Post by tuketu on Apr 13, 2016 9:08:59 GMT -4
This is of but one of the stories that came out of a one week trip to Colorado On Bea's ( Black Widow's) Elk Adventure back in 2011.
Colorado Encounter
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I’d ever set foot in the Colorado Rockies, let alone be tagging along for a high country elk hunt. Before I’d met Bea, my bear hunting partner, he was a bear hunting outfitter and had befriended a fellow by the name of Todd who hailed out of Denver Colorado. They struck up a great friendship and Todd, for some time, had been hounding Bea to come out to Denver for an Elk hunt. Bea finally relented and agreed that in August 2011 he would make the pilgrimage. Todd’s invitation also stipulated that his friend Henpecked (Hp) would be assisting in the hunt and if Bea wanted to bring a buddy then by all means do so. I’m not sure if it was the relentless pouting or pathetic sighing every time Bea mentioned Colorado but he caved and I was in for the trip.
Now you have to understand that in the logistics of it all was the fact that 2 good ole, east coast, sea level dwellers would be soaring to mile high country in one day. The plan was to be picked up at Denver International and head right to base camp at 11,300 ft. A bit of research into altitude sickness prompted a quick visit to the doctor and soon I had the remedy in hand. While at the Pharmacy the Pharmacist asked of my plans to acclimate to the elevations. When I told him that we were headed right to base camp from the airport he just snickered and said … “Good Luck with that. Let me know how that works out for ya.” I thanked him and left the building a bit unnerved. Against my better judgement I succumbed to guilt and provided Bea the pills he would require.
From the airport we traveled several hours taking in the sites as we passed a Colorado landmark …The Coors Brewery in Golden. Feeling a bit peckish after our long plane ride we made a pit stop along the way for the biggest burrito I’ve ever seen or eaten, which I quickly began to regret on the final leg of the journey to the Promise Land and Base Camp.
Home Sweet Home !
Can't remember when I've slept so good!
Dusk in the Rockies ... First night
So the plan was that Bea and Todd would scout out the area around camp while Henpecked and I would venture out by four wheeler is search of any small herds that might be making their way down from the high country to winter. Unfortunately it had been an exceptionally warm August and the summer grounds had not yet snowed in, meaning the migration had yet to begin. This would prove to be detrimental to the hunt. However this was not to dampen our spirits as every morning was a new opportunity. Hp and I logged a lot of miles on the buggy and saw some great country on foot.
My first encounter with a Grizzly. At age 51 this would be my first time driving a Four Wheeler. Baptism by Fire thanks to Henpecked's misadventure on a motorcycle contributing to his broken wrist.
Now Bqo being a bear hunting forum I would be remiss not to share this little event with you. Hp and I had decided to head out on foot and check out a few sites that we were rather curious to explore. We knew that Bea and Todd had ventured out to the end of one trail in search of elk, so we thought that by looping around and connecting onto that trail we may be able to push any game their way… seemed plausible. Once we reached the road we began to head back to base camp. Every once in a while Hp would say “Listen”, thinking it was the boys returning on their 4 wheeler. It was one of those times that a sixth sense made me stop and turn to try and catch a sound, any sound. When I did …OMG … 10 yards behind us a nice black bear barrels in full flight across the trail and into the thick cover below us. In a half pivoting move I immediately outstretched my now my swing arm, so as to get Hp’s attention to look around. In my excitement I think I may have hit Hp a bit harder than I had intended. I say this only because to the sucking noise I heard as hp tried to regain his wind. I'm sure to this day he still sports the knuckle dents in his sternum. As I turned to get Hp’s confirmation I asked “How did you do that?’ He queries “What?” My only response was “How did you make your eyes go so big?”. Of course we couldn’t wait for the Boys to get back to regale them with our adventure.
Moments before " The Encounter". I expect we were being watched at this point.
For the rest of the week all I kept mentioning was that ya had to bring in a couple east coast bear huntin’ boys to put you onto some of those Colorado Black Bears. Unfortunately the snows never hit the high country that week leaving Bea without an opportunity to draw back on a prized Colorado elk. There were some great times had in those mountains that week, and some of the belly laughs that came from that tent may have also been a contributing factor to the scarcity of game. On an up note I did manage to bugle in a pickup load of suspect hunters while calling after the sun had long since buried it last rays in the crevices that lay beyond.
I know I cannot say it enough but Thanks So Much to Todd and Steve for their incredible hospitality and a trip of a lifetime, and to Bea … a Special Thanks for allowing me to tag along and share in his adventure.
tuk
Colorado Encounter
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I’d ever set foot in the Colorado Rockies, let alone be tagging along for a high country elk hunt. Before I’d met Bea, my bear hunting partner, he was a bear hunting outfitter and had befriended a fellow by the name of Todd who hailed out of Denver Colorado. They struck up a great friendship and Todd, for some time, had been hounding Bea to come out to Denver for an Elk hunt. Bea finally relented and agreed that in August 2011 he would make the pilgrimage. Todd’s invitation also stipulated that his friend Henpecked (Hp) would be assisting in the hunt and if Bea wanted to bring a buddy then by all means do so. I’m not sure if it was the relentless pouting or pathetic sighing every time Bea mentioned Colorado but he caved and I was in for the trip.
Now you have to understand that in the logistics of it all was the fact that 2 good ole, east coast, sea level dwellers would be soaring to mile high country in one day. The plan was to be picked up at Denver International and head right to base camp at 11,300 ft. A bit of research into altitude sickness prompted a quick visit to the doctor and soon I had the remedy in hand. While at the Pharmacy the Pharmacist asked of my plans to acclimate to the elevations. When I told him that we were headed right to base camp from the airport he just snickered and said … “Good Luck with that. Let me know how that works out for ya.” I thanked him and left the building a bit unnerved. Against my better judgement I succumbed to guilt and provided Bea the pills he would require.
From the airport we traveled several hours taking in the sites as we passed a Colorado landmark …The Coors Brewery in Golden. Feeling a bit peckish after our long plane ride we made a pit stop along the way for the biggest burrito I’ve ever seen or eaten, which I quickly began to regret on the final leg of the journey to the Promise Land and Base Camp.
Home Sweet Home !
Can't remember when I've slept so good!
Dusk in the Rockies ... First night
So the plan was that Bea and Todd would scout out the area around camp while Henpecked and I would venture out by four wheeler is search of any small herds that might be making their way down from the high country to winter. Unfortunately it had been an exceptionally warm August and the summer grounds had not yet snowed in, meaning the migration had yet to begin. This would prove to be detrimental to the hunt. However this was not to dampen our spirits as every morning was a new opportunity. Hp and I logged a lot of miles on the buggy and saw some great country on foot.
My first encounter with a Grizzly. At age 51 this would be my first time driving a Four Wheeler. Baptism by Fire thanks to Henpecked's misadventure on a motorcycle contributing to his broken wrist.
Now Bqo being a bear hunting forum I would be remiss not to share this little event with you. Hp and I had decided to head out on foot and check out a few sites that we were rather curious to explore. We knew that Bea and Todd had ventured out to the end of one trail in search of elk, so we thought that by looping around and connecting onto that trail we may be able to push any game their way… seemed plausible. Once we reached the road we began to head back to base camp. Every once in a while Hp would say “Listen”, thinking it was the boys returning on their 4 wheeler. It was one of those times that a sixth sense made me stop and turn to try and catch a sound, any sound. When I did …OMG … 10 yards behind us a nice black bear barrels in full flight across the trail and into the thick cover below us. In a half pivoting move I immediately outstretched my now my swing arm, so as to get Hp’s attention to look around. In my excitement I think I may have hit Hp a bit harder than I had intended. I say this only because to the sucking noise I heard as hp tried to regain his wind. I'm sure to this day he still sports the knuckle dents in his sternum. As I turned to get Hp’s confirmation I asked “How did you do that?’ He queries “What?” My only response was “How did you make your eyes go so big?”. Of course we couldn’t wait for the Boys to get back to regale them with our adventure.
Moments before " The Encounter". I expect we were being watched at this point.
For the rest of the week all I kept mentioning was that ya had to bring in a couple east coast bear huntin’ boys to put you onto some of those Colorado Black Bears. Unfortunately the snows never hit the high country that week leaving Bea without an opportunity to draw back on a prized Colorado elk. There were some great times had in those mountains that week, and some of the belly laughs that came from that tent may have also been a contributing factor to the scarcity of game. On an up note I did manage to bugle in a pickup load of suspect hunters while calling after the sun had long since buried it last rays in the crevices that lay beyond.
I know I cannot say it enough but Thanks So Much to Todd and Steve for their incredible hospitality and a trip of a lifetime, and to Bea … a Special Thanks for allowing me to tag along and share in his adventure.
tuk
