Posted By: Buschy
2023 CO & WY Public Land Bulls - 04/02/24 09:16 PM
2023 was a very good year for bulls and something I will likely not have happen again.
I am able to access some landlocked public ground in SE Colorado and the evening I was setting up my tent I heard a bull bugling. Always a good sign. In the dark the next morning I hiked north of camp and heard a bull bugling again. I positioned myself at the edge of an opening in the Pinion-Junipers that he was headed toward. A very small bull stepped into the clearing and it became obvious he was not making the bugles I heard. As the smaller bull was walking through the clearing he kept looking back so I decided to wait. A nice 6x6 stepped out, bugled, and gave me an easy broadside shot. I spent the morning breaking him down and packing him back to camp.
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417202-25.jpg)
I had a second tag (in this area of CO a person can have multiple bull tags), so that evening I hunted further to the NE where there were some canyons and I could get up higher to glass. As I sat there listening and glassing, I had three bulls feed out below me in the bottom of the canyon. They did not make a peep and one of the bulls was a beautiful, heavy 6x6. He gave me a standing, broadside shot and I had another bull to take care of. I spent most of the night boning and packing. I was as exhausted and sore as I have been in a very long time, but very thankful for two beautiful animals.
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417203-26.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417204-27.jpg)
I finally cashed in my WY elk points for a good hunt in November. I went up scouting earlier in the Fall and was feeling good about the hunt. The one thing I could not control was the weather and it sure would have been nice to have some cold and snow. Instead, I had a week of sun, wind, and 50-degree temps to work with (in WY, in the middle of November…REALLY). A friend had driven down from MT to help and we managed to turn up about 20 bulls the first few days. Some nice bulls, but nothing that got us too excited. A few more days into the hunt I was spending the morning sneaking into the wind and glassing on top of a big ridge. I saw five bulls that morning, but nothing I was interested in. As I peeked my head over another rockpile, I saw antlers everywhere. There were nine bulls bedded in the wide open, below a sharp rock face and out of the wind. It was a beautiful day, I had a good friend with, and the pack was all downhill. I might have found a better bull but was content with the 5x6 bedded in the sun below me at 320 yards. One shot later, we were enjoying the beautiful weather and packing elk. Sometimes it’s about good friends and the experience, not the inches of horn. This was one of those hunts and I left WY more than pleased.
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417205-29.jpeg)
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417206-30.jpg)
2023 blessed my family in many different ways. 2024 is looking great with two more grandkids arriving and a hunting season that is already full of planned hunts with family and friends! I hope you are surprised by a great tag in the draws and blessed with good health.
I am able to access some landlocked public ground in SE Colorado and the evening I was setting up my tent I heard a bull bugling. Always a good sign. In the dark the next morning I hiked north of camp and heard a bull bugling again. I positioned myself at the edge of an opening in the Pinion-Junipers that he was headed toward. A very small bull stepped into the clearing and it became obvious he was not making the bugles I heard. As the smaller bull was walking through the clearing he kept looking back so I decided to wait. A nice 6x6 stepped out, bugled, and gave me an easy broadside shot. I spent the morning breaking him down and packing him back to camp.
I had a second tag (in this area of CO a person can have multiple bull tags), so that evening I hunted further to the NE where there were some canyons and I could get up higher to glass. As I sat there listening and glassing, I had three bulls feed out below me in the bottom of the canyon. They did not make a peep and one of the bulls was a beautiful, heavy 6x6. He gave me a standing, broadside shot and I had another bull to take care of. I spent most of the night boning and packing. I was as exhausted and sore as I have been in a very long time, but very thankful for two beautiful animals.
I finally cashed in my WY elk points for a good hunt in November. I went up scouting earlier in the Fall and was feeling good about the hunt. The one thing I could not control was the weather and it sure would have been nice to have some cold and snow. Instead, I had a week of sun, wind, and 50-degree temps to work with (in WY, in the middle of November…REALLY). A friend had driven down from MT to help and we managed to turn up about 20 bulls the first few days. Some nice bulls, but nothing that got us too excited. A few more days into the hunt I was spending the morning sneaking into the wind and glassing on top of a big ridge. I saw five bulls that morning, but nothing I was interested in. As I peeked my head over another rockpile, I saw antlers everywhere. There were nine bulls bedded in the wide open, below a sharp rock face and out of the wind. It was a beautiful day, I had a good friend with, and the pack was all downhill. I might have found a better bull but was content with the 5x6 bedded in the sun below me at 320 yards. One shot later, we were enjoying the beautiful weather and packing elk. Sometimes it’s about good friends and the experience, not the inches of horn. This was one of those hunts and I left WY more than pleased.
2023 blessed my family in many different ways. 2024 is looking great with two more grandkids arriving and a hunting season that is already full of planned hunts with family and friends! I hope you are surprised by a great tag in the draws and blessed with good health.
![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2024/04/full-71819-417207-28.jpg)