DYI Colorado Elk/Mule deer hunt

[frogtosser]

Well I have a little bit so here the story starts. First off I have to thank Scoot for all of his help and knowledge. Originally this hunt was supposed to be a South Dakota mule deer hunt but morphed into what I did because of a combination of an opportunity and obsession. Elk had not even been on my radar for the immediate future until I started reading other peoples post about their hunts and excitement. I also bought a new bow this January, a Mathews Chill R, I know but its my first new bow in 8 years. So with that I was completely refocused on archery again, so I joined a couple more bowhunting forums, one of which I discovered had a free invite to hunt Colorado for elk every even year for just a small bit of cash for food. Well look at that, its an even year, "Hey honey, I"m gonna go elk hunting in the mountains in Colorado this fall" and I got "Oh really?!?"

As I started reading up on the subject, aquiring new equipment and trying to work out more I kept my eyes glued to the countdown clock on my phone. Well the last 2 weeks before I was to leave the mailman must have thought I was confused and thought it was Christmas with all the packages I was getting. A couple days before I left it looked like a sporting goods store threw up in my living room, I loved it, wife not so much. In my mind I was already in Colorado trying to decide how many miles I was going up the mountain, yea I'm new to mountain hunting.

As I got home from work Friday most of my things were already packed and I said goodbye to the family and made the first 5 and a half hour drive to Yankton SD to get a few hours sleep before treking the last of the 16 hour trip. That last hour into the mountains was both beautiful and long. The aspens were turning bright gold and took your breath away.

As I pulled into camp I was hopeful and had no Idea what to expect.

I got there and went and set up my Glendel buck to practice and about 100yds behind the target up the hill was a huge Shiras bull moose, what a beast. I tried taking pics but the light was to low for my camera but am hopeful someone else can send me some so I can post them.

Now its Finally Sunday morning and I am up early, ready and raring to go. Off to the elk woods. Wow is that a contrast to sitting in a tree here, we walked about 3 miles in a big circle looking for sign and any animals, found a lot of sign but no elk. We did manage to spook a mule deer I believe and a few spruce grouse, they made so much noise flying away it sounded like a helicopter. I really wish I took more pictures but was focused on hunting as I am sure you guys understand.

Sunday night new spot, popped out into a 2 tiered meadow about a half hour before dark. As we made our way to the second opening I was scanning the field when I saw it, my first bull elk in person and he was BIG. He was at least a 5x5 with long tines and mass, only problem is we were losing light fast and it was at least 300 yds away on the other side of an open meadow. SO having no experience at this kind of hunting one of the guys with me let out a couple cow calls and I was watching him through my binocs and I saw his head go up and lips curl trying to smell the wind but he was down wind of us. After that we let out a bugle, he wanted nothing to do with that and just turned and walked into the woods as we watched. I'm guessing he knew it was people as this is a very hard hunted over the counter unit and it was the 3rd week of the season. Unfortunately I never got to hear a real bugle. This ends day one, no elk but when we got back to camp there was a nice buck that the person putting the camp together took.

And so began my mule deer deer quest.

[NoWiser]

Sweet!! I can't wait to read the rest!

[Fishalittle]

Can't wait to hear how you turn out. I think we have another elk addict in the making!

[frogtosser]

A trip is already being planned for Utah next year.

[NoWiser]

I think we have another elk addict in the making!

An elk bugle is like crack!!

[CodyDawg]

I agree, no matter where I hear one (ringtone, etc) an elk bugle makes me stop whatever I am doing and go all glossy eyed!

I know the web-site that does this elk camp. I cant wait to hear how it turns out!

[frogtosser]

Day 2

The plan was to go back after the bull I had seen the night before with the other 2 guys. That changed a bit and I rode with 3 other people, of which 2 also had mule deer tags, to go look for deer and to show me some other elky areas. It was raining and had been most of the night so I had no complaints to riding in a truck and not getting soaked my second day there. We went up a couple mountain roads and saw a few campers with hunters scattered about and on one of the roads a mule deer doe and fawn. The plan was to head up a 4x4 road that was a little narrow with "one bad spot" that the 4 runner that the Alabama guy drove would fit up. As we started up this road it looked like a washed out riverbed. After 3 "I forgot that was here" and "its just up the road" we ended up turning around, barely, and took a different road.

After driving around for a couple hours and getting some nice looking spots marked on the gps, we headed for a mountain road that had a history for holding deer. It was a long mountain road that held a lot of switchbacks and clearcuts with aspen on the lower half, and led up to a popular hiking trail head. we did spot a fork mule deer and had gotten out to do a stalk on him. I grabbed my Range finder and Alabama was on the bow, I had watch him walk toward a bunch of aspens and as we walked up to were I saw him go in he was gone. As we looked carefully in the area I thought he went, he appeared about 25yds to the left and did the old straight legged hop and then was gone. That was the first time I had seen them do this in person and was surprised how loud it was.

We continued up the trail and headed down a dead end road, as I looked down the mountainside I spotted a true giant along with a respectable deer next to him that he made look average. I wish I had photos of these 2 but was more concerned with a plan to cut them off for a shot. They were about 150yds down the slope and I didn't waste any time grabbing my bow and hearing Will(the guy who put the camp together) say "use the terrain". I was hoofing it down the mountain and had a perfect ridge to get behind as the deer were unaware to us and slowly working toward a treeline of pines. I left made it down parallel to where the bucks were and then dropped below where they were, there were 34 giant piles of wood stacked in the clearcut that I was using as concealment. I heard a couple twigs break in the treeline below me and hoped that the bucks didn't beat me to them but if they did there was nothing I could do about it anymore so I continued to the last place I saw them. As I got to the last wood pile I drew my bow knowing that they would be less then 10yds once I stepped around the logs. Now its the moment of truth, nothing, I was right they did make it below me but as far as I know I didn't get busted at least.

Those pics are of the hill where the bucks were. I found out how much easier it is to go down then up in a hurry on my way back to the truck, sheesh. As I got back I talked to Will and he said that there was a 3rd buck with them, he also was able to study the monster with his 16 power binoculars. He said it was perhaps the biggest deer he has seen on the mountain, a 5x5 well over 200 inches with everything you'd look for in a trophy: mass, width, and height. I just was hoping for a chance at an ok buck and here I was almost in range of 2 true trophies, WOW!

We headed back to camp and devised a plan to head back to the clear cut where we saw the bucks the next morning to sit 3 of us about 70yds apart to see if they would come out again in the morning. At camp we decided to shoot some more and I wanted to make sure my distance pins were on, we were shooting 60 and 70 yds and I was pretty good. As we were finishing up I looked up the hill and about 150 yds up in a small clearing I saw a mule deer, "hey there's a deer" I said. I thought it was just a doe but I couldn't see the head and it went behind some aspens so I went elk hunting. The guy I went elk hunting with was 58 with one arm and a bad knee, he drew his bow with his teeth, and was a great shot. At least I could keep up with him, lol. He took me to one of his old spots to teach me a few things and I was more then willing to learn.

We scaled a rock face and headed to get setup for a calling session. As we were stopped and talking a mule deer doe came through and was startled by us as we were by her, she froze about 15yds away behind a tree for a minute then did the stiff legged hop away. I still think that's really cool and super loud in the trees.

The calling didn't bring anything in so we walked up to a few wallows that hadn't been used yet so we headed back to the truck and went back to camp.

As I talked to the others in camp I learned that that mule deer above camp was a nice 3x4 that had come out again and one of the gals I was riding with earlier moved up to cut him off. She was in perfect position and he feed right toward her, she ranged a rock at 50yds where she thought he'd come out by and she was right. He came out but walked toward her a bit and then turned broadside, she thought he was about 45 yds but was probably closer to 35 after walking toward her so she ended up shooting over him, I was bummed for her but at least it was a complete miss. That was the end of the hunting for day 2. Lots of stories and laughing until we crashed for the night, off to find the monster tomorrow.

[Scoot]

Great stuff, FT! I love those aspens!!!

[NoWiser]

Frogtosser, out of curiosity, what elevations were you at on your trip?

[frogtosser]

Camp was at 9500ft and we hunted up to 12,000ft, most of the deer were below 10,500ft and the elk were above it. I was pretty acclimated by Wednesday and moving around a lot better.

[HooknHorns]

Awesome another trip to hear about. I like your thoughts on going atleast every other year. Just after one trip. I feel like pulling up stakes and heading west permanently. Don't get me wrong, I like MN but down where I'm at. There just one deer and a couple turkeys too chase with a bow and that's it. Mule and whitetail deer, elk,sheep, goats( speed and mountain), bears etc ... And more grouse than you can shake a stick at. Archers paradise.

Nice bucks already. Was that a draw unit for deer? And how did you get that stabilizer through the woods? Looks to be another great read.

[frogtosser]

I keep telling the wife I want to move out west too, its only the second time I've been to Colorado but the first time I've ever hunted out there. It is a draw area for deer but almost a for sure draw from what I understand. I only carried the bow on my pack when walking across those rocks, otherwise the stabilizer wasn't an issue when in the deep timber.

[frogtosser]

Day 3

The plan for today was to start off hunting where we saw the 2 big mule deer the morning before. 3 of use were planning on siting spread out on the ridge line about 100 yards apart. We were there about a half hour before light and hoping to catch the bucks coming out of the pines and the plan was to wait until about an hour after light and then go looking for deer in other places. Well light came and the only deer that showed up were a doe and 2 fawns, we watched them come within 80yds of the Christine but just kept going. Unbeknownst to us the 2 huge deer were actually above us on the road we parked on, but that will come into play later.

We headed back up to the truck and went to go pick up Christine that was the furthest down the road and we could still see the 3 deer milling around the wood piles to the west. We started to head down the mountain to glass a few places that were known to hold deer. We only made it a couple switchbacks when out in the clear cut I spotted a bedded fork buck. I pulled down the road a bit and Pat got out and put on a nice stalk to get about 30 yds from the muley, he sent an arrow into him and we watched as he ran into the pines with the arrow hanging out of him on the other side. I could see he was hit a bit high and back so we slowly walked over to where he was hit and looked for blood, it took a bit but we found some small spots on one of the plants, there is a lot of bare ground in the clear cut areas and I'm sure most of you know how much of a pain it is to track in dirt. We decided to give him an hour and then come back and look for him.

I started to drive down the mountain again to check out a couple more spots where we have seen deer, it was sometime a bit before Pat shot his buck that we believe another one of the guys from camp(who had gone up the mountain while we were getting back to the truck after our first sit) had spotted the monster buck and his buddy above us. I know this might sound confusing but this all happened relatively close together in time.

So lets go to the Rob up the mountain from us right now, from what he said they spotted the pair of bucks above the road we were on and he went to work putting a stalk together. He said he got to about 55yds from the bigger of the 2(which from what we could figure was pushing 220 inches) I know that sounds like a ridiculous number but of the 6 people in our camp that had seen him 2 are very experienced trophy hunters and good at field judging. As Rob drew back and cut loose the arrow, the monster turned his head toward his rib cage and Rob said he swear the arrow deflected off that giant mass of antlers. I know it sounds unbelievable but I watched this guy send a perfect heart shot at my glendale buck from 55yds at camp after the hunt, he is from Alaska and has many years of experience so I believe what he says.

Ok, so back to me and a little later then Robs encounter. We were driving down the road only a little ways from where Pat shot his I spotted a nice sized body up the hillside, I said "I got this one" and pulled up a ways to park behind so trees to see how close we could get. I really didn't know how big the deer was, I just knew he had a big body and was a good 3x3 from what I saw. As we stalked up the hillside to an opening where I had spotted him, there was a perfect shooting lane up the hill. I asked Christine who was right next to me to range him so I didn't have to fumble with my range finder, she said "75" and in my mind I was thinking hmm, that's a ways. He was at a pretty descent angle up and he was perfectly broadside so I settled my 70yd pin on his back and loosed an arrow. He kinda lumbered off and looked like he was hit good, I started up the hill toward where he stood to see if I could find blood. I had Pat stay where I shot from so I could range him to see how far I had to go, that's the farthest I have shot an animal by far but I had been practicing out to 80yds all summer in case I had to make a long range shot out west.

This is pretty much what the area looked like but I had a perfect shooting lane where I was. As I got to where I thought he was standing I quickly found the arrow covered in good blood, and that made me ecstatic. After I found the arrow I quickly found a blood trail a blind man could follow, I wish I would have taken more pics but I was a little preoccupied. I gave a thumbs up to Pat and slowly followed the trail. He was bleeding well out of both sides and left a heavy hoof print as well, I followed the blood trail about 40yds and saw 2 big pools of blood but no more trail and no deer. Worried I had jumped him but confused on how I didn't see anything run off I looked around and then down hill, about 15yds down hill pinned against a tree was the BIGGEST DEER I'VE EVER SEEN!!! I truly didn't know how tall and massive he was until I walked up on him, I yelled "suck it Trebek" as I told the other 2 I was with the day before if I got one of those bucks, circa SNL. It was steep downhill slope and I didn't know what to do first, I went down a little then back up to the deer then pulled him away from the tree, yelled a bit then pulled him out from the tree and he slid a ways down the hill, I fell on my butt, all with my bow in hand. I was beside myself like a little kid, one of the guys said he could see me jumping over the trees and could hear me in Australia. I'm sorry if I sound over excited but this is the biggest deer I've ever seen much less shot. I drug him half way down the slope before the other guys showed up and Rob ended up helping me lift the brute over a couple big deadfall logs down to where I could take pics. It was awesome being able to harvest him at 8:30 in the morning because the sun was perfect for taking pictures.

So we got mine loaded in my truck and went back to drop Pat and rob off to track his deer and I continued up the mountain with Christine to find her a deer (outhouse at the trail head). We came down and saw them by the road where this deer lay, He made it a few hundred yards but ended up bedding right below the road under a tree, how lucky. So now we have 2 bucks in the truck and are headed back to camp, more to come later.

[maros91]

Solid deer. Nice big and tall muley. What's better is that you yelled "suck it Trebek." Lmao.

[mrklean]

awesome deer

[frogtosser]

I forgot to mention how when I was up at the trail head on top of the mountain we got to talk to the hippie couple in their 30s that were going "panning for gold" or at least had the equipment, there sure are a lot of different people out there. So we headed back to camp to butcher the deer, lucky for me Rob and Christine had taxidermy experience and took over removing the cape from my buck in a sleeve as I had never done that before. I was so nice that people were more then helpful in all aspects as I was new to western hunting and this was my first trophy. I finished skinning him out and then quartering and taking all the scrap meat and putting in game bags to put in the cooler, we also salted the hide and put that on ice until I could get it to a freezer the next day. Evidently watching me saw off the legs was quite amusing to everyone as I was accused of "twerking" while I did it, I'm just glad they didn't get video. I guess you could say I was one of the guys who kept camp lively along with the guy from Scotland and the bloke from Australia, that is pure comedy listening to those 2 guys talk to each other. Those to actually went on a 2 night bivey hunt way un the mountain in the lost lake area dubbed "brokeback mountain" lol, they actually had 2 great experiences with a huge 7x7 herd bull with 9 cows. As the story goes they were within 60yds from him but could only see antlers above the deadfall and had no shot and the next day they got about 90yds away before he knew something was up and gave a big bugle and walked away. To hear an Aussie tell that story all animated is worth the price of admission, the extra phrases and accent was hilarious, including when after the bull bugled to say see ya, my boy bugled back and said "take that ya big Basstard".

Troy the Aussie is on the right and Dave the Scott is on the right.

So after they left Pat and I went in for showers and a celebratory steak dinner at the local steakhouse where we me up with the other Aussie from camp, he was old and not as animated but has hunted all over the world and was fun to listen to.

Wednesday was fairly uneventful as half of the day was spent running for part fir the generator and taking my cape to the freezer at Wills house 45 minutes south. The weather was unseasonably hot there also, got to over 80 degrees Wed-Fri, so we tried fishing which gave me some nice landscape photos but no fish.

I went on a short hunt Wed evening looking for elk close to camp, we've seen moose and mule deer behind us so what the heck. We did see a lot of sign but it was dry and older but it was nice to get back out in the woods. We actually had to climb across this rock which was interesting.

The photo below is the view from camp, the mule deer we saw a couple days before popped out in the dark spot on the right side of the mountain about 150yds away.

[frogtosser]

So Thursday was another interesting day, it started off with 3 of us following Will up the mountain on this crazy rough road to check out the treeline up top. We all spread out and agreed to meet up around 1pm. I found a nice low swampy area with a lot of water and fairly fresh tracks, no elk there so I decided to hike up to the tree line.

This is the view from the bottom.

Here is the view from the top, and yes that was a crazy steep hike. That is a nice little meadow on the bottom I walked through. I basically made a big figure 8 and came down and old river bottom and saw a marmot and kicked up a couple mule deer I believe but didn't see for sure what they were. It was cool just being in the mountains even though I haven't spotted any more elk yet. I learned after we got back to camp that after we parked and Will started back down the road he had a 5x5 elk cross the road in front of him, of course he did, sheesh.

We came back to camp to find out on of the guys from Illinois put a nice 5x5 down the night before and finally got it packed out. He is an elk magnet as on the first day had a bull 8yds away but no shot and last year arrowed a nice 6x6 also.

Thats his elk, he slept in the next morning as well.

We ended the day hunting an area that had some nice sign but ended up running into other hunters camping at the top near a meadow, so we headed in with some light left and had a doe and 2 fawns cross in front of us as we drove down the mountain. I never get tired of seeing wild game. Just one more day left before the long 16 hour drive back home.

[PropsterII]

Now wait a minute Frog, they can't both be on the right!

[frogtosser]

Ok prop, you got me. I'm so lost, what did I get confused.

[PropsterII]

Ok prop, you got me. I'm so lost, what did I get confused.

Troy the Aussie is on the right and Dave the Scott is on the right.

No biggie, I don't need to know which is which. That is one heck of a deer. Have you had it rough scored yet?

[frogtosser]

Ahh I see Troy is on the left lol. It green scored 186 7/8. I was shocked it scored that high, it's the biggest deer I've ever taken by far.

[ozzie]

congrats on the deer and thanks for sharing your hunt!! sounds like a cool experience!!

[frogtosser]

Friday day 6

So its my last day in Colorado before I leave, I've had such a blast and learned a lot from the veterans, which is the reason I went on this hunt. The morning hunt was uneventful so we headed back to the dwindling camp to see that Christine had been successful in filling her mule deer tag with a nice doe she shot from 40yds. So that made the deer total at camp 6; 2 5x5 bucks, 2 fork bucks, and 2 does. At least the deer were falling even if the elk weren't

I got to hang out and talk to everyone and that was a blast to do before I went on the evening hunt. The evening hunt was pretty cool, there were 4 of us we staggered out and walked down the side of a mountain to a point by a river. The grade was steep and it would flatten out to a bench then straight down again, these benches with small meadows are where the elk should be, mind you I said should. I think they are invisible. I did get within 5 yds of a nice fork mule deer that just looked at me and went back to feeding, so I am gonna make him famous now. I did take some video but my phone decided to flip, so blah. I took a bunch of pics of everything except elk unfortunately.

And finally when we got down to the meeting area weather started to move in, I tried but couldn't get any lightning in the photos.

All in all the trip was a blast, I met some great people and can't wait for the next camp in 2 years. I am planning on going back hunting mule deer next fall also with the family and a couple of the others from camp. I learned a lot and just love the mountains.

[HooknHorns]

Sounds like a blast. That buck would go on a pedestal with an aspen base if it had my tag on it. Awesome deer! Just curious if you got to taste the difference between a mule deer and elk?

[Scoot]

Great story! What fun!!! Bummer the elk weren't either around in number or cooperating. It's amazing just how elk can disappear when they get pressure. It's like they vanish when they go silent. That being said, it's obvious you made the best of what the opportunity offered and managed to take the trophy of a lifetime home with you! I'll probably never get a legit chance at a muley like that in my lifetime. Congrats on one heck of an adventure!