Colorado Elk/Deer hunt By Jason Balazs
Oct 13, 2007 - 5:37:50 PM
Day 1
We Arrived at Camp this year almost at dark. There was only time to set up our two tents, build a fire, and eat some dinner. Jodi, Sierra (Our Daughter), Carole, Doug, and I were met by my long time friend Ralph Parker, who just retired from the Navy, and his brother Paul. Ralph was Muzzleloader hunting this year due to a problem with his shoulder. Muzzleloader season was going full hilt when we arrived. There was only one more day of it, and then the woods would be quiet for all of us Bowhunters.
After a few adult beverages and some good sloppy Joes that Jodi had made up, we decided it was time to hit the hay. We were going to try for deer in the morning since all of us had deer tags and the Muzzleloader hunters were running crazy through the woods. Before we left the house, us men had taken our scent free showers using the products from Wildlife Research Center, while the ladies had taken their scent free showers using the new Lady Huntress kit from Dead Down Wind.
The Mob Squad, (l) Jason, Jodi, Sierra, Doug and Carole camou'd up and ready to rock.
Jodi and I have three hunting outfits that we had washed in the Scent Killer from Wildlife Research Center, and then stored in our scent free clothing bags from the folks at Tree Apron. This way we would have enough clothes to last for a few days before we had to wash them. For our body scent, we made a shower area out of tarps and left our sun shower in the sun to warm up for the afternoon. Taking scent free showers, wearing scent free clothes, and following up with some Scent Killer spray is the only way I like to hunt. Although you might be able to stay totally scent free, the less an animal smells you, the calmer they will be.
4:00 A.M.
Being in the Military for the last 17 years, I have always woken up early. Usually, Jodi and I get up and share a cup or two of coffee with each other each morning. This morning was no different except for we were up and at them with no sleep in our eyes. We were both excited about the hunt beginning, because this year we planned on taking some shots. The memory of that last day from last year watching at least six big bulls bugling and chasing cows around was still in our minds. Like it always is, the camp was full of excitement of the upcoming hunt. Doug and Carole were awake and fully dressed, as were Jodi and I. The only sleepyheads were Sierra, Paul, and Ralph. Ralph and Paul had been camped up there for 15 days already scouting the area out and a week of it hunting with their Muzzleloaders. I guess they just did not have the first morning excitement that we did. Needless to say we had over two and a half hours until shooting light, so we figured we would have a hearty breakfast and a few pots of coffee.
The plan was to encircle this mountain that Ralph had named "Buck Hill." After walking through this place for the last week he had found numerous bucks that were heading to their bedding area off of the fields below. Each hunter was going to stock slowly up the hill until they reached the top. Once their, we would sit and wait for the deer to come up. There was also a mature bull elk that was working this area so everyone was on the lookout for that too.
Ralph said that we had to wait until it was a little light to give the deer time to move off the fields until we went in. Feeling antsy, we wanted to get a move on, but he ensured us that all we would do would spook the deer off the fields and not see anything. At first light we all packed up the trucks and headed over to Buck Hill. On the way we were crossing private property on the county road and there was a nice 5X5 bull elk standing in the pasture. That is all everyone needed to get pumped about the morning. The nice thing is the bull was trying to get across the fence and head up the mountain to public land.
As we followed Ralph and Paul, Ralph would stop and point out his window for someone to start up the hill. Paul was the first to get out. He sprayed himself down with Scent Killer spray and was going to wait until everyone got into place before he started his assent. Next stop was Doug and Carole. Since this was Carole's first hunt, Doug wanted to be right with her to help her with anything she might need. I laughed when I looked at their faces as they peered up the mountain with a look of, "You want us to climb that?" Given the instructions from Ralph, they headed up the mountain. Ralph was the next one out and he told Jodi and I to take the next left, and then head into the meadow. We would be working our way up the mountain and sit on these saddles that the deer always fled to when they were jumped. The time on my watch read 6:30 A.M. and the plan was to meet at the truck at 11:00. Jodi and I worked our way slowly up the hill with Sierra in tow. Once we found the saddle that Ralph had mentioned, we split apart and I continued down the saddle to cover the western side.
Man, the walk is breath taking. No I mean really breath taking. Whew.
After a while of sitting, I was beginning to find myself reflecting on last years hunt and how I had that bull at 36 yards that Joey missed. That is when the silence was broken. Boom, up the hill from me a muzzleloader reported. I ducked reflexively and it reminded me of being in Iraq. All my senses were in tune now, I could hear my heart beating and sense every single movement in the woods. That is when I heard a stick break through the dark timber in front of me. I readied my Bowtech Guardian for a shot. If there was going to be one, it was going to happen fast. That is when I saw the huge dark animal approaching. "What is that thing?" I kept asking myself. What ever it is, it is huge and walking right toward me.
This moose was curious so I took it's photo.
Staying hidden behind a tree I kept a close eye on the approaching animal as it began to materialize from the thick forest. This thing was huge and really dark. I thought for a second that it might be a big bear, but no, it was even bigger. It was around 100 yards away before I finally realized what it was. It was a moose, a big cow moose to be exact. She was just walking slowly toward
me and didn't seem to care that there was a gunshot that had rang out behind here. She kept coming until she was only 28 yards away and stopped nice and still for a perfect photo opportunity. As slowly as she came, she exited down the hill. What an awesome opportunity to see such a majestic animal.
Paul took this nice buck with his muzzleloader.
The time was now 9:30 and I started to hear more limbs break. Then there was the sudden flash of hunters orange and the vision of Paul pulling something. I got up and walked over towards him to see him dragging a little Fork Horn Mule deer buck. I gave him a hand the rest of the way down the hill and we walked back toward my truck. Jodi and everyone else were already there and were excited to hear what everyone saw. I showed them all the pictures of the moose and Paul's deer I had taken. Doug and Carole looked tired from their induction to Colorado Wilderness. Doug said, "Man, that was one big hill." We all chuckled and piled into my truck. Heading down the road we were able to drive right to Paul's deer. The only person not at the road was Ralph. While we were loading Paul's deer we heard another report from a Muzzleloader. Paul said, "Ralph just nailed one."
Sure enough and soon as we rounded the mountain to pick him up on the other side, there he was with a nice 4X3 Mule deer buck. He said, "I watched this buck coming for a long time after Paul shot. He was being very sneaky and stopped just ten yards from me. Man I wish I could pull a bow back." We all had our work cut out for us because his buck was twice the body size of Paul's. After we loaded his buck it was off to camp.
3:00 P.M.
The Trophy Leaf placed, my BowTech Guardian at the ready.
That evening it was time for elk. The plan was to drive to the National forest gate and hike up the old forest service road to wait for the elk to come out of the dark timber. I turned on my Delorme Earthmate PN-20 GPS that I had uploaded satellite photographs to of the area we were going. This thing was really neat. I was able to see where we were in regards to certain meadows and ravines. Sierra and Jodi were the first ones to be dropped off at about 2 miles up the road. We were on top of the mountain now and everyone was feeling the climb.
It is always necessary in the mountains to check for wind direction.
In another half of mile, I dropped Carole and Doug off at a crossing in the road. There were Elk Rubs everywhere and you could smell the elk. I gave Doug a stick of "Elk heard in a stick" from VS1 to rub on some trees around him. I continued up the road until it started to come down the other side of the mountain. Looking at my GPS, I was 3.2 miles in from where we left the Truck. There were elk tracks all over the road and I could see a clearing in the woods to my left. I compared it to my GPS and could see the clearing on the picture it provided. I walked in with an arrow nocked to find an old wallow that was dried up.
There were so many elk tracks in there; I figured they should be back. Checking the wind with the wind checker sent by Tree Apron, I set up an ambush spot. The time was 4:30 and it had taken over an hour to reach my spot. I was sweaty from the hike so I sprayed myself down with Scent Killer and placed some WRC Trophy Leaf Cow Estrus out. I also took some Elk Fire and sprayed it on the grass around me and a little on some scent wicks. I took the scent wicks and tossed them out into the wallow. Pulling out my range finder, I ranged the far side of the wallow at 50 yards. This was the perfect set-up for a big bull to come in.
The elk wallow I hunted over.
As the sun began to set in the distance, you could hear the Coyote's start to howl. This brought me back to the "Magic Hour" and my senses were in tune with the forest. I took some pictures of my sitting spot and glasses through the dark timber. The sun was set and the sky was getting dark, but nothing had visited me that afternoon. It was now time to pack up and head out for the long walk back. Thank God I had my Lowa Boots on. I had total ankle reconstruction on my ankle this last January. I really needed support for my left foot, and these boots provided it. With a natural arch support in them, there was no need for inserts. I was wearing the Tibet's and Jodi had the Banff's from them. They made the 3-mile up hill hike feel like nothing at all. I was glad to have them as I walked through the chilling air trying to listen for bulls bugling I the distance.
After about 20 minutes I reached Doug and Carole. They saw one elk moving through the trees but could not identify it. A little further down the hill I met Jodi and Sierra. Jodi said at the magic hour, an elk had walked out and was standing behind a tree about 60 yards away. She was very excited as she explained the size of the animal. "The wind had swirled and the elk just discreetly walked away," she said. It is so great to see your spouse get involved in the outdoors. We held hands all the way down the mountain until we reached the truck. Doug cooked up some steaks and we ate and discussed what to do for the nest morning. I don't think that anyone had trouble falling to sleep that night. Especially Doug and Carole who were still getting used to 10,000 feet of elevation. To be continued…..
