Colorado hunt

[aleaddict]

I'm still recovering from the road trip home but thought I would throw up a couple photos of my annual elk hunt in Meeker, CO. We were fortunate enough to setup camp one day before it snowed on us. The little wood burning stove inside the tent was a great accessory.

We were hunting with either-sex tags and my buddy filled his with a 5-point bull withing the first hour of the first day (lucky dawg!). I wasn't as fortunate. I saw a heard of about 150 head with 4 or 5 nice bulls but they were too far away. On the morning of the 4th day we spotted a small group of cows on the top of a ridge under some aspen. The range finder said 408 yards. I knew my rifle was good to about 300 yards. I held the cross-hairs about 6-8" over the back of one cow that was quartering away. Fortunately I was prone and had a solid rest using my bipod. I struck her just in front of the diaphragm and the bullet exited under the shoulder with no damage to the meat.

We rented some horses and packed the meat out that morning. I hate horses but they're kind of like lawyers -- when you really need them they become your very best friend!

I was shooting my trusty 7mmRM with an 160gr Swift A-frame bullet in front of 65gr of Reloader 22. I have been planing on building a 338-06 out of a Mauser action for elk so this may be my last season using the seven. It was freezing cold and my body is thrashed but it was a great to put some meat in the pot.

-- ale

 

[buckfever07]

Way to fill the freezer!

I usually hunt Meeker with some friends every year but skipped this year.

 

[dw33]

Congratulations

Is this a DIY? Any advice for someone who also wants to put together a hunt like yours? Thanks.

 

[Kentuck]

Sounds like a good hunt. Congrats on the meat and thanks for sharing.

 

[aleaddict]

dw33 --

This was a self-guided hunt on public land. My advise is to contact the fish and game office of the state you want to hunt in and ask to speak with one of their wildlife biologists. Colorado has one of the highest numbers of elk in the Rockies but that doesn't guarantee success. Just use whatever resources you can to plan your trip based on the best information you can gather. I've been hunting in Meeker, CO for about 8 years and have made friends with some of the residents, so my trip there is more than just a "hunt." It's more like my 2nd home and I have seriously considered moving there when I retire in 15 years from now. If you've never hunted elk before, and I'm not assuming that you have not, I'd probably start off with an outfitter. You can either go on a guided hunt or find an outfitter that will put you in a "drop-camp" for a week. Either way should improve you chances of finding game. HTH.

-- buckfever

This year was definitely better than last but not great by past experience. At least we had a little weather on the day before opening of 4th season to push the game. What season do you usually hunt in?

-- ale

 

[DEERSLAM]

Congrats! That will be some good eatin.

 

[dw33]

Thanks for the info, but how do you get to retire when you are 50? I must be doing something wrong.

 

[buckfever07]

Hey Aleaddict,

I usually hunt the second or third season. We have considered first season before but didn't want to go since we also like to deer hunt while we are out there as well and that doesn't open til second season. We had a lot of luck last year with the weather during second season. The snow pushed all the elk down to us. In fact one day we had a bachelor group of four bulls walk right next to us while we only had cow tags in our pocket.

 

[aleaddict]

buckfever --

I've hunted 1st season once in CO and came up blank. I know last year had a nice storm pass through during 3rd season and pushed a lot of elk down from the high country. 4th season was 62-degrees and bluebird, and what elk were still low had found residence in the thick shrub oak. Not cool. I have two preference points for deer so hopefully I'll draw a tag next year.

Here's a pic of my buddy with his bull. Not a trophy animal but it was his first elk so he's very happy. I got a lot of ribbing from him on that trip because all I could find was a cow. The only satisfaction I got was telling him that I shot mine at twice the distance and used half as much ammo

-- ale

 

[buckfever07]

What area are you trying to draw for deer and what zone do you hunt your elk in? We usually get leftover licenses online and hunt zone 13.
That's a nice bull. I wouldn't give you any riff about "Only getting a cow". That's meat in the freezer man.

Jr

 

[hank4elk]

Good job, and the cow is a trophy. You got the best meat. All my buddies did real good on elk in CO. but the mulies where nowhere to be found.

 

[aleaddict]

bf07 --

The "ribbing" was more of a tongue-in-cheek sparring session between egos. I'm just glad we both filled our tags this year and had a great time together as well. I see that you're in SoCal area. I'm in Long Beach. Maybe we should get together for an elk burger and a cold adult beverage

hank --

I saw a couple nice bucks on private land and one bruiser I bumped in the brush. The DOW opened deer season during 4th season elk a couple years ago and have been trying to draw a tag ever since. Last year was a pretty rough winter for deer so that may explain the drop in numbers. Mountain lions have also been keeping the herds in check.

Now I have a couple tender loins I need to prepare for dinner...pan seared with port-blackberry reduction sauce

-- ale

 

[buckfever07]

hey Ale,

I'm always ready for an elk burger and adult beverage, I live in Covina.

What season are you going next year? My group doesn't really figure it our until early the same year. If we are up at the same time maybe we can trade hunting stories and have a beer at the sleepy cat or something

. Have you had the buffalo burger there? It's tasty.