Colorado Elk Hunt
01-13-2007, 10:20 AM
#51
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Land of Rocks, Ozarks of Mo.
Posts: 3,048
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
Those pic's were good and we spotted the freezer meat! Glad i had on my warm clothes, you looked abit cool! They gave us the slip, its been that type of year for me too. OK i will be waiting on our next outing! Take care.
01-15-2007, 08:45 AM
#52
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 191
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
Well, it would be a good day to be out. The low last night/ this morning was -13 F. Unfortunately, I threw my back out on Sat. (not unusual for me). It feels better now, but not good enough to be tromping around in 2' of snow. I'm hoping that it will be OK tomorrow and I can get one last day in the woods. Sorry I won't have a report for today.
01-16-2007, 07:48 PM
#55
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 191
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
Tues. Jan. 16
Last day for me to chase elk. This morning was cold again, -7 F, but it warmed up quickly when the sun came up. It got up to 40 F. It was very calm as well so it felt even warmer. I decided to end my hunt as I had started- with the crossbow. Even though I like hunting with my rifle, I somehow felt like I was cheating myself out of the most pleasure from this hunt. I just seem to have more fun with a more challenging weapon. My back is better but it wasn't up for a really long tromp through the snow so I went up to the 80 acres again. I would have like to try a new spot but it is very steep and would likely be too hard on my back. Here's what I found on the drive in. Unfortunately, the're on private land that I can't hunt.
Last day for me to chase elk. This morning was cold again, -7 F, but it warmed up quickly when the sun came up. It got up to 40 F. It was very calm as well so it felt even warmer. I decided to end my hunt as I had started- with the crossbow. Even though I like hunting with my rifle, I somehow felt like I was cheating myself out of the most pleasure from this hunt. I just seem to have more fun with a more challenging weapon. My back is better but it wasn't up for a really long tromp through the snow so I went up to the 80 acres again. I would have like to try a new spot but it is very steep and would likely be too hard on my back. Here's what I found on the drive in. Unfortunately, the're on private land that I can't hunt.
01-16-2007, 07:59 PM
#56
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 191
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
I looked over the property and then onto the national forest land to the south. I was looking for fresh tracks. Last weekend it snowed about 3 inches so any nice tracks would be fresh since then. I didn't find any so I decided to go sit on top of the ridge in the saddle again. I thought maybe I could catch something coming through near where I made the rock blind last week. The rock blind wouldn't work for the crossbow though, so I made a new blind within about 30 yds of the saddle.
01-16-2007, 08:37 PM
#57
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 191
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
Before settling in to the blind, I waded through the snow to the other saddle to see if there were any fresh tracks there. There weren't, but on the way back I followed some rabbit tracks that led me to the bunny, sitting near a big rock. I tried a shot and missed. I spent a little bit of time looking for my bolt, but didn't find it. Then I followed the tracks around the rock and found the rabbit again sitting right next to its hole in the rock. I tried another shot and missed again. I dug around in the snow again but didn't find my bolt. That was my 2 rabbit bolts, so I went back to the blind and stopped hunting rabbits. I ate lunch and took a little nap in the blind. When I woke up, I decided to spend a little more time looking for those bolts. When I got back to where I had last shot, there was that rabbit, just begging to get shot. I got a little closer and put a broadhead right through his shoulders. He did a little flip and stayed right there. I dug around and found both bolts, then went around to the other side of the rock and found my first shot too.
01-16-2007, 08:49 PM
#58
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 191
RE: Colorado Elk Hunt
What a great day to be out in the woods. Now, I'm really glad I brought the crossbow. Wouldn't be shootin' bunnies with my cowboy gun. When I was in the blind, I couldn't believe how warm I felt, lying on my bed of fir branches in the full sunshine. It could have been spring here. I followed more rabbit tracks to see if I could get 2. I saw a few more and got one other shot. It got fur but no blood. I'm not sure where that shot hit the rabbit, but there was some fur where the rabbit used to be. The bolt hit the rock behind the rabbit and broke a steel blunt tip completely in half.
On my hike out, I spotted some elk that were also on private land that I can't hunt. At least I saw some today. This was a great hunt for me even though I didn't get a shot at an elk. I really appreciate you guys coming along. It was fun being able to sit around the cyber campfire and tell stories about what happened after each hunting day. 2 rabbits don't quite fill the freezer like an elk, but who can complain when you hunt in country like this?
On my hike out, I spotted some elk that were also on private land that I can't hunt. At least I saw some today. This was a great hunt for me even though I didn't get a shot at an elk. I really appreciate you guys coming along. It was fun being able to sit around the cyber campfire and tell stories about what happened after each hunting day. 2 rabbits don't quite fill the freezer like an elk, but who can complain when you hunt in country like this?
