# Fish Lake elk hunt 2008



## alpinebowman (Sep 24, 2007)

Well we all made it back form the trip mostly unscathed. Alpinebowoman got a few bumps and bruises like always and we tried to kill my uncle with the extra 9,000 feet of elevation but he survived to tell the stories.

We got to camp late on Saturday night and quickly got to setting up the Hilton for the week. We had a great setup with the wife and I in the spring bar and my Brother, Uncle, and the kitchen in the wall tent. It was very nice for a week in the mountains.










With getting in late we took Sunday morning to get all of our stuff ready and make sure the equipment was still good to go between the airplane trip and truck ride.










On Sunday afternoon we headed up the hill for our first hunt.



















I took my Uncle up to a great out of the way water hole for the night and sat him down for the night. Needless to say a couple of elk walked right by the water hole just out of range in thick brush for a clean getaway. Meanwhile I sat on top of a hill and watched a good bull with 11 cows work up the opposite hillside followed by 2 spikes. Man the luck.

Then next morning we took a break again since the altitude was still affecting my uncle and decided to try our luck on the stream across from camp. My brother and Uncle went with the spinners and had some luck with some beautiful brookies.










Mean while I decided to be cool and try flipping a fly. Needless to say the only thing I caught was my own line. As you can see with this pic I caught it very well.










Later in the week I sort of redeemed myself and caught one nice brookie and had a couple more hook ups that got off so it was a great little distraction during a tough hunt.

Well Usually while My Uncle, brother and Wife were hunting I was scouting around trying to find the sweet spot on the hill. On Wednesday I place my Uncle and brother at some water while I went to watch a hillside were the elk seemed to cross to find where they went to and came from. So I set up in an area where I have a decent view of the hill and start the waiting game. About 30 minutes into the wait a lone cow pops out below me at a 104 yards. It looks up the hill in my direction and then it appears to continues on its way. So I start to head to the hill edge to see where she goes and maybe push her to my uncle. Right as I get to the edge of the hill I notice she starts to walk up the hill. at this point I realize I am standing on a decent trail with no cover around me. I range her and check the slope and figure out I need to cut 5 yards off my shot. She comes out to 70 yards and stops. then walks up to 50 yards and stops. Suddenly she runs up the hill and stops between 35-40 yards. I decide to take the bird in the hand and end the elk hunt for the year. I draw back and bury the pin into her side and let it fly. I watched my arrow bury into her side as she swaps ends and heads down the hill. I quickly realize I hit a little far back and can't help but feel like I needed a better shot. Well as luck would have it She stopped at the bottom of the hill broadside. I quickly guessed the yardage and let the 77 yrd shot go. The shot felt better that the first but I lost the arrow on the way down as she took off after the shot. I watch her as she makes her way up the opposite hill only walking as she disappears behind a pine and doesn't emerge. I anxiously wait for her to come out but she never does. I call my brother and let him know I may need some help and I will let him know in a few minutes. So after about 10 minutes I go to find where she was standing to find my arrow when I notice her laying down behind the pine tree. She soon rolled down the hill and she was done, I had my elk. The second shot hit her perfect and finished off what was a decent first shot, Both arrows where covered in good blood.

Here she is, She was a big freakin cow.



















My brother and Uncle made there way over to help and we got her cut up and packed up. Of course this is the morning Alpinebowoman decides to sleep in. We sure could have used another pack, My uncle sure got some fun carrying the front 2 legs. I carried the back straps 2 gallon bags of misc. meat and a rear quarter while my brother carried a back quarter and a gallon bag of meat. I haven't weighed everything yet but the back straps alone were 20 lbs and my brother and Uncle seem to think I had about 90 lbs in my pack.

Here is us at camp with the loaded packs.










And heaving it onto the meat pole.










After this fun I Went and Tried to find some deer for the wife and we certainly found a good number but no shooters until About 8:10 on Thursday night I stopped the truck and quickly made a look at what was a nice buck that was just feeding away. We got out and made our way to a spot to get a shot. We had a great 45 yd shot if it wasn't for a giant aspen right over the sweet spot. Finally he moves and stops at 50 yds. I tell her to put the pin on the top of the back and let him have it. She takes her time as I am watching for the impact. Suddenly at the release there is quite the racket and I quickly realize she has played a little pinball with her arrow. Needless to say the only thing scathed was a 6 inch quakie that should recover just fine. After that we had a few more chances but never was able to close the distance again on another buck. I did finally get her a glimpse of an elk on Friday morning but I was looking in the wrong spot as we crept over the hill and she didn't want to stay around more than a few seconds.

Here she is on the top after the elk sighting and one of the sprained ankle instances.










I later found a water hole that had deer and elk on it and put Her there but only a small spike and some does came in. Later that night I sat with here and had a bull pretty cranked up behind us but he wasn't quite ready to come to us yet but he paced the bowl behind us all evening bugling. Very cool stuff.

I then took to guiding my Uncle for a the last day and sat him in a great trail that was heavily used and he had several critters around him but none wanted to use the trail. That night he had elk bed right next to him and not wanting to scare them out he slept on the mountain without a bag at 10,000 feet. Man he is a trooper. Unfortunately when morning came they headed the way they came and he never did see them. So I hiked up the hill and tried to give one more go to find him some elk.

Here is one of the places we found littered with scrapes and sight but no elk.










and here is my favorite pic of the trip. My Uncle and I on the way down for the last time of the trip. It was heartbreaking to get him so close with out some success.










And here is what we were overlooking at the moment in time. Just breathtaking.










Well after the pack up that was the end of a great trip with better company but the mountain certainly won again. I only hope we will have many more opportunities to do it again.

Until the next hunt.


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## sharpshooter25 (Oct 2, 2007)

Great story. Of course we all want everyone to fill their tags, but to me that is just the icing on the cake. What we usually remember most is the comradory with those closest to us. Great job on that elk as well.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

EXCELLENT REPORT alpinebowman !!! 

I'd say you covered all the base's !! In fact I envisioned myself taking an afternoon snooze in that cool tent set-up, while everybody else was working.... :wink:

Congrat's to you guy's......thanks for sharing this _fine _story !!!


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Congratulations on a great hunt. Awesome story and pics. Sounds like a great time even if not everyone tagged out it was still a successful hunt.


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## alpinebowman (Sep 24, 2007)

bowgy said:


> Congratulations on a great hunt. Awesome story and pics. Sounds like a great time even if not everyone tagged out it was still a successful hunt.


thanks bowguy. It was a great hunt but I really wanted my uncle to get an elk. He has killed more critters than I probably ever will with not one elk in his bag.  . I just hope he can make it back for another go around. We all had a great time.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

sounds like you guys made some great memrys.geting a game is just a bouns. nice job geting a elk and there no other way to spend time with famliy and friends. nice work


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