2015 Archery Elk Hunt - Recap and Pictures

[elkyinzer]

Here is a link to the (lengthy) day by day recap I wrote of my 2015 archery elk hunt. I hope this format works, I created a pdf and linked it to my google drive.

Roksliders, thanks for the role your collective knowledge played in teaching me the ways of hunting the West. I used this site for most of my research back before I even decided to begin posting, as I could tell the credibility level of most posters was significant. A lot of careful research and just reading your stories really lopped of a large portion of my learning curve. I hope you enjoy.

2015 Elk Hunt

 

[Arbutusbucks]

Great story buddy, really well done.

 

[bourbon]

Great story. Congrats on your bull!

 

[Jason Snyder]

Great photos and write up. Congrats on your bull.

 

[Shrek]

Great story ! Thanks for sharing the hunt

 

[KHNC]

A better story than in a lot of mags ive read. Maybe you should submit it to one of them.

 

[HanceT]

Great story. Thanks for sharing. How did you get all of that meat/skull on the plane?

 

[elkyinzer]

Thanks for the kind words and glad folks are enjoying it.

As for the meat, we dropped it off at a butcher in Boise and he cut, froze, and shipped it back via airline cargo for just under $500. Matter of fact as I type this I am at the Pittsburgh airport waiting for it to arrive. We contacted an air service farther out in the sticks and were quoted $1,500 so it's a good thing we shopped around and made the drive to the city.

Antlers I got a taxi out there to do the Euro mount. That shipping cost remains to be seen and may be significant but didn't have many other options. I was flying straight to a family wedding after or I would have tried to fly home as checked luggage.

 

[huntnmuleys]

love it! great story and pics. I love otc tag hunts. hard work and woodsmanship pays off in those areas, and you absolutely nailed it.

 

[Phildahbeast]

Awesome man great pics!

 

[bz_711]

Great bull and great story/pics! Thanks for sharing...hard to beat bugling elk in Sept with bow!

I was lucky enough to have my dad in camp for my first two bulls in CO...what a blessing...Hope I can do the same for my kids.

Are you returning to same area this year or trying something new?

 

[elkyinzer]

Great bull and great story/pics! Thanks for sharing...hard to beat bugling elk in Sept with bow!

I was lucky enough to have my dad in camp for my first two bulls in CO...what a blessing...Hope I can do the same for my kids.

Are you returning to same area this year or trying something new?

Awesome! Unfortunately I don't think I can make it out West in 2016, my wife and I are expecting our first in July, so I didn't even bother asking. I've kind of been on the every other year plan for now anyway with vacation and financial budgeting that has worked out best for me. Kinda sucks living so far away from legit elk country, if it wasn't for family no doubt I'd be living in Idaho or Montana. Planning a few weekend backpack hunting trips in the mountains close to home to get my fix but nothing will replace elk in September.

 

[Queets30#]

Great story

 

[Pittstate23]

Awesome write up!

 

[oopslala]

Great write up, I can read stories like these for hours.

I know the pain being on the east side, Michigan for me. I've done a fair bit of white tail hunting in PA though. That antler restriction they put in a few years ago has done wonders. In the last 8 years, there's only been 1 year we didn't bring back a wall hanger. We still blame that on the fact it snowed 6 inches then warmed up just enough to create a fog for the entirety of out trip.

Good luck on your future hunts!

 

[Arbutusbucks]

Fellow PA guy here and newly minted dad, well for a month now. Never thought I'd say this but you won't care as much about missing one September when your son or daughter arrives. I'm sure you'll miss it though. Good luck. Was going to ask if you'd be doing TTH but that is pretty close to your wifes due date I'd imagine.

 

[elkyinzer]

Fellow PA guy here and newly minted dad, well for a month now. Never thought I'd say this but you won't care as much about missing one September when your son or daughter arrives. I'm sure you'll miss it though. Good luck. Was going to ask if you'd be doing TTH but that is pretty close to your wifes due date I'd imagine.

Thanks, circumstances change and long story short, it looks like I actually get to go elk hunting this September! My little bro is returning from a deployment with the reserves and this will be his first elk hunt, so my wife said "you have to go" basically. I do realize I have the best wife ever! About a month ago we ended up moving to Central PA to be closer to her family, so that really took a lot of the burden off leaving for a week and a half. No doubt will still be difficult, but at least she has her parents right down the street to stay with and help out.

And yes, I wanted to do TTH, but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

 

[Cledus]

Awesome story, thanks for sharing!

 

[Arbutusbucks]

Thanks, circumstances change and long story short, it looks like I actually get to go elk hunting this September! My little bro is returning from a deployment with the reserves and this will be his first elk hunt, so my wife said "you have to go" basically. I do realize I have the best wife ever! About a month ago we ended up moving to Central PA to be closer to her family, so that really took a lot of the burden off leaving for a week and a half. No doubt will still be difficult, but at least she has her parents right down the street to stay with and help out.

And yes, I wanted to do TTH, but I don't think it's in the cards for this year.

Excellent. Write another story.

 

[mod700]

Enjoyed the story, well wrote,... good luck to you and your brother this year.
Mike