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Colorado Big Game
- Thread starter Corbet
- Start date
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
Got lucky this year and took a 6 point bull 5 minutes into the season in Unit 46.
Got him fully butchered, and have 150-160 lbs of cuts and burger, plus another 30-40 lbs of dog food. Biggest one we've ever gotten, and I'm very pleased.
Took some scope rash as I used a tree and I leaned in too close to get around a branch.
It turns out I am also TERRIBLE at range finding. Thankfully my 30-06 is very flat shooting. I took the shot assuming it was around 100 yards, give or take. My dad told me it was around 350. No wonder I was always so baffled by people taking 350 yard shots! To me, 350 yards was actually closer to 1000 yards, LOL!
Got him fully butchered, and have 150-160 lbs of cuts and burger, plus another 30-40 lbs of dog food. Biggest one we've ever gotten, and I'm very pleased.
Took some scope rash as I used a tree and I leaned in too close to get around a branch.
It turns out I am also TERRIBLE at range finding. Thankfully my 30-06 is very flat shooting. I took the shot assuming it was around 100 yards, give or take. My dad told me it was around 350. No wonder I was always so baffled by people taking 350 yard shots! To me, 350 yards was actually closer to 1000 yards, LOL!
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
Congrats Isaac! That's a nice one! 
Congrats on the bull. I'm almost packed up to head out tomorrow at O-dark-hundred
rover67
Rising Sun Member
Damn, nice work dude!
Half my week just got sucked into a work trip... Left home today with the tag on the kitchen counter and the rifle back in the safe. On the west coast hoping I was doing what Corbet is doing now instead. Grr..
Half my week just got sucked into a work trip... Left home today with the tag on the kitchen counter and the rifle back in the safe. On the west coast hoping I was doing what Corbet is doing now instead. Grr..
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
I can empathize, Marco. I have second rifle for mule deer and Kim got called away for a business trip too, so I'm on kid duty all week instead.
I still have third rifle for Elk though, so hoping to have some luck come November.
Good luck Corbet!
JadeRunner
Rising Sun Member
Way to go Isaac! That's a nice one.
None of us 3 got elk this year. We had a bit of a snow run getting to the trail-head. Hiked in a half mile and set up our first camp. Tracks were everywhere and it looked promising. The first storm finished but we couldn’t get lucky enough to bump into any bulls the first 2 days. Then the second storm came in hard for the next several days and dropped another 1-2 feet of snow. All the elk moved out of the area and down. We hunted thru the last day but saw no more fresh elk tracks the rest of the hunt. I made a decision during the beginning of the second storm to stick it out and not break our 2 camps, pack out to the Runner and leave. I figured we had 4-5 days left for things to melt out a little. It was depressing thinking we may have to leave the runner stuck and pack out 5-7 miles from the trailhead. We had a large valley to exit with no winch points that I was concerned about getting through.
All those years of snow run experience paid off. I was able to push into the snow hard. Then slam it into reverse quickly before sinking and getting stuck. Then repeat many times until I got to a slight downhill. I then kept the rpms and speed up high enough to get us across the valley toward the trees. At which point I could winch and carry on. Then it was a heck of a fun snow run for the next 5 miles to get out. My new Cooper SST tires were pretty key to all of this. They were digging machines. I was pretty jazzed we made it out.
We will go for muzzleloading next year. We are getting tired of intense winter camping\mountaineering\were not going to make it out stress while hunting.
The first picture is on day one. I was able to winch on the last picture (day 7) and the snow wasn't quite as deep in the trees.
None of us 3 got elk this year. We had a bit of a snow run getting to the trail-head. Hiked in a half mile and set up our first camp. Tracks were everywhere and it looked promising. The first storm finished but we couldn’t get lucky enough to bump into any bulls the first 2 days. Then the second storm came in hard for the next several days and dropped another 1-2 feet of snow. All the elk moved out of the area and down. We hunted thru the last day but saw no more fresh elk tracks the rest of the hunt. I made a decision during the beginning of the second storm to stick it out and not break our 2 camps, pack out to the Runner and leave. I figured we had 4-5 days left for things to melt out a little. It was depressing thinking we may have to leave the runner stuck and pack out 5-7 miles from the trailhead. We had a large valley to exit with no winch points that I was concerned about getting through.
All those years of snow run experience paid off. I was able to push into the snow hard. Then slam it into reverse quickly before sinking and getting stuck. Then repeat many times until I got to a slight downhill. I then kept the rpms and speed up high enough to get us across the valley toward the trees. At which point I could winch and carry on. Then it was a heck of a fun snow run for the next 5 miles to get out. My new Cooper SST tires were pretty key to all of this. They were digging machines. I was pretty jazzed we made it out.
We will go for muzzleloading next year. We are getting tired of intense winter camping\mountaineering\were not going to make it out stress while hunting.
The first picture is on day one. I was able to winch on the last picture (day 7) and the snow wasn't quite as deep in the trees.
Attachments
Today I just needed a bit of luck. I ran into elk 5 times during the day. Most of the time they saw me first The other time I got an animal in my shooting lane but it turned out to be a spike. Then he busted me. So the herd turned 180º and went over the ridge.
The other time I got an animal in my shooting lane but it turned out to be a spike. Then he busted me. So the herd turned 180º and went over the ridge.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
Ah dang, that was how 4th rifle went for me last year. I saw lots of elk....running away from me.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
BTW, how many of you CWD test? We do it for every animal, but the game guy said he never does. I always figured better safe than sorry, but perhaps its a waste of time.
I don't but we don't really have the problem down this way.
Still no luck for me. Last two days out I have not seen a thing. Not sure what is worse. Seeing nothing or their buts as they run away?
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
At least seeing them gets you excited. Seeing nothing always makes me tired and un-motivated.
Well I saw a few on Thursday night but they were pretty far out. They at least gave me hope. Nothing today before the weather turned bad and I headed out early. So its back out tomorrow and Sunday for the last push.
On another note, some anti-hunting group out of CA has decided to target SW Colorado this year. I witnessed a group harassing another hunter on Wednesday from about a 1/2 mile away. Turns out my neighbor had a similar experience on public lands earlier in the week. The group is finding hunters and filming themselves pretending to stumble upon the hunter while making a lot of noise. The group used our private access on wednesday but no one was smart enough to get plate numbers or take pictures of them in the act. DOW and Sheriff's dept down here are not amused.
On another note, some anti-hunting group out of CA has decided to target SW Colorado this year. I witnessed a group harassing another hunter on Wednesday from about a 1/2 mile away. Turns out my neighbor had a similar experience on public lands earlier in the week. The group is finding hunters and filming themselves pretending to stumble upon the hunter while making a lot of noise. The group used our private access on wednesday but no one was smart enough to get plate numbers or take pictures of them in the act.
DOW and Sheriff's dept down here are not amused.
Fishy
Hard Core 4+
While you guys are all out hunting I thought that maybe now was a good time to hit the river...... Apparently, fly fisherman don't hunt anymore because Cheeseman Canyon was jammed!
Fishing was good though. A lot of risers throughout the day. BWO's in 20-24 seemed to be what they were keying on. I wanted to hit the Ark, but didn't want to make the drive. Maybe next week.
Fishing was good though. A lot of risers throughout the day. BWO's in 20-24 seemed to be what they were keying on. I wanted to hit the Ark, but didn't want to make the drive. Maybe next week.
3pm on closing day. Got a medium sized cow. Got her all back to the house by 10pm. About 2.5 miles out and 1000' higher. I made two trips and got Marianne + 2 neighbors for trip #2.
No pictures, I was a man on a mission to get the disassembly done and back to the house with hopes to watch the Packer game tonight. That will have to wait until tomorrow.
No pictures, I was a man on a mission to get the disassembly done and back to the house with hopes to watch the Packer game tonight. That will have to wait until tomorrow.
Fishy
Hard Core 4+
^Nicely done. Filling the freezer is a good feeling.
JadeRunner
Rising Sun Member
Congratulations Corbet. That will be good eating.
We don't test for CWD. That requires packing the head down to be tested and we usually just remove the antlers since were packing.
We don't test for CWD. That requires packing the head down to be tested and we usually just remove the antlers since were packing.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
Nice!!!
Got my CWD results back: all good.
Time to enjoy!
BTW: I have been house sitting for my folks, and my Dad has one of those Traeger pellet grills, and I have to say, it cooks elk steaks VERY nicely. I highly recommend them. IMO, it is far better than the propane grill.
Got my CWD results back: all good.
Time to enjoy!
BTW: I have been house sitting for my folks, and my Dad has one of those Traeger pellet grills, and I have to say, it cooks elk steaks VERY nicely. I highly recommend them. IMO, it is far better than the propane grill.