Back from the funeral visitation now so to add a few details and pictures to this tale.
Last year I made three hunting trips from Iowa to the Rocky Mountains and didn't want to spend that much time behind the windshield or that much on gas this year, so I planned this year to be a two week affair, one trip for elk only. I had a long time partner back out for a trip to Hawaii with his spouse, and my younger brother took a new job and was not going to be able to go this year either. My son and other reliable partner Eric Nielsen would be coming but that left some capacity in camp and I offered the opportunity to hunt to a couple of fellows including Shaun Webb. Shaun was able to come so plans were made for an early September horseback wilderness hunt.
My number one passion for a hobby is training horses. Number two is fabricating new equipment and preparing my gear for pack trips and number three is bowhunting elk in the remote wilderness. All of these activities are intermingled and related to each other resulting in a common goal.
My son and I drove all night from Iowa to Colorado as soon as I got off of work on Friday afternoon. 14 hours later we were on the west side of the divide having breakfast and getting our tags. We were exhausted but mustered enough energy to get the horses packed and started down the trail by mid afternoon Saturday. Saturday of Labor Day weekend is not the best day to be packing in with a long string of horses. There were over 100 cars at the trailhead, most people had 2 dogs and or a baby stroller or old people shuffling along the trail for their labor day outing. It was like the Iowa State fair for people watching. Seems like most of them had never seen a horse before and didn't know to get out of our way, as we had the right of way with a loaded packstring. Nevertheless we made our way past most of them. I was shocked at the amount of traffic on the trail but that was actually a good thing because I think all that human activity serves to drive the elk farther into the high country where I like to go.
My son, Jacob and I had a good week working elk 2-3 times a day. Jacob had three very close calls with elk including a spike at 20 yards that wouldn't leave, a lead cow at 15 yards that stared him down from behind a big spruce tree that covered her vitals and a huge bull at 12 yards that busted him and left him a trembling bowl of jello unable to move. The most frustrating thing was the constantly blowing wind that blew every direction within 10 minutes time all day long. Jacob was toting a compound bow but he has confided to me that he knows he should have killed that bull if he would have been able to get off a quick shot and hadn't been fumbling with his release and peepsite while the bull was coming in. He is ready to take up the longbow as soon as deer season is over. First wheel bow conversion of the week.
I also taught him how to handle a fly rod and he was getting the hang of it pretty well, only the fish were not biting the day we took time to fish one afternoon. The week passed by quickly. I decided to go spend Friday night in town at the Motel instead of packing Jacob out on Saturday Morning. It was 7.5 miles back to the trailhead and a 15 mile round trip back to camp up that steep trail was a lot to ask of my horses. We grained them at the truck, watered them in the creek and went to town for a hot shower, sit down supper at the steakhouse and sleep in a soft bed. I had a flat tire on the way to the trailhead on our way in the first night but that small town did not have a 10 or 14 ply tire to fit my trailer so I crossed my fingers in hopes that my second spare would be sufficient if needed at all.
We met Shaun and Eric around noon and made the 7.5 mile trip back to camp in about three hours. Really good pace considering the elevation gain.
Shaun has give a very good detailed account of his week with me and I have little to add. I did skin out the bull using the St. Judes Doug Campbell Mammoth tooth Damascus skinning knife I had with me. It is a beautiful piece of work but in the future I will keep my Helle knife handy for any butchering chores. Darkness was upon on us and the rain was falling as I started to skin the bull. He had been trying to get some relief in a nearby wallow about 30 yards away and he was pretty rank. I was in a hurry and cut myself sharpening the skinning knife. It will heal but will leave a mark.
I had a great time with my Jacob, Shaun and Eric the past two weeks. I am closing in on 52 years old and don't know how many more elk hunting expeditions I will have in me so I give 100% to get the most out of each one. Getting up and down the mountain is mainly a matter of proper motivation, passion, desire and some appropriate conditioning. I am living testament that a fat old man can successfully hunt elk in the nastiest country in the USA. I have been to Idaho hunting in the Lochsa, Clearwater and Selway drainages which are quite steep. Even so I assure you there isn't any tougher country than parts of Colorado above 10,000 ft. Thats where I find the best elk hunting and I crave the remote Wilderness experience that comes with the territory. Enough said about all that, I have a few pictures to add.
Topic: MO Sherpa and elk (Read 9773 times)
