Well it has probably been about two months since my last post and thats the way it is. Sorry to those who have been anxiously waiting my next master piece but I am sure that the line isn’t that long (or that there is a line for that matter). HUnting season for me has come to an end. The old man tried to get me back east for a whitetail hunt but the time or the wallet would not allow it. Prior to his request I had the crew from back east come west and hunt like men for 5 days.

ELK PARTY –

Everyone arrived in casual style. Rawdog was the first to arrive. Of course it was at midnight on a shuttle bus to a transportation center. I took the next day off and we floated the lower Colorado River and caught a few on streamers. This was the start of the warm weather that would haunt us for the next 4 days. Poppa Mac and Bruce arrived that afternoon. My dad was still pale and slightly trembling from riding over 2 mountain passes with the good DR. The cuz was last to arrive, six pack in hand, alcohol glazed smile and a loud “here I am” as he walked through the door.

CAMP-

We arrived at our cabin friday afternoon and eased into the blue cans around a fire pit. The weather was still warm, sunny and still. Although it felt nice we knew that it would make our elk hunt difficult. Handy Andy busted out some tenderloins off a Cow he shot on a golf course a few days before and tossed them on the fire.

Private Land- Golf Course Elk Backstraps

Brinkman and Handy Andy - Raw Dog Slamming A Beer

Well the next morning came quick. The good DR was up at 3 tearing into every plastic bag in the kitchen looking for god knows what. We all set out on our chosen area and here were the stories -

Brinkman – Travis Group- ” we walked into this meadow and we could see an Elk about 300 yards away but we couldn’t tell if it was a bull. He then reared his head and we could see its rack, Probably a 6×6 and then it vanished into the forest.”

Bruce (the good DR) – I could see a silhouette through the trees but it was on private land. It was rustling around, making noise and then it let out a bugle. This animal was so pissed off I thought it was going to run me down.

Tommy – Andrew – “We didn’t see shit Cuz.”

Rawdog – “We have to go higher. I saw a ton of mule deer”

Popa Mac – ” hey have any of you guys seen joey?”

The next day we hiked about 5 miles up a mountain to higher elevation. We jumped a big bull. In fact it was a 5×7 bull that some hunters shot right below us. Your welcome. We got to this meadow about 10,000 feet high and just sat in the afternoon sun over looking the Sawatch Range.

Popa Mac Making The Last Push

The Cuz Napping At 10,000 Feet

After a few days with little elk seen Raw Dog woke up with determination in his eyes. It was Tuesday I had to work so I stuck around camp editing a stream restoration video – thumbs down. The weather that day was 70 degrees sunny and just a bit windy. The plan was for Poppa Mac and Brinkman to pick me up after dropping a car off to luke who was, for all we knew, in another county. Well they never picked me up and when I saw them next there was blood. Elk Blood.

Quartered

Raw Dog had done it. The Wild Canadian hiked to where “no human wants to go” and killed his first Bull Elk. It was a night of celebratory cocktails, lies and debauchery. Blood had been shed and everyone was in high spirits

Wild Canadian

Well the trip ended with only one elk taken, another shot at, about 30 tracked onto private land, cases of blue cans brought to the recycle center, a mountain lion sighting and mcuh more. To much to mention. In my eyes the trip was a success. Everyone had a wonderful time out here in the Rockies and will surely be back next season. Thanks a bunch boys see you in the woods. Cheers