Fins and Feathers Outfitters took a break to guid elk hunters at Budges Flat Tops. I want to thank my 4 hunters personally for spending some time with us at Budges. We had a group of 10 with a drop camp included. I personally had called in 10 elk inside of 45 to 50 yards with 3 of them being at 20 yards and 1 at 18 yards. We just couldn’t make it happen this year. Every damn elk stopped behind something just before winding us and taking off. Shane i know you would have killed the one at 50 yards but i like to have them as close as possible so we don’t have to track cripples. Shane had another elk at 18 yards broadside with vitals blocked by brush.
We also had worked on one big bull for 5 days that had 9 cows, this bull was well into the 400 class with a spread that may have not fit into a pickup bed. Pope and Young in Colorado is 230 class (i think) this bull will make Boone and Crockett. Some lucky first season rifle hunter will kill this bull. We had him patterned he just would gather up his 9 cows and run instead of fighting, he also had no interest in picking up any stray cows as we tried to cow call him.
This year was very challenging with it being dry and a little pre-rut for archery hunters. Shane chased some elk walking bare foot across the south branch of the white river and setting up on a sand bar for an evening cow kill. The bull held all of his cows in the dark timber just long enough for Shane not to able to see his pins.
Spend a couple of days with Bob, who had pulled the trigger on 2 nice 6 x 6 bulls and didn’t connect.
Don, we had some very close encounters with bulls bugeling so close the trees vibrated and just could not get that extra couple steps needed to connect. Don and i watched about 9 bulls and 15 to 20 cows one morning on the opposite side of the river from us working there way up the ridge, we were hunting the big boy, who this morning decided to go high instead of coming down to the river and in the dark timber where we were waiting for him.
All-in-all, it was a great trip. Good clients, good food some evening tunes played by our ranch hand and two clients on guitars was the icing on the cake.
If you want a great elk hunt, some horseback riding in the wilderness area of colorado, call budges and ask for Larry Parks. You will have a great time.
Daniel, David, Butch and Ed be safe guiding this rifle season. (Guides)
And Don, Ken, Shane, and Bob thank you for booking with us at Budges, hopefully our friendship will carry on into the Fins and Feathers Outfitters duck hunting or fishing. God bless and be safe, Jim