My late elk hunt
12-12-2005, 02:07 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Troutdale Oregon
Posts: 569
My late elk hunt
Well after I had a dismal early season I headed out for the late hunt. The three of us set out for southern Oregon. After a 3hour ride in the truck on Wednesday we set up camp and headed out for a quick afternoon hunt as we only had about 2 hours of light left. We were at 2400 foot elevation and there was about a foot of fresh snow on the ground. I still had my deer tag and an elk tag that was good for a cow in the late hunt so things looked good. as we headed up the National forest road the snow began to show activity in the form of numerous deer tracks crossing the road we rounded the corner and 2 does and a small forked horned buck were standing on the edge and they headed down the canyon I bailed out of the truck and headed down after them It was steep and thick. I got in there about a 100 yards and picked up the trail of the deer and followed After about a half mile of side hilling I saw a doe dead in front of me I slowed the pace waiting for her to make a mistake she was 25 yards and turned and looked back. I was BUSTED dang'it. I walked back up the canyon huffing and puffing the snow was knee deep and tuff on my fat body. LOL any way I got up to the road right as it was starting to get dark. I called my buddy’s on the radio to come pick me up. They had continued up the road looking for elk tracks, so I began to walk slow and quietly up the road. Then I saw a huge 4 point buck about 20 yards up the hill I knocked an arrow and I just need him to clear a bush and the shot will be there. Just then I hear the rumble of my buddy’s truck coming down the hill side and I see the deer hear it to they are staring up the mountain at it so I step to the side to get a shot. Then all at once a doe starts to run Right at me and she puts on the brakes at about 3 feet I lose focus of the buck to prevent getting run over by this doe. after She see's me and puts on her best impression of a snow blower all over me the big 4 point is standing in the road about 30 yards from me looking my way. I draw and he bolts. I can't believe it then I thought why I didn’t shoot the doe. Double Dang it. My buddy's roll up and said “we found a big herd in a clear cut up top. Probley 30 cows in there". They didn't push them and figured they would be there in the morning. We headed back to camp. That night I kept replaying the events of the afternoon in my head, I was disappointed but satisfied by the hunt it got my blood pumping for sure. That night it got cold, very cold. The heater in the trailer came on about every three minutes. And then finally the alarm went off at 5 am. Time for some Bacon and eggs, and my morning visit to the can. Holy crap that was cold. I layered my clothes from long johns to wool shirt to a down vest and headed to the truck with my trusty Chec-mate falcon in hand we all piled in and set off to the clear cut. We got up there just as the sun was coming up and spotted the heard down low in the canyon We began our decent into the rep rod and worked our way down to the elk when we got close the elk had moved up the ridge about 300 yards so we began to climb in the now crunchy snow and shedded most of our clothes. I was now down to a green wool rich shirt and pants and sweating like it was 80 degrees out. when we got on there tracks they just kept going another 300 yards and soon they were on the next ridge over, I told my buddy’s That we need to break off the trail and get to the truck drive around and come in to the area they were heading. They agreed, we made the truck by about 0930 am and we were about wore out we drove around and then we walked into the timber the elk were heading. we stationed our self’s in areas the the elk would most likely travel about 250 yards apart and began a long wait then the elk start to show up and go above me towards my buddy Curt He shoots and misses right over her back. He's a wheelie shooter and forgot that his pins shoot off down hill. It was my turn to give him crap. LOL My buddy’s give me all kinds of grief because I hunt traditional so now the shoe was on the other foot. hehehe anyway we split up that after noon to see if we could locate more animals and make a hunt plan for the next day. I was glassing a big bowl and I spotted a doe feeding in the sun down near the bottom so I busted down into the bowl I worked the edge of the timber being mindful of the wind and crept in to about 40 yards of her, she was feeding and moving slowly up hill but sadly not getting closer I had a good broad side shot so I drew and released The arrows flight looked perfect and It looked to be a heart shot right in the pocket complete with the thud sound and she jumped up in the air and bolted down hill. I went over to where I last saw her and looked for blood in the snow. Nothing not a drop????? WHAT?? I then went back to the shot site and found my arrow stuck in a small rotten stump I pulled it out and discovered hair but no blood I followed the tracks any way just to make sure she wasn't wounded and she wasn't. I guess that’s about the way it goes some times. I then break off her trail heading up the bowl to the road. I get to the top and head back to camp. My buddy’s are there and we eat dinner and sip some Old no. 7 and talk about the game plan for the next day. Curt found twenty more elk on a hill right at dark; he put them to bed and came back to camp.
The next morning we work up a little late around 6 I looked at the clock and said “OH Crap” and we hurried to get to the truck as fast as we could, At 7 am we were overlooking the hill that the elk where on the night before. There was nothing in site. We looked at each other and decided that we would split up and on would head to the top and pick up the tracks and the other two would side hill around and glass down into the timber or if we cut tracks we’d get on the radio s and assemble and begin chasseing them. Curt went up the hill and I went right and Doyle went left and the hunt was on I went low on the hillside so I could see deep in the timber Id go and glass every vantage point I could hopping to pick up the animals. Just then Curt hollers on the radio that the elk were on Doyle’s side of the hill but on the next ridge over. I then noticed I had dropped real low and to go up hill was near impossible with the snow and the steep terrain it would be better and safer if I went up through the timber. I knew this put me out of any chance with this herd so I told the guys to go ahead and put on the sneak. I headed for the timber and slowly worked my way up. After walking for what seamed like forever I herd something above me loud and coming my way fast, real fast. I grabbed an arrow out of my quiver and knocked it. So I hear this racket coming down the ridge straight at me My hearts just pounding. “Is It elk”? Or deer?? I have no clue but what ever it is it’s in a hurry. I then see a doe in a full out sprint straight at me and something else behind her. She got to about 40 yards and cut hard and fast back up the hill and a large cougar was right 10 feet behind her running hard. I watched in amazement as the big cat used it’s tail like a rudder on the turn. I got to say it was so cool!!! So after they disappeared into the timber and I could hear the racket for some time I got to thinking “Kill two birds with one stone” I still have a cougar tag. I figured that when that cat caught the doe he would be so focused on that deer I could slip in and shoot him and Get the deer and the cat, too for one. I had 12 inches of snow to track them in and it was an easy trail to follow. After about 2 hours of up hill down hill tracking the big cat gave up with out his prize. I couldn’t believe it. He didn’t get her I followed the cat’s tracks for another hour and finally just didn’t have the strength left in my legs to try any more. It was a real struggle to get back to the truck and for some reason I couldn’t get a hold of my buddy’s on the radio, after another 2 hours of walking up hill/side hill I came to the road. It had been dark for about 45 min when I got to where the truck was parked and it was now gone! Where had they gone and why had they left me??? I started to wonder why I couldn’t get a hold of them on the radio and then I just stood there and started to get cold in a hurry. It was about 20 degrees and dropping fast. I was real sweaty from the climb up hill and all the walking. I started to strip down and just put on my coat as it was dry and was in my pack all day. Kind of scared me a bit. Finally after about a 30 min. wait my buddy’s get me on the radio. I ask them “where the hell are you guy’s” And they said “we left you because you snore to loud” I didn’t think it was too funny. I told them I think I am getting hypothermia and they better get here quick. They told me they were on there way and that they had some news. Soon they pulled on to the landing where we had parked. They thought I should have beat them to the truck and they went looking for me. I was shaking violently in fact so bad that instead of going to camp we headed to town and got a room at the best western. I went and sat in the hot tub for about 30 min and then went to bed. The next morning I woke up at four am and we hit the road back to the mountains. It was nice to sleep in a big bed and soak in the hot tub. We stopped at a truck stop and had a big breakfast and headed up the mountain. The big news that they had is the elk they were on joined up with another herd. Most likely the ones from the day before and they were in a nice bowl that looks easy to hunt. I was thankful because my legs were so darn sore. I am 6 foot and 260 and 38 years old, I’m not a kid anymore; Just realized that.---> more to come.....
The next morning we work up a little late around 6 I looked at the clock and said “OH Crap” and we hurried to get to the truck as fast as we could, At 7 am we were overlooking the hill that the elk where on the night before. There was nothing in site. We looked at each other and decided that we would split up and on would head to the top and pick up the tracks and the other two would side hill around and glass down into the timber or if we cut tracks we’d get on the radio s and assemble and begin chasseing them. Curt went up the hill and I went right and Doyle went left and the hunt was on I went low on the hillside so I could see deep in the timber Id go and glass every vantage point I could hopping to pick up the animals. Just then Curt hollers on the radio that the elk were on Doyle’s side of the hill but on the next ridge over. I then noticed I had dropped real low and to go up hill was near impossible with the snow and the steep terrain it would be better and safer if I went up through the timber. I knew this put me out of any chance with this herd so I told the guys to go ahead and put on the sneak. I headed for the timber and slowly worked my way up. After walking for what seamed like forever I herd something above me loud and coming my way fast, real fast. I grabbed an arrow out of my quiver and knocked it. So I hear this racket coming down the ridge straight at me My hearts just pounding. “Is It elk”? Or deer?? I have no clue but what ever it is it’s in a hurry. I then see a doe in a full out sprint straight at me and something else behind her. She got to about 40 yards and cut hard and fast back up the hill and a large cougar was right 10 feet behind her running hard. I watched in amazement as the big cat used it’s tail like a rudder on the turn. I got to say it was so cool!!! So after they disappeared into the timber and I could hear the racket for some time I got to thinking “Kill two birds with one stone” I still have a cougar tag. I figured that when that cat caught the doe he would be so focused on that deer I could slip in and shoot him and Get the deer and the cat, too for one. I had 12 inches of snow to track them in and it was an easy trail to follow. After about 2 hours of up hill down hill tracking the big cat gave up with out his prize. I couldn’t believe it. He didn’t get her I followed the cat’s tracks for another hour and finally just didn’t have the strength left in my legs to try any more. It was a real struggle to get back to the truck and for some reason I couldn’t get a hold of my buddy’s on the radio, after another 2 hours of walking up hill/side hill I came to the road. It had been dark for about 45 min when I got to where the truck was parked and it was now gone! Where had they gone and why had they left me??? I started to wonder why I couldn’t get a hold of them on the radio and then I just stood there and started to get cold in a hurry. It was about 20 degrees and dropping fast. I was real sweaty from the climb up hill and all the walking. I started to strip down and just put on my coat as it was dry and was in my pack all day. Kind of scared me a bit. Finally after about a 30 min. wait my buddy’s get me on the radio. I ask them “where the hell are you guy’s” And they said “we left you because you snore to loud” I didn’t think it was too funny. I told them I think I am getting hypothermia and they better get here quick. They told me they were on there way and that they had some news. Soon they pulled on to the landing where we had parked. They thought I should have beat them to the truck and they went looking for me. I was shaking violently in fact so bad that instead of going to camp we headed to town and got a room at the best western. I went and sat in the hot tub for about 30 min and then went to bed. The next morning I woke up at four am and we hit the road back to the mountains. It was nice to sleep in a big bed and soak in the hot tub. We stopped at a truck stop and had a big breakfast and headed up the mountain. The big news that they had is the elk they were on joined up with another herd. Most likely the ones from the day before and they were in a nice bowl that looks easy to hunt. I was thankful because my legs were so darn sore. I am 6 foot and 260 and 38 years old, I’m not a kid anymore; Just realized that.---> more to come.....
12-12-2005, 08:08 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: My late elk hunt
Sounds like a great hunt Rich, wish I was there instead of sitting behind a desk!
If 38 is old then I must be -------------------------------------!
I am 6 foot and 260 and 38 years old, I’m not a kid anymore;
12-12-2005, 08:17 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Mississippi USA
Posts: 15,296
RE: My late elk hunt
Rich, if you drag this out like some of those other boneheads, I'm gonna come see you just to cut your string! Dad-gummit--you got any pictures to send me or not!
It is a great story, but it's killin me.
Chad
It is a great story, but it's killin me.
Chad
12-12-2005, 08:04 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Troutdale Oregon
Posts: 569
RE: My late elk hunt
Ok Im back.
Now for the rest of the story, We arrive at the spot where Curt saw the elk. And they ere not in sight but we could hear them calling to each other so things were looking good. Down the side of the mountain we go into another god awful hole. I said “I thought you said it was a nice easy hunt” They were just as sore as I was but we headed in anyway. Once we got down in the bottom it was thick. Jungle thick and we came to a creek that we had to cross. Guess what, my Danners leak. Darn it. Up to the top of the next hill and we started to glass the surrounding hillside till we see elk. We spot four cows on the same hillside we came down and begin our stalk I went hi and curt went low and Doyle came in side hilling Curt was a bit faster than the rest of us and got within 20 yards of a big cow, he started to draw his bow and lost his footing. He tried to catch his self but only wound up breaking branches and sending the cows on a mad dash to god know where. We split up from there and hunted the big bowl for the rest of the day. About 1430 I spot a nice cow feeding on a hillside all by her lonesome and decided to make a stalk. The temp was dropping and the sun was going down and I had to hurry the snow was getting crunchy I got with in 100yards of her as it was getting dark and I had a nice walk out of that hell hole in the dark. So I broke off and headed for the truck. We get back to our camp to find a truck parked at our trailer and no one is around and then we see a light behind our trailer we walk out to see what’s going on and it seam’s as we were walking all over god creation two guys got up late and were driving by our camp and noticed 6 cows standing behind our trailer so they jumped out and shot two of them. Kind of figures don’t it! LOL
We came home that next morning with nothing to show for all the hard miles we put on. But all three of us will tell you it was one of the best hunts of our lives. So many memory’s on this hunt. It’s just special and I thought it bared repeating in written form. Hope you all enjoyed my elk hunt at least half as much as I did. Next August I’ll be back in the wilds of Oregon to chase the big bugling bulls but I’ll always remember the cows in the snow.
Now for the rest of the story, We arrive at the spot where Curt saw the elk. And they ere not in sight but we could hear them calling to each other so things were looking good. Down the side of the mountain we go into another god awful hole. I said “I thought you said it was a nice easy hunt” They were just as sore as I was but we headed in anyway. Once we got down in the bottom it was thick. Jungle thick and we came to a creek that we had to cross. Guess what, my Danners leak. Darn it. Up to the top of the next hill and we started to glass the surrounding hillside till we see elk. We spot four cows on the same hillside we came down and begin our stalk I went hi and curt went low and Doyle came in side hilling Curt was a bit faster than the rest of us and got within 20 yards of a big cow, he started to draw his bow and lost his footing. He tried to catch his self but only wound up breaking branches and sending the cows on a mad dash to god know where. We split up from there and hunted the big bowl for the rest of the day. About 1430 I spot a nice cow feeding on a hillside all by her lonesome and decided to make a stalk. The temp was dropping and the sun was going down and I had to hurry the snow was getting crunchy I got with in 100yards of her as it was getting dark and I had a nice walk out of that hell hole in the dark. So I broke off and headed for the truck. We get back to our camp to find a truck parked at our trailer and no one is around and then we see a light behind our trailer we walk out to see what’s going on and it seam’s as we were walking all over god creation two guys got up late and were driving by our camp and noticed 6 cows standing behind our trailer so they jumped out and shot two of them. Kind of figures don’t it! LOL
We came home that next morning with nothing to show for all the hard miles we put on. But all three of us will tell you it was one of the best hunts of our lives. So many memory’s on this hunt. It’s just special and I thought it bared repeating in written form. Hope you all enjoyed my elk hunt at least half as much as I did. Next August I’ll be back in the wilds of Oregon to chase the big bugling bulls but I’ll always remember the cows in the snow.
12-13-2005, 06:36 AM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: My late elk hunt
We came home that next morning with nothing to show for all the hard miles we put on. But all three of us will tell you it was one of the best hunts of our lives.
