This year’s elk hunt was a little different than years past. For starters I was working in California for the majority of the elk season. To add to the fun a forest fire closed a huge portion of our elk area. This concentrated large amounts of hunters in one localized area. In turn the elk moved deep into the area’s most would not go. After making the two day trip from California to Cheyenne spending some much needed time with my girlfriend swapping out my gear for elk hunting goods I hit the road to Sheridan. I arrived in camp late in the evening Dad and his buddy were out hunting so I unloaded my gear and made a short walk around camp. The next day Dad and I went to an area he had been seeing elk the week before. That night was proof of just how much pressure the elk were under. There was neither a sound nor an elk to be seen. That night in camp a friend who had been on his last hunt for the year that night and was thinking about whether his boss would let him stay a little longer told me where he had found a good bull. After looking at the pictures and hearing his stories my spirits were lifted.
Let me take a second here to tell you what makes the group of hunters I call my friends so special. This guy I have only known for a few years, I see him only during elk season, we all make sure to stop at each other’s camps each year(had it not been for the fire we would not have been camping together) and he was telling me of this bull he found. The next day as we helped him through the somber task of taking down his camp and loading his truck he told me his thoughts on how to approach the area and what he had seen this bull do. As we shook hands before he left his words were “I sure hope you get him I really want to see him up close”. I have hunted with those who will not even talk to you if you see a bull bigger than they seen. This man understands what hunting should mean and passes it on to all he comes in contact with. Don’t know if he will ever read this but THANK YOU Phil.
Monday came around and I was ready for a long day hunting. I took the morning easy to gather my things get some food in me. At noon I took off for what turned out to be an amazing night. After a six mile hike to the area I was told about I found ELK. Quickly I moved into some cover and started observing the situation. One bull, two bulls, four cows, no six cows, now five bulls, wait where did he come from. Then behind me I heard one bugle. More and more elk came out of the timber. I believe there were 16 cows and 18 bulls in one canyon. Now anyone who hunts elk will attest this is the making for one awesome scene!!!!
Now here is where I fault. When I was in the middle of the elk I never thought gee I should take a picture of some of them. I just keep maneuvering and working for a shot. Well turns out my conscious and me had a talk and I should have taken pictures.
Topic: No Elk Were Harmed in the Making of this Story (Read 492 times)
