Colorado Elk hunt `14

[JaDub]

Just got back from our latest elk expedition and I gotta tell you I`m totally gassed ( read worn out ). I think I mentioned in an earlier story that we lost our elk honey- hole from years past due to `new ownership` ( estate inheritance ) . Found this out a few weeks before our hunt date so we really had to scratch to find a new area to hunt on short notice. Even though we did discover some beautiful territory with potential , it was `public` so we knew we were in for some serious competition. Wisdom states that to be successful on public land you have to put forth whatever it takes to go where others ( hunters ) don`t venture. With that in mind we did some serious 4 wheel`n to get back beyond where most hunters don`t venture. I`m pretty new to 4 -wheel -low range so this was a learning adventure for sure.
What follows is a brief look into our week up in the Colorado High country. I drew a cow tag for the third ( last ) rifle season of the year and Karl`s tag was for a bull.










Once we got up to where we were headed we just sorta sat back and thanked the Lord for the opportunity to behold this wonderfull place.




For someone who hasn`t done this kinda stuff before I gotta say it was enjoyable AFTER I over came the `visuals`. 8-)















Now we wait for the sun to go down in anticipation of things to come.




Just after sunset ( 6:10) on the first night a cow and a couple rag-horns appeared out of the alders. A shot of approx. 175 yards put the cow down in a pile. Because we were a mile + from where we left the truck we now had the `fun` of dressing and quartering the beast and hauling the goods out on our backs. The temps were dropping pretty fast and after making three round trips out and back we were totally gassed. The heater in the truck was totally appreciated as now the sweat from the effort started to chill us to the bone. NOW we had the long drive back out in the dark........... rough road remember ?? I think we got back to our camp around 10:30PM or so. The Makers Mark never tasted so good. Sadly I didn`t have a camera with me that night so all I could do was to return to the butchery scene and take a few pictures of what was left.

This is all that remained of the cow carcass after 12 hrs ( over night ). The coyotes, ravens and magpies really had a feast. I`m sure there were a few yotes that were sleeping it off with swollen bellies in their dens.





Nothing goes to waste in the wild. This is a picture of what`s left of the cow 48 hrs after it was butchered in the field . Amazing !

















A dusting of snow over night made the views pretty spectacular.




The sun sets on the 2014 season . Thankfully we now have a freezer full of goodness and memories that will live a life-time.

[Jamie.270]

Looks like you found the right country JaDub.
Reads like you found you quarry too!

Congrats on a successful hunt.

[gitano]

Wow! beautiful country, JaDub, and great pictures!

Congratulations on the kill.

Paul

[Hunterbug]

Good job and great pictures. I'm glad that you filled the freezer. Please tell me that you took the ivories.

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

Nice pictures there JaDub, congrats on the meat!

[gitano]

"Please tell me you took the ivories."

I hope he did, because I see them in the "skeleton" picture.

Paul

[recoil junky]

Great job Jeff. Good hunt, good meat, great times!!

RJ

[sakorick]

Looks like South Park South of Jefferson. I shot my first Muley there and my first two Elk. Good job on the hunt.....tough to lose a honey hole.

[JaDub]

Sadly, I forgot the ivories..........  
 
   You`re right Rick...  near Tarryall reservoir.  The only shot that we heard fired that week was the one that brought down the cow.  Considering how many hunters were   in the area, I found that to be a bit disturbing.  We only saw a couple of does ( no tags for does available ) and NO bucks.  `Course this WAS the third rifle season.
 
   JaDub

[sakorick]

Looks like the roads haven't got any better. That was area HH back in the day.

[JaDub]

HH, That must be an old designation system.  I think it`s called area 50 now.  I`ll be looking for another hunt code area next year.  Nice place to be in but not much to shoot at.  

[22hornet]

Beautiful country to hunt in JaDub. It looks alot like some of my old hunting grounds.

I'm amazed at what was left of that cow.

[JaDub]

The area is called Puma Hills. Apparently when settlers were coming into the area in the late 1800s there was an unusually large number of cats in the area..........  hence the name.   I`m told there are still a number of cougars around.  Wouldn`t be surprised if one helped themselves to the carcass as well.  I too was amazed at how fast the carcass was cleaned up.