Colorado did not give up any animals to me this year but it was another trip of a lifetime for me. New friends were made and good times were had and I can't wait to try again next year. I'll go through the highlights and the lowlights and post some great pictures also. So in my 3 previous trips into the backcountry of Colorado I was fortunate enough to take 2 bulls and a bear so not bringing home a critter this year was ok with me ( I tried my best and had some close encounters) but it just wasn't my time this year...
,,Sam,,
My first year ......
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Second year......
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Third year......
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This year was old friends and new friends and good memories of a great trip into the mountains. And like I said I'm fine with that , I learned new things that will help me when I return. So I was to meet up with several guys and do some elk hunting and bear also. We are DIY OTC hunting so you do the best with what you got. The first week of season was great we got on several bulls ( they were talking ) so we had high hopes. First morning me and a new friend John got on 3 bulls and a few cows but they got the best of us. I called in a coyote but when he stopped at 10 steps John's arrow missed , it was a great experience....
We were into the elk and the sign was looking good , they were talking , found a fresh wallow , all seemed to be in our favor....
,,Sam,,
Sounded like a great trip. Not every successful trip ends in a kill. You had got into elk and lived, hunted and made friends in beautiful country for many days. Many can only dream about trip like that.
A few days into the hunt we broke off into 3 pairs and I'm now with a different John ( he came in with my friend Don ). The new John is a bowyer that makes carbon longbows , so a few days into hunting with him I have one of his bows in my hand for the remainder of the hunt. Turns out ol John is a great dude and might be as eatup with hunting and bows as I am. Also a note here he is going to become a Sponsor here on Tradgang. We discussed hunting and Tradgang and life among other things. I have always said if you want to really know someone go on a backcountry with them and you will find out real fast what you need to know about them....
,,Sam,,
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Back in a bit , I sitting in a tree in Tx. With my new longbow and I think I hear some hogs coming...
,,Sam,,
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Good stuff keep it coming!
Me and John were doing some stump shooting one day about midday and we were shooting pretty good. I was feeling good shooten the new bow , we had been shooting for 30min or so. I look up and holy crap here comes a bull and he is headed right for us. We get ready as he covers ground and before I know it he is standing 30yds away. If it had not been for him seeing our tents he would have kept on his path and passed us at 10yds. But as it went the tents saved his life cause him stopping short gave us no shot....
,,,Sam,,,
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Am enjoying the hunt..
This is my truck camp and it was very comfortable I must say also I bought the JumpingJack trailer from a Tradgang member. I ended up jumping into a few different units to run from other hunters and the little trailer was awesome...
,,Sam,,
I think those first 3 years you were on fire! One can only dream of success like that. You did Good! I went on my first elk hunt 2 years ago and didn't see an elk, but learned a lot and had a great time in Camp! Those memories will last me a lifetime, no matter if I make it back out west or Not! Good times with good friends.... it doesn't get much better than that!
We were at the truck camp one day and one of the guys says get your bow cause a bear just went into those trees. I made a mad dash and grabbed my bow and ran over to find the bear. When we got around to see him it was just a little guy and I didn't want to shoot it. Not sure if it was lost or what but it hung around for half an hour or so ....
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Pretty cool stuff.....
One of the best ones was one day at our truck camp our master cook and camp ram rod was preparing dinner for everyone. When someone pointed out what he was using to set the hot pans on. When asked about it I believe he said his underwear was accustomed to hot things....
,,,Sam,,,
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Me and John hunted hard but never got a shot at a legal animal but it was a lot of fun hunting with him. He ended up giving me his extra bow I had been hunting with , it's his Classic model one piece with carbon 62in 52@28. I draw 30in so I'm guessing it's about 57-58 for me , I've never owned or shot a carbon bow but I can tell you this bow is a shooter for sure. Very smooth and quite and hits hard I'm liking it a lot ( I might have already killed something with it here in Tx , and it might have been yesterday). I have already got my order in for one of his Apollo TD carbon bows...
,,,Sam,,,
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Quote from: SAM E. STEPHENS on September 21, 2019, 11:52:21 PM
This is my truck camp and it was very comfortable I must say also I bought the JumpingJack trailer from a Tradgang member. I ended up jumping into a few different units to run from other hunters and the little trailer was awesome...
,,Sam,,
glad the trailer is working for you!
Worked great David , got all the repairs done and she is good as new. Congrats on your moose that is awesome......
,,Sam,,
Good stuff as usual Sam!
Throughout the hunt I could have shot a calf but didn't , had 3 spike bulls in range but they aren't legal in my unit. Had several close calls with some bulls but couldn't ever get it done. Saw a few bears but nothing I wanted to shoot an arrow at. Also saw 3 good moose and some mule deer , only a hand full of grouse were seen and no arrows fired....
,,Sam,,
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One of the biggest issues I had this year was the guys hunting off horses and I completely understand they have just as much right to be hunting the wilderness area as I have. But they sure run all the game off , all they do is ride nonstop all day across every park and up and down every trail they can fit a horse. I talked with several of them and they said they just ride until they spot an elk then get off and stalk them. My simple math of seeing elk everyday prior to the horse guys arriving and not seeing any elk after the horse hunters were there a day or so tells me something. So moving back into where the horses could not go produced more elk sightings.
The other big issue was ATVs ( and I had my wheeler to use where legal ) so I have nothing against ATVs but I do when people are riding where they are not supposed to be. And this is where the problem is people just don't care about the law , they cut locks off gates and just go where they want. I hiked in 4 miles to a spot only to see 9 ATVs with 13 people in the group. They were looking for 2 wounded elk that had been shot by the orange vest guys. I wish Colorado had more wardens to patrol but I understand they can't be everywhere....
,,Sam,,
I just love the look of your new bow. Everything about it screams speed and accuracy. If I was in the market I'd have to contact your new friend.
The ATV guys that ignore the law need to be french hobbled.
That is a nice looking bow!
Great story. And 26 days...jealous.
Loving the details and pics. That is a wicked looking bow! :o
The bow is a great shooter I can't wait to get my new one , hell I think I'm going to order one of each of his models as funds work out. I have shot just about every custom bow that has ever been around and I can say in my opinion John's bows are as good as they come. And after hunting with John up in the mountains and getting to know him I will vouch for the man and his bows for anyone that cares about my opinion. And John is going to be a sponsor for us here on Tradgang , I told him how great this site was and how it don't put us with BS .....
,,Sam,,
The weather was a great change from the Texas heat but the dang mosquitoes were horrible for the first week. We had sleet several times and even a little snow one night...
,,Sam,,
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Quote from: Charlie Lamb on September 23, 2019, 04:57:29 PM
I just love the look of your new bow. Everything about it screams speed and accuracy.
Sam stopped by the house the day after he got back, and I got to fling a few arrows out of his new longbow.
The pic's don't do it justice. And yeah, it's a sweet shooter that stack's 'em in pretty good.
My good friend Don senior gave me this necklace he made a few days into the hunt. It's made with glass beads and a piece of antler , has not been off my neck since the day I put it on. It will be part of my hunts from now on......
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Good times Sam. Memories many will neve get to experience.
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Great Stuff Sam!!!
Nice! I missed elk hunting this year. First time since I was 14 years old. Alaska was worth it.