2021 Archery Season

Wow! What a season it was this year. It’s nearly impossible to describe the season in one sentence so I thought I’d share all about the ups, downs, lessons learned and the special memories on here. I hope you enjoy and can take something away from my past month experiences whether you are a hunter or not.

Week 1: The excitement was obvious as the three of them huddled under the tarps tied around the big fur trees, cold beers in each of their hands, their hoods up over their heads keeping the chill off their necks. The rain had been falling all day bringing much needed moisture to the dry earth. Tomorrow was opening day of archery season and the anticipation was high as we had scouted this area all summer, finding 24 bulls and several nice bucks. We had the elk and deer patterned as they thrived among the steep timber above the scattered cliffs. This was tough country to access, which made us hopeful that it would keep other hunters out. As the rain continued to drench the earth there was no sound of vehicles or side by sides, making us feel as if we had this entire mountain to ourselves for opening morning.

OPENING MORNING: Much to our anticipation as we approached the trail head there was a side by side that had beat us to it. Turning around we decided to hunt behind camp which in fact we heard a bugle blast off just after dark last night. Knowing we had the entire month to hunt we took this an an opportunity to learn the land, and hopefully in the process we would find some elk. It wasn’t long until we found some fresh tracks and scat. Blasting a bugle I get a response from down below us, checking the wind we start to move in towards the bugle. With our location being on the top of the ridge, we played the wind to the best of our ability as we dropped down onto a bench and were amazed and slightly intimidated by the country that laid out in front of us.

The wind that morning was fairly inconsistent and as the clouds slowly crept in like lava flowing from a volcano, but we were able to get a glimpse at a a small bull with a couple cows just across the canyon from us. A great sign for opening day. Returning to camp we warm up with some hot coffee and hang our clothes in the trees to dry out before our evening hunt. With it just being the first day of season our focus was to find as many elk as possible, in hopes of finding a mature bull to go after. We spend the evening glassing across the canyon and turn up a bachelor group of 5 bulls far off roughly a mile away as the bird flies, but a 5 mile hike to get to them. Our game plan was to head back to camp, eat a good hearty meal, pack our bags and head into the backcountry to hunt these bulls the next day. Returning to camp we couldn’t help but pull out the spotting scope and glass the hillside we had seen bulls on all summer and sure enough a big 6x6 is busy pushing around his cows and chasing off several satellite bulls. Our plans for the next days hunt officially changed as we watched the rut action go down across the canyon from camp.

With sleepy eyes we make our way up the wet and rocky hillside. There is no trail except for a few game trails here and there that dissipate into thick brush but none the less we make our way towards the location of the elk. Fresh sign liters the landscape and we can see they were in this exact spot last night feeding. Not dressed properly for the wet waste high foliage we are drenched and decide to make a small fire and dry out while we wait for the thermals to switch. The sun plays peak a boo with the clouds and we hear a faint bugle just up and over the ridge into the dark timber. As we make our way up the valley we hear another bugle coming from the timber to our right, so we make a move to get the wind in our favor and set up for the afternoon, cow calling here and there hoping we can pull this bull from his bed. Soon it’s lunch time, the sun is hot and the forest has gone quiet so we settle into our spot for an afternoon nap. The afternoon clock ticks on and we make moves to get closer to this bull keeping the wind in our favor and once again hear a bugle from the same timber as this morning. We move quick deciding this is the bull we will focus on for the evening. Our breathing is heavy as we make quick work stepping over deadfall, keeping our eyes and constantly checking the wind. Cam is up to bat, and I drop back behind him 60 yards and start cow calling. Within just a few minuets Cam can hear the bull and his cows moving into my calls, and just like that he feels a slight breeze hit the back of his neck and it’s all over.

The next few days consist of close calls as we get in close with a herd twice in one day. In the morning we work the steep timber from the bottom and walk right up on a few cows and their calfs, and later that evening we set up on the same ridge as the evening before and a beautiful white antlered 6x6 screams his way out of the timber, pushing his cows right towards us. As we sit in a small patch of timber we have no shot as the bull and his cows are just uphill 60-80 yards behind another patch of timber. With open country behind us and many eyes watching in our direction we are unable to move back and call, so we watch as the bulls rakes a tree, glunking and letting his cows know he is the boss. It’s a magical experience and the sun starts to set, as everything around us turns pink and once dark finds us we slowly move out and head down the mountain.

The next afternoon we head back to the same spot in hope the elk that have been frequently using this ridgeline would appear once again. The storage on my phone had run out and as I was busy deleting photos I hear breathing and looking up see a healthy big cow just 30 yards in front of me. She has no idea I’m there. Then I see him, just coming up the hill a 5x5 is right on her tail. I grab my bow, knock an arrow for I know I only have seconds to make this shot count. He’s broadside now and as I bull back my bow I cow call and he stops 45 yards in front of me. A primal feeling comes over me and I know this bull is all mine and soon I will be enjoying his precious meat. I release my arrow, and time slows down as I watch his tensed up body drop and my arrow fly’s right over his back. This was the first time I had ever seen an elk duck an arrow and I was once again humbled at these creatures and their instincts to survive.

The first few days of season were what we all dream of as elk hunters. Opportunities presented themselves and we were surrounded by elk but yet I was struggling. If you have read my last blog '‘THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK’ you will be familiar with what I’m going to talk about next, MENTAL HEALTH and the golden rule TREAT OTHER’S THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED. As most of you know social media tends to only show the highlight reels and the bugle fest. People in todays society tend to shy away from talking about things that make them and other’s uncomfortable. Nobody wants to be perceived as ‘that person’ so they avoid talking about the things in life that are hard. Things that we all deal with. The other morning as Cam and I sat around the fire we talked about what hunting meant to us personally, and I was reminded of how important hunting season is for my overall mental health. Hunting with a bow is no easy task and so many elements and luck have to come into play in order to notch your tag. For some reason this season was the hardest on for me yet, and not having dealt with some past issues they were now coming to surface as the rugged mountains tested my strength. Many tears drenched my face as I asked myself personal, deep questions as to what the fuck is going on with me. I had known for a while now that mentally I had been struggling, and I even broke up with Cam for a night thinking I needed to be on my own to figure my shit out. Turns out Cam knew better and saw right through my survival mentality and stood his ground in our relationship and I’m so grateful he did. You see, hunting isn’t all about the antlers and the instagram likes, but its about personal growth, challenge, connection and persistence. There were several times when my legs seemed as though they couldn’t take another step and I thought about quitting. I asked myself many times “why are you doing this? Why do you want this so bad?'“ I thought perhaps I should sell the bow and start rifle hunting that way my chances of success would rise and we would be able to sustain ourselves with organic, wild meat. But yet here I was waking up at 4:30 every morning doing all I could and knew to try and harvest an elk, deer, or bear with my bow and arrow. “I need the month of September to remind me who I am and what I am capable of. It’s the only thing that connects me with myself in the rawest form. It’s what get’s me through life.” These are the words I spoke to Cam that last morning of season as we sat around the fire and right then I there I knew my season was a success!!!!

Okay- Let’s back it up a bit… After spending a week in this area we noticed all the water in the wallows, and creeks had dried up and the elk started to move out. The amount of hunters that flooded the woods during muzzleloader season was no help to the elk hunting either as human sent and sounds of side by sides filled the forest. We were in much need of a shower and headed home for a day or two to rest up, plus I wanted to focus on my mule deer tag. I had been watching these bucks all summer and was told by a friend that he had never seen other hunters in this area, so naturally I was feeling confident. It was a warm and windy afternoon as I sat on top of the ridge huddled against some scrub oak, waiting for the deer to show themselves down below me. Hearing footsteps I see two men walking towards me. One was wearing orange and carrying a rifle, the other was carrying a bow. We chat and they inform me they had been hunting in here all season, and have been seeing the bucks everyday!! I was stoked hear that the deer were still using this area and they reassured me they would stick to the far side and not disturb my hunt. Great! I love it when hunters can respect each others space as we share public land. Just an hour before dark I see antlers below me and spot two nice bucks feeding just 150 yards below me. Due to the wind and the open hillside I couldn’t just walk right up to them and make a shot, so I used the foliage and make a loop around them to try and get a shot. These bucks have no idea I am here as the wind is in my face and my steps are quiet as my socks are tucked into my pants. As the bucks feed their heads are down and I take advantage and move in closer. Just needing to go 20 more yards I noticed one of the bucks looking off into the distance past me, ears up and just like that they bolt. Knowing it wasn’t me I automatically think it must be a bear or a coyote moving in but to my surprise see the two men I had just talked to a couple hours ago, standing in the middle of the open field. They blew my stock and I was absolutely pissed. I hike back to my boots and as I lace them back up they approach me, and as one of the men apologizes, the other (the bow hunter) won’t even look at me. Once again and element completely out of my control prevented me from notching that tag.

After a couple days of deer hunting and close calls as I crawled around the scrub oak in my socks we decide to head out on a back country hunt for a few days. I had been wanting to hunt this area for a few years now but nobody wanted to do it with me as the pack out would be straight uphill. Luckily I have a boyfriend who will go into all the hell holes with me. As we drove the packed Toyota to our new destination we were filled with excitement for the anticipation of hunting a new area. With camp on our backs we head down the mountains and find the area we want to camp. We settle into our spot, have a bite to eat and then head towards a patch of timber we expect the elk to be heading towards to bed for the day. We find a wallow that had been used in the past 24 hours and fresh sign and let out a few cow calls, and get a response. A bugle and a couple cow calls come from below us and Cam and I separate 80 yards and wait for the elk to walk right into our kill zone. The wind is perfect and we can hear them calling as they get closer. Then once again, just like that, we feel the cool breeze on the back of our necks as the wind swirls and the elk go quiet. We return back to camp and plan to give these elk a break until the afternoon in which we would relocate them and try again. Unable to nap I head for the wallow to sit for the afternoon in hopes a elk or bear comes in to use it. Hearing a bugle above me I return to the tent to wake Cam and we head towards the direction this bull is pushing his cows to, and then we hear it. Another bugle, comes from the opposite direction and when I call back its clear it’s another hunter as the typical scene plays out. They challenge bugle, they rake trees, they cow call and just through the trees we see orange. These hunters were pursuing the bull we originally heard and actually pushed him away with their aggressive tactics and we got right in the middle of it. We stop calling and move further down the mountain towards the dark timber we were planning to hunt that morning and run into three more hunters. Frustrated we decided to move out of this area and head back home to hunt with Cam’s brother in a OTC unit.

The next few days of season Cam and his brother Kyle focused on elk and I focused on deer with my friend Karlee. Karlee is new to hunting and tells me, “she will follow me anytime, anywhere around the woods.” It’s so refreshing to know such a woman who is so passionate about learning about these wild animals. Karlee and I know each other from the river community here in the Roaring Fork Valley but never spent much time together until her interest of hunting came about. We have created a sister relationship and to be honest some feminine energy was much needed. We spent the next couple days catching up on life and had some opportunities on bucks, but with the loud and dry ground it was nearly impossible to get in close enough for a shot. We seen a great bull moose as he walked up on us at 40 yards and spent hours talking about life and all its goodness. It felt good to take a few days to not think about elk and to wander the woods with a good friend, to have some girl time, and to be empowered by one another.

With just a week left of season we head for the backcountry. An area we have been looking at all season, and once again that feeling of seeing new country makes our hearts beat a little bit faster. Being able to drive to the trail head was a relief as it knocked off a few miles we were planning to have to hike in. The hike in to camp was easier then anticipated which I’m sure was due to the 180+ miles we had already hiked this season. Our legs and minds were strong and ready. We followed fresh elk tracks the entire way into camp just 3.5 miles in and 2,500 vertical feet. We decided to split up for the evening in hopes that one of us would find the elk. Karlee and I headed up into an aspen grove that lead to a bench of field and scatted timber. As we crested a hillside I see a bull feeding, all alone just 150 yards ahead of us and he’s headed right towards us. The wind was in our favor but we had to play it right so we made quick work, getting down low we hide among the patch of big furs. I knock and arrow, turn my head back behind me and blow two very soft cow calls. I can't see him but knowing he was alone there’s no doubt he will be interested in my calls. I start to range what I can around me so when he appears I have a rough estimate at how far away he is. White tines appear through the trees in front of me and he is walking right towards me. Taking big slow breathes I calm my heart rate and focus on being calm and using the term I had used all summer '‘it’s just a target.” The wind blows strong in my face as he gets closer, and as the branches from the trees obscure his vision I pull back, settling into my anchor point. Just a few more steps and a broadhead will slice through his heart but sensing something different, he stops right behind the tree, turns and runs off. I instantly cow call, still pulled back but he stops 20 yards quartering away, still behind the tree offering me no shot.

The next 24 hours brought wind, hail, rain and snow. Luckily I had brought my Big Agnes Tarp in which we were able to hunker down underneath and we did our best to enjoy the time in the wilderness watching the storms come and go.

The following morning was spent in search of a bull we heard bugle behind camp in the middle of the night. He sounded lonely and cold, and I’m sure it was the same bull I had called in the day before. The grouse were everywhere and we took the opportunity to eat some of the cleanest and leanest meat out there.

We had just 24 hours left of season and we wanted to get up high to see if we could re-loacte this bull we had named TANK, that we had seen earlier in the season. With just an hour left of light we hear bugles coming from the canyon below us and as we call back and forth to each other we can tell he is a big bull. It felt so good to finally be able to have a conversation with a bull, for the season had been fairly quiet. Smiles filled our faces and I couldn’t stop bugling back at him savoring in the moment. We headed back to camp energized knowing tomorrow morning he will most likely be in the same area and we will have the last day of season to try and get in close. Just as we arrive to camp hail, rain and snow hammer down on the tent so loud we can’t even hear each other talk. Lightning and thunder crash over us and we giggle as we joke that TANK has declared war with us. The following morning was cold as the top of the mountain was covered in snow. We had hoped this bull would have feed into this area with his cows and we would catch him in the morning but not hearing or seeing any sign we huddled around a fire warming the chill from our bones. It was the last day of season and we soaked in everything we had experienced leading up to now. Between Cam and I we had 5 tags and not one of them one was filled. There was a feeling of sadness but yet gratitude for the moments of struggle and perseverance we experienced in the last month. The end of season marked four months that Cam and I have been together but yet this month felt as though I had spent a lifetime with him. There’s something so special about finding someone to share moments such as these with and I really am a lucky woman. Feeling warm again we hike to the summit in search of the big vocal bull from the night before and in the sunlight we can see with our naked eye, he is all the way at the top of the other side of the canyon. As we watch him he looks back at us stranding tall among his cows, as if he is trying to send us a message.

The tags we carried in our packets may not have been notched and the photos you see on our social is not that of antlers, but in no way shape or from does that conclude who we are as hunters. This year I have walked away from season a completely changed women. I faced mental challenges that only hunting can bring me, I fell madly deeply in love with my partner and I saw animals and felt the rath of mother earth that many people in society never will know. For what its worth those tags in my pocket have been notched, it’s almost as if I should hang them on the wall in a frame for this season has been like any other. My passion for hunting is now a raging wildfire that will never burn out.

I hope your season has brought you success in whatever shape or form was right for you. I hope you can apply those lessons you learned in the field to your life outside of hunting. Below are some more photos, enjoy!