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Well this year started with a lot of unknowns. I had knee surgery at the beginning of the year and it still was not at 100% (probably never will be). My hunting partner (Dad) and only person who seems willing to grunt it out in the backwoods, had a back injury which he knew would keep him from packing in this year. So I took my gear and the tepee in a few days before the season opened. I hiked in four miles, found a good spot away from any trees, the area is filled with beetle kill which fall at the slightest breeze, did my best the clear the 10 or so inches of snow, then set up the tent and small wood stove. After the hiking back out my knee felt pretty good.

The day before the season I packed in with just my rifle and food. Finished setting up camp, filtered water, cut wood etc. Didn't do much scouting as I have hunted the area for six years and have a pretty good feel for what the elk do. There was a lot of elk sign on the main trail which is always a good thing. I also decided to gear back a little and try and let the elk come to me in order to save my knee.
Opening day I only hiked in another mile to where elk normally pass when they go from their feeding grounds back to their beds. I had a heard pass through the trees at about 150 yards. I couldn't see them but I could hear the cows calling, hooves crunching the snow and bulls bugling. I wanted to put an intercept angle on them and run them down but geared back and tried to get into a better position. Unfortunately they winded me and looped higher up, never broke running, so I let them go for now. My dad couldn't stay away and he came in on a day hunt so I met him and a friend for lunch at camp. They went on their way and I headed down a ridge I've taken several elk off of in hopes of catching the herd moving back to their feeding ground.

Unfortunately the area had old sign. Just before last light I moved out and hunted the ridge back up to camp (about 500 feet elevation gain). When I was approaching the big opening my camp was in I heard a bugle. It was faint and I couldn't tell if it was a hunter or elk, but it was in the same direction as my camp so I moved that way. When I got closer I heard another bugle and some cows calling. The light was low and I had a good idea where they were from the last bugle. I ran along the tree line and came out just in time to see three elk standing at the edge of the trees. One had a light hide/dark legs, the other two were obviously cow elk. They were still a hair over 300 yards off and I was not going to take that shot in fading light when they were at the edge of thick timber and a steep ridge. They moved into the trees and I went back to camp. Let me tell you having a stove to heat that tepee up was like living in a cabin. I actually looked forward to relaxing at camp this year.
The next morning I hunted the same area with no luck. That afternoon a friend met me at camp for lunch, then he and I hiked up to higher elevation. We were just below 10,000 feet and saw a lot of sign, but it was all about a day old. He wanted to get back to his camp near the trail head before dark that night so we walked back to my camp at five. I heated up a Mountain House meal, then headed off to where I found tracks from the elk the night before crossing the opening. I figured "there's no way they will cross there two nights in a row." As I sat on a small perch I was a little disheartened, missing the family. Having two small kids at home makes these trips hard. When the sun goes down behind a far mountain range I start thinking of the Apple Crisp Mountain House meal I have at camp, and the warm stove chugging. I decide to hold out the last 30 minutes of legal light. As I'm off in la la land I hear snow crunching to my right. I look over and a bull elk starts walking out of the trees. He was just walking, didn't know I was there and he looked nice. I think to myself that can't be an elk....it is......do something. I take the safety off and take aim with my elbows on my knees but because of how the ridge rolled I only had a high lung shot. I had ranged the treeline he was close to when I first got there and it was 142 yards from me. He was about 20-30 yards closer than those trees, (further than I'm used to taking elk). I then straighten my back and take aim off hand from the seated position, this allowed me to clear the small role in the ridge and have a good shot at his vitals. He was walking so I hold on his shoulder and press the trigger. At the shot I hear the impact and saw him hunch. He then turned straight away from me and stumble/walked towards the trees. When he angled a little more I took a second shot which was hard quartering away. I hear the impact and he drops, but then he stands back up. He stands there broadside with week legs so I put a third round in his arm pit. On that shot he drops and is done. At this point in all my hunts I have never been filled with joy or excitement, rather a sad somber feeling fills me. I love elk, they are beautiful animals, and I pay respect for taking such a majestic creatures life. This hunt was no different in that aspect. I normally don't share my hunting experiences, one because I feel most people who haven't hunted with me wouldn't believe them, also it's a private memory of a great task. This year I feel it's important to pass on hunting stories in areas anyone can hunt to maybe ignite the desire in someone else. Our life style of hunting needs to continue and honestly I have not seen any young hunters deep in the backwoods. When I was ten my dad would drag me on very hard hunts and he lit a fire inside of me for hunting. My dad is the best hunter I know and I hope I can pass that love onto my son the way he did. My challenge to the fathers on this thread is to get out there and hunt the road-less areas. It's hard, it's frustrating, it's a mental challenge, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ask for.

Anyway I didn't get back to my camp until after 11:00, but I still eat that Apple Crisp! My dad and my friend came in the next morning to help with the pack out. With there help we only had to make two trips in and out for the elk and camp. They saved me 48 miles of packing/hiking.....big thank you. Now I am looking forward to next season as this big game season is over for me.

A good hunt, a good bull and a very good story! Thanks for sharing. Makes me wish that I was 35 years younger and still able to hunt like that.

Beautiful bull. Great story. Thanks for sharing!!!!!!

Well done.

Well written. Great story. Congratulations.

We are heading out in 12 days.

This was an enjoyable read. Congrats on the bull too.

That was a great story and a great bull! Congrats and thank you for typing that out. I feel much the same about elk myself. Love them critters.

Great story, congrats!

Mudhen: There is most definitely an expiration date on this type of hunting and not having my dad up there this year was tougher than I thought. I'm 33 so I hope I have another 25 years in me.

Capt Kirk: Awesome username, I grew up watching the original Star Trek. Good luck on your hunt.

Beretzs: Thanks, I read your post on your hunt and it gave me a little more courage to post up my hunt. Good work in Wyoming, and nice .375 AI.

Thanks all others for the complements.

GREAT STORY!!!

Great job! Way to get after it.

Good story, I laughed at the apple crisp part. It's amazing how such a small thing creeps in to your thoughts and motivates you. Congrats on the nice elk.. Thanks for sharing.

Loved the story and nice bull!

Congratulations. A well told story and good pictures.

L.W.

WOW, that's great, thank you for taking the time to write it up and share with us.

thanks for sharing. my trip this year was fruitless, so glad to live vicariously through your trip.

super nice!!

Congrats on the elk and a comment on the packing help. Awesome.

Cutter - you did good this year son and I'm proud of ya! We were both banged up going into this season and not 100%. But you adapted and overcame to achieve something hard earned and special. Unfortunately your knee kept you from getting into that herd the first morning or you would have had a much larger bull - but that's hunting. You've taken the "hunting" torch from me so I'll sit back now enjoy watching you and listening to your stories.

Though this doesn't tell the entire story of elk hunting this year, it is your story. You didn't mention that the pack out was brutal or the fact that I beat you both back to the trucks on the last trip out But I did buy the burgers at Antlers in celebration This is another great chapter in your book of elk hunting even if you didn't get run over by the herd this year.

I'm immensely proud of you - great job!

Driftboater: I was craving that Apple Crisp, but it did not live up to my hopes. I still eat all of it because I was starving though!

Creek, I don't think the torch is ready to be passed. We'll be back after it next season and yes you beat us out on the last trip. When we stopped so I could load up the last quarter we talked for a while before starting to hike again. After 40 minutes of hiking we were starting to wonder if you found a sunny spot to sleep and we passed you. Nope, you just turned the motor up and hauled out.

Great story and hunt.
Good job and thanks for those pictures.

BP