Just wanted to post a few pictures and share this with you guys/gals. This was a dream that we had for a while now. I would guess that most of us that share a passion of the outdoors have had it. To chase elk in the high country. Even more so with a bow in the rut. We just never really knew how or where. When my son decided he was going to CSU for wildlife biology. We started putting a plan together, we did a rifle hunt last year. Didn’t really know what we needed to do. But we found some elk, seen lots of cows, a couple sub legal bull. Well this year we decided to pack in stay on the mountain. Spent a lot of the summer getting into shape for the hunt. It was going to be myself, my dad, a great friend and my son. We made the drive to Colorado and packed in, set up camp and got ready. Me and my son covered a pile of ground looking in a the surrounding canyons looking for bulls. We found sign, but it was older. We were not hearing any bugles, so we were a little down. Got back to camp and found that my father had an encounter with a nice bull. But couldn’t get it close enough for a shot. So that charged us up a little. Decided to check out another place that was closer to the camp, just a little out of the way spot. Soon as we got started the amount of bull sign picked up and it was fresh. It was all in the dark timber, not so much where we had been looking. As we were walking along a elk trail, my son said he smelled something. Smelled like a barnyard , we looked around and found a smoking hot wallow. We set up close to it and cow called. Heard limbs browned in came a small but legal bull. But we couldn’t get a shot. It finally winded us. Well that got us pretty excited, so we kept going. Boy said he smelled something else, so we got set up again. We bulged and one answered us. We heard him coming and got to a hiding spot. Called him into about 25 yards, but it was behind a deadfall and he couldn’t get a shot. Finally the wind swirled and he took off. We just sat there looking and grinning at each other. We had called in a bull and good one. That night we put together a plan to go back into the same area and maybe we could find him again. We did but he was much higher on the mountain. Lots of calling back and forth, we knew he wasn’t coming down. So we made a big loop to get the wind. We came around to where we had marked him. Wind was great for us, he couldn’t get above us. We picked the spot we wanted, I bulged and he answered. Was just across from the clearing we were in. Out he came pushing a cow, he bugled again. Then here he came, I was reading off the yards as he got to us. I quit ranging at 23 yards, he turned broadside. The boy was ready and let it fly. The shot was good, he took off. Watched it run out of the little meadow we were in. Looked at the boy, he was all grins. He was going a million miles a minute, was it a good shot, did I see where it hit, will we find him. Then we both heard the crash. He both knew he was down. Walking up on it with him was one of those moments that you never forget. He had a grin that I won’t forget. We looked at him, we had never been this close to one before. He said we need to tag it. Got out his tag and started to notch it. He said do you know what today is, I said I don’t have any idea. He said it’s 9/11, I said well it’s a fitting day for it. Out of the blue it starts to rain, then a rainbow arch right over us. I told them that I was pretty sure someone else agreed. Anyway sorry for the long past. Here are a few pictures. Thanks to that Texan, for helping figure it out.

Great bull and a fantastic story!

What a magnificent beast! Congratulations!

Not sure it gets much better than that....great job!

Wow, that's a great bull, great hunt, and a fantastic memory!

Awesome!!!!

A hunt you will never forget the kind that plays on loop in your head for a long time putting in the work often pays off you earned that bull. WTG

Outstanding! Congratulations all around.

…. Great big animal! I knew you had something good to show us

… you did good partner

Great story and great hunt! There is nothing more rewarding! Especially to do it with your son! Congrats!!!

I share a similar memory as you on 9/11. I shot a 5x5 at 7:43 a.m. on 9/11/2021 in SW Colorado. When I get around to it I'm planning to put the euro mount on a US flag made from some old barn wood.

ol' dad

Heck yeah!

That's too great !

Very jealous!! Well done!!

I agree. Thanks for sharing. Congrats to you all!

Nice bull congratulations !!

Congrats on your success and a trip to always remember with loved ones and friends!

Excellent bull. “Making memories” as a good friend says

Dandy

Great story and experience. Good deal.

Thanks for sharing your story. What a great hunt. As a dad i could feel your emotions watching your son's reaction. I know How much I loved being there for my kids kills and blown chances.

Your story sure made me smile. Congratulations.

There is nothing better than taggin an elk in the rut with archery equipment!
Congrats to you guys on an awesome adventure!

Spectacular. Congratulations.

man, great hunt thanks for sharing

You got yourself a great bull.

Great story and congrats to your son.

Dave

…. His son got it and Matt called it in for him

Congrats

It pays to be in shape!! Congratulations.....jk

Nice job! Thanks for sharing, the story was great. A trip like that is on my bucket list!

Way to go, very nice!!

awsome!

Congratulations, great story.

WS

Congrats, thanks for sharing.

Congratulations, that's a dandy bull and a lifetime of memories. Thanks for sharing the hunt.

Congratulations! How's the steaks? Save any organs?

Awesome story!! Congrats on a great Elk!

Thanks for taking the time to share that with us!

… you ought to go give him a massage… I imagine he’s sore from packing out that meat lol

Thanks for the offer, but I am good. We did have a few steaks out of it. They were delicious, a little salt snd pepper. Nothing more needed.

Congratulations

excellent story! congrats

Congrats!!! That 4th pic of the pack out is awesome. One glance at it and my legs are cramping and my back is saying NOOOO. For anyone that has not elk or moose hunted, there is no way to fully describe the pack out. You push your body to the limit, you go way beyond full exhaustion, and you feel the most satisfying reward. Awesome job on your hunt!!!

That is awesome

Congrats on the bull

Congratulations and an excellent story. Memories you will cherish a very long time.

Very cool!!

Haahd to top that hunt....Congrats

Good work !!!

Nothing better than a successful do it yourself family hunt. Great bull! Congratulations.

Nice bull and congrats to your son.
Hope he enjoys school in Ft Collins.

He does. He is doing very well with it all. He has made lots of good connections. He is president of the chamber of Ducks unlimited there.

Super Story

Congratulations

Great job and the hunt and the write up! Love reading about other folks adventures like this. Just makes me wish I were up in the mountains chewing on diaphragm calls and trying to outsmart those magnificent creatures! Either that or just getting lucky! lol. Probably 2027 for our next trip if all goes well. Happy trapping! ScottW

Probably 10% bigger than any of the 2 1/2 & 3 1/2 year old ones that I have taken. On jst made a 6 X 6 but small point on the end. The meat alone is 5 back packs of deboned 40 pound packages. Then there is the head and cape, they are heavy.....jk