iloveto4x4innc

I just made it back from Gunnison, CO. Spent 9 days up there chasing elk and the only legal bulls that I saw were already dead. Saw lots of tracks from big bulls, but couldn' t find the critter to get a shot. Little sister got her bull, mom' s BF got his bull, and one of the other guys in our group got his cow, the rest of us got skunked. I did have fun though and got to see some pretty country, so it wasn' t a waste. Just wish the out of state bull tag wasn' t $480. I plan to go back sometime in the next couple of years and try again. There were some big bulls in the area but they were better at hiding than I was at finding them. Some of the trails looked like the elk were using them like an interstate highway. Bull tracks bigger than my fist, lots of cows and calves. They were just doing all of their moving in the dark. We think that the high temps had something to do with it. Our camp was at about 11,200 and the high temp was in the 70 range.

bob d

hey know what it feels like. i was out for a sept cow hunt and got skunked for the first time in 4 trips . seemed like everything that could go against the hunt did ie;warm weather, cattle locked up in the hunting areas, was supposed to be 8 hunters and ended up with 2, and the yahoos that were bow hunting the week before ran all the elk to the next state

ELKampMaster

iloveto4x4innc,

I would encourage you to redefine your score card! I' d say it sounds like you had a very successful hunt (especially if no one got hurt and everyone had a good time aside from the elk shooting).

Although I do not condone " party hunting," elk hunting really is a " we" sport more than a " me" sport. So much of who gets what comes down to luck (especially in the first years) and the state wide averages for getting an elk is 1 in 4 so you know from the get go the odds of some in your group going home with nothing is very, very high and your odds are even worse if you held out for the prestigous bull tag rather than going for the lowly cow tag.

I have had years where it was myself who didn' t get an elk while others in my camp benefitted from the extra days I stayed before the season, the scouting I did, and how I positioned them on their stands. When they won, I felt I won -- granted it feels better to have one of your own but you are setting yourself up for misery if that is an absolute criteria for success.

As I understand it, you were one of the leaders in your group, sorted out a lot of issues, got it put together and organized and your group got 3 elk out of what 4,5,6 hunters? --- that is NOT BAD. I hope you had the rule going in advance that all the meat (and related costs) are shared equally among all the hunters with the rack, hide, and the tenderloins going to the successful hunter -- this goes a long ways towards making it " we" instead of " me" and lets everyone focus on having a good time.

BTW, did you get any opportunities? This is a very relevant measuring stick and is definitely the " runner up" to actually " getting" one. More than once, I have broke camp and went home without even a clean opportunity and not a round fired. Humble pie can sharpen you as a hunter versus someone who kills a windfall elk in the first 30 minutes and stays in camp while you hunt day after day, especially after you replay it all for 350 days until next year. It makes you hungary, it makes you sharper. Just my thoughts.

Never Go Undergunned, Always Check The Sight In, Perform At Showtime,
EKM

jjt

well said EKM

we do not share the elk but other than that it is a we sport

we do however eat the tenders or b strap in camp as a team
lol

i like the way you put it into perspective it helps me swallow my empty tag this year

i do however still have a cow tag so im hoping to fill it before the end of the year.

zorro

iloveto4x4innc........where around Gunnison did you hunt?? I am leaving from NY Tuesday to hunt the 4th season. Hopefully the cold front that has moved in out there will get the elk moving!!! We are hunting on a ranch around Powderhorn, CO. I am taking my son along for his first taste of Elk hunting. I have hunted elk in Idaho, Montana and Colorado numerous times, but this will be special to have my son along with me. Looking forward to it and cannot wait to get behind the wheel of the truck and headed out west!!! Only a little over 48 hours and counting!!!

patrkyhntr

Hey, Zorro. Let us know how you did. I am also leaving later this week (Thursday) for a late season hunt. Mine is in Idaho, near Riggins. The weather has been cold and snowy out there, so we are looking forward to it.

iloveto4x4innc

Zorro: All I know is that the trailhead was about 12 miles from Almont.

EKM: This was definately a " we" hunt. We split the meat up so that everybody took home 1/2 an elk. I didn' t even see a bull on the hoof. Did chase some pretty nice sized tracks though. The only reason I got a bull tag was we didn' t know I was going to get to go until it was too late to put in for a cow so I had to get an over the counter bull. If I had had a cow tag, I could have filled it the first morning. I went out there with the attitude that if I got something, great, if not, oh well. I had a great time and got to visit my family that I only get to see every 4 years or so. Next time, I' ll plan a little further in advance and get a cow tag.

My poor Jeep didn' t have as much fun as I did though. We came down out of the hills on Friday and I was going to go take a shower and call home. I' d locked my keys in the Jeep when we went up and just kept the remote to open the doors. I forgot to unplug the power inverter that I use to run my laptop and the battery was dead. Had to break into the Jeep so I could jumpstart it. Lesson learned! Next time, I' ll make sure to have a spare key that' s not 2000 miles away!

Stopped in Northern KS to visit my grandparents on my way home. Outside of OK City, the fuel pump started acting up. Limped the rest of the way home by stopping and beating on the gas tank every 100-150 miles.

I will definately do this again!