2024 Hunting Stories, Part One
The more I hunt, and the more I guide, the deeper and more profound the experiences in the field become. The 2024 season was everything and more than I hoped it would be. I went into the season with a goal; To guide part time so I could make time to hunt with my friends and for myself. Being a full time hunting guide offers little time to hunt, and on those few and far between days off sleeping in can help get you through the season, and the laundry doesn’t do itself. People have often told me how they could never be a guide because of the variety of requirements, and situations you have to deal with. Yet, guiding is something I can’t live without. At least not right now. It’s so much more than getting my client an animal, it’s something much deeper, rooted in what the mountains give you. This season was the best mix of it all and I wanted to share a little of it here with you. With there being so many great experiences this past season I am excited to bring you the series of 2024 Hunting Stories, part one. Thank you for taking the time to read, to follow along, and to be a part of the What’s Your Wild Creative journey.
Last day of Antelope Archery season
These short stories are told in no particular order, rather they’re coming to me as I relive them here.
My good friend Melissa and I headed towards the Upper Ruby valley to chase antelope with a bow, followed by elk and deer. We had three days of hunting and were ecstatic to be headed to the mountains. I had already filled my elk tag and was taking every advantage I could to hunt with as many friends as possible! Knowing the usual hang out spots of some antelopes I naturally took the lead on the hunt. Melissa is a new hunter but the hunger she has to get in the field and learn is infectious to be around. We spotted a nice bull with a handful of cows the evening before, along with a few deer. We made our plan for the next mornings hunt.
Daylight brought light to the landscape and details on the far ridgelines started to become clear and visible. Seeing a big, tan body moving across the side of the hill I pull up my binoculars and identify a bull elk. Seconds later we hear a faint but clear bugle come from the bull. We wasted no time dropping into the drainage so we wouldn’t be seen as we started to close the distance. The morning was chilly but it didn’t take long for our bodies to heat up and soon we were shedding layers. The morning sky shown bright pink and orange as our lungs took in the thin air. We had decided that whatever animal we seen first, we would go after it. It was time to close the distance on the bull.
The terrain was sparse made up of sage and scattered pines. Last seen the bull was on the edge of a small timber patch. Using our optics to pick apart openings in the timber and along the edges we hastily moved up the mountain hoping to not be seen and busted! Fresh tracks and scat littered the hillside as we crossed the edge of the timber. Ever so slowly we crept, glassing into the darkness of the timber canopy, and as we did so our nostrils filled with the rank and wild smell of them.
Looking back now I would have entered that timber differently, now knowing what it looks like once you are in there. Having never walked my boots on this ground this was all new for me and a learning experience to apply to my next hunt. Sensing the bull was close I cow called a couple times, softly and quiet. We waited for a handful of minutes, listening, being still and hopeful he was curious or horney enough to come in. Impatient I decided to keep moving up and just as we took a few steps he was right there, looking right at us. Freezing in our tracks we were pinned, and within seconds he bolted and was gone.
A missed opportunity yet such a rad experience! We were riding the high of discovering what else was living on this mountainside. It was time for some breakfast and a glassing session. I knew there were antelope that thrived on this open and windy south facing slope and I immediately started to look for them and instantly found them. We huddled in small patch of timber, watching the antelope and trying to come up with a plan of attack. How would we get into bow range of a wild animal with some of the best eyesight? The challenges were obvious, as the landscape was wide open. We would have to utilize the suttle and small rises in topography to get in close enough for a shot. We watched as they fed about and once they settled into their beds we threw on our packs and started our stalk.
A lot of times these stalks require an extra effort to go the distance so one isn’t seen by the animal you are pursuing. With that being said we dropped back so we could cross the ridge in the saddle (the lowest part of the ridgeline) dropping us into a drainage, where we would then sidehill towards the antelope, being unseen the entire time. The day was warm and sunny and we meticulously made our way closer. Once we got into a couple hundred yards we dropped the packs, attached the decoy to Melissa bow, and went over our game plan once again. Narrow game trails went along the side of the south facing slope, and we picked the one we were confident would take us right to them, and just slightly above them. The sounds of crunching from the many small rocks and gravel was almost impossible to walk on silently, but with with constant wind I figured it would cover the sound.
When on these stalks the landscape often looks different from when you are glassing it, to walking it. I highly recommend making a waypoint of where the animal is so you can use it as a resource on your stalk. Sometimes there are landmarks that help and in this case we had a small patch of sage the antelope were bedded above. The wind was in our face and blowing towards the east which helped set us up for success. Ever so slowly we crouched low and crested that line of elevation where we would be able to see them. For a brief moment I doubted our placement, were we too high or too low? Using the rangefinder tool on OnX we figured if we snuck in right we would be able to get within 60-80 yards. Melissa is a great shot and I was confident she would be able to make that. As we broke that line of concealment there they were, just like the bull elk, looking right at us. Melissa drew back, and I ranged them as I hid behind her. At 100 yards they stared at us and I told Melissa to hold her anchor as they may close the distance letting their curiosity get the best of them. No such luck, with a blow and snort they ran off faster than humanly possible.
The feeling of failing on a stalk is always so bittersweet. The anticipation of how it will play out, the precise decision making, the time and patience it takes, all coming together with the result. Even though Melissa didn’t release an arrow on a antelope we both agreed this was a big win for us, especially her. We had gone from the bottom of the mountain to the top, closing off 2.5 miles to get within 100 yards of these wild, and very alert animals. A huge success and another experience to add to each of our hunting resumes.
We made our way down the mountain back to camp for lunch and a long visit with the elderly man camping next to us. We jumped into my truck and headed to the north west where I knew we would have another, if not several stalks.
Driving along the dirt and rocky road we took our time glassing the open flats and rolling hills. Everytime I came through here in the past I had seen antelope so we were hopeful we would spot something. As my truck crested a steep section of road there in front of us was a doe and her two yearlings. Screeching to a halt I backed the truck up out of sight and we geared up for another stalk. For the next couple hours we played hide and seek all while trying to close the distance of a great buck and his does. Using the willows and the creek bottom we did all we could to get in close, waiting for the right chance to close the final distance. We watched the herd feed over the top of a short hillside and we took the opportunity to close the 200 yards and get within shooting range. Daylight was starting to fade and the pressure to get in close was building. This time we got within distance, forty yards to be exact but with the slope of the hill Melissa didn’t feel confident in taking a shot.
Even though Melissa wasn’t able to fill her tag this hunt tops many of the hunts from the season. Perhaps it was the shared experience with one of my best friends, seeing her growth and determination as a bowhunter shine that makes this hunt stick out. We worked hard, and smart and came very close to notching that tag. Many laughs and heartfelt conversations were shared as we spent the day together and the feminine energy on the mountain was refreshing. We continued hunting that weekend with Cole and had some action with bugling bulls and a close call on a cow and calf. We enjoyed steaks and cold beer around the fire with a sky full of twinkling stars. My heart was happy being on the mountain with good friends making memories that I know I will carry on forever.
I hope you enjoyed Part One of the 2024 Hunting Stories Series. Stay tuned and please subscribe to my page so you will be the first to know when the next hunting story is available. Below are some photographs from the time Cole, Melissa and I shared together.
