This all started 3 years ago when a guy I met deer hunting in Wyoming invited me to go on an OTC elk hunt in Colorado with him. I met him out there for the last 3 days of the season, saw a few elk, but didn't get anything. Did see quite a few nice bucks, so when I got back I told my buddy Matt that I think I knew an area to go cash some deer points in on.
2 years ago we draw the deer tag, but due to concerns with my wife's pregnancy we turn our tags in the month before the hunt. Save our points by not receiving a refund. Pregnancy went well and we have a healthy baby boy. Last year I had a promotion at work, so wasnt able to apply to go.
This year we put in, draw the deer tag and I pick up a cow tag in the leftover draw and an OTC bull tag. My thinking was if we hunt all 9 days of the season I should be able to get a buck and possibly a shot at either a cow or bull, but pretty tough odds overall.
We head to Colorado and see forecast for opening morning is 3 degree temperature with it feeling like 5 below with the wind chill. Day before the opener we glass a bowl that had a decent amount of elk deer in it that is far enough from any roads that I dont think there will be alot of hunters at, so we plan to hike in and be there at first light.
OPENING MORNING! We park west of where we saw the elk the night before and I step out of my truck and immediately hear cow calls from the ridge above my truck. I turn my flashlight in that direction and see about 50 elk bedded 150 yards from my truck! LOL! I turn to my buddy and we decide to sit in the truck and see if they stick around till shooting time. We wait for 1.5 hours in the truck absolutely freezing, but the elk moved off by first light. I head up a draw then up onto a big wide ooen flat top to look for the elk. After about 15 minutes I spot them feeding about 500 yards away. They start towards my direction, but then seem to be feeding to the right, so we make a plan to drop below the skyline and circle closer to them.
I come up and around and see they are directly infront of me, but have continued to angle away. I had the sun directly at my back, so I slow walked, then crawled to a dead bush that was the only cover between the elk and I. I'm right at 400 yards away. I look over the herd and see there are 2 small 4x4 legal bulls and a 6x6. I lay prone in the snow and put the crosshairs on the sweet spot of the 6x6 bull. I squeezed the trigger then heard that sweet WHAP! The herd starts running to the right and I dont see him, so I take aim on a cow, same story, BOOM -WHAP! The cow dumps over and her feet are up in the air. I'm so fired up, but am trying to see where the bull is. I finally see him stand up (he was in a small depression laying down after the first shot). I see he is hit in the front leg and chest area and know he should be piling up soon, but he limps off as I was trying to get another shot on him. He goes about 500 yards, to catch up with the herd.
The bull lays down, but kept getting up as the herd continued to move off. I was sure he was close to dying, and wanted to just let him sit and expire rather than keep bumping him, but he kept moving. I followed the herd, which was headed towards the road we were parked on and came up over a rise to see the bull walking with his head almost pointed straight up, then he collapsed in a little draw! YES! I knew he was done or about to be, but I still snuck to a ridge right above him to be sure. I crest the ridge and see him lying in the snow with his head laid down and I'm thinking he's done. Nope, pops up and runs about 20 yards before he catches a 250 grain psp to the neck and faceplants in the snow, instant light out! I walk up on my first public land OTC bull and I am stoaked and so thankful! The rest of the day was some hard work in FREEZING temps. To be continued...
2 years ago we draw the deer tag, but due to concerns with my wife's pregnancy we turn our tags in the month before the hunt. Save our points by not receiving a refund. Pregnancy went well and we have a healthy baby boy. Last year I had a promotion at work, so wasnt able to apply to go.
This year we put in, draw the deer tag and I pick up a cow tag in the leftover draw and an OTC bull tag. My thinking was if we hunt all 9 days of the season I should be able to get a buck and possibly a shot at either a cow or bull, but pretty tough odds overall.
We head to Colorado and see forecast for opening morning is 3 degree temperature with it feeling like 5 below with the wind chill. Day before the opener we glass a bowl that had a decent amount of elk deer in it that is far enough from any roads that I dont think there will be alot of hunters at, so we plan to hike in and be there at first light.
OPENING MORNING! We park west of where we saw the elk the night before and I step out of my truck and immediately hear cow calls from the ridge above my truck. I turn my flashlight in that direction and see about 50 elk bedded 150 yards from my truck! LOL! I turn to my buddy and we decide to sit in the truck and see if they stick around till shooting time. We wait for 1.5 hours in the truck absolutely freezing, but the elk moved off by first light. I head up a draw then up onto a big wide ooen flat top to look for the elk. After about 15 minutes I spot them feeding about 500 yards away. They start towards my direction, but then seem to be feeding to the right, so we make a plan to drop below the skyline and circle closer to them.
I come up and around and see they are directly infront of me, but have continued to angle away. I had the sun directly at my back, so I slow walked, then crawled to a dead bush that was the only cover between the elk and I. I'm right at 400 yards away. I look over the herd and see there are 2 small 4x4 legal bulls and a 6x6. I lay prone in the snow and put the crosshairs on the sweet spot of the 6x6 bull. I squeezed the trigger then heard that sweet WHAP! The herd starts running to the right and I dont see him, so I take aim on a cow, same story, BOOM -WHAP! The cow dumps over and her feet are up in the air. I'm so fired up, but am trying to see where the bull is. I finally see him stand up (he was in a small depression laying down after the first shot). I see he is hit in the front leg and chest area and know he should be piling up soon, but he limps off as I was trying to get another shot on him. He goes about 500 yards, to catch up with the herd.
The bull lays down, but kept getting up as the herd continued to move off. I was sure he was close to dying, and wanted to just let him sit and expire rather than keep bumping him, but he kept moving. I followed the herd, which was headed towards the road we were parked on and came up over a rise to see the bull walking with his head almost pointed straight up, then he collapsed in a little draw! YES! I knew he was done or about to be, but I still snuck to a ridge right above him to be sure. I crest the ridge and see him lying in the snow with his head laid down and I'm thinking he's done. Nope, pops up and runs about 20 yards before he catches a 250 grain psp to the neck and faceplants in the snow, instant light out! I walk up on my first public land OTC bull and I am stoaked and so thankful! The rest of the day was some hard work in FREEZING temps. To be continued...
