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NMHUNTNUTT1
Guest
Well I'm back home now. I got to hit the hills after a two year absence in elk camp, and man let me tell you it felt GREAT just being in the mountains.Friday came and after a late start we headed out for the 3 hour trip, got to camp with about an hour of light left and set up camp in a hurry.We ate some green chili stew my wife made the night before and then sat around a warm camp fire.Saturday the 16 (opening day)we woke up at 4:30 to fierce winds, and about an hour later we were in the hill above camp only to battle hard wind, and so thats how the rest of the day went, other than finding lots of fresh sign a pretty frusterating day because of the wind. Saturday night we chowed on some nice deer steaks from my partners Sept 10th buck, some great eats too let me tell you.Sunday morning we were up by 4a.m. to a very calm but very cold morning, I even started the coffee on my coleman 2 burner in the tent to break the chill just so we could dress, it was COLD!We were headed to an area about six miles away where we found alot of sign ,and as we were driving by the area we hunted on St , I decided to stop the truck and walk down about 100 yards off the road.I gave a bugle with no respond, waited about a minute or so a gave two soft cow calls using the new Primos power dome double reed, and the aspens and meadow below erupted!Oh'let me tell you we were running back to move the truck off the way and grab our gear and head down into the aspens. We got settled in there with no shooting light, but I'd give a cow call every now and then and two bulls would let us know they heard. As shooting light FINALLY came I called again, this time the bull answered from about 150 yards below as he circled us I saw him trot down to my left, just a nice 4x4 or small 5x5, a rag horn any how.So now I'm thinking I'm finally going to get my first branch antler bull with my bow as he should come out on the same old logging road I'm on at about 40-50 yards. He screams some nasty stuff but hangs up, and my partners also hang up, I'm just thinking PLEASE GIVE A COW CALL. I finally give a soft short mew and to this I hear dead fall and stuff just breaking coming my way from behind me, I turn around to see another cow above me trot into the same logging road and come straight to me. In just seconds I compute my position as I had just 1 more day to hunt and also realized that she would see me and booger out , possibly taking the bulls too, my mind was again made up as I drew my bow and she halted at 26 yards ,and turned just enough, my arrow was on its way and the WHACK report conformed as I watched the fletching burried all the way in .She toar out of there, and the rest of the elk just hung in there. Maybe 20 seconds went by when a very nice 6x6(herd bull) followed her into the same logging road and crossed at about 35 yards, oh what a beautiful bull, but I can say I had no regret sending the arrow into the cow.Seconda later the ground erupted as elk went every where, the bull began bugling nutts, I think he was tryin to re-gather his harem, thats what I told my partners any how.The rag horn also ran up past my partners trying to run back into the cows but no shots could be taken as all the elk were off to the races.My elk ended up circling back up above us and bedded down, my partner Louie watched her bed and waited till I got close, and then he hand signaled me in. I got to about 10 yards and realized she was going and breeze was into my face. I knocked another arrow and slowly worked my way into a better angle and put it right being her shoulder, she never got up and expired in a matter of a minute or so.I was able to get a picture of her right before I shot and some other nice field pics too.Vinihunt will post the pics for me this week. I know this was long , but thanks for reading and I hope I shared a piece of a great hunt....Larry
