Ma ! Make some popcorn Butts finally has a story to tell

[Butts2]

For the next two weekend I took fridays off and would travel the 30-35 miles south of my house set up camp 1/4 mile from the pickup hike in the 2 miles and sit the same water hole and take an excursion once in a while for any wildlife available. I would see tracks at the water hole but not the ghosts that put them there. So 6  more days of hunting and I am hearing and seeing nothing. It is also suppose to be time for Elk rutting but I have not heard squat one there either. When I would head home late Sunday I would pass numerous camps of course and I came to a traffic jam in the middle of the forest. (2 ATV's and a pickup). I knew one of the hunters and he flagged me over. Never see you at your camp how come? "Go in at dark, come out at dark" was my response. He said I heard you had a Bear tag and "I dropped a monster Bear last weekend not 1.5 miles from your pickup. It green scored 21 11/16". Holy smokes etc etc.went the conversation. He said "wanted to tell you there is a huge Cinnamon Bear been spotted in the same area 3 times by other archers you should give it a try." No, I am seeing tracks and the Bear I saw looked real sweet to me so I will stick with that area. Talked with my son that night and told him maybe we should give the water hole a longer break and go somewhere else and at least see more game....hopefully. So we decide to drive about 110 miles southeast of home and camp at about 10,000 foot where the big Mulies like to bust mere mortals lungs. This picture is of the first view of the pond that you see when you come off the main trail.

[Butts2]

Arriving in the new area we set up our camp on the side of a wicked steep hill that someone else had previously excavated for a tent. A little rock kicking and earth moving with our boots and we were set.

[kennym]

       

[longbowben]

Great story keep it comming.

[Butts2]

We had previously looked at a topo map and found this dead end road where we were camping. Further looking at the map we decide to hike along the ridge line according to the map which would have little gain in altitude. As soon as my son and I entered the forest at the end of the road a good trail lead us off and up in altitude. Over the course of the next 90 minutes we gained about 600 foot in elevation and traveled 0.6 miles. Found a Primos mouth call right beside a stump and some toilet tissue. Found the call first then the paper thought it strange, anyway. At the top of the trail we find a gate which on the opposite side of it is a sign stating that the road is closed, there was no road. To the left of that is another gate with another sign stating the road is closed. This is a very old road. These roads came to a T. My son and I sit there tin the sun for awhile as it is about 2 pm so nothing is probably moving. Told him "Why don't you take a walk down that other closed road see if there is any better terrain for us to glass". Off he goes. About 30 minutes later I hear putputput and an ATV drives by me within 20 yards while I am leaning against my backpack and a tree waiting for my son. These 2 guys drive to the closed gate and then drive to the other closed gat all the time within 50 yards of me still sitting there. They are not talking quitely as you could imagine. They then proceed to head back the way they came but stop now only 15 yards from me. I stand up and it is easily 20 seconds before they see me. First thing out of their mouths was you want a beer. "No< got a 6 pack down at our campsite appreciate it though" If I was an animal you fellows sure would have missed me. "Well they said sorry about messing up your hunt. You know you could see a lot more Elk off of the deck of this yurt that is about a mile away down this road." I thought this road was closed. Nope you can take it up to these 10Th MT Division yurts if you want. You should get in and we will take you up there. They must have asked me 2/3 more times to go up to the yurt because there was alot of people up there and they kept arguing about the distance and then they roared away.This was the top of the mountain where my son and I were discovered by the ATV dudes.

[Butts2]

Not 5 minutes later my son comes out from the tree's. As you can see I am 5"10 on the right, so he is somewhat bigger. (I keep telling him remind me to smack your mom in the head because you ain't mine LOL).I said did you hear that crap etc.. He said "yeah, I was there almost the entire time I thought I was going to have to pull some Burt Reynolds "Deliverence" on those guys and bail you out!" He stated that he had indeed found a better spot and had actually seen 4 mule deer but was uncertain as to their sex. So off we go to see this new field to glass....and then it starts .....his coughing!!This is the field we were glassing.

[Butts2]

We walked further and further until we had a good vantage of the "park". We would cow call every 20 minutes only 2X but no Elk ever showed. In the end of it all we saw, if I remember correctly 12 deer. In one hour the temperature dropped 15 degrees on us by dusk. The next morning when the alarm went off my son said "I never slept at all cough, cough, I feel terrible lets go home. So, we packed up and headed home.....and back to the water hole. Here is a photo of my son glassing the area. I actually was glassing everywhere else.

[MI_Bowhunter]

I like this so far, keep it coming.

[Butts2]

Went back to the water hole area the next time out. Hardly ever hear of archer's shooting Bear in the early morning so my son with his intermitten cough and I  walked on by until later in the evening we would return. Crested the top of the mountain he went right I went left. I decided to really get into the stalking mood for myself. There was a pond about 200 yards to the west of me. It took me just over one hour to go that distance. When I was 35 yards from the pond out flushes 4 Turkeys. That is still pretty far but I showed a pretty good effort. I had told my son I was going to try the "dieing fawn" distress calls for Bear so he would know where I was at. Backed my body up to 3 trees and proceeded to squeel like crazy for 4 minutes rest 1 minute and continue this for one hour. Instantly 2 Does take off that I had not seen. The woods seem to go deadly silent when you are doing this type calling. I beleive they all know another creature is getting torn to shreads. At pretty close to one hour I hear brush snap behind me I jerk my head around and  "nope" its my son trying to get me to throw something at him for startling me. Then the rain hit us so we hunkered under a tree for a couple hours. Finally said to him I am going to go sit the water until dark "what you going to do?" I will sit with you I don't still feel well. Okay lets go.

[Butts2]

We sat there about 3 hours with him coughing now and again. He would bury his head in the cold weather coat that he had packed in case the Colordao  weather took a turn for the worst. He fell asleep numerous times sitting up leaning against a 1' diameter log. I could hear him wheezing to breath while he slept. When he woke up I said "I got an idea you have wanted to go in the direction where the Bear came from ever since that first day, back there in that dark tinmber. Why don't you do it? Go to the top of the mountain walk about 300 yards to the south then turn east towords the fence and stalk your way through the area. Either go to the truck or wait for me at the bottom (which is 500 yards down this hill" 10 minutes later he takes off, smiling. I sit down on my log  and await the darkness as it is now 4:30 pm. in the evening. 15 minutes later I hear something brush snap or whatever you just know it is a noise that does not belong. I look up the hillside opposite of where the first Bear came in and I see a tiny flash of brown go behind a bush and numerous trees. My mind instantly goes back to to my conversation with the other hunter and I say "Cinnamon Bear Bear Cinnamon Bear"

[Butts2]

It seemed like forever and nothing happened. No movement whatso ever from behind the bush and the trees. Did I take my eyes away and miss something? Then I hear an extremely large branch break 30-50 yards to the left of where I have had my attention focused. Looked to the area of the sound and there walking towards the bush and trees is the monarch of the forest... a bull ELK. He is limping pretty good and heading right to the bush/trees and out from the brush/trees runs a cow Elk with his nose right in her rear. She runs maybe 20 yards and this happens 2 more times with him nudging her rear and she trots the short distance. Soon they are out of view and I need to make a decision quick. Hit the trail and attempt to get there quietly before them or start cow calling to let them know there are more readily available females in the area. 1 minute later the decision is made for me the cow is now only 40 yards away, she came down the hill 30 yards and is heading back in the direction that they originally came from. The bull Elk decides not to follow her this time he is coming for some WATER. At 20 yards he stops and stares right at me. I have my bow up ready for the opportunity. He turns to go back up the hill but stays right where he is right in the thick of some small Aspen trees. He takes one step maybe two and stops again. There is an opening through the Aspens about the size of a basketball. Sopt, anchor, follow through. Instaed of hearing the clanging of an arrow like with the Bear I hear a sound similar to a person hitting themselves in the chest. He runs in the direction of the cow and with my voice I meo meo twice and he stops to look back for probably 4 seconds and then runs off. Seconds later i hear a big time crash. It took me 1/2 to find him.

[Butts2]

[Over&Under]

       

[beachbowhunter]

Fan-freaking-tastic!

[Tique]

Congrats Butts! One heck of a stroy and a great great outcome. Thanks for taking me along, I felt like I was there. Hope your son is feeling better.      

[MI_Bowhunter]

Now thats a memorable hunt.  Awesome!!!      

[slayer1]

Thanks for the story! Congrats on the Elk!

[DEAN]

You should be writing articles!!!!!Congratulations

[Butts2]

He green scored a bit over 310 with only 4.6 in deductions. We found him at 7:12 and our rear ends hit the pickup seat for the ride home with all the meat/ horns etc at 4:30 a.m.

[Butts2]