Heading to Colorado, What camo pattern???

[ChrisT]

Well boys, it's that time of year again. I have a week and a half till I make the pilgramage. I was going to pick up a nother set of camo for the trip. I have used Natgear evergreen for the last couple years, but they discontinued it. What camo pattern do you guys prefer out there. I have found that the normal patterns can be to dark for the aspen and pines out there.

Thanks, Chris

[Scoot]

My two favorite patterns out there are Cabela's Open Country (I think that's what it's called) and Maxx-1 HD. In the area we were in, the combo that worked really well was Open Country pants and Maxx-1 HD top.

Other patterns I generally like out West are: Mossy Oak Brush (doesn't seem like it'd be the right fit, but sure blends in well), predator (brown or green), Sitka's Mountain Mimicry, and Realtree AP.

Good luck! Whatcha chasing?

[ChrisT]

My dad and I are going after elk via archery. It is the third time going in 6 years. I was successful on the previous two with a smaller 5X4 and a cow, so I have high hopes.

[Scoot]

Cool- good luck!!! Are you in a draw unit in CO or an OTC unit? Have fun!

[ChrisT]

Draw unit. I think it is 65 or 66 not to far away from Gunnison CO

[Leaddog]

If you want to blend in in CO you need to look like an ATV or Dirtbike!

Seriously, most any camo will do but a sage base layer can be helpful. Try to avoid that black blob look though. Large print patterns help that.

[Scoot]

Draw unit. I think it is 65 or 66 not to far away from Gunnison CO

Cool! This year will be my first year buying a PP in CO. Be sure to report back on how the hunt went. Are you doing a DIY hunt, a spike camp hunt, bivy hunt, going through an outfitter? Regardless of all the details, good luck!!!

[ChrisT]

This year could be tough. In the past, we have done half guided and half unguided. We stay at a ranch, but hunt all public land in the area. We are going totally unguided this year, but still staying at the same place. They provide us with a supper every night, and a dry place to stay. The area is not great, but we seem to see elk every year and you can't complain about that. We can't beat the price though, and as long as I am in the mountains I'm good, seeing elk is a bonus.

[ChrisT]

Well scoot, I did manage to score a 5X4 and I do have a picture I would like to share. If you have an email I could send it to you and maybe you could post for me. I have a feeling it would be to big a picture. Get back to me and I will send it to you and post the story after that.

Chris

[Scoot]

Awesome! Congrats!!! I'm soooo jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Send pic to: scootsfishing at yahoo

[Scoot]

Here's the pic Chris sent me. Congrats again, Chris! Please share the story of how you got him. Calling? Wallow sitting? Spot and stalk? Details man, I want details! LOL!!!

[DonBo]

Way to go Chris! Looks like you made a perfect shot on him. I'm with Scoot, more info! More info!

[ChrisT]

Well,I would like to start off by saying that this trip was shared with my father. I think it was an especially great trip having him share it with me. There was four of us that spent 5 days hunting unit 67. One of my fathers friends arrowed a 4X4 on the first night. There were other elk with him well above the hunters that they did not see, but his 4X4 was just curious enough to come in for a visit and he managed to put a good shot on it. That was Sunday night. Monday, we spent the morning on an overlook glassing some open medows to no avail. The afternoon hunt had us up trying to stake out some wallows that looked like they had some recent activity. The clouds opened up around 5:00 and we got dumped on. Tuesday morning we went up to the same area the small 4X4 was shot. I went 60 yards up the hill hoping to be in the travel corridor for the morning. Around daybreak, I let out a bugle and was cut off by a bull a few hundred yards away. Now, I have been on 2 other elk hunts in the last ten years or so, and it is not typical to hear much in the way of bugling. I waited for a few minutes and let out another bugle. This time I did not hear anything, and I was thinking he wasn't interested. About the time I set my tube down, he crested the hill in front of me. We were in the dark timber, so there were not much for holes to shoot through. I already had my bow in hand. There was a large group of pines he was trotting by which gave me a chance to draw my bow without him noticing. He steped out from those pines right into a nice shooting lane for me. I gave him a cow call from my mouth call and he put the brakes on. I let the arrow go and knew it was a good shot. He bolted and I got on the cow call right away again and managed to stop him only 30 yards from where I shot him. He stood there for 20 minutes and I can't even tell you how many times I said "go down" to myself. He laid down and I squatted and gave a guy below me a fist pump. I also motioned for him to stay put because I knew he had not yet expired. He laid his head down and I was just waiting to see his belly stop going up and down. Well a couple minutes turned into a couple hours. He would lay his head down and then pick it up and look around for a while. I just didn't get it, I saw the arrow go in and I hit him perfect. At this point, it had been over an hour from when I had shot him, I spent all this time watching him through some brush wondering what I should do. I thought if I could get five yards either way I could get a nother shot in him. Everytime I thought about doing anything he would pick his head up and look around. I figured I had all day to wait him out I needed to just stay put. It was a little after 9:00 and I could hear my dad and one of the other guys walking up to our other hunter. I was so nervous at this point. The bull was looking down the hill at these guys and I thought he would bolt for sure. I was motioning behind my back for them to stay put. Luckly, someone saw me and they stopped walking. At 9:30 the bull was laying on his side with his leggs sprawled out. Next thing I knew, he was trying to and successfully stood up. I couldn't believe it! He took a couple steps down hill and at that point I could make out his front shoulder through some small pine trees. I figured it was my best chance to sneed another shot in before he dissappeared and we would have some work to do to find him. I drew my bow back and settled in where I thought I could sneek through the trees. I let another arrow go and whack. He dropped his back end and hit the ground hard. By the way he reacted, I spined him, but he was breathing really heavy also, He expired before I could get closer for another shot. As it turned out, my first shot went in perfect, caught a rib, and deflected back catching one lung and going out the guts. I sure would have liked him to have dropped a few minutes after the first shot, but I learned a great lesson through this experience. While it was happening, I was not sure what to do. I decided to just stay put and still and be ready and that was the best thing I could have done. It does not happen very often that I do something hunting related and don't second guess at least some part of the hunt, but this time I got lucky and did it right. Once again, I want to underscore how my experience was inhanced having my father along for the trip. It is something I will never forget.

Chris

[DonBo]

Good job waiting him out Chris.

Just curious what you think happened. Was he quartering towards you somewhat? What kind of broadheads were you using? Do you think they may have played a part in the deflection? Just curious.

[ChrisT]

I think it was a combination of things. He may have taken a slight step twords me when I stopped him, but not for the angle of arrow. One of my blades were all jacked up and It was laying on the ground like it fell out after he ran a few yards. I was using 90 grain muzzy heads and maxima hunter 350s for arrows. I have harvested 2 other elk with a simular combo. I partially broke the rib and it looked like I hit it square. I wish I had a video of the shot to know for sure.

[Scoot]

Great story! I can only wish my dad would have come along on either of my elk hunts. He planned on it the second year, but he had some health problems that kept him from coming. It really would have made the trip that much better to have been able to share it with him. Congrats to you for being lucky enough to share that adventure with him.