Double Trouble | Backcountry Elk Hunt

Quade and I loaded our backpacks full with a week's worth of supplies for a backcountry elk hunt. We hiked in mid September hoping for perfect rut conditions. The hike in was hot and the smoke from forest fires was thick. I was worried about glassing conditions and the warm weather. We arrived at our campsite, set up our tents then headed out for the evening to see if we could locate any elk. Glassing was tough with heavy winds and a layer of smoke in the air. All we saw that evening was a couple of spike bulls but there was weather coming in that night and we hoped for better luck the next day.

We woke to rain, ate a quick breakfast and hiked up to where we had seen the spikes and worked a ridgeline calling periodically in the drizzling rain. We sat down under a tree to get some cover from the rain and spotted a few herds of elk in the distance and there were multiple shooter bulls! We started closing the distance and could hear the elk going nuts. The cooler weather and rain seemed to increase the elk activity. By now the rain stopped and we had perfect stalking conditions. Quade was up first to shoot so I packed my bow but had the camera in hand. Quade and I followed the herd and tried to get in range of one of the elk. Working through the timber and the open meadows we got close to some cows, heard some bulls fighting, made some aggressive moves but did not get a shot. The big herd moved up the mountain but we heard another bull down below us. We set up and were able to call in a nice 5 point bull, but after seeing a few nicer bulls I decided to pass on the bull. We also called in a little calf to 15 yards that was really convinced we were its mom. The rest of the day we covered country and called. We found a small herd of spikes and cows, but no legal bulls. Later that evening the big herd we were on in the morning started to drop down and out of the timber. Calling was not working so I moved in for a stalk. The elk were in a large opening so I needed them to feed my way. I was able to get within 90 yards of a shooter bull but could not get closer with all the other eyeballs in the herd. Overall we had some close calls and encounters, but the day ended with no dead elk and a long hike out in the dark.

After a long day of coyoting that elk herd we opted to sleep in a bit and have a good breakfast. While eating our food and sipping coffee we started hearing faint bugles. Just for the hell of it I threw out some calls and got an answer! A few minutes later a small herd of elk popped over the ridge. There were two bulls and a bunch of cows at about 600 yards. I continued to call to see if we could bring one of these bulls in. The herd bull would respond almost every time, but wasn’t interested in coming in. We quickly got our gear together to go after the herd. While we were doing that Quade spotted a bull pop over the ridge at about 150 yards. One of the bulls had split off the herd and headed straight to our camp. Startled, but ready Quade had his bow in hand and I started calling behind us, attempting to make it sound like the elk were behind our camp. Our full camp, tents and all were in the wide open, but this bull continued to bugle and walk right to us. The bull worked to our left behind some willows near the creek and Quade made a move on him to get a shot. The bull was facing him through the willows at 13 yards. Quade was not comfortable with the shot and the bull spotted him. The bull spooked off into the draw out of sight. Quade then made an aggressive move to pop over the ridge to get an opportunity at this bull. I watched Quade disappear over the ridge and hung back at camp so I wouldn’t spook the bull if he was on it. A few minutes later Quade comes back up over the ridge with a bloody arrow in hand! Quade had snuck over in range and got an arrow into the bull! This was Quade’s first elk ever and I was ecstatic for him!

We gathered our packs and headed back over to track the blood. The bull had gone a couple hundred yards and died in the creek.

By 11 AM Quade had his first bull and it was only 400 yards from camp! Together we got the bull back to camp and the meat hung over the creek to cool. Quade stayed in camp to debone and clean up his bull’s skull. It was my turn!

I went out that evening without any opportunities, but tomorrow was a new day! We got up and headed into where I had last seen the herd the prior evening. We found the herd, but they were slowly moving away from us at a pace we couldn’t keep up with. Once we reached a good vantage point we set up and glassed for the afternoon. We were able to spot a small herd with a few bulls that were bedded a long ways off, but before I could get my gear together the herd got up and started heading down the mountain to a saddle. I made a plan to loop around the timber and get set up to intercept the herd. I was able to get to the saddle in time and had spikes, cows, and smaller bulls working their way right at me. I had a 5 point bull stand in my shooting window and got a range of 35 yards. The 5 point moved off and a small 6 point came in, but not quite a shooter. I now was surrounded by cows, spikes, and small bulls waiting for a shooter to show himself. I knew there were a few good bulls in the herd when we glassed them from across the drainage so I was being patient. After passing the smaller bulls a cool looking 7 point came into my shooting window. A cow stood in the way of a shot so I waited. At this point I had spikes and cows within 15 yards. I think one got a whiff of me and jumped back and was about to spook. The cow finally moved out of the way and the bull turned and offered me a perfect broadside shot! I touched the release and executed a good shot. After the shot the timber exploded with the sound of elk hooves and I couldn't see my bull through the trees. I called Quade on the phone immediately asking if he saw anything. He said, “I’m pretty sure I watched a bull roll down the mountain!” I found my arrow covered in lung blood and looked off about 75 yards and there was my bull! The bull had gone about 50 yards and rolled down the mountain. We were tagged out!

We celebrated, got some pictures and videos then started breaking down my bull. He was a beautiful 7 point but had broken off one of his tines. Still some awesome character to this bull. My elk was a little further from camp but Quade and I both took a load of meat with us to camp that night and headed in the following day to get the second load. In two days we had two bull elk down! Now with both elk in our camp we started making trips to the truck. A long day of packing meat out but we had some great elk action and were able to capture this adventure on film.