Jan10 Hunt

Virtual Elk Hunt

January 10, 2004

Unit 20

Northern Colorado

Got one!

January 10^th

Each day on my drive in I’d see elk on private lands taunting me. But oh did I miss the big show last Sunday and Monday. Because of the weather (snow and cold) the elk moved into the area where I wasn’t. The weather was my biggest help and I completely missed it. I hunted a different area, which was really nice, but I should have stayed put and hunted the same area. It’s Saturday again and I’m back around 8,000 feet in a nice area of National Forest land. Right place, wrong time. That’s hunting. Things could always change in a second OR you could see nothing. That’s the way it goes. Today I could tell the elk were breaking up and separating from the big herd. I found three major herds and even some very small groups of cows. What’s strange this time of year is seeing single cows. I can’t explain it and it’s very abnormal this time of year.

Word has it from other hunters that this massive herd (over 200 elk) crossed through the area because of the recent snow (maybe 6 inches). After the snow it got cold. An artic cold front came down and chilled us to below zero temperatures. That got the elk moving! I noticed from walking around today that the elk had been EVERYWHERE in the area. I should have paid more attention to the weather and been more consistent in my routine. Post picture of me kicking myself here.

I circled the area and learned a lot. When elk move through an area in such large numbers they will tear up the place. This photo taught me a lot of things. First of all they taught me how they move through the area. They used saddles, deep woods and steep hills. They didn’t pick the route a human would take either. They also have lots of energy this time of year despite horrible food to eat. Last year the elk wouldn’t budge more than a mile. This year they will go up and down hills while moving often. Without any regard to conserving energy it seems. When this trail dumped out into a small meadow the elk fanned out in every direction. What a sight that would have been! They continued to use the trees as cover as they worked their way East. They stayed the night in the big meadow where we had been sitting last weekend. In fact they bedded right in the trees we were standing around. When they say elk are where you find them and nowhere else that’s what they are talking about. The meadow is almost always empty until the elk show up. Then there are more than you can count.

I followed this trail down and met up with Tom. Tom is a master hunter who should be writing for magazines. He’s a hunting machine who knows what he is doing. Which is good for me. Everyone should learn from those who are naturals. You can learn a lot about what to eat, where to sit, what gear to bring, etc. By this time of day it’s around 1pm. I was ready to head to the car but Tom said we should just go sit the meadow where we were last weekend and eat something. So we walked the trail back to that point and he showed me all the elk sign from last weekend. It was a crisp cool night in that meadow with a full moon. I could only imagine what it looked like with all the elk in the area.

This is the view we have again this Saturday but with a lot less snow in the meadow. We’re sitting and going through our gear getting ready to eat. I was out of water already because it was a warm day for January. I’m eating snow, wishing I had refilled my camel back last night, and milling around when we hear this CRACK of a rifle from an unknown hunter standing near the top of the meadow. The elk filter out of the meadow in that area. There is a natural gully that feeds into the meadow. It’s heavily wooded with mostly pine and some aspen. With eyes as big as a basketball I look up in complete surprise to see this single cow running the gauntlet. Right down the middle of the meadow! CRACK! Another shot goes off as I scramble for my rifle. Tom’s already on the ground with his rifle on a rock aiming at this cow. She’s about 175 yards out. I get my scope covers off and rest my rifle on a tree limb. I got her in my sites when something bizarre happened. She stopped! CRACK the other hunter shoots again. All I can see is her rear end and I don’t have a shot. I said that out loud. Then she turns slightly, quartering away from me. I got a shot. I remember placing the cross hairs on the hump of her back. I fire a round and she goes down. Then she gets back up. CRACK! Tom takes a shot that went through her left front shoulder. She runs a little then slides to a stop. My bullet hit her left front hoof and I couldn’t have been more disgusted with my shot. I didn’t aim high enough to cover the almost 200 yards to her. I judged it completely wrong and wounded an animal. I have had nightmares about this during the season and I can’t believe it came true. Still disappointed in my shot I’m just glad Tom was there to finish the job. I try to tell myself at least we didn’t lose her. She was a young cow about 2.5 years old. She looked much larger up close. A lot of emotions flow through you when you see elk up close and touch them. What a fine and dignified animal. Her winter coat was thick and soft. I was sad she died. None of this fine animal went to waste though. What made her leave the herd and walk our way I will never know. Why did she stop in the meadow for us? If she kept on running I wouldn’t have had a shot. Things happen for a reason and the cycle of life continues. I appreciate the chance to hunt such a magical animal in Colorado. Just getting out in the mountains and occasionally seeing elk is reward enough for me. We packed her out at as the sunset. It was a beautiful and calm evening as we hiked the trail down the mountain. I still have my tag to fill. I went up Sunday for more. Wednesday the 14^th is my last chance on the last day of the season. I’ll be back in that meadow reading a book and glassing the tree line for more elk.