I was supposed to go with the group that went to Shipman Park but personal finances and work got in the way. As it turned out I ended up with a free week and my first draw in time to pay for an OTC tag after the muzzle loader season. I went in to an area I hunted last year. The South San Juan Wilderness. I left Tucson on the 16th and was in camp on the 18th. The bulls were going at it hot and heavy. They had just started to gather up cows. The campsite was at around 10,200' All of the activity was along the rim of the canyon or in the dark timber. I hiked up a steep drainage the afternoon of my second day in camp. It was called Victoria Gorge. The elk had cut more than one trail in and out of the meadows on top to valley and meadows where I was camped. It made the task a little easier. I staid up there until dark and came back to camp with my headlight. The next day I went up the drainage I was camped in to the basin and headwall at the end. The winds were squirrely and I heard but didn't see any movement. I got up early the next morning and headed up the drainage to try and get on one of the herds that were talking as I went to bed. I was able to get on them and follow them to their bedding area. That evening I went back with the idea of working them as they came out of the dark timber. The bulls hung up on a bench and began to bugle and rake trees. At this point I decided to get aggressive as it was going to be dark before long. I began to stalk in on the bugles. Usually what happens is that the cows pin me. This time however they had gone on down ahead of the bulls so I had them to myself. They younger of the two decided to come down and see what I was. He got within about 5' of me. He came straight in. As he stood there trying to decide what I was he turned to my left. At this point I knew I could shoot him. I began my draw, raised my head, and hit him in mid air on his second jump to my left. It was an extreme quartering away shot. I got about 24" of penetration and took out his heart. He went about 100yds. I found him the next morning with his rack stuck in a tree and 3 of his feet.under him. I figure he died in mid jump and crashed. The rest of the day was spent boning him out and packing back to camp. As we all know the fun is over when the elk hits the ground. Once again I will try to figure out how to post the pics that go with this story.
Take care
MAP
Topic: 2010 Backpack Elk hunt (Read 428 times)
