My 2020 CO Elk and WY Antelope Recap

[Brendan]

Just got back from my 2+ week western swing this year, and it was a "blast". Got home yesterday, unpacked, and finally feeling mostly normal after a good night of sleep and a big cup of coffee.

Spent 5-6 days acclimating to altitude before Colorado first rifle, which worked perfect. Didn't miss a beat hunting mostly 10,000-11,000' with one scouting hike up to about 12,300'. Coming from sea level: big win there.

First rifle season found the bulls still lower than I expected, bugling, running cows down low on private, and still acting a little bit like archery season. My backup rifle should've been my 6# Kimber Adirondack, toting my win mag in the timber wasn't ideal, but all's well that ends well. A 215 Berger definitely acts like a bolt of lightning from above… One of those shots I wouldn't advise anyone take, but was exactly the type of shot I'm used to in the thicker timber of the east. So much for all that long range practice. Bull is a little bit of a funky small / medium 5x4 "herd bull" that had 7-10 cows with him. Found myself in the woods until about 10 the night I got him, finished packing him out the next day by myself.

After Colorado, shot due north into Wyoming for an antelope tag. Even though I only spent 24 hours total and got one on my second stalk, this was a big sleeper of a hunt for me. Sooo much fun. Definitely need to schedule some more antelope hunts in. Picture perfect glassing, picture perfect stalk, an army crawl through the sage, and a perfect 370 yard shot. Antelope + 215 Berger, and by the time my sight picture came back, he hadn't taken so much as a step.

Can't wait to start planning the next one, but I'm processing Elk and Antelope in all my free time this week…

 

[cnelk]

Good deal Brendan.

You sure are right about how much fun antelope hunting is!
So underrated!

 

[SteveCNJ]

Congrats, nicely done!!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[KHNC]

That worked up great! Especially that you didnt mention tons of hunters encountered.

 

[Brendan]

That worked up great! Especially that you didnt mention tons of hunters encountered.

It did work out great. I don't want to complain, but the Elk Hunt was turning into a little bit of a grind right up until seconds before I sealed the deal. Different hunt than I expected, but that's hunting. Actually what it became suited me very well, lots of eastern-style still / timber hunting other than first / last light. But very, very dry, and they weren't making any noise except real early and real late.

Plenty of hunters on the main roads while Elk hunting, only ran into 3 in the woods. But, this was a 3 point draw unit that doesn't have any OTC hunting to my knowledge.

Same with Antelope, low point draw unit. I saw plenty of trucks and hunters in certain areas driving roads or close to roads, but couldn't fathom why there wasn't anybody where i stopped. Visible from the road, tons of antelope in a huge basin you could see for miles in multiple directions. Only thing I can guess is it's one of those areas where it initially looks like there's no way to get close. Just that there are small undulations and features that you can hide in (as well as the goats). I used two cry creek beds to my advantage racing to cut this guy and the ~10 does he was with off, and worked to perfection.

 

[greaseywater]

Awesome hunt, and thanks for sharing. If you don't mind a gear question: how do you keep those coolers secure in the hitch mount? Ever have any problems at a trailhead while you are out?

 

[Warrior27]

Congrats, I bet that was a blast!!

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Congrats Brendan on the bull and goat

 

[Brendan]

Awesome hunt, and thanks for sharing. If you don't mind a gear question: how do you keep those coolers secure in the hitch mount? Ever have any problems at a trailhead while you are out?

There are some 416 stainless bent lock brackets that go under the lid / side tide downs that you can buy off ebay or amazon. From there, they are locked to a security chain that winds its way through the hitch carrier and locks off to the tow hitch. Additionally, I have some locking SUP / Kayak tie downs that have steel cables inside the webbing that fasten coolers to the hitch carrier.

Not perfect, and I did leave coolers inside the truck for part of the hunt, but the goal is make it hard enough to steal that people don't bother. At the end of the day - more secure than inside a topper, but the disadvantage being that they're in plain sight.

 

[Crusader]

Congrats on the success. Great photos, too!

 

[Fatcamp]

What's the spare tire holder? Great looking setup.

 

[Brendan]

What's the spare tire holder? Great looking setup.

Ghetto plywood contraption I made in an hour or two to fit between the roof rack bars. Wanted to free up the under-floor storage under the rear deck for important stuff I wanted out of the weather, and out of sight. I actually got pretty crappy gas mileage this trip, and it squeaked a lot whenever I was't on smooth roads, so not sure it worked that great past giving me the space.

 

[Wapiti1]

Looks like a great hunt. Antelope are one of my favorites. Both to hunt and to eat.

Nicely done.

Jeremy

 

[RCL]

Super write up and pictures.
Many thanks for posting.

 

[weekender7]

Congrats on a really fine trip and lots of success for memories and the freezer.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

You mentioned it not being a shot you'd recommend. Where'd you shoot the elk? In the forehead? His dome looks a little ruffled.

 

[Brendan]

You mentioned it not being a shot you'd recommend. Where'd you shoot the elk? In the forehead? His dome looks a little ruffled.

No - not in the head. I was walking very slowly, still hunting with rifle in hand and basically jumped the entire herd as I came over a small rise with them on the other side slightly below me. All the cows jumped up, started looking real nervous and getting ready to bolt when I saw the bull as I was scanning the timber. The cows started running, and the bull followed. Rifle up, sight picture, and shot him almost running dead away from me, a little right to left, without having a second to think about it. Through the spine, arteries, dropping him in his tracks at less than 50 yards. He got one follow-up to speed up the process. Granted - I am shooting a 300 Win Mag with Berger 215's, so was by no means under-gunned.

So, saying it's a shot I wouldn't recommend was more shooting a running animal in timber, but I got a brief window and a clear sight picture. If I'd had a chance to think about it, he would have been gone anyways. With that said - it's the one piece of hunting / shooting that I've had plenty of experience with hunting here in the North East.

 

[JakeSCH]

Congrats on the hunt!!

 

[JasonWi]

Congrats Brendan! Looks like a great trip and hunting elk in the timber is such an exciting time.

 

[hobbes]

Looks like a great two weeks. Congrats on the animals. Antelope has turned out to be a lot more fun than I anticipated over the last two seasons. I'll put mule deer ahead of it, but it's still a blast.