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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Michael Pfander on October 03, 2010, 11:54:00 AM
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I was supposed to go with the group that went to Shipman Park but personal finances and work got in the way. As it turned out I ended up with a free week and my first draw in time to pay for an OTC tag after the muzzle loader season. I went in to an area I hunted last year. The South San Juan Wilderness. I left Tucson on the 16th and was in camp on the 18th. The bulls were going at it hot and heavy. They had just started to gather up cows. The campsite was at around 10,200' All of the activity was along the rim of the canyon or in the dark timber. I hiked up a steep drainage the afternoon of my second day in camp. It was called Victoria Gorge. The elk had cut more than one trail in and out of the meadows on top to valley and meadows where I was camped. It made the task a little easier. I staid up there until dark and came back to camp with my headlight. The next day I went up the drainage I was camped in to the basin and headwall at the end. The winds were squirrely and I heard but didn't see any movement. I got up early the next morning and headed up the drainage to try and get on one of the herds that were talking as I went to bed. I was able to get on them and follow them to their bedding area. That evening I went back with the idea of working them as they came out of the dark timber. The bulls hung up on a bench and began to bugle and rake trees. At this point I decided to get aggressive as it was going to be dark before long. I began to stalk in on the bugles. Usually what happens is that the cows pin me. This time however they had gone on down ahead of the bulls so I had them to myself. They younger of the two decided to come down and see what I was. He got within about 5' of me. He came straight in. As he stood there trying to decide what I was he turned to my left. At this point I knew I could shoot him. I began my draw, raised my head, and hit him in mid air on his second jump to my left. It was an extreme quartering away shot. I got about 24" of penetration and took out his heart. He went about 100yds. I found him the next morning with his rack stuck in a tree and 3 of his feet.under him. I figure he died in mid jump and crashed. The rest of the day was spent boning him out and packing back to camp. As we all know the fun is over when the elk hits the ground. Once again I will try to figure out how to post the pics that go with this story.
Take care
MAP
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Congratulations sir! If you can't figure out how to post the pics, email them to me and i will see if i can help you out. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Yes, picks are required.
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Pics... Pics... Pics... Pics...
Oh yeah... we would like to see pics. :D
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Oh yea definately need pics. How far in were you to get that Elk out or did you have packstock lined up?
Sounds like a great time.
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Michael that is fantastic I am really glad for you.I wait for the pics.
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Hi Michael, that is a great story. I have never seen the area and pictures would be super. Congratulations on a successful hunt.
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As luck would have it we met the outfitter that has the rights to this area on the way in. We got really lucky on our first day hiking in everyone was leaving. The outfitter took out his 2, we met 2 other hunters on horseback headed out, and two other backpack hunters also headed out. We were two days in to where I killed my bull. We went 3 days and didn't see anyone but ourselves. The first people we saw were two thru hikers headed for the divide trail. The day I killed my bull the outfitter came up to check on the cattle on this lease. They run 375 head in the drainage where we were hunting. Some mornings the cattle would seem to be egging on the elk. The cows would start bawling and then the elk would really get after it. The first day we were in there they messed us up a few times. After the first day they settled down. This is the first bull I've killed east of the divide. I normally hunt on the other side closer to wolf creek pass. I killed one over in fish creek a while back. That's the closest I've come to this area. I've killed a few up in the Weminuche south of the divide in 77 the unit to the north is a draw unit 76 and I've never hunted it. I go to CO when I don't get drawn for AZ. I was kidding with the outfitter while he was hauling out. About having to pack out our elk. He said sure. I normally carry it all back myself. This time that tail end of a hurricane kicked our buts out of the mountains. We made it to the trail head with our first load soaked and cold. At that point all we wanted was a hot shower and a dry bed. We hit a little town for both, called the outfitter and agreed to meet him at the trail head the next morning. He packed the rest of it out and we jumped in the truck. I hit the front door here at 2:00am. I spent the next day cutting it up wrapping it and putting it in the freezer. We also had the best fishing I've had in CO. I managed to land a 20" brown from the creek we were camped on.
Take care
MAP
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Congrats!
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congrats, great job.
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Congradulations. Hap
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Congratulations
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Glenn
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I look forward to seeing pictures. Hope you have some good ones to share.
Joe
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Congrats! Gotta get pics up for the rest of us who don't have elk.
Kevin
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man sounds great. Congratultions!
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Well I'm not having much luck. I have them posted on LW.
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Sounds like a great hunt. Congratulations.
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(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z287/rastaman1953/colorado%20otc%20hunt/colo2.jpg) (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z287/rastaman1953/colorado%20otc%20hunt/colo3.jpg) (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z287/rastaman1953/colorado%20otc%20hunt/colo4.jpg) (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z287/rastaman1953/colorado%20otc%20hunt/colo5.jpg) (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z287/rastaman1953/colorado%20otc%20hunt/colo6.jpg)
Here are a few of Michael's pictures. Congratulations again sir!
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Thanks Randy!
MAP
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Sounds like a great hunt. Congrats!
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Impressive stuff. Thanks for letting us in on it. :clapper:
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Beautiful country and a nice bull. Well done :archer:
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Congratulations!
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Man that is a great hunt! Congrats! I hunt near there most years in the Rio Grande Nat'l Forrest near Sheep and Windy Mts. Great looking rough country where you are at. Wonderful hunt pal :archer2:
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Congrats!! :thumbsup:
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I like the looks of that bow! Nice hunt, great pics and nice bull for icing on the cake!
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Very cool pics, congrats again
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Yea I like it to. Its my newest for lukas at Saluki Bow. Its an Ibex 62" 59# @ 28", my arrows weighed 728 grs. Thru my chrono they were going 180. What can I say its a keeper.
MAP