This was a hunt that I had been waiting for a long time. Not necessarily this specific hunt, but, to chase elk in the backcountry on horse back. This past September I had that opportunity.
With two horses and a mule, me and my guide road into some nasty country in the Wyoming mountains. The ride in itself was an amazing experience. Didn't realize how fussy horses can get.
Road into amazingly beautiful country, the kind that reenergizes your relationship with God. Once we got back far enough, off on foot we went. It was bitter cold and like true Wyoming fashion the wind was aggressively present.
This was prime rut dates, but the bulls were not buglying. We got into a high alpine basin wtih a frozen lake and picked up fresh tracks in the snow and followed. Few ridges over, we got to a flat top and bugled. Before we could finishes bugling, we had a aggressive response just downhill from us. However, we couldn't see much do to a bench blocking our view.
Wind was not in our favor and was blowing right down hill. Ran back in the direction we came, dropped down to be level to were we heard the bugle and we both started to cow call. Seemed like the bull had started to gather his cows and move away. We made a quick dash to cover the distance, side-hilling a nasty mountain side.
Got close, and bugled again. This just got the Bull angry. He responded with an even nastier bugle. I took a knee, expecting the bull to come from above me, since we thought we dropped down far enough. I could hear him right over a small boulder. Was looking uphill and from the left corner of my eye I noticed a movement downhill. It was him. He had dropped down some more and was coming right to me but downhill. Knowing the wind was blowing straight down, it was a matter of time before he smelled me.
He came into 12 yards, stood there for few seconds slightly quartering to me. Bugling, peeing and just pissed, what a rush! I could tell he was getting nervous. I drew back, waiting for him to move his left front leg, and sent an arrow his way.
Right away he hunched up. Ran 10 -12 yards, stood and looked back. Could tell he was hurt bad and blood was visibly pouring out. We were both cow calling aggressively by this time. I had time to knock another arrow and put it in him. First one was good enough, but you never know.
He only went another 30-40 yards and piled over. This was my first Elk hunt. I don't know what took me so long to chase them. Now I'm hooked and thats all I want to hunt.
With two horses and a mule, me and my guide road into some nasty country in the Wyoming mountains. The ride in itself was an amazing experience. Didn't realize how fussy horses can get.
Road into amazingly beautiful country, the kind that reenergizes your relationship with God. Once we got back far enough, off on foot we went. It was bitter cold and like true Wyoming fashion the wind was aggressively present.
This was prime rut dates, but the bulls were not buglying. We got into a high alpine basin wtih a frozen lake and picked up fresh tracks in the snow and followed. Few ridges over, we got to a flat top and bugled. Before we could finishes bugling, we had a aggressive response just downhill from us. However, we couldn't see much do to a bench blocking our view.
Wind was not in our favor and was blowing right down hill. Ran back in the direction we came, dropped down to be level to were we heard the bugle and we both started to cow call. Seemed like the bull had started to gather his cows and move away. We made a quick dash to cover the distance, side-hilling a nasty mountain side.
Got close, and bugled again. This just got the Bull angry. He responded with an even nastier bugle. I took a knee, expecting the bull to come from above me, since we thought we dropped down far enough. I could hear him right over a small boulder. Was looking uphill and from the left corner of my eye I noticed a movement downhill. It was him. He had dropped down some more and was coming right to me but downhill. Knowing the wind was blowing straight down, it was a matter of time before he smelled me.
He came into 12 yards, stood there for few seconds slightly quartering to me. Bugling, peeing and just pissed, what a rush! I could tell he was getting nervous. I drew back, waiting for him to move his left front leg, and sent an arrow his way.
Right away he hunched up. Ran 10 -12 yards, stood and looked back. Could tell he was hurt bad and blood was visibly pouring out. We were both cow calling aggressively by this time. I had time to knock another arrow and put it in him. First one was good enough, but you never know.
He only went another 30-40 yards and piled over. This was my first Elk hunt. I don't know what took me so long to chase them. Now I'm hooked and thats all I want to hunt.
