I live here in Colorado. I've never been in to big game hunting but grew up small game hunting all my life. I called a buddy of mine that elk hunts and he invited me to go with him. I hunted 2nd season rifle for the first 2 years and hardly saw a cow and never did fill my OTC bull tag. Last year, my 3rd year, I applied for a ML either sex tag.
I was also lucky enough to draw my first bear tag. I took a couple weeks off work and went hunting solo early last September. A buddy of mine is a guide in the small town and gave me a tip on where a cinnamon bear has been hanging out. The day before the season opened I made my way up there and I was able to walk up on him! Of course... the day before the season opens I'll see him... but can I find him again?
Opening day I head back to the same meadow and nothing. I hiked the area all day and ended up at the base of a tree waiting for the sun to go down. Around 5:00 I spotted a big bull in an avalanche slide and I was watching him.
I checked behind me and the bear was wandering through the meadow! I calmed myself down and took aim and had my first bear down!
Not a bad start to the season! My first bear on opening day!
I spent the next week grouse hunting and elk scouting waiting for ML elk to open. I had a hard time getting on them and finally the 3rd to the last day I found an area with lots of rubs and a couple beds. I perched myself at the base of a tree and hit the cow call a few times and waited a while. Nothing. I stood up to start hiking again and found myself in a stare down with a 6x6 at 15 yards. I don't know how such a large animal snuck up on me! He finally took a step behind a tree and I raised my Lyman High Plains and waited for another step. The wind hit my back and he started running. I learned a quick lesson about the delay between the trigger and the bullet and hit the tree between me and him.
The next day I was in the same area and got into his cows. I am just looking for meat so I pulled the gun up and just the cap went off. I was ready to wrap the gun around a tree. I called my wife that night and told her I'd be home the next morning. She talked me into hunting the next morning. I went back to the same area and around 9am I spotted a suspicious log. I watched for a while and picked out a few cows laying around. Eventually he picked his head up and it was the bull I'd shot at a couple days earlier. I steadied myself and slowly squeezed at 86 years with a patched ball and he rolled over and started kicking! I headed is way and his cows took off. Got my first elk!
I'm hooked now! I've spent a lot of time on this board reading around trying to kill time and learn for my next trip this fall. I'll be hunting a new area but hope to have the same luck as I will be scouting a lot this summer.
I was also lucky enough to draw my first bear tag. I took a couple weeks off work and went hunting solo early last September. A buddy of mine is a guide in the small town and gave me a tip on where a cinnamon bear has been hanging out. The day before the season opened I made my way up there and I was able to walk up on him! Of course... the day before the season opens I'll see him... but can I find him again?
Opening day I head back to the same meadow and nothing. I hiked the area all day and ended up at the base of a tree waiting for the sun to go down. Around 5:00 I spotted a big bull in an avalanche slide and I was watching him.
I checked behind me and the bear was wandering through the meadow! I calmed myself down and took aim and had my first bear down!
Not a bad start to the season! My first bear on opening day!
I spent the next week grouse hunting and elk scouting waiting for ML elk to open. I had a hard time getting on them and finally the 3rd to the last day I found an area with lots of rubs and a couple beds. I perched myself at the base of a tree and hit the cow call a few times and waited a while. Nothing. I stood up to start hiking again and found myself in a stare down with a 6x6 at 15 yards. I don't know how such a large animal snuck up on me! He finally took a step behind a tree and I raised my Lyman High Plains and waited for another step. The wind hit my back and he started running. I learned a quick lesson about the delay between the trigger and the bullet and hit the tree between me and him.
The next day I was in the same area and got into his cows. I am just looking for meat so I pulled the gun up and just the cap went off. I was ready to wrap the gun around a tree. I called my wife that night and told her I'd be home the next morning. She talked me into hunting the next morning. I went back to the same area and around 9am I spotted a suspicious log. I watched for a while and picked out a few cows laying around. Eventually he picked his head up and it was the bull I'd shot at a couple days earlier. I steadied myself and slowly squeezed at 86 years with a patched ball and he rolled over and started kicking! I headed is way and his cows took off. Got my first elk!
I'm hooked now! I've spent a lot of time on this board reading around trying to kill time and learn for my next trip this fall. I'll be hunting a new area but hope to have the same luck as I will be scouting a lot this summer.
