Whip heading to Wyoming/ Updates Added

[Killdeer]

Sure beats being in this durn apartment, with the world whizzing by at 65mph outside my window. Between this and reading some David Peterson, I have had some lovely escapes!

Thanks!
Killdeer
(I gotta get back to emailing alerts to my elk friends.)

[NoCams]

You are right Whip..... lots of success is just catching a break at the right time. The errant wind cost me several bucks last year that were headed right to me. Prayin you catch the break you need bud !

[coaster500]

[beachbowhunter]

Bring it home Joe!  

[charles suttles]

Whip, Whip, where are you? I bet he's packing out meat!

[Whip]

Last night I headed for my ridge top to listen a glass to start the evening. I waited there for the air to cool and then using the gentle evening thermals worked my way into the next drainage with the breeze in my face.

I got to the bottom of a long narrow meadow in which I had seen elk feed during the early evenings a few times before. But nothing showed this night, not even a bugle to kindle my hopes.

This morning I headed back to my favorite morning meadow. When time is running short on a hunt it is natural to fall back to those places that have proven to be the best. Hunting is a game of playing the odds, and I had seen elk in this meadow on almost all of the mornings I hunted near it.

I hadn't gotten more than 400 yards or so from the truck and was walking through the edge of a stand of spruce. At the top edge of the meadow ahead I noticed a strange looking dark spot. It was still more night than day, and the light was poor. Even through the binoculars I couldn't make it out at first. But then it moved, and the light colored body with dark up front said elk.

I stayed where I was and as each passing minute allowed me to see a little better antlers appeared on top of its head. He seemed to be alone.

It has become apparent that the elk around here are very call shy. We have tried it a number of times, but mostly it seems to drive them away if they can't see the source of the calls. I thought maybe if this bull was alone it might be my best chance yet to have one respond to the call.

Simple mews and more plaintive estrus whines brought no more than long curious look from the bull though. After a time he melted into the timber behind him without a sound.

Continuing on to my original destination the morning meadow turned up empty. One of the few times it has let me down, but elk aren't quite that predictable.

Easing over the ridge I spotted elk feeding in the same meadow I had sat in last night. I wasn't sure what they were and whether there might be a bull with them. But they were elk and that was good enough for me.

Making my way across the side hill to put myself in position for an approach from below them I noticed movement through an opening ahead. Elk?  Deer?  No. Another hunter was slipping through the timber ahead of me. The joys of public land hunting.

With no other elk sighted and no bugles heard I had nothing else to try but to still hunt my way back toward the truck. After all, the bull from earlier in the morning was likely still in that timber somewhere. The odds of us crossing paths a second time were slim, but at least it gave me a chance.

There is no such thing as walking silently through this dark timber. It hasn't rained since I got here, and the forest floor is littered with crunching pine cones and needles with every step. I stay on game trails as much as I can, and I stop more than I move to watch, listen and smell. If an elk is up and moving maybe I can see it before it sees me.

A sudden crash forty yards ahead informs me that I am an amateur at this game. Even at that close distance I didn't catch a glimpse, but the breaking timber sounded like the way I have heard elk run off too many times before. As I stand listening the smell of elk wafts down to me and confirms what I already assumed.  I had most likely bumped an elk from its morning bed.

[jcar315]

Holy smokes Joe, seems like you can't buy a break! Hang tough and don't give up. Everything can go from bad to great in a flash!

[Terry Green]

[FerretWYO]

Keep at Joe.

[steadman]

Hang in there Joe!

[Steve O]

I can tell Joe is hunting hard; he's been awful skimpy with the pictures to post...

[Hopewell Tom]

Hang tough, if it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
I liked the idea of teaming up with your partner, try to change the luck my uncle used to call it. Because you're right - at some point you need some. What a trip so far, for this Eastern boy at least, your story telling has me in camp (almost).

[Whip]

Elk hunting is tough business. This trip has been an mix of feast and famine.  There were days of nothing at all, and on others I  had by far some of the most incredibly exciting moments of my entire hunting life.

The drive to hunt elk, or more generally for me, any type of hunting in the mountains of the west, is hard to understand. It is extremely physical and difficult.

Long days, short nights.  Steep lung busting climbs to the top of a ridge, often for naught.  My body is feeling the pain, but all the major parts still work. Nobody will ever say that I have an athletic build, but after three weeks of the mountains I feel better than I have in years.

During the months leading up to this trip I rode my bike diligently to get in shape.  Went on a diet and lost a bunch of weight. Researched every angle I could think of with phone calls, emails, and map study. Even made a summer week long scouting trip.

We tried to have one decent meal each day, but as good as tuna fish on soft tortillas is, it got old eventually.  I miss home cooking.  

The battery operated shower works pretty good, and we cleaned up daily.  But I do miss porcelain.  

Three weeks without seeing my wife and I miss her terribly.  Last year I was gone for a month and promised I wouldn't go that long again. This year I tried three weeks and that is still too much. I'll put it in writing here that future trips will be shorter so she has proof to show me if my memory fails and I try to schedule anything like this again.

But now it's over, and I'm in the truck headed for home. All of the above just to produce a few all to brief moments of excitement.  

Was it all worth it? Was the trip a success? Come on now, I think you know the answer to that.

I didn't originally intend for this thread to go into so much detail. But as it evolved into what it became I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts here. I always enjoy coming back to camp and sharing stories of the day and this was kind of like that.

One thing I did hope to accomplish with all of the writing is to try to convey a little of what hunting elk can be like and encourage those of you who haven't tried it to create your own dreams and go make your own memories someday.  

Thanks for coming along. When I have a chance to regroup at home I will put up some of the pictures I have.

[buckster]

What an awesome story, felt like I was with you the whole way and many moments felt like I was reliving my own CO hunt that ended on the 20th.

Have a safe trip & thanks for taking us along!

[tippit]

Joe,
Great hunt & great story.  Thanks for taking us along. You'd better stop and pick up a Kindle on your way home for Irene as she's probably finished everything at the library  :D  Doc

[ksbowman]

Joe, Thank you so much for taking the time to document this hunt for us that were not able to make an Elk hunt this year. I followed your threads every day hoping that you would score. I, my friend (even though I've never met you face to face)have hunted elk since a Colorado tag was $25 for nonresidents and have yet to score, so don't feel too bad. You've seen elk and been in the middle of the best part of hunting. Just being in the mountains is a great asset. My trip two years ago I covered 63 miles in six days on foot and never saw an elk. Job well done.

[tukudu]

Joe thanks for sharing this whole experience. You certainly have stoked the fires within. Thanks tom

[jcar315]

Loved the diary format and will say yet again thank you for taking the time to update it.

Gives someone who has never hunted elk, like me, just a tast of what is all about.

[Duckbutt]

Joe,

You were a big help for me on my first elk hunt and you still keep stoking my fire.  Good show brother and thanks for taking us along.

[rastaman]

Hey Joe, thanks for taking us along!  An elk hunt is something i hope to do before i get too old to do it.  i can't wait to see some of your pictures when you get back and have time to post them!