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‘Tis the Season: The Jinx is Gone!
The Colorado high mountain air was cold and thin. Our legs, tired from marching through 20 inches of snow all day, get relief as we travel along a south-facing, therefore, snow-free ridge. Below us, double thick aspen groves reveal very little. But friend and hunting partner, Cliff, whispers my name. His eagle-eyes, assisted with bino’s, pierce the dark aspen jungle. I quickly raise my own binoculars, matching his direction. And there she is — a cow elk.
Hey, I heard you chuckle. Yeah, you. “A cow elk. Like shooting fish in a barrel.” Ok, I didn’t hear you say the second part, but I know you’re thinking it. Sure, a cow. Not some big, cagey, trophy bull with years of experience dodging hunters and crafty hunting guides. Just a little old cow with cute deer eyes, never hurt a soul, cropping grass and nursing her young offspring. Innocence on four hooves. Right?
The gals are good. Very good. Female elk are smart, tough, and live a lot longer than their male counterparts. Their biggest advantage: They run in a harem. With multiple sets of eyes, acute smellers, radar hearing, and spider-senses tingling like Antifa crashing a Taser manufacturers convention, you may have a better chance seeing Bigfoot dancing an Irish jig.
And if you are so lucky, as Cliff was, a little after we split up; he jumped a small herd in the trees, but those cows with the instincts of a savvy Apache warrior god (OK, a little over the top), stayed low, behind trees and never stopping, trotted out of sight. His rifle never got to jump and strike.
So, there we are staring down at a cow through a small crack in the aspen. My view is blurry – tiny aspen branches makes that happen. Cliff whispers that he has good lane, so I slide over near him and he is right. I use a small tree to steady the aim of my rifle … <Blue Yeti Approved PETA censorship>.
Elk Ivory and 30-06 Bullet.
We field dressed the cow and came back the next day, with backpacks and knives, to pull out all the meat. About 140 pounds worth.
Now, my freezer is full. Bon Appetit!
PS Winter of Our Discontent: Empty Freezer – Ricochet
Published in Group Writing
Isn’t there a problem leaving it that other predators or scavengers will take the meat?
No. We’ve never had a problem leaving anything overnight. There are no grizzlies in Colorado and no wolves where we hunt.
Very nice!
Congratulations. I have taken up the hunt again after many years, because we now have the acreage behind the house. I have put a few deer into the freezer this season using a crossbow. All hunted in relatively warm weather out of a climber tree stand. Each was field dressed and in our freezer within hours. We have a brief hiatus in seasons at the moment, then the archery season restarts Dec 26 and continues thru most of January. In our mostly urban/suburban wildlife management area, you are allowed a single buck. You can also apply for 3 doe tags, and can reapply for more if you fill those.
Is that an actual photo of your elk, or a stock photo? You took time to photograph before shooting?
Awesome! What state and region do you live and hunt? That is a stock photo.
We live in Gibsonia PA, a burb of Pittsburgh. We have 19 acres ourselves, and there is still a small farm, winery and fair amount of woodlands around us, with very little hunting pressure.
Yum! Elk is delicious and feeds the household forever. Congratulations!
@jimgonewild, I love everything about this story. Except…
And
If Ima go through all that, I want to put a round through a life form capable of yelling AllahuAkbar!
What I particularly liked:
Led them slackers ride the lighting.
I actually don’t think that’s over the top, at all. That resonated, and I know exactly what you mean.
Outstanding. Thanks, Jim.
I feel the love. Thanks.
I crushed hanging tenderloins last weekend. Delicious.
Thanks Boss-man for your totally unsolicited comments. :0)
I spent 7 days (dawn to dusk) hunting cow elk in AZ, NW of Flagstaff this year. Didn’t see a single cow during hunting hours. I had to come home to Indiana to get my venison.
I feel your pain. My dry spell started in 2013. At $400 to $500 at tag, that hurts. AZ is more I think.
I really enjoyed the elk last year, and
Jim’s elk is feeding our house as well. I think I’ll cook up the sausage this weekend!
Awesome!