CO 3rd season Cow and Bull Combo

Here is a short photo essay of my 3rd season elk hunts in central Colorado.  Thanks to everyone that came to help carry meat out of the woods. 

Day two, I muffed this same bunch of cows around 9am, followed them till about 2pm, had given up and was snacking, when the herd made a mistake and tried to cross the open bowl behind me.

The Outdoorsmans Pack carrying my daily gear, my rifle, two deboned shoulders, backstraps and tenderloins.  I drug the hams as far as I could, then stashed them in a fir tree and came back the next day.

Bloodied in battle, a heavy pack, and a long walk home in fresh snow.  It's good to be an elk hunter.

When the shooting was over I could only find 2 of the 3 cartridges fired.  The next day, packing out the hams,  I came across the picture above.  I'm guessing a squirrel uncovered it and tried to take it up the tree but couldn't get a grip, so I got my brass.



My first successful "following his tracks to his bed" type of hunt. 



The whole crew showed up to pack, even Baby Aina!

GRATEFUL

for family and friends, for mountains and OTC elk hunts.