1st Elk hunt...I am back 9/11/13 (see pg. 4)

[karrow]

packing for the trip is alot of the fun. good luck

[Hummer3T]

good luck, savour the experience

[fnshtr]

Good luck Mike. Look forward to the stories!!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

6 days now.  Best of luck, have a safe trip and a great Hunt!

[drewsbow]

Good luck guys

[T Sunstone]

I hunted around Silt and Rifle in 09 first week of the season and had some action.  I was planing on going this year on a DIYS hunt but my Lyme disease has been killing me.  Starting to feel a little better so I might do a last minute decision.    

[iawoody2]

Got my first elk last Labor Day, 2 minutes later missed a bear, I was still shaking so bad. South central Colorado.

[Al Kidner]

Good for you Mike !!

Let us know how you go buddy.


ak.

[Jayrod]

GOODLUCK take lots of pics!!!

[jhg]

Originally posted by Mike Bolin:
...I will definitely take it easy when I hit the mountains. Even with working out, it is clear to me that "I ain't as good as I once was"! I'll be 58 in October and I just don't heal/recover like I used to. ...

Hi Mike. 54 years old here and I have a couple tricks that may help you. Once you have climbed to your elevation or are hunting mid-slope, try to stay on one contour as much as possible, whenever you can.
 Even if you have to go a little out of your way, its often better in the long run than hiking up and down just to cross a small drainage or gully.
Those up and downs will add up and kill you, so use your legs wisely.
 I also try to be aware of the siren song of the down hill stalk... its real easy to float down a long way. Then you then have to climb it out. And up is much harder on you obviously.
 So choose wisely my friend!

Good luck

Joshua

[centaur]

The mountains do indeed get taller every year, but being in elk country is well worth some boot leather and sweat. Have fun, and know that chasing elk is an addiction.

[Mike Vines]

Good luck.

[Mike Bolin]

My buddy Scott let me know that he has the 30th off from work so we are leaving a day early!!! I am ready to go now. Been a long time since I've been this excited! Mike

[Rob W.]

 Good luck buddy!

[Car54]

Almost here..good luck!!

[Ken Babicky]

Good luck Mike! Taking the PL3, or the whole herd (lol!)?

[doubleo]

Good luck to you Mike!  

[MR BILL SHORTY]

Good luck and have fun.  

[Mike Bolin]

Thanks again for all the well wishes!
Ken, the PL3 will be my "primary" with the PL2 waiting in the wings.........

[Mike Bolin]

Well, we're back. Neither Scott nor myself came home with any meat or antlers. This trip was a real learning experience for me. Even though I knew better and several tradgangers advised that I should take it easy, I just plain overdid it on the first day!

We arrived at camp on the afternoon of the 31st and got our tents up and gear sorted and ready to go. Our Silt connection, Dick Railsback suggested that we wait until daylight to head out so that he could point out some landmarks as we headed out to a waterhole. A bit after daylight we headed up Van Mountain.

I was definitely sucking for air on the hike up. If I remember correctly, we went from around 8000' to over 9500'....could be wrong on that, but it felt like a lot more than that! All told it was around a 2.5 mile hike one way. My pal Scott handled the hike better than me and our friend Dick at least acted like he was tired to make me feel better.

We arrived at the waterhole at around 9:30. Dick told me he was going on up the mountain a little more than a mile and would be back around noon. He figured we should set on this waterhole until he came back. Scott set up on the south side of the waterhole and I set up on the west side. Neither of us really didn't have any idea as to where the elk might come from as the entire area was littered with trails and sign. I had not even got my gear sorted from my pack when I looked up to see a cow elk staring at me from 25-30 yards!!

I was caught unprepared.....bow on the ground, no arrow nocked and in a position I couldn't shoot from, even if I had been ready. I slowly lowered my head and hoped that Scott might have a shot. Scott held off in hopes that the elk would move on into water and that we both might get a chance.

The lead cow that was watching me turned away and trotted a few steps back in the direction that she came from. There were 6 elk in all-three cows, a calf, a spike and what I think was a forked horn or 3x3. They headed onto the south at a fairly slow pace, so I just hoped that they weren't spooked too bad.