When did it happen....?

[iccyman001]

When in your elk hunting career did you become \"hooked\"?

Was it a specific event that made you get hooked?
Or did it kick in after a few hunts?


When did that super awesome feeling take over that made you say, \"WOW, I CANT LIVE WITHOUT THIS!!!\"

 

[iccyman001]

The reason I actually brought this up, is because my moment hit me yesterday on my long drive him from Massachusetts.
I was sitting there playing some tunes and three songs came on in a row, all songs that I listened to during my elk hunt this year.

I was instantly brought back to all the ups and downs I had this season and it was just an overflow of happiness and excitement.
Sure, I love hunting other animals and will continue to do it, but elk hunting is in a league of it\'s own.....






9 months from today I will be setting up camp and itching to chase after some bulls :mg: :mg: :mg:

 

[Swede]

I don\'t know if I qualify to answer your question. I love elk hunting and have for many years. I begin to miss elk hunting as soon as I get my elk packed out, or the season closes. But, I don\'t know if I am \"hooked\". I think things really changed for me when my son and I both got bows and started elk hunting together. Elk hunting became more of a passion. It jumped up another notch when I realized I could locate spots where I could predict elk would soon show up. But, I don\'t think I\'m an addict.

 

[cohunter14]

I was hooked before I ever got to go hunting. I got to go on a handful of scouting trips with my dad when I was younger and fell in love with the outdoors and camping. My dad would come home from the hunt and set up the wall tent in our backyard to spray off and I would play in there until he took it down, pretending I was on my hunt. I was brought to tears multiple years when my dad and his buddies would leave for camp and I wouldn\'t get to go. That all changed when I turned 12 and was actually old enough to hunt and go with them on their trip. If I wasn\'t \'hooked\' before that time, I definitely was after that moment.

 

[Deertick]

First elk hunt ... screaming bull at 50-70 yards, not committing, but not leaving.

Gold.

 

[cnelk]

1989
I had moved to Colorado the year before and was totally hooked on mule deer.
I had hunted elk a couple times a few years earlier but in 1989 it all came together while I was chasing deer.
The rest is history.

 

[F M]

Me first year I had a bull bugle in the pitch black around 70 yards from me as I was heading up in the morning. I think every hair on my body stood up. I was totally hooked right there. Then I arrowed a rag horn a couple of days later and have not missed a year since.

 

[Zpd307]

i had been dreaming of chasing elk just out of high school, back in 94. i had never seen mountains, and knew that was the place to be...... i finaly had a chance to go in 2010, in utah. thats when i was officially hooked! i knew that this was an every year deal!!!! i went out twice, because my tag was unfilled, despite the 27 hour drive.....

 

[Old School]

It was my first elk hunt to Idaho - supposed to be \"once in a lifetime\" - yeah right, until you get there and hear the bugling bulls, then it quickly changes to \"how can I do this every year?\" Was hooked on my first hunt. Just don\'t get to go as often as I\'d like to.

Funny how the emotions swing for me during the hunt - cold, tired and beat up, thinking - \"why did I take vacation time for this?\" Then before you are halfway home you are already thinking about doing it the next year and what you\'d do differently.

--Mitch

 

[Baby Huey]

About 15 years ago my father, 3 brothers and close family friend backpacked in for a weeklong CO OTC elk hunt. Early one morning my 2 brothers and I were going along ridgelines and heard a bull bugle about 800 yards below us. We would quickly move down the mountain about 200 yds at a time and I would set my two brothers up in front of me - one on the left and one on the right. I would let out a bugle and he would answer back heading our way. We did this run and set up a couple more times.

The last set up we thought he would be in front of us, as we had crossed the outskirts of a small meadow and set up in the timber on the edge of that meadow facing towards where he last bugled. Just as we got set up and I bugled, he had made his way up in the timber on the other side of the small meadow and he bugled and headed strait for me. He had pinpointed my location from the last bugle I threw out.

I\'ll never forget this sight - there was small pine tree about 10 yards from me that was directly between the bull and I. As he made his way towards me all I could see was his antlers bobbing and swaying on each side of that little pine as he made his way across the meadow. It was an incredible sight.

I looked over at my brothers as they were getting ready for a 50 yard shot. I was so stoked that we would have a truly large OTC public land bull down soon, as one had a 54 cal muzzleloader and my brother and I had our bows. The bull was trotting towards me and about 40 yards from me he started to angle to my left, away from my brothers and I heard the muzzleloader go off, but no impact on the bull. I also saw my other brother\'s arrow fly right across the bulls chest as it wheeled back from where it came from and out of the arrows path. It trotted off and I called again and it stopped and turned broadside to me about 65 yds at the edge of the meadow. I had to just watch it, as that was out of my range. He stood there with his 325+ rack and I still see the steamy breath flowing from his mouth and nose as he turned and made his way back into the forest unharmed.

I had never seen a bull that big in the wild and I was really hooked after that experience. We also almost disowned my brother for missing with a blackpowder rifle at that distance!

 

[iccyman001]

Sounds like a very cool encounter, Roman!