Not me! I saw 2 cows and a 4X4 bull pass through but I didn't have a good shot. [Rant1]
Anyone get one?
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Not me! I saw 2 cows and a 4X4 bull pass through but I didn't have a good shot. [Rant1]
Anyone get one?
I don't get to play until muzzleloader comes in! Good luck to all you string pullers!Quote:
Originally Posted by GilpinGuy
I usually go black powder as well but got denied this year. [BooHoo]Quote:
Originally Posted by sniper7
i too picked up my first smoke pole this year. I am excited to say the least.
passed on one 6x6, 2 big 5's and several rag horns. the six would only score about 265 or so. not big enough for me. i have 4 6x6's and 1 5x6 and numerous smaller 5's with a bow. 300 or bigger only.
the 6 had about 80 cows and was fired up.
Jesus! I would love to have that kinda opportunity in this years muzzle loader season
Sure wish I could pass on 5X5's and 6X6's. Must be private land hunting huh?
That private ground? Up near you?Quote:
Originally Posted by spencerhenry
Were they bugling yet?
public land
the bull with cows was fired up and bugling, none of the big bulls were around. found one of them holed up in heavy timber with a buddy. they were quiet as church mice.
I bagged one. Dumb old bastard was just sitting there in the middle of his meeting with the rest of them in their lodge....whats that.....oh......Really?
I've just been informed I was supposed to be looking for an animal.
didnt see any elk, but had two Moose walk right up on me. Must have known I didnt have a license for them!
At least you didn't shoot one thinking it was an elk. Seems like too often that happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by pookawa
Wow, wee never see stuff like that during rifle season.Quote:
Originally Posted by spencerhenry
Yeah, I would not have passed. I sometimes tell myself before hand to wait, but when the opportunity comes it is very hard.
I guess that happens (even though they look really really different).. It was pretty cool, as I have never seen a moose up close before; heard the rustling, saw something moving but not real clear... waiting... waiting... finally heading into the clearing where I can see them... Crap! Moose!Quote:
Originally Posted by sniper7
They both walked to probably within 10 feet of me at one point, taunting me I'm sure! I figured at that point they were so close, I would just stay still in my spot and not spook them. With my luck, they would decide to escape... right over the top of me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spencerhenry
Pictures?
I saw everything BUT elk. Saw a bear, bull moose, and mulies but not a single elk in 371. Could have shot two different muley bucks in the first hour of opening day.
Hiked about 21 miles in two days and didn't find a whole lot of fresh sign in the thick timber up between 9700 to 10,900 ft. Freshest sign I found was a couple days old and it was sparse. This was in areas that I was sure would be hot spots based on scouting the area a month ago and noticing fresh sign EVERYWHERE.
What's going on?
My buddy did.
My hunting buddy scored early and well this year, in a Ranching for Wildlife hunt in Colorado. We don't think that grin is going away any time soon. 7mm Mag, 140gr Berger VLD, 225 yards.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...imsElkHead.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...dy/JimsElk.jpg
They have been holding it?Quote:
Originally Posted by d_striker
[ROFL1]
filled my private land cow tag tonight. used a bow instead of a rifle though. one down, one to go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spencerhenry
First, I am jealous. Second I was able to get one bull to bugle the whole time, though I saw 5 or six bulls in the couple groups that I was tracking. They really had not started yet where I was at, but I suspect that higher up in the mountains they have started. I have to work a couple days then I am going back out.Quote:
Originally Posted by spencerhenry
people call TOO MUCH. this early not much is making noise except the young bulls. the big bulls know what is going on and they dont usually get too fired up until the first cows come into heat. you will find an occasional bull that will be fired up protecting cows early, and almost always he will NOT be a herd bull once the rut gets going. most elk where i hunt are so call shy that i rarely call, even cow calls.
i have had more than one hunt ruined by some guy tooting his elk bugle over and over non-stop every minute for hours. it rarely happens like on tv, once in a while you catch a bull on the right day at the right time in the right place and he will come running, but my experience on public land is that calling does not work well anymore for LARGE bulls. small bulls think they can get some action and respond better to cow calls.
so far this year i have not even taken a call with me into the woods.
I didn't bag one, but I saw more than my share. 11 years worth of PP's will get you action like this. I got one shot at a giant of a bull Thursday evening, but my arrow got deflected by a branch and I missed clean. Here's a few that I saw this past week.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/songdog/020.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/songdog/035.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/songdog/039.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/songdog/050.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/songdog/033.jpg\
Bugling started on Tuesday in unit 61, and has been hit or miss since. The giant bull that I got a shot at never made a peep, at least not while I was watching him. They weren't responding to calling at all, other than some would bugle back at a bugle. Spot and stalk was pretty much the game I played for the week. I'll head back up for the last week of season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TRnCO
I see you post on BowSite.... [Beer]
yip, every now and then I do.
passed on another 6x6 last night. was a very tough call. watched him for about 20 minutes thrashing a 5" aspen. long beams, decent fronts, good thirds, fair 4ths but only about 3" fifths.
it was the first bugling i have heard since opening day.
couldnt get to the one that had the cows in time, ran out of daylight.
once again public land
My hunting partner shot a 6x5 at 15 yards tonight. Bull was on the run chasing cows! Heck of a shot
Pics?Quote:
Originally Posted by sniper7
Just got back to camp. Ill figure out how to get them up tomorrow from my phoneQuote:
Originally Posted by CO Hugh
They are definitely starting to talk me and my cousin had numerous bulls whistling, and chuckling back at are cow calls. No full blown bugles though shot a cow Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and got her packed out after two days of serious work /hiking
Shot at no more than 10 ft. with a 348 grain aerotip powerbelt and 130 grains of triple seven powder.! Yes I said feet. She almost walked on top of me!
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...909_143116.jpg
Congratulations!!
thanks I was happy it was my first elk.
I finally tripped the trigger yesterday. I called in 4 bulls sitting in the same spot in about a 10 minute span of time. The first was a nice 6x6, the next two came in at the same time from opposite directions and they were both decent 5x5's, and then last this little guy came in and actually gave me a shot, where as the others just never stood where I needed them to. I packed him 1.25 miles back to camp by myself in 3 trips. I'm one sore sucker today. He'll be good eatin'.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps9743a26f.jpg
Damn that is a lot of work solo
They sure get into some funny places after they get shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by van7559
Yeah no shit we had a hell of a time gutting her there
time to learn the "gutless" method. She is in about the perfect position to get started pulling 1/4's.
I got lucky when my bull died next to a couple of oaks so I simply tied his hind legs in position and got to work. Pull all the meat off of one side, roll the critter over and repeat. Getting the tenderloins out is not hard, but ya gotta be careful to prevent cutting into the stomach/intestines. I also like heart, so it's the last thing I do is cut open the chest, BUT by law, it's not required to be eatin', so with the gutless method, there's no reason to cut open the chest.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps2fff73b1.jpg
Well done my friend!
Killed my elk on the evening of the last day of the season. Must say I'm not happy with the performance of the 270 grn powerbelts I was using. I hit it three times (yes, i had the time to reload and shoot three times at this one.... amazing). Once in the neck... didn't expect much performance out of a bullet there. The second entered behind the front shoulder and exited through the middle of the far side hind leg. Entry and exit holes about the same size. Third shot was a put down shot in the head. Anybody know of a better bullet to use in muzzloaders in CO? Something that actually expands?