Post by Bullshop on Oct 27, 2017 12:00:38 GMT -7
2017 elk tag filled. It was a very uneventful but perhaps grueling hunt this year. At the 9000 + feet elevation for the two days I was in it never stopped raining, sleeting, or snowing. A few years ago I had located an abandoned outfitters cabin that judging by the last recorded dates scratched in the walls has not been used for 50 years. The tin roof is mostly still there although it does have drips. The real blessing was that the old wood stove though rusted through and allowing playfully dancing light about the dark cabin gave its drying warmth at least one more time. I believe the reason this was abandoned is due to a land swap that now has it on public land but the reason it is unvisited is that the trail in to it was cut off at that time. There is the small cabin with four bunks , an out house (fallen down), a meat pole ,(still up) and a fresh water spring maybe 75 yards away and situated in about the best elk country I have ever found.
My chance came after a full day of enduring being wet and cold and at the last few minutes of shootable light about five cows and two bulls came to a grassy feeding area near the spring. They came to within about 50 yards so it was an easy shot and the hunt was over but not the work. By the time I got the bull gutted it was pitch dark with no moon or stars. I had hoped for enough light to get him quartered and bagged and back to the cabin but there was just not any light at all. Last years elk in the same general area had a bright full mood that allowed me to work through the night to get the elk out to where the wolves were not a threat to the meat. No such luck this year.
As I finally surrendered to the black night and resolved to get back as early as light would allow in the morning just as I was closing the cabin door to sit in the dark next to the warming drying fire I could hear some wolves howling at what sounded to be about half a mile away. That eyrie long drawn out wolf song had me worrying through the night if I would have any elk meat left by morning.
After what seemed like a 30 hour night light finally returned and I quickly made my way back to the elk and found by the tracks it had been threatened but unmolested. I was much more at ease so took my time quartering and bagging and getting the meat back to the cabin. By the time I got me gear packed up and loaded it was early afternoon and so started the rough 10 mile trip out to the road where my truck was waiting. Arriving back at the truck I found my loading ramps still in place on the trailer and thanked God they were still there and not in someone else's truck. There is always that possibility leaving such things unattended 25 miles back in on a dirt road. Loading the 4 wheeler back on the trailer was simple and getting the winch cable from the 4 wheeler hooked to the trailer took only a minute. By then I was pretty well used up and glad to be on my way home.
Got the butchering done yesterday and last night for dinner the first fresh elk steaks since we ran out of last years elk over last winter. That friends is my just deserts !
My chance came after a full day of enduring being wet and cold and at the last few minutes of shootable light about five cows and two bulls came to a grassy feeding area near the spring. They came to within about 50 yards so it was an easy shot and the hunt was over but not the work. By the time I got the bull gutted it was pitch dark with no moon or stars. I had hoped for enough light to get him quartered and bagged and back to the cabin but there was just not any light at all. Last years elk in the same general area had a bright full mood that allowed me to work through the night to get the elk out to where the wolves were not a threat to the meat. No such luck this year.
As I finally surrendered to the black night and resolved to get back as early as light would allow in the morning just as I was closing the cabin door to sit in the dark next to the warming drying fire I could hear some wolves howling at what sounded to be about half a mile away. That eyrie long drawn out wolf song had me worrying through the night if I would have any elk meat left by morning.
After what seemed like a 30 hour night light finally returned and I quickly made my way back to the elk and found by the tracks it had been threatened but unmolested. I was much more at ease so took my time quartering and bagging and getting the meat back to the cabin. By the time I got me gear packed up and loaded it was early afternoon and so started the rough 10 mile trip out to the road where my truck was waiting. Arriving back at the truck I found my loading ramps still in place on the trailer and thanked God they were still there and not in someone else's truck. There is always that possibility leaving such things unattended 25 miles back in on a dirt road. Loading the 4 wheeler back on the trailer was simple and getting the winch cable from the 4 wheeler hooked to the trailer took only a minute. By then I was pretty well used up and glad to be on my way home.
Got the butchering done yesterday and last night for dinner the first fresh elk steaks since we ran out of last years elk over last winter. That friends is my just deserts !
