Be vewy vewy quit...I'm huntin wabbits!!

Hunting season(pronounced the proper way as Huntin) started Saturday 30 Aug. I get a whole month this year to hunt Elk, since I am using a bow. Normally its 1 week out of the year to hunt with a rifle. Then you have 50,000 other idiots out there trying their best to shoot something as well. Its mass pandemonium. The only thing that could be better is if they were all drinking...Well they probably are...So instead I picked to go bow hunting for Elk. I couldn't wait. The anticipation leading up to the day we left was killing me. I had everything packed into crates but not packed into my truck. I was planning on doing that Wednesday night. Instead I got to spend Wednesday night at the ER with my little one. It was either the croup or pneumonia. They didnt know, so they treated her for both and sent us on our way. The good news is I got hooked up with a volunteer FD.

So I get out of work early on Thursday, pack up the truck, and get in the woods by 5 pm to secure our spot!!! Sweet!


That's my wall tent and my kitchen set up. I still have some work to do on the kitchen, but it works.



Of course this is my hunting buddies set up. He lucked into someone giving him a pop up trailer. I'm jealous...



Waitin for the Elk to come by, dont think we can hunt from here though. It's almost as good as NASCAR



If I was to walk to my hunting area, its about 3 miles, and 2000 feet elevation gain. Instead I have to drive around, and its like 40 miles. My house is on the bottom right by the G in Google. Camp is Camp6, and of course the territory we covered in all is about 3 miles. Not a lot but its up and down over ravines, through downed dead timber, stalking, stopping, looking, listening, trying not to make noise.



So Friday is a scouting day, and going to town which is about 20 mins away to get any last minute things we need like Mcdonalds, and a trip to wally world. Saturday starts opening season and we are ready. Well almost ready..still need to sight in my bow, and dry my clothes.



One of the guys making sure his bow is still sighted in. One thing I did learn is you need to shoot your bow with the broad heads on. Its not the same same from field point, to broad heads. Basically its like adding another set of wings on the front of your arrow. I found this out the hard way, that those blades from the broad head need to be lined up with the flecthings of the arrow.

Other wise this happens when you miss the target and hit trees, rocks, whatever else is around. Luckily someone had some spare broad heads or it would have been another trip back to town.


We try to be as scent free as possible. I like to use these wipes. I also use the body soap, and the washin powder.



It also doesnt hurt to hang your clothes in the trees for a few days prior, which I did. Of course when it rains the night before, you have a problem. Quick throw these in the dryer...O wait...



There are some weird people out in the woods....Not quite big foot but he is rumored to be in the area.



Thats Pikes Peak in the background. I may hunt it if I dont find the elk here.



Why do I hunt? because the Elk are tearing up the National Forest, and no one is out there stopping them! The horror! That's a 1.5 inch branch about 6 feet up just ripped to shreads! The trees, the trees, wont someone think of the trees!



Some of the area I hunt, Nice little meadow in the middle of the woods.



And of course my weapon of choice!



So like I mentioned Saturday was opening season. We started out bright and early, 0500 in the AM. Walk and walk and walk, sit and sit and sit. Well I'm not very good at Sitting and waiting, especialy when I dont see much that says they are in there. SO I walk some more. Long about 0845 I top a small knoll, wind is in my face (good so they dont smell me coming) and I'm being super sneaky. I crest this knoll, and there in front of me at about 30 yards is an Elk. I just walked in on an Elk. un freakin believable!! It was the perfect set up. He was just laying down facing away from me. I just crested the hill so that when I squatted all I could see were his antlers. Problem is its a 4 point minimum on one side or a 5 inch brow tine. So I'm looking but his head is behind a tree, and I can only see the last three points. I crouch, shed my pack, and my bugle all the time thinking "this Elk huntin aint so hard. Its only 845 in the am and I've found one. This is going to be easy as pie." I'm basically dancing a jig in the middle of who knows where! So I decide to move in a bit closer. He starts looking, wind starts blowing, I'm still good. Crouch down and duck walk in closer....closer....I get about 25 yards or so, still cant see him well, but I do have a body shot. Its through some trees so I dont want to take it not knowing how big he is. Did I mention the squirrels? Elk have hired the squirrels to plant land mines all around the woods. There are thousands of pine cones strategically placed so that I step on every one of them. Not only are they pine cones, they are dead and dried pine cones from 1957. The squirrels have been hording them that long for a moment like this...

Another guy in our party saw him again Sunday morning, he may be a 6x6 or 12 points for the southerners, and I spooked him again Sunday night. Going back again this weekend.