bowhunterbruce
09-16-2010, 11:15 PM
omg what another awsome adventure we had this year in the east koots.
after our incredable hunt last year where we brought 3 elk into camp all at the same time from various areas around our favorite spot ,i never in my wildest dreams could have imagined we cound not only do it again (bag 3 elk)but do it by bringing in 3 bulls.
i arrived at camp with my good buddy hotload and his awsome wife and boyd050 and his wife already there with camp already going.they had been out many times scouting and setting up treestands in areas where previous trail cam pics revealed many elk comming and going just prior to the beginning of bow season.
the first morning out i was sent down the trail to try and find 1 of 2 stands set up,not an easy task in the dark however i found one so i climbed into it and not 15 minutes later i spot a very tall tined spiker through the trees and range him at 88 yards i give him a soft cow call hopefully trying to encourage him to come within better bow range.instantly another spiker shows up right behind him.after a few minutes they slowly turned and walked away .cool i'm thinking like last year my first morning out and a close encounter.when i got back and met up with boyd i found out the i should have gone to the next stand which was located only a mere 35 yards from the 2 bulls and had a great shooting lane right to the location where they were standing .oh well who really wants to tag out on the very first morning of your hunting trip huh ? not i lol.
the rest of me day was spent scouting and checking out a few of what has become my favorite honey holes.
the next morning out while checking out a new trail i see a cougar cross the trail in front of me then go through a dry slough not 10 yards away from me, a beaut tom around the 200 lb range.
on my way just past where i got my first 6 point last year, i see a cow comming down the hill about 150 yards away.i get off the quad and run towards where i think she was gonna cross the trail i'm on,i gained some 80 yards on what turned out to be not 1 but 6 cows.as hoped, they crossed where i figured and were making thier way towards me as the wind was directly in my face i figured this was looking great as they were going to walk right into my ambush,nocking an arrow i rose to my knees to be in positiion when all of a sudden they stopped and spun thier heads around.still over 70 yards away with a few limbs and scrub brush in the way.i refrain from any attempt at a shot.as i lower the bow and around the corner comes 2 guys in a jeep and the cows all take off running clear across the valley floor.the driver apoligised for wrecking my stalk ,i just said "oh well that part of hunting."
the next day hotload and i head down where the cows had run to.as we come to a stop at the very first crack of light ,i shut off the quad and almost instantly a bull bugles from exactly where the cows had entered the bush the day before.we make a game plan ,park the quad and start our 1 1/2 km hike just to get to the far bushline.working always into the wind we went through some real nasty tight bush until we started comming across trails,staying around a 100 yars apart we slowly made our way through the trees staying in contact with radios.after making our way along the side of the river we new we had to come up with some fresh sign soon.all of a sudded hotload comes over the radio saying he has 2 full grown grizzlys on the same trail he is on working thier way towards him.i start moving as fast as i could in that direction when he radios again saying they moved off the trail.about another 20 seconds or so goes by when through some slightly heavier breathing he says they are back and they had cut the distance in half.now i am running, not easy going through the tangles.a few seconds latly he say the moved off again .im still working my way that way and we decided to meet out at the edge of the open grasslands.we go over the happenings and figured the grizzleys to have been as close as 25 yards away at thier closest. thank god they decieded to not have people in thier diets.we resume our stalk on the elk and as we start finding fresh sign the wind changes and starts blowing directly into where we figured thier beds to be so we made the disission to back on out of thier.not an easy one to make when you know your this close yet still have a 2 km hike back to the quad but its what we did.
that afternoon we head back down to thhis area and set up on a hill around a km away.break out the binos and relax and watch.after around 1/2 an hr later out he walks along with you guessed it>>>>>> 6 cows.alomost instantly he lays down on the edge of the treelind and watchs is cows feed.i pulled out the spotting scope (forgot the tripod) and rested it on a fence post all i could see was his left side and very easily counted 6 white tipped points but his right side remained hidden behind a small tree.i moved my position some 50 feet down and to my right and found him in the now shaking spotting scope.just as i found him and focused he slowly turned his head and i started counting down from the top,1,2,3,4,5 and 2 eye guards make 7 ,holy shit he's a royal.
ask me if i slept that night,hell no.i tossed and turned and when i did sleep i was stalking him alllllllllllll night long.needless to say morning couldnt come fast enough and i had coffe made by 330 am.breakfast and dishs done by 430 .it was only a 20 quad ride down to the honey hole so now i still had another hr and a half before first light.
hotload unselfishly set up on the hill and offered to spot and locate from afar so i could get in close with my bow.
i got to that far bushline in the dark and was all set up right at first light.
after about a 1/2 an hr he radios me and tells me they are working thier way towards me and are about 2 00 yards away ,get ready.
well unknow to the both of us they had a variety of trails running through thier special lil place called home and they walked right past me without me even so much as seeing a single speck of hair.i did however hear then break a few sticks as they moved back into those beds.
never losing faith, i left before the wind shifted so as not to let them know just how close we really were.
that afternoon the both of us went down and fixed our ass down along 2 different spots within the same area where they came out the night before,figuring we had them this time ,instead of showing up a massive dump of rain with thunder and lightning completely soaked us,again we left slightly dissappointed because this was the last chance at him before rifle season started in the morning.
the next morning found us down where hotload had last seen them disappear into the trees the morning before.we though we were going to set up about a 100 yards away for the shot.well as hunting turns out the fog had decided to show up for the first time.we quickly decided to move right up close ,just outside the main treeline in the small alders.we no sooner got into a decient spot when we both sopt the first cow comming out.she almost busted us but the fog accually helped us however it took her around 15 minutes to move by our position.she caught us off guard and both of us we stuck there in very uncomfortable positions until she disappeared.we got ready and within a minute of changing positions out stepped cow number 2 with guess who right on her heals.they came out in the exact same order as the day before we waited until he was perfectly broadside and boom, hotload unloads on him, i didnt quite have the clear shot yet.
we pick up the blood trail but lose it after some 75 yrds or so.we run back to camp to get the dogs but thats another story for hotload to tell.
lets just say billie the wonder dog came through with flying colors
we phone boyd only to find out he is in camp taking care of the spike bull he dropped earlier.
well boyd shows up 1/2 hr later with another hbc'er "finish" and together we all cut out about 1/2 km of down falls and burnt logs and got the rino and quad within winch range.back in camp by 1 pm with 2 elk,and both in 1 piece.
the next morning boyd takes out another buddy and co worker of his and man did he ever slay a beautiful 6x6.hopefully boyd will step in and give the details on that beautiful elk
so 2 years in a row the we have had 3 elk from just 1 camp and as i have recently found out finish got his 6 pt today a week later.
great fun guys and i sooo cant wait until next year already.
team work is what has put us on a roll ,i only hope it continues next year.
hotload has the majority of all the pics so he is going to be posting them for everyone to enjoy.
after our incredable hunt last year where we brought 3 elk into camp all at the same time from various areas around our favorite spot ,i never in my wildest dreams could have imagined we cound not only do it again (bag 3 elk)but do it by bringing in 3 bulls.
i arrived at camp with my good buddy hotload and his awsome wife and boyd050 and his wife already there with camp already going.they had been out many times scouting and setting up treestands in areas where previous trail cam pics revealed many elk comming and going just prior to the beginning of bow season.
the first morning out i was sent down the trail to try and find 1 of 2 stands set up,not an easy task in the dark however i found one so i climbed into it and not 15 minutes later i spot a very tall tined spiker through the trees and range him at 88 yards i give him a soft cow call hopefully trying to encourage him to come within better bow range.instantly another spiker shows up right behind him.after a few minutes they slowly turned and walked away .cool i'm thinking like last year my first morning out and a close encounter.when i got back and met up with boyd i found out the i should have gone to the next stand which was located only a mere 35 yards from the 2 bulls and had a great shooting lane right to the location where they were standing .oh well who really wants to tag out on the very first morning of your hunting trip huh ? not i lol.
the rest of me day was spent scouting and checking out a few of what has become my favorite honey holes.
the next morning out while checking out a new trail i see a cougar cross the trail in front of me then go through a dry slough not 10 yards away from me, a beaut tom around the 200 lb range.
on my way just past where i got my first 6 point last year, i see a cow comming down the hill about 150 yards away.i get off the quad and run towards where i think she was gonna cross the trail i'm on,i gained some 80 yards on what turned out to be not 1 but 6 cows.as hoped, they crossed where i figured and were making thier way towards me as the wind was directly in my face i figured this was looking great as they were going to walk right into my ambush,nocking an arrow i rose to my knees to be in positiion when all of a sudden they stopped and spun thier heads around.still over 70 yards away with a few limbs and scrub brush in the way.i refrain from any attempt at a shot.as i lower the bow and around the corner comes 2 guys in a jeep and the cows all take off running clear across the valley floor.the driver apoligised for wrecking my stalk ,i just said "oh well that part of hunting."
the next day hotload and i head down where the cows had run to.as we come to a stop at the very first crack of light ,i shut off the quad and almost instantly a bull bugles from exactly where the cows had entered the bush the day before.we make a game plan ,park the quad and start our 1 1/2 km hike just to get to the far bushline.working always into the wind we went through some real nasty tight bush until we started comming across trails,staying around a 100 yars apart we slowly made our way through the trees staying in contact with radios.after making our way along the side of the river we new we had to come up with some fresh sign soon.all of a sudded hotload comes over the radio saying he has 2 full grown grizzlys on the same trail he is on working thier way towards him.i start moving as fast as i could in that direction when he radios again saying they moved off the trail.about another 20 seconds or so goes by when through some slightly heavier breathing he says they are back and they had cut the distance in half.now i am running, not easy going through the tangles.a few seconds latly he say the moved off again .im still working my way that way and we decided to meet out at the edge of the open grasslands.we go over the happenings and figured the grizzleys to have been as close as 25 yards away at thier closest. thank god they decieded to not have people in thier diets.we resume our stalk on the elk and as we start finding fresh sign the wind changes and starts blowing directly into where we figured thier beds to be so we made the disission to back on out of thier.not an easy one to make when you know your this close yet still have a 2 km hike back to the quad but its what we did.
that afternoon we head back down to thhis area and set up on a hill around a km away.break out the binos and relax and watch.after around 1/2 an hr later out he walks along with you guessed it>>>>>> 6 cows.alomost instantly he lays down on the edge of the treelind and watchs is cows feed.i pulled out the spotting scope (forgot the tripod) and rested it on a fence post all i could see was his left side and very easily counted 6 white tipped points but his right side remained hidden behind a small tree.i moved my position some 50 feet down and to my right and found him in the now shaking spotting scope.just as i found him and focused he slowly turned his head and i started counting down from the top,1,2,3,4,5 and 2 eye guards make 7 ,holy shit he's a royal.
ask me if i slept that night,hell no.i tossed and turned and when i did sleep i was stalking him alllllllllllll night long.needless to say morning couldnt come fast enough and i had coffe made by 330 am.breakfast and dishs done by 430 .it was only a 20 quad ride down to the honey hole so now i still had another hr and a half before first light.
hotload unselfishly set up on the hill and offered to spot and locate from afar so i could get in close with my bow.
i got to that far bushline in the dark and was all set up right at first light.
after about a 1/2 an hr he radios me and tells me they are working thier way towards me and are about 2 00 yards away ,get ready.
well unknow to the both of us they had a variety of trails running through thier special lil place called home and they walked right past me without me even so much as seeing a single speck of hair.i did however hear then break a few sticks as they moved back into those beds.
never losing faith, i left before the wind shifted so as not to let them know just how close we really were.
that afternoon the both of us went down and fixed our ass down along 2 different spots within the same area where they came out the night before,figuring we had them this time ,instead of showing up a massive dump of rain with thunder and lightning completely soaked us,again we left slightly dissappointed because this was the last chance at him before rifle season started in the morning.
the next morning found us down where hotload had last seen them disappear into the trees the morning before.we though we were going to set up about a 100 yards away for the shot.well as hunting turns out the fog had decided to show up for the first time.we quickly decided to move right up close ,just outside the main treeline in the small alders.we no sooner got into a decient spot when we both sopt the first cow comming out.she almost busted us but the fog accually helped us however it took her around 15 minutes to move by our position.she caught us off guard and both of us we stuck there in very uncomfortable positions until she disappeared.we got ready and within a minute of changing positions out stepped cow number 2 with guess who right on her heals.they came out in the exact same order as the day before we waited until he was perfectly broadside and boom, hotload unloads on him, i didnt quite have the clear shot yet.
we pick up the blood trail but lose it after some 75 yrds or so.we run back to camp to get the dogs but thats another story for hotload to tell.
lets just say billie the wonder dog came through with flying colors
we phone boyd only to find out he is in camp taking care of the spike bull he dropped earlier.
well boyd shows up 1/2 hr later with another hbc'er "finish" and together we all cut out about 1/2 km of down falls and burnt logs and got the rino and quad within winch range.back in camp by 1 pm with 2 elk,and both in 1 piece.
the next morning boyd takes out another buddy and co worker of his and man did he ever slay a beautiful 6x6.hopefully boyd will step in and give the details on that beautiful elk
so 2 years in a row the we have had 3 elk from just 1 camp and as i have recently found out finish got his 6 pt today a week later.
great fun guys and i sooo cant wait until next year already.
team work is what has put us on a roll ,i only hope it continues next year.
hotload has the majority of all the pics so he is going to be posting them for everyone to enjoy.