I completed my first elk hunt in Unit 12 Colorado, 3rd Rifle Season early last month. I was with experienced hunters that knew the land well. On the 4th day of the hunt, after the area cleared out of the weekend hunters, my friends put me on a small group of about a dozen elk. We were on foot. I glassed two bulls among the cows about about 600 plus yards. I had only a bull elk tag.
After a quick chat and figuring out the wind, my friend decided our best bet was not to stalk due to the fading light. He elected to circle the group on foot and let them wind him on purpose in an attempt to move them closer to me (nice hunting partner!) The elk were close to a private land boundary and we were afraid they were headed for that boundary line.
It was late in the day and light was fading fast. I stayed in the shadows on the edge of a high meadow. I could not believe how quickly he moved into position. I was glassing back and forth between the bulls and my buddy. I lost sight of my partner for about 10 minutes, and for a brief moment I thought I was seeing another hunter in blaze orange in the area of this group of elk but it was my partner who had covered very ground fast!
The plan worked, well partially. The elk herd basically split, most moving toward the private boundary to the west of me and a few moving towards me. I saw one of the bulls heading down hill towards me. I lost sight of the elk as they moved behind a small rise in the ground. I moved about 50 yards to my right where I thought the elk might emerge. I went to one knee and opened wide the scope. I couldn't see the opening on my knee where I thought they had the best change of being seen; nor could I rest on an old fence post that basically fell apart when I tried to rest my rifle on it. Before I could look for a 3rd option to help steady my shot, the elk emerged very close to where I had hoped. I had a 4 by 4 in my sight as it moved left to right behind some small trees. He looked big in my rifle scope as I estimated the shot at 275 yards. He made it to an opening in the trees still on the move, for about a 25 yard break in the tree line. I DID NOT SHOOT,and it was extremely hard to resist pulling the trigger!!! Here's why: 1.The light was very low, 2. the elk was on the move, and, 3. I was free-hand standing position. On the other hand; I had the bull in my sights with cross-hairs on him broadside..but the scope was bounding a bit.
Did I do the right thing?
I went to the same spot the next day and put the range finder on it. It was 240 years.
This is haunting me...I need to get some sleep!
I have two dreams about the encounter. Once I shot and the elk feel in his track as I shoot him in the neck. The second dream (nightmare) I shot and found a blood trail, but couldn't find the elk.
To make it worse, sitting in the Hayden airport hearing other hunters talk, it was painfully obviously most of those hunters would have pulled to trigger.
