Elk Season is only 36 days away!

[T Downing]

#4008

Hard to believe that the finest time of the year is a little over a month away. Preparation is almost finally over…Thought I would fire up some of you who love the elk hunt. Here are some pics from a lifetime of elk hunting…Hope all of you have shot a ton of arrows this summer in preparation…See the bull in the center of the picture?

[T Downing]

#25896

A big bull rub. Would have loved to have found the bull that did this.

[T Downing]

#25898

A high country elk wallow.

[T Downing]

#25899

My father checking out the wallow…

[T Downing]

#25902

Glassing for elk on a cool September morning…

[T Downing]

#25910

Pop had to break out the wool on this cold September day…

[T Downing]

#25912

My oldest son Isaiah has been elk hunting with me since he was 5 years old. He is going on his fifth elk season…

[T Downing]

#25914

My father and Isaiah posing over a first day of the hunt elk rub…

[T Downing]

#25918

The icing on the cake. It is all about the hunt for us but every now and then we bring home one of the best eating animals on the planet. My father and a beautiful 4X4 bull taken on the last Friday of the hunt…

[T Downing]

#25921

Another blessed moment…

[T Downing]

#25924

A nice 6X6.

[T Downing]

#25927

How sweet it is!

[T Downing]

#25930

One of the longest days of my life. But it ended well…

[T Downing]

#25931

Back in the day when I was about 15lbs lighter…The labor of love…Backpacking elk out on our backs.

[T Downing]

#25938

I didn’t find a drop of blood but heard the crash. I turned to my right and look what I found.

[T Downing]

#25942

A 5X5 bull taken with a Bruin Recurve. A 15 yard shot, the bull didn’t even know he was shot, he literally dropped to his knees and died right where he once stood. A clean pass through…

[T Downing]

#25952

A view from our high country elk camp. ELK COUNTRY AT ITS FINEST.

[Charles Ek]

#25985

Now I know who to ask for advice! 🙂 Thanks for posting the great pictures and captions.

[Raymond Coffman]

#26087

Mr Downing —
Great Post! Thanks — I drew no Elk hunt – this year.
I wish you the Best of Luck! – enjoy, for everything that it is, and it trully is one of the most Joyous hunts one can attend – we only get so many turns, and you never know how many it will be —–
Scout

[wildschwein]

#26098

Great pics and captions Mr Downing! And as for your 36 days, I’ll rub it in a little that I only have 33:D!

[skifrk]

#26954

I drew deer in area10 myself. So with a wife being due on Sept.24 I only get to hunt mulies up there this year, no elk:(

[David Petersen]

#28245

Nice pics, T. I hadn’t seen some of these. It will be nice to see Pop Joe again. He’s even older than me and thus serves as inspiration when I start hurting and thinking I should slow down a bit. No way! That’s the Downing code. For folks here who don’t know T, I can assure you he is lean and mean and one tough act to follow through the woods. Would have made a great recon Marine but I’m glad that didn’t happen. This website sure is getting my elk fever up too! Dave

[SDMFer]

#28808

At this point the count down is at 22 days until I can start; the anterless tag I hold opens Aug. 15. Won’t be able to look for anything with antlers until Sept. 1 though.

[T Downing]

#28929

Thanks for all the kind words gents! I tell you though, in my experience nothing has humbled me more than elk and where they live. Every season I learn something new which thankfully provides me a “beginner’s mindset” on the hunt and the animal itself…Time to start shooting broadheads in earnest!

[Patrick]

#28985

Love the pics!

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#29022

Great pics, T ! I was high up in Colorado this weekend. The smell of the pine forests gave me many fine flashbacks of last year’s hunt. I can’t wait!

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#29027

THIS WAS LAST YEAR, AT THE VERY TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#29056

On a hike behind the house last night I found a spring and wallow that I didn’t know about. Fresh elk and wolf tracks around it. Still have 5 weeks to wait, but it’s gonna be hard….

[JEMBO]

#31354

OK, I’m jealous now! I didn’t draw this year and the forest around our cabin has been closed for a month due to high fire danger. If it weren’t for the ones I see along the road I’d be completely elk deprived. The good news is that it hints at what closed roads can do to change wildlife patterns. Good luck on your hunt.

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#31542

Jembo wrote: OK, I’m jealous now! I didn’t draw this year and the forest around our cabin has been closed for a month due to high fire danger. If it weren’t for the ones I see along the road I’d be completely elk deprived. The good news is that it hints at what closed roads can do to change wildlife patterns. Good luck on your hunt.

Jembo, let me get that right; in New Mexico, if you don’t draw, you can’t hunt??? no public, over the counter opportunities?? If it is so, that’s sad!

Alex

[Homer]

#31604

Alex — that’s right, and AZ and most others as well.
T — brother, that’s a lot of elk meat on the ground. You and your dad make a deadly team. Here’s wishing many more to you both.

[RickH]

#32194

T,
Thanks for the great pics. The season will be upon us before we know it, I can’t wait. We are very blessed to have that kind of country so close to us. Have a great September,
Rick

[JEMBO]

#32213

Alex – In New Mexico all big game licenses are on a draw system except bear and lion. This year we have an over the counter archery season for ES turkey for all of Sept.

[Author]

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