Elk Down outside Craig, Colorado

[myfriendis410]

I came out to Colorado to help my best friend on his limited draw elk hunt. He had an either sex tag for unit 4 North of Craig, Colorado fourth season. He was also granted trespass rights on Wilderness Ranch which is adjacent to the YO ranch near Baker Peak along the Wyoming border.

He wanted cold and snow, and boy did we get it. The drive from Colorado Springs (about 275 miles) took us 11 hours 'cause of the blizzard that blew in on Tuesday. We made it in to Craig and got organized for the morning. We got up to Wilderness Ranch around shooting light with an honest 6 degrees F and no wind or clouds. We got up the hill as far as we could then took the quad up on Baker peak. No elk. Lots of mule deer. We hunted the day seeing only six cow elk around 9:30 that morning. On the way back to Craig we came around a bend and there were a bunch of trucks parked. They were looking at elk--several hundred. There was a F&G officer there as well and we stopped and chatted. He had seen 5,000 animals that day and suggested we hit it first thing in the morning 'cause they were ready to move. So that was the plan.

We headed toward Baker Peak and were in hunting country right at shooting light when Chris spotted about 75 animals only 300 yards to our left. He spotted three small bulls, and as we were meat hunting decided to shoot the biggest bull--a young 3 X 4. The best part was it was a level drag, through snow and we used the quad. We were on the road home by 7:30 and butchered it the next day. I'm guessing it gutted out at around 500 pounds.

Two days later (last night), someone broke into his garage, got his truck keys and stole his new Chevy 2500 diesel truck that he's had for only three months, along with a couple of guns. What a way to end the hunt.

 

[LongCaribine]

Congratulations to you and your friend. This was a good read. I hope they catch the scumbag who stole your buddies truck. That sucks.

 

[BelchFire]

The hunt sounds awesome! The theft, not so.

If it's a new truck, call OnStar and have them locate it, then disable the ignition through satellite. It works. Good luck!

 

[myfriendis410]

The truck was used (two years old) and through a comedy of errors the OnStar system was not working. OnStar refused to track his vehicle. It's gone and he'll never see it again. By the way; he was in his bed when all this took place.

 

[slanttop357]

The truck was used (two years old) and through a comedy of errors the OnStar system was not working. OnStar refused to track his vehicle. It's gone and he'll never see it again. By the way; he was in his bed when all this took place.

You never know i had my truck stoled twice yes twice out of my drive way and each time the police recovered it :thumbs up2:

 

[k_rad]

Great story 410. Dang dude you are one hell of a friend. You rode all the way to CO. to help your buddy drag a 400+ lb. animal through the snow and then skinning and butchering all that! I hope you picked up some good back straps for your efforts. My hat goes off to you my man.

 

[myfriendis410]

Thanks. I have always felt that to have a friend you have to be a friend. Chris would do anything for me, so I am happy to reciprocate. Besides, we have a load of fun whatever we're doing. He paid the expenses, so all I had to do was keep breathing.......

And yes; I did bring back a load of elk and mule deer meat.

Besides that, I was out three weeks before that to help him with his mule deer hunt. I got a cheap ticket to Denver and we got his deer in Colorado and Wyoming--down, butchered and frozen.

 

[k_rad]

If I don't get a ML elk hunt draw next year I will be joining my uncles again in Kremling CO. for their annual elk hunt. I usually get a cow tag unless it is snowing during third season then I would get a bull tag. I don't get a mule deer tag because they are almost as much as a bull elk tag for out-of-stater's

 

[myfriendis410]

If I don't get a ML elk hunt draw next year I will be joining my uncles again in Kremling CO. for their annual elk hunt. I usually get a cow tag unless it is snowing during third season then I would get a bull tag. I don't get a mule deer tag because they are almost as much as a bull elk tag for out-of-stater's

Personally, I would rather hunt mule deer. There's just something about 'em that winds me up......

 

[myfriendis410]

Here's the only shot I took: Yohay with his "trophy". If it looks cold in the picture, that's because it IS!

 

[weekender21]

Congrats! It does look COLD.