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I went into this hunt blind. I've never hunted Wyoming before. I've never been to this area of Wyoming. I picked the spot solely based on the probability of drawing a cow elk tag without preference points. When I saw these elk on the 4.5 mile hike in, it was an encouraging sign.
I'm in for your story! :coffee: :campfire:
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Beautiful country!!!
That makes for a good start!
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When I started hearing bugles on the first night, in every direction from camp, it seemed I had picked a good spot. Maybe too good. I probably should have picked a place to camp a little further away from the action to keep from pushing the elk out of the area.
Waiting with anticipation for the rest of the story..! Good to hear from an old BTB brother.
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The season opened on Sept 1, the day after I hiked in to my camp. That morning, I woke up to bulls bugling and I could hear elk moving around close to camp. When it got light enough to see, some cows were moving up the ridge right behind my camp. They were too far away for a shot and it was dead calm. I couldn't move without them hearing me.
:campfire: :goldtooth:
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I got close several times the first several mornings. This young spike nearly ran me over after a herd spooked and then were trying to get back together. He was running in to my calls and turned at 7 yards.
I was chasing the bugles/still hunting/calling in the mornings and sitting at water/wallows in the evenings. This was a makeshift blind I built at a wallow.[attachment=1]
Finally came together on the 5th evening when a cow came in to the wallow I was sitting. A 20 yard shot hit just a bit back and it got dark before I could track my cow.
A sleepless night. A 2 1/2 hour tracking job. Found her![attachment=1]
The coyotes found her before I did. They ate most of the hind quarters.
One cool thing about this hunt: I used the same Zwicky broadhead that I shot a bear with 5 years ago. After shooting the bear, I couldn't find the front end of the arrow. Almost a year later, a big wildfire had burned through the area. I found my broadhead. [attachment=1]
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Here it is after taking the elk
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Now, it's cleaned up, sharpened up, and back in the quiver.
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A long, hard pack out.
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Awesome!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations :campfire:
That was great! Wish I could do that again.
Awesome congratulations
Sweet! Congrats
Congratulations!!!!
What a great hunt
Thanks for taking me along!
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
Congratulations on a good hunt.
You Done Good!
Well done, congrats
Congratulations Doug!!!
A big congratulations!
Hey Doug, what was the setup you used on the elk? Thanks
Good for you! I lived in Big Horn, Wy for a few years. Love Wyoming.
Awesome !!! :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Congratulations, thanks for sharing the photos and story.
Nicely done! Great pictures!
Congrats!!!
Glad to see your still at it Doug. I opted to shoot a cow this year. It was the first that presented a shot.
Nice guys. Congrats
Quote from: shoes on September 11, 2022, 09:53:32 AM
Hey Doug, what was the setup you used on the elk? Thanks
Quinn Stallion 51# at my DL. 650 gr. Game Getter arrows with Zwicky Eskimo heads.
Quote from: The Night Stalker on September 11, 2022, 07:54:16 PM
Glad to see your still at it Doug. I opted to shoot a cow this year. It was the first that presented a shot.
Nice, Tim. Looks like a nice big cow. This is actually my first elk bow hunt since our Tradgang Co hunts. Wish I could do it every year but fall is a busy time.
Awesome story, thanks for sharing and congratulations.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your success with us.
Congratulation!
Congratulations. Were you hunting a wilderness area?
Way to go sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Dude! So cool on so many levels! Finding that BH 5 years later? What!?!? Thanks for taking us along!!
Quote from: rainman on September 12, 2022, 12:03:25 PM
Congratulations. Were you hunting a wilderness area?
Not a designated wilderness area. If you're in a wilderness area in Wyoming, you have to hunt with an outfitter. Weird regulation.
Yeah, me and my boys are planning a hunt next year and worried about the hunting areas in Wyoming that are not wilderness. Did you see anybody 4.5 miles in?
This is AWESOME!!!! Thanks for letting us in on your hunt and Congrats to you Sir :clapper:
Now that's a dream hunt!,
Congratulations, a solo out of state hunt to boot.
Congrats on a great hunt!
Quote from: rainman on September 13, 2022, 10:32:11 AM
Yeah, me and my boys are planning a hunt next year and worried about the hunting areas in Wyoming that are not wilderness. Did you see anybody 4.5 miles in?
I did see several other hunters and there was a huge herd of sheep where I was. I still saw elk every day but they seemed to be adjusting to those pressures. I had to adjust as well.
Congratulations!! I'd take that cow of yours over a giant bull that someone guided me to every time!!! We'll done!
We'll done! Do you have enough pref points to draw a bull tag there in the future? Sounds like you would have a good chance at a bull there too.
Congratulations! Looks like you were in some beautiful country.
Thanks for sharing! Congratulations Sir! :thumbsup:
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on September 16, 2022, 07:59:33 PM
We'll done! Do you have enough pref points to draw a bull tag there in the future? Sounds like you would have a good chance at a bull there too.
I haven't collected any Wyoming points, which is ok with me. I love seeing those big bulls but they taste about the same as a cow and I don't have wall space for any more antlers. Cows, for me, provide the same level of adventure, which is why I hunt.
Quote from: Doug Treat on September 17, 2022, 11:56:32 AM
Quote from: Jeff D. Holchin on September 16, 2022, 07:59:33 PM
We'll done! Do you have enough pref points to draw a bull tag there in the future? Sounds like you would have a good chance at a bull there too.
I haven't collected any Wyoming points, which is ok with me. I love seeing those big bulls but they taste about the same as a cow and I don't have wall space for any more antlers. Cows, for me, provide the same level of adventure, which is why I hunt.
I like that answer.