# Colorado bull 2017



## Toad13 (Aug 8, 2014)

Got a pretty decent 6x6 2nd morning of the 1st rifle season. Our group went 3 for 5. Beautiful country.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Nice bull, congrats. What part of the state & was it DIY or guided ?
There's got to be a story to be told ...............


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## Toad13 (Aug 8, 2014)

Hi T-180,
Thank you. We were outside Carbondale near Gunnison national forest. It was a semi guided hunt I guess you would call it. They put you in the stands then your on your own until you shoot one and they come help you quarter and pack out. Butchering is up to you. 

The story:
Got to camp Friday afternoon and were unloading the truck and about 35 elk came out in the pasture on the ranch next door quick check with the binocs showed 1 decent 6x6 (not the one i got) and thr rest cows. Eventually they got close enough you could hear him bugling. A bit later a smaller bull with 15 or so cows came out in the same pasture. Got to watch a good show of the bigger bull run him off and herd the smaller bulls cows in with his own. Got us pretty pumped for the following day. 

Day 1 was pretty uneventful. We were greeted with high winds. Not much moved. I saw 1 cow and a mule deer doe. The other guys didnt see much more. 

Day 2 The wind died and the temperature dropped. 16 degrees for the horse ride up. I went to a different stand at the suggestion of my buddy and am glad I did. I was watching over a valley that had a large patch of aspens that still had most of their leaves. I saw a cow come out of those aspens to my right and was looking at her thru the binocs when she headed down the hill the bull came busting out of the aspen chasing her. I got the gun up and they stopped in some scrub oak and all I could see was the tops of his horns. They stood in there for what seemed an eternity before the cow headed back up on the same path they came down. I only had about a 10 yard window to shoot thru. I held on the opening and when the bull came thru squeezed on off. He immediately slowed down and dropped his head. I managed to get a 2nd shot off thru the brush before he made it back into the aspens. I then heard what sounded like branches snapping and crashing. Called my buddy on the radio and he came over to check it out while I stayed on watch I case he came out of the aspens. Directed him to where I first shot nothing. My heart sank. He continued up the hill still nothing. Then he could smell him. He went about 70 yards and went down. Didn't bleed for about 40. Shot thru the shoulder. 1st elk ever was down. Later that day I watched the same guy miss a big black bear. Only to get back to camp that night and find out both sets of his mounts had come loose. Also watched a bull later that day head right for a stand that a different guy in our group should have been in but wasn't. 
Day 3. Saw a cow moose at about 40 yards on the way to drive a mountain side. We put a nice 5x5 to one of our guys and he connected. 2 down 3 to go. 

Day 4 was quiet I don't think anyone in our group saw an elk. 

Day 5. Pushed hard most the day. Finally on the last push of the day a small 3x4 for my buddy that helped me get mine. 

It was a great trip. A little slow on the elk. Could be because of a late frost this year and not many acorns on the scrub oak in that area. Amazing scenery and great company. I did see 3 very nice mule deer buck as well. Can't wait for next year.


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## nam1975 (Oct 27, 2014)

Nice bull.


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## Toad13 (Aug 8, 2014)

Thank you


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## nam1975 (Oct 27, 2014)

Can I ask what outfit you used? Planning for a 2019 trip.


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## Toad13 (Aug 8, 2014)

nam,

Where I went is a sheep ranch and the guy outfits on the side. He has the same core group come every year. Hard to get in to you basically have to know somebody that's been going and hope for an opening. My buddy that I went with has been going for over 20 years. Sorry I can' be of much help.


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