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Hunting & Fishing Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

ChadTRG42

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 22, 2007
3,338
9
58
Dallas, Texas
www.dallasreloads.com
We’re back from Colorado, and we took our first elk on Saturday morning. We were able to get a shot off on the third time we called her in. We were the first harvest of this public hunting area with a bow this season.

Long story short, we packed in with backpacks to the top of the mountain. Base camp was at ~8800 feet, and we camped at ~10,200 feet. It took us 1 ½ days to get to the top through rough terrain with our packs. Once on top, we hunted for several days. Saturday morning, my hunting buddy, Jeff, called in this cow. She came in about 80 yards the first time, and when closing the distance, she ran off. A few minutes later, we called her back in to 40 yards. I went to full draw, and I needed another 5 feet for a shot, and she again ran off. About 20 minutes later, we called her and 2 other cows in, and she went into an opening where I had a shot. She stood broadside directly next to a tree I lasered at 50 yards, and I sent the arrow. The Rage 2 blade did the job!

This hunt was a do-it-yourself (DIY) hunt on public land. We were in Archileta County, Colorado, just North of Chama, NM. This was on the National Forest Service Land in the Chama Valley. This was our second trip to this area, and we will be back!

Huge thanks to my hunting buddy and master of calling in elk, Jeff! He's da' man! I could not have done it without him. This is his elk as much as it is mine.

Bow: Mathews FX
Arrows: Gold Tip
Sights: HHA Triple Threat (T-500) Link
Broadhead: Rage 2 Blade
Velocity: 252 fps
LRF- Leica 1200
Calls: Primo's Hyper Lip Single, Primo's I maka da bull crazy, Primo's Hot Lips.


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Packed out the cow with horses, and I got to ride Woody!
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Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice job, and the horses really do help packing out huh.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Great cow you got! Was wondering if your hunt was a go or not after seeing the news about the wildfires out there. Glad to see you made the hunt and but meat on the table.

Ken
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Hey Ken,

Yes, the smoke was coming across our region for 2 days when the wind was blowing it our way. The fire planes were circling over our area dropping water or whatever they drop on the fire up to the day we left. I haven't heard anything else on the containment since we left.

Chad
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice one mate, much respect for bow hunters.

How do you find the Matthews? Did you tune her down or does she normally shoot 250FPS?
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

How many grains and whats the BC on that Gold tip? Nice shooting Chad!
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How do you find the Matthews? Did you tune her down or does she normally shoot 250FPS? </div></div>
No, it normally shoots around that. It may run a few fps faster, but not much. The FX bow is one of Mathews entry line of bows from a few years ago. I got the bow for free several years ago from a deal, and it shoots great. It will robinhood arrows at 20 and 30 yards if you aim at the same spot. I don't see upgrading to a $1K bow (yet!) for the amount I hunt with it right now. It does everything I want it to do. I upgraded the sights and rest (QAD Ultra Rest) and it was a huge improvement. I'll keep it for now and beat it up. It does need a new string, since a few of the servings are coming loose and fraied.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Very nice.

Nothing is as satisfying as a DIY hunt that is successful.

It can be done with a lot of hard work and a little luck.

What weight did she dress out to? Did you handle butchering yourself or pay someone to handle it?

Can't wait to get back to CO.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice job, congratulations! Looks like you'll have your freezer full this year.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Great job Chad, u did it the hard way bro!! Good on ya brotha
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ridge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Congrats
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Was base camp next to the corrals? </div></div>
We set up base camp up the road from the coral area. I call it base camp but it was where we parked and camped. It was right off the river.

Thanks, Don!
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice elk...archery is the sport of many challenges.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice Elk man.

I just really got into bow hunting this year....Haven't connected with anything yet other than a Ptarmigan...

Hoping to score a deer soon though!
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Awesome chad, cka told me you got one when we met up on tue. Sorry to miss you while I was out there. Congrats! You should have taken a pic in a captain morgan pose with your foot on its head
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Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Great job! Had a 320" 6x6 at 23 yards last saturday, was waiting to draw my bow and have him take ONE MORE STEP into my shooting lane when the wind swirled! Gotta love archery hunting! I'll be back at it this next weekend though!

Mike
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

That is extremely rough country. See any mule deer?

Iv hauled alot of cattle into that old corral.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Thanks, Aaron and Mike!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ridge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is extremely rough country. See any mule deer?

Iv hauled alot of cattle into that old corral. </div></div>
Yes, we bumped mulies the whole trip. If I'd of had a Mule deer tag, I could have punched that tag, too. I think there are more mulies than elk in this area. There were several areas we were hiking up that we had to get on our hands carrying your bow and 60 lb pack. I'd do it again in a heart beat and plan to next year.
I see you are really close to where we were, Ridge. You're just up the pass from that area.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

WTG with the bow Chad.
 
Re: Elk Archery Hunt- First Cow down!

Nice cow. I've hunted near Pagosa Springs for the past 10 years and have always come home with meat. Know exactly where you were at.