On my way...

Heading to CO tonight. VERY excited for my first archery elk hunt, especially since my buddy has reported at least one 5x5 and two cows in the area we're hunting. Stay tuned, this is going to be FUN!

2010 Season is Almost Here!

What a difference a year makes... last year I was so fed up with rifle hunting that I started down the path of black powder. Just before drop the dime on a whole new setup I "saw the light" and decided that bow hunting would be a better choice. I'm so happy I figured that out.

Now I'm the proud owner of a compound bow, multiple cases, arrows, optics, etc. So much for saving a few bucks. The best part is that I have a home on 2 acres that gives me the freedom to 'shoot' whenever I want. I could never do that with a rifle. Whenever I get a twitch I walk out to the back yard and fire off a dozen or three and satisfy the jones. Going into the 2010 season opener I'm resolute in my determination to shoot a few dozen every day, twice a day if I can jump out of bed fast enough.

I've always been really excited for hunting season. This year, knowing that the likelihood of snow if pretty low in August (I pray that is true), I more excited than ever. As always, even if I don't bag the big one, I'm looking forward to getting out and having some fun with my buddies for a few days.

2009 Wrap-Up

No news is not good news. While I drew a (cow) tag for the 2009 muzzle loader season, I was so busy with work that I did not get away to use it. The only good news is that I didn't spend any money on a black powder rifle; instead I bought a compound bow! Now all I can think about is the 2010 draw for archery season and how I'm going to get in shape, once and for all, to bow hunt.

I've been to the archery range once since I got the bow last week. It is amazing how accurate the bow shoots with field points. Until I get a target of my own I'll forego buying any broad heads to practice with. Now I'm looking for a case that will protect my bow on the airplane and ensure that the sights don't get furbar during the trip.

Stay tuned, this is a whole new chapter for the Rookie Elk Hunter...

2008 Elk Hunting Wrap-Up

Snap, crackle, pop. They’re not just the sounds you hear in your bowl of cereal every morning. They are the sounds you want to hear, very loudly, when you’re sitting in the dark timber at oh-dark-thirty waiting patiently for a 600+ pound elk to walk up on your position. Crash, bang, boom - as the sounds gets closer and closer the hair on the back of your neck begins to rise and your pulse quickens. Suddenly you’re aware that you’re breathing faster and faster despite your best effort to remain perfectly calm. You double-check the chamber on your rifle to make sure you’ve already got a bullet loaded. It would really be embarrassing to pull the trigger and hear “click” instead of “BOOM!” You double-check the safety on your rifle to make sure you haven’t forgotten which side it’s on. You look down at your scope, making sure the lens covers are off and the variable zoom is set no higher than 6x. It would be darn frustrating to look through the eye piece and see nothing but the knot on a tree 100 yards away instead of the elk you’re targeting.

You say a little prayer to the hunting spirits asking for their blessings because you’re not sure if the last time you bumped your scope against a tree while you were stumbling through the early morning darkness you didn’t knock it loose and mess it up. From directly behind the tree you’re sitting against you hear what can only be a herd of elk slowly trotting through the woods. You check your watch to confirm that shooting hours have started; there’s no sun in the sky yet to confirm what you’re pretty sure you know. You take a deep breath and slowly exhale. The sounds of snapping twigs and disturbed earth only grow louder. You decide that the time has come to take a look behind the tree and possibly take your first shot in three years. You slowly lift your rifle, putting one eye in the scope and the other wide open to take in the whole scene. As you ever so slowly swing around the tree you can feel your heart pounding in your chest as your walk down the mental checklist you’ve reviewed over and over for the last 11 months – where to aim, confirm a good backstop, safety off before you pull the trigger, squeeze the trigger slowly, keep breathing… OH CRAP!

There, sitting upright, perfectly in your scope’s sights is the fattest squirrel I’ve ever seen. So fat, that it just might be worth shooting it to make up for the fact that I was convinced it was an elk. Grrr. There is no elk anywhere in sight. I put the safety back on, drew a deep breadth, and wondered how any squirrel, no matter how fat, can make that much noise in the woods. Dang squirrels. It is amazing how a few days away from the television, radio, computer, and cellphone (and all the other noisy distractions like the wife and kids) lets your hearing become more sensitive to even the smallest sounds. When I talk to other elk hunters, particularly those that have actually seen and shot elk, they tell me that an elk walking through the woods is a fairly noisy animal. I guess it would be hard to be “light on your feet” if you weighed over 500 pounds. Now I know that elk make more noise than squirrels. How much more, I’m not exactly sure, but I’m betting it’s a fair bit more. Dang squirrels.

This year I was fortunate to get out hunting twice – once during the first rifle season with a bull tag and once during the second rifle season with a leftover cow tab. Despite hunting two seasons I came up completely empty. Grrr. My best guess is that the weather has been so good going into October that the bulls went their separate ways after the rut and haven’t been pushed lower to look for better sources of food and water. Without a big snowstorm in September to kill off the grasses in the high meadows, bulls and cows are pretty content to stay put and only move when absolutely necessary. In between hunting seasons I had to work at a tradeshow in Dallas. That’s a long time to be away from home. Needless to say, my kids missed me and my wife (probably) didn’t.

Now don’t get me wrong – despite not filling either tag I still had a great time. All the BS you hear from men about “its just great to get out (of the house) and spend time in the woods (playing poker and drinking beer) is honestly true. For me the best part is getting out of the usual routine (wake-up, feed the kids, make coffee for the wife, send everyone off to school) and having some time to commune with nature. While I was out during the second rifle season, hunting up near Walden, I saw more moose than you could shake a stick at. This is the same area where moose were reintroduced a number of years ago. From what I saw, the reintroduction is working just fine. Over three days hiking around the woods I counted three bulls, four cows, and at least one calf. One of the bulls must have been at least 4-5 years old. He had a gorgeous rack and looked like he weighed around 1,200 pounds or more. Even though elk hunting is still my greatest pursuit, I’m starting to think it might be worth the effort to start accumulating preference points for a moose hunt. I hear they taste just as good as elk, if not better.

For me elk hunting is done until 2009. I don’t have the cash or the time to pull another leftover tag. My three year running score is: Elk 3, Drew 0. No matter, I’ll be the first one to call all my hunting buddies when the 2009 big game brochure comes out so we can get together for a beer at Roy’s and start planning for next year’s hunt. Hopefully NEXT year I’ll finally fill a tag instead of running into any more giant squirrels. Grrr.

2008 Elk Hunting Season(s) Wrap-Up

Coming soon - watch this space...

Got (Elk) Meat?

Thanks to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, here is the 2008 List of Meat Processors.

Elk in My Back Yard!

Around 10pm last night 2-3 bull elk made their way through my yard, headed for higher ground and probably chasing a mob of cows. As far as I can tell, the rut is getting started and these boys were looking for some ungulate companionship.

Hearing these guys bugle so loudly, so close to the house made my day! (night?) I've lived in the high country, in what I would consider prime elk territory, for almost 10 years. In that time I've never had any elk in my yard, let alone heard them bugle so loud and so strongly.

I should have known something was about to happen when I saw a cow elk swimming in the lake earlier in the evening. I have no idea why she was there or where she was going, but it was another first for me as well.

Things You Take Elk Hunting

Elk tag(s) and zip ties............... The FIRST thing you put in your pack! Forget this and you can kiss that 7x7 B&C record bull good-bye!

Ammunition.............................. 9 rounds should be enough for one day in the field. Keep the rest back at camp.

Headlamp AND flashlight........... ALWAYS make sure you have TWO sources of light, no mater how many other hunters are in your party.

BATTERIES............................. No batteries, no light, no fun, no kidding.

Snacks.................................... A little snack every hour or so will keep you going all day.

Knife (or knife set)..................... One great knife will probably do the trick. A few good knives will too.

GPS and Compass................... A GPS is awesome… until it doesn’t work. Not only do you need to carry a compass, you need to know how to use it.

Surveyor’s tape......................... Bright orange is nice and easy to see at night. You’ll use it to mark your trail, mark the campsite, mark the toilet, and decorate your cot. Blaze orange is to men as chartreuse is to women.

Sunscreen (unscented).............. Sunburn sucks. Put it on, keep it on.

Lip balm (unscented)................. Cracked lips suck.

Game bags.............................. Tag it and bag it.

Spare socks, gloves, warm hat... Easier to stay warm than to get warm when you’re sitting on your ass all day long.

Coat/Jacket.............................. Keep warm by staying warm

Rain poncho............................. Keep dry. If your coat will do both, leave the poncho at camp.

Toilet paper with a ziploc bag..... Pack it in, pack it out.

X’ parachute chord/nylon rope.... Useful for hold the game in position for cutting or tying the head/quarters to the pack frame.

“Wind bottle”............................. Squeeze bottle with odorless talc. If you are staying in just one area, consider bringing some string to setup as a windsock around the area.

Water bottle or bladder.............. 2 liters minimum. Whenever you have a snack, have a drink. The more you drink, the warmer and more energetic you’ll feel.

Space blanket (*)...................... Also doubles as a tarp to keep the meat away from the dirt while you dress it out. Make sure you get a good one.

First aid kit (*)........................... Critical medications (asthma inhaler, epi-pin for allergies, etc.) as well as the basic band-aids, bandages, etc.

Waterproof matches and lighter.. Fire good.

Fire starters (*)......................... Fast fire better.

Wet wipes................................ Great for keeping the privates clean.

Latex gloves............................. Great for keeping your hands clean.

Elk call(s)................................. Mostly cows and a bull.

20x One (1) gallon Zip-Lock Heavy Duty Freezer bags

Knife sharpener......................... Why be dull?

Multi-tool.................................. Mine is the classic Leatherman

FOOD...................................... Hunger sucks.

MAP........................................ Helps to know where you are and where you’re going. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll always get there faster…

Spare blaze bandanas............... Hang'm in a tree near you while you bone-out the Elk. Keeps more bullets away.

Flask with Jim Beam whiskey.... To toast a successful harvest!

Emergency whistle.................... one of those orange jobs that doesn’t have a pea in it

The Elk are Here! The Elk are Here!

NEWSFLASH: The elk are in Unit 38. Reports over the weekend and yesterday confirm that there at least two sizable herds in area near Mammoth Gulch as well as a nice size herd in Golden Gate State Park. One of my buddies spotted a gorgeous 6x6 bull with the heard as well as a solo 5x5 near the same area.

Can anyone answer this question - where do the bulls go after the rut? Do they go high? Do they go low? Do they go to Mexico? Where the heck do they go!??

Call Me

The Sceery A1 "Special" cow elk call is so good even I can use it without sounding like a porcupine that just got hit by a lawnmower. Much as I'd love to learn how to use a diaphragm to call, there's just no way its going to happen. I've got a high pallet. The only sound I make with a diaphragm is "Go away, I'm a hunter without a clue. Run!" Check'm out!

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with the nice folks at Sceery. They're sending me a replacement rubber mouth piece (the black part of the call) as well as a new catalog. I love great customer service as much as I love great products! Thanks Sceery!!

Remington's 2008 "Load Up on Savings" Promotion

In case you missed the memo, Remington (my bullet of choice) is offering refunds on a whole slew of ammunition. In particular, they're offering a $5 per box (limit of two boxes) refund for their Core-Lokt ammo. I haven't been to Wal-Mart yet to see what the price per box is up to, but I'm guessing that $5 off is a good deal. The savings page is here. The refund form is here.

Shooting Practice Should Pay Off

In an earlier post I mentioned how I promised to practice shooting my rifle throughout the year. So far, so good. I've been to the Boulder Rifle Club three times (3x) and each time has been a successful venture. Each time I've started with a few shots from my bench, just to make sure nothing has changed with my scope. I've only made one minor adjustment on the first visit. On all my subsequent visits the scope was dead-on and I had a quarter-sized group in the first 4 shots.

After I'm sure that the rifle is working right, I take a few shots from a sitting position, a few shots from a kneeling position, and few shots from a standing position (using a pole for support). So far I've put 99% of those shots on the paper, if not in the large target ring. Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty good about my shooting. Practice makes perfect... and instills confidence!

Elk Summer and Winter Ranges in Unit 38

Found this link on the Colorado Division of Wildlife website - Natural Diversity Information Source: Colorado's Biological Map and Natural Resource. Within the mapping system is information on the Summer and Winter ranges for Elk, as well as migration routes. The migration routes are not easy to see. I find it easier to compare the summer and winter ranges, drawing my own guesstimated migration routes based on natural features, water, and field observations. The best part is that all of this information is free and available for every GMU in Colorado.

Scouting Time

The grass above 9,000 feet is just now starting to sprout and go to seed. I know this because I live at 9,300 feet and I only have to look in my back yard to verify this. Intel from around Gilpin county tells me that the elk are moving up higher, so scouting time starts now. The only real bummer is that my access to Elk Park has been curtailed by some new gates locked on Apex hill. Not only is it time to scout, but it is also time to find a new (non-trespassing) route from my house to James Peak...

Results of the 2008 Big Game Draw...

YES! I got it!! (two years in a row, no less). I drew a 1st rifle season bull and a 2nd rifle season buck. Both tags are for Unit 38, my home unit (aka my backyard). Now I have to follow through with my training and scouting and I'll still have less than a 1 in 10 chance of harvesting an animal. Yahoo!!

4 More Days Until Christmas...

The results for the 2008 Elk season are scheduled to be released on June 10. That means just four more days to go until we know which tags we've drawn (and which tags we didn't). I've got my fingers crossed that I draw my 1st choice again this year, but I'll be just fine if I don't and end up with an over-the-counter bull tag to go with my deer tag.

On a somewhat related note, I'm on schedule this year to get in my target practice every month as planned. My first outting, last month, to the Boulder Rifle Club, was a great success. The second shot from the bench was dead center on the target. The rest of my shots, all done off-hand from a standing, kneeling, or sitting position, were in the black, white, or on the target. I don't think I had any shots that missed the target completely. Not bad for my first shooting of 2008, if I do say so myself.

Good luck to everyone on the 10th. I hope you'all get your first choice as well!

The Numbers Don't Lie

Statistics for the 2007 elk hunting seasons are available here.

The numbers don't lie - Unit 38 (my home unit, literally) had a composite success rate of 12% for all seasons and all manner of take put together. That's 70 bulls, 43 cows, and 9 calves (122 elk) for 1,005 hunters.

The majority of success was during the rifle seasons (50 bulls), with First Rifle season (71 hunters) accounting for 5 bulls, Second Rifle (256 hunters) accounting for 33 bulls, Third Season (122 hunters) with 12 bulls, and Fourth Season (25 hunters) with no bulls taken (just 3 cows).

I may to rethink my strategy for hunting #38. Seems like there is opportunity for hunting bulls during the 1st rifle season, but it requires a lot more work to find'em and hit'em.

Season Shot (this is NOT a joke!)

While checking out Dave Barry's website I came across a link to Season Shot - Ammo with Flavor in Dave's 2007 Holiday Gift Guide. These guys have apparently figured out that it is a lot easier to shoot and cook a pheasant/quail/duck with super compressed "seasonings".

I'm guessing salt is a key ingredient, but I don't know. The seasoned shot shells aren't for sale yet, and there's no published date when they will be. Still, this sounds like a great idea to me, for many reasons - no shot to extract from the bird, less pollution, and hopefully a less expensive shot shell. I'll keep my eyes on this and let you know when they announce availability of their seasoned ammo.

The Colorado Deadline for the 2008 Big Game Draw is April 1

No fooling, the deadline is April 1. I’m still trying to figure out if I’ll make the hajj to Steamboat (Unit 14) or just stay close to home (and a warm bed) and hunt out the back door. Each option has its advantages. If I go to Steamboat I’m in the woods with the guys for about a week. No extra chores to deal with. No white lies to tell the kids when they ask why they can’t get up at 4:00am to go hunting with me. Lots of downtime and plenty of social time. If I stay home and hunt in the back yard (my house is bordered on three sides by the National Forest) I get to sleep in a comfy, warm bed every night after I take a hot shower. If the weather goes to heck I can throw my clothes in the dryer and start each day with clean gear. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

When it is all said and done, know this – there’s at least six more weeks of winter left, turkey hunting starts in four weeks, and applications for next fall’s big game hunting are due in about two weeks. Aren’t you glad you have me around to remind you about all this?

Can You Say "I'm lonely!" in Turkey?

The start of the spring turkey hunting season is just around the corner. The official starting date is April 12th. I applied for a preference point and got one. My plan is to accumulate enough points to apply for a spring hunt along the South Platte River. That’s where the turkey hunting is a little easier (there’s more turkey’s living there) and a little warmer. Hence the need for more than one preference point to draw a tag for that area. In the mean time I’ll continue to stalk the elusive “ghost of the woods” up here in Gilpin and Boulder counties.

Between the national forest, the state wildlife area, and access to some private property, I figure I’ve got a 1 in a 20 chance of seeing a bird, let alone shooting one. Like elk hunting during the rut, turkey hunting in the spring has some unique characteristics. The male turkeys (you can’t hunt the females – go figure) are “lonely”, if you know what I mean. Theoretically all you have to do is make a realistic sound of a lonely female turkey and all the eligible bachelors will come running to the dinner table. The hard part for me is making the realistic sound of a lonely female demanding attention. How do imitate turkey talk for “get over here and take out the trash!” or “are you done playing poker yet?!” or “what are you making me for dinner tonight!”