For love of the game 2009... Utah, Here we came.. (Pg. 6)

[Missouri CK]

 

 

[BMOELLER]

Sweet pics guys.  Awesome vid Chris.

[Missouri CK]

This is an spike elk skull I found that was still in pretty good shape.  I figured it was good karma and it turned out that I had a shot at a buck that evening but I managed to screw it up.  I'll tell that story later.    

Still it was a great find.

[Missouri CK]

 

 

[Missouri CK]

Pretty shakey video but he was at 12 yards and I was afraid he would spook.


 

[Missouri CK]

This is what your left with after spooking an elk at 40 yards.

[Guru]

no way this should be on pg. 2

[Missouri CK]

I'll finish up my story.   I hadn't seen any bucks except for a little spike on the first day. It actually got to the point that I saw so many does that I wasn't expecting to see a buck.  I had a wierd spectator feel with this hunt in that I started taking more pictures and being less careful while on stand.  I'm not complaining because I was having a blast watching the bulls and does.  Unfortunately the effort to get some cool pics cost me in the end.

On my fifth night out I had two bulls come running down the hill which I'm guessing are the same two bulls I saw on my last night in my earlier post.  The stayed in the black timber and my stand was still positioned out on the meadow edge at this point.  I saw one of the bulls step out into the meadow but he was 70 yards downhill from me and then he quickly went back into the timber.  I could hear them walking around in the timber with their hooves hitting down trees as they walked around. At one point I heard their antlers tickling around in some light sparing. I was calling to them intermittently hoping they would come back out or that more elk in the area might come to join them.  For some reason I had switched to a spectator mode that was more curiousity than predator archer. I can't really explain why this happened because I came into this hunt desperate to finally make this a successful hunt out west.  

Unfortunately this is where the story takes a bad turn.  I had just given a couple of light calf calls when I heard heavy foot steps in the dark timber and they were close.  I still had my camera in my hand at this point and for some reason I didn't put it up.  I never considered it wouldn't be the two bulls I had seen earlier.  NEVER ASSUME! I wish I had headed this warning as I stood flat footed on my stand as a nice 3x3 mule deer buck walked out of the clearing and proceeded to look directly at me.  I know I subconciously said "oh ****"!  I should have just stood still but at 8 yards it might not have made a difference.  I slowly slid my camera back into my pocket.  By the time I got my right hand up to the string the buck was turning back into the timber.  I heard him make a strange grunting sound at that point.  Then he turned and headed for a clearing.  As his head went behind a tree I drew and held until his shoulder blade cleared the tree.  I was rock solid at full draw and the shot felt great as I let it go.  The buck was already on alert and I should have anticipated his drop but still I think it was extreme as I could see him roll and drop to the point I saw his underside as the arrow was upon him.  I thought I hit him but was afraid the shot had entered his flank.  After dark I found the arrow and it was completely clean.  

I'm left to laugh but also curse myself for my lack of focus.  I just never fathomed that it would be anything but those bulls.

[Widowbender]

These are some of the most beautiful pictures I've seen!!!  WOW!!!!

[Missouri CK]

The buck came out right in front of the aspen in the middle of the picture. As you can see the spruce tree blocked me from seeing them until he was out in the open.
 


He went back into the woods and I shot into this clearing.
 

                     

[just_a_hunter]

Great story, Chris. Thanks for sharing, and thanks once again for coming out. I have four more days to elk hunt, and I'll sure be thinking of you all while I'm up there.

Where's Tom?....

Todd

[BMOELLER]

Yeah, Tom where are you????

[K.S.TRAPPER]

"Where's Tom"

I'm Wondering the same thing Todd    

I have more picks for ya but my dial up server's not working for some reason.

We will be pulling for ya buddy, I hope you guys have a great hunt.    

Tracy

[Missouri CK]

Go get em Todd!

Chris

[steadman]

Good luck Todd! I'm afraid my season is down to a day. And I will only be able to hunt deer. Oh well. I will get some pics up soon.

[ksbowman]

Tom fell out of the truck somewhere on I-80 and hasn't been seen since.

[BMN]

great stuff guys. keep it coming.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Ben was a great hunting partner and we sure covered some ground, The view was incredible in most places.

 

The aspens were just starting to turn the last few days we were there, Sure would have liked to have been there when they were showing all the glory.

 

Here's Ryan resting a bit, I did my flatlander best at wearing him out. No such luck : ) that goes for Ben too.

 

I had a awsome time and I want to thank Todd for the invite. Camp was great, the food was even better and what can I say about the guys I hunted with. Tradgang folks are some of the best and I had the privalage of sharing camp with some of the greatest. Todd,Tom,Chris, Ben and Ryan you guys were great and I hope we can share camp again sometime.

 
 
Tracy

[just_a_hunter]

Tracy,

The pictures are great, man. It was a pleasure..

Todd

[Charlie Lamb]

I want to interject a word thanks to you guy. Your stories at once fill my senses with sounds, and sights and smells that I dearly love.

As some who have been with this thread from the beginning know, I was supposed joint Todd and the gang on this trip to Todd's little slice of paradise.

As often happens, life has a way of changing plans and that's sure what it did to me.

I'd been struggling with back problems since back in early spring. I know the exact moment when I hurt it and did what I could immediately to help it heal.

As it turns out after months of chiropractic, physical therapy and toward the end epidural injections nothing seemed to get the job done.

I'd undergone the last series of shots when the time for my departure to places west. It was to start in Wyoming with my buds Vance "Iron Bull" Brewer, Joe"Whip" Lasch, and Jeff "Tippit" Springer. They'd on last years fishing trip on the St.Judes auction.

What had been a promising start degenerated into a terribly debilitating return of my back issues.
With the wisdom of cooler heads than my own I decided that the trip must be cancelled and the long trip home taken on.

After much debate it was worked out that I'd fly home and leave my truck in Wyoming. Through the generous nature of my buddies I made that trip and found my self in the hospital at home while my truck was shuttled down to the guys in Utah who then got it back to Missouri during their bun busting drive home at the end of this trip.

I learned a long time ago that lost hunts never are recovered and I was heart sick about losing this one.
The situation did, however, fill my heart with the warmth of true friendship and you can't put a price on that either.

I'm convalescing at home now with goals set for later this fall. But first I've got to work out the last leg of getting my truck home.

Thanks guys for the wonderful stories. They take me along like I was there and that's good enough until we do it the next time.