Lions and Bears And Elk Oh My!!!!!!!

[sunny hill archer]

This story begins way back in March when Doug Treat posted on Pow Wow that he was interested in an all Trad elk camp this year. Well there were four of us interested but I was the only one that got a tag. So began my relationship with the elliptical machine      
     It was truly amazing to everyone to whom I told the story of where I was going that I didn't really know this guy. I never even gave it a second thought. I did however promise that if I heard any Banjo music I WAS OUTTA THERE       Seriously I had the time of my life. I'll tease the bear part now with a picture,then tell the story after supper.

[Kingwouldbe]

Right on, nice Cinnamon  

[drewsbow]

Man that is an awesome bear congrats :0)

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Nice bear; looking forward to the rest of it.

[huckbuck]

Beautiful Bear, Hurry up and Eat  

[sunny hill archer]

Doug is the one who killed he bear. I realize that I made it sound as though I had. He got it the week before I arrived. He had deer tag and a cow elk tag. He was trying to kill a doe and sit over the carcass to get a bear. Well, Doug likes to call animals so he was out there with a fawn bleat trying get a doe to come in. Several did but they were so wired he could not get a shot. On his last setup 2 does came in then left just as quickly. He was about to leave when he looked up the hill and saw something blonde in the grass coming down the hill. After a closer look he saw that it was this bear. He continued calling and the bear kept coming... and coming and coming. Doug finally shot the bear at about 3 yards, give or take an inch or two. He said it went twenty yards back up the hill and fell over dead as a hammer.

[Matty]

3 Yards!!??       I dont know that I would have waited that long to get that close to that bear!

[sunny hill archer]

The Colorado DOW estimated the bears age at 12 - 16 years. It tastes great too. We had some for lunch. It was the first time I had ever had any.

[sunny hill archer]

The shot was so close because the bear would not turn. Doug finally shot it down through the clavicle into a lung and then the heart. He can tell it much better than I.

[sunny hill archer]

So... Needless to say I was really pumped when I met Doug at the trailhead. That lasted all of 10 minutes after we started the hike in. I live at about 23 feet above sea level. There ain't nearly as much O2 in the air at 7500 feet as there is where I am from.  I was sucking eggs so bad it was not even funny!!! We concluded that a mile in Estes Park was equal to two in the Lowcountry. We got to camp about 3 PM local time and got settled in. Then We made our first hunt.It took 30 minutes of hiking to get to the bottom of the first Mountain(Doug claims it was just a hill, but I know better) We started up on an elk trail cowcalling as we went. We got to a small plateau and looked down into the gully and this is what we saw. It was less than 40 yards away and in stealth mode. Doug has been hunting this area for 22 years and had never seen one.I had been here 2 hours and here he was. He was huge!!!!!! And he was not in a hurry to leave. I put an arow on the string while Doug kept calling. If he had made one move towords us I was going to let one fly.It was scary exhilarating and totally primal. He left after about 5 minutes.

[longbowben]

WOW he was looking for dinner.

[sunny hill archer]

And this was just the first day. The next morning we got up and went for a nice hike. We saw 2 mule deer. We also found a Lion kill. That evening we hiked an hour and fifteen minutes just to get to the bottom of the mountain. Then it took another hour to get to the top. Once up there we found lots of fresh sign. We set up and called but got no response. At 6 we heard a bugle way down in the valley. Doug said Let's go! I'm like go where? Down there. So down the mountain like bats out of hell we go. We get there and start calling. Well now there are 3 bulls bugling. After about 20 minutes all I hear are hoofbeats and I'm wondering how in the world did a horse get way out here.... Then this 5x5 busts out and slams to a stop 25 yds away from me.I had to pick my jaw up off the ground. He was way bigger than I imagined and way closer. I don't think I would have remembered to shoot even if I had a bull tag. It was way cool. This was only the second day.

[sunny hill archer]

Here are some other pictures.
 
 
 
 
 

[tadpole]

Awesome story, I was one of the four that was supposed to go.  My luck on the draw went south.  Glad to hear you guys had a good time.
Tom

[sunny hill archer]

Days 3 through 7 saw us call in 21 elk. 11 of which were close enough to shoot if only either of us had a bull tag. Here are some more pictures.