CW Journal

[CurtisWalker]

Teenagehunter made his journal and I thought it was a good idea. I figured I will make one as well due to the long reads and pictures that will follow over the next few months. As many of you have read I am going to be going on a hunt I have dreamed about even when I was just a waterfowl hunter. In 10 days I will be embarking on my first elk hunt in Colorado. This summer has been a busy one working 60 hours a week and then preparing for the hunt after. I have never felt as comfortable shooting my bow as I do now. I am confident out to 60 yards. I didn't get into the shape I wanted to be in at this point but I will be working my but off for the next week and a half. But hey all us Midwest guys will struggle with the landscape and altitude no matter how hard we train.

50 yards:

Along with the elk hunt I'm looking forward to another awesome whitetail season. You can ask Doublerack that I'm probably more excited about whitetails right now than I am the elk hunt. I have been running cameras and moving stands as I had learned many lessons last season. I'm also taking a kid out bowhunting for his first time ever this fall. We also plan on trying to film the whole season.
It has been the worst year I have had on camera up to this date in time but it is still early in the season and the bucks will begin traveling shortly.

Few up and comers:

May be a shooter:

I did invest in a kayak this year which has been the best invest I've made so far. I've used it for lakes, rivers, creeks, and ponds. I did a bit of bass fishing through out the year. Never caught a lunker but enjoyed the time spent outdoors anyways.
Redneck Rig:

Lovely girlfriend:

Few Fish:

Also did a little bowfishing when I found the time

I hope to post pictures every night to every other day when in Colorado.

 

[iabwhntr]

Nicely done CurtisWalker. Thanks for sharing this and good luck in CO! Definitely post pics from there!

 

[CurtisWalker]

Thanks LoneRanger. I will post many pics of the trip

Started to pack today. Hard to believe its only 4 days until we leave. Who doesn't like a bit of realtree. Thanks again Chip for the bow case.

 

[buckill]

Having been on several elk archery hunts in MT, I suggest you also pack a pair of merrell sneakers.

On my first trip,I wore boots for a few days and my heels were blistered to the bone!

Good luck!

 

[CurtisWalker]

Well today is the day we leave on our 14 hour journey to Colorado.. With a few sleepless nights the last week, I can say I'm ready. Only one thing left standing in my way, physics. After I go to my class and take the quiz I'll be living a dream.

 

[4 Buck]

Good luck on your hunt in Colorado!

 

[BDAHMS]

Goodluck- sounds like it will be a great experience!! not sure why- but I cant see a single photo posted- they are all of the photobucket logo?

 

[CurtisWalker]

Goodluck- sounds like it will be a great experience!! not sure why- but I cant see a single photo posted- they are all of the photobucket logo?

I may be over bandwidth... I'll open another photobucket account for the next pics

 

[CurtisWalker]

After the long week I'm back in Iowa.

On Friday the 12th I went to classes finished my homework and quizzes that I was going to miss. I finished around 1:40 and began my drive to Grand Junction, Ia where I'd meet the other two guys that I was going on the trip with. Arriving a little after 3 because our truck kept going into "reduced power mode" we packed their truck and were on our way.

We drove all they way through stopping only a few times to take a short nap or to get gas and as always a bass pro and cabelas stop.

We saw hundreds of speed goats and a lot of mule deer

Once we arrived in Colorado we did a little scouting of a few places.

After a few hours scouting we made our way to the condo and spent the rest of the day checking and sighting in bows and just relaxed. The next day we went to get our tags but the kid forgot his proof of hunters education so we were delayed two hours while they worked things out to get his tag. 2 hours and 15 minutes later I was $611 poorer but I got a cool blue piece of paper and high spirits. With not having elk hunted before we began our afternoon and went up to Hahn's Peak north of Steamboat Springs. I had done research and looking at topo maps and area views so we decided to try a place I liked. We walked a few miles in and found sign every where. We called and moved and had no response. We continued the day stopping in meadows and calling. At the end on our way out the younger kid jumped a cow at 60 yards. (The kid still doesn't know how to walk quietly and steps on every stick and branch possible). After the excitement we continued our way to the truck as the sunset. On our way out I look over to see a big unusual ball like thing about two feet away and *loud Umbrella* sound as it was a porcupine and we sprung out his quils. That scared the crap out of me. We then navigated further and I noticed another ball shape in a tree not even three feet away and I do a double take and strike a heisman pose as I jump out of my skin thinking it was another porcupine. Ended up being a ball of pine needles.

 

[CurtisWalker]

The following days were the hardest. We decided to try a place that they wanted to hunt. We hiked in four miles and up to 10,500ft altitude from 8,000 ft. Us midwestern guys aren't meant for that. We went to the place a few days and decided to camp out one of the nights. We pulled into the parking lot to head out to camp and see this sign:

But we still hiked in and put up camp. That night was the coldest night of my life, No tent , no blankets, no pillows. I slept maybe 20 minutes next to the fire. I cut pine branched to lay on to keep me off the ground and give me a little comfort but it didn't seem to help.

We hadn't heard a bugle the three days we spent in the area so we decided to scout out another place I wanted to try when we got there we were met by two hunters who had just shot a nice 5x5 bull and had said the bulls were screaming their heads off every morning til about lunch time. But the other two guys in my group said it was too pressured so we went back to their area. Still no elk so the second to last night we decided to hunt another spot that I had chosen early on this summer and we were met again by two hunters packing out two bulls a 4x4 and 5x5 they said there was another bull killed in the area also and two cows. So we put our gear on and began to hike. We started across an open meadow when all of a sudden the guy in front of me disappears into the ground.. Floating grass!!! Who woulda thought. After getting him out we continued to walk and found a lot of sign so we sat and cow called and I thought I heard a bugle so I quieted the other two and listend and sure enough heard two bulls bugle about half a mile away so the race was on with only to hours of day light left. we make our way down into the valley and do a little more cow calling and sure enough we are closing the gap and he is headed straight for us. We get to about what we think is 150 yards from where we can here this bull just screaming like crazy and heading for us so we start choosing where we are going to stand when BBBBOOOOOOMMMMM a muzzle loader shot echos through the valley not even a hundred yards away. I thought for sure I was going to see my first elk of the trip and get a shot at a bull. But it all vanished..With it getting dark we walked back to the truck and run into a black bear but we kept our space and it left us alone as we proceeded on our way. The next morning was the last hunt and we hunted hard with no prevail. We walked out and were met by two hunters who had shot a 6x6 the previous morning in the area where we were hunting the told us to try the other side of the road because they had bumped 5 bulls when they were packing theirs out. But the majority ruled and I had no choice but to return to the condo and begin packing for our early morning departure back home.

 

[CurtisWalker]

I'll post more pictures tomorrow

 

[KnuckleDragr]

Tough luck there, Curtis. Sounds like you guys at least had a pretty good trip, otherwise.

 

[CurtisWalker]

Tough luck there, Curtis. Sounds like you guys at least had a pretty good trip, otherwise.

Yes it was a fun trip.. Probably going to go again next year with different people... The bad part is when I got home I have people youth hunting out of my stands and then some one getting on another property putting stands up and deleted a weeks worth of pics off my trailcam

 

[CurtisWalker]

Came close to getting my brother his first coyote tonight.

I went out to scout tonight and saw a coyote so I went and got Ivan with his 308.. We snuck out in dress pants and camo coats to 400 yards and waited. Bigger coyote came out and they laid down waiting for the deer to come to them after waiting a bit.. I pulled my grunt tube apart and made a rabbit distress call and they come running to us they get within 200 yards and Ivan couldn't find them in the scope and we lost them

 

[StickersNKickers]

Bummer! That would have been cool!

 

[CurtisWalker]

Last night my season started again with winter league. I recommend getting on a winter spot league for every bowhunter. My shooting has dramatically gotten way better due to it. I shot my bow for the first time since September and set a new 300 personal best. 289/300 with 20xs

Great way to end the night

Score Sheet:

 

[Daver]

That's some nice shooting!! Is that at 5 yards?

 

[CurtisWalker]

That's some nice shooting!! Is that at 5 yards?

I wish, would have made me look better. That's only from 2.

 

[CurtisWalker]

Yesterday I was looking at different hunts around the world and came to New Mexico Black Bear for the price I couldn't get it off my mind. Looks like I may be headed to NM this fall.

 

[CurtisWalker]

Well my bow set up is finally completed to where I am completely satisfied with it

Bow: Mathews Heli-m
Rest: Limb Driver Pro-V
Sight: Trophy Ridge React 5 pin
Strings: Vaportrail
Stabilizer: Axion 7.5 oz-5" GLZ Gridlock Tactical
Arrows: CE Maxima Blue Streaks
Broadheads: NAP Bloodrunner 2-blade

Now I will be hunting my first spring turkey season this spring. Then in August will be hunting black bear and mountain lion with it in Oregon. Then to chase whitetails this fall.