Stay after them......

Got ya, bears are cool, everyone has WT in the room, not everyone has a bear rug

You talking about the oil field? Or days off for Co hunt? Hope your talking about hunt time off...

Days off for the hunt. Things are competitive, but steady, out here.

Good deal. Good you could even get the time off with the slowdown

Don't give up grasshopper, it will happen, just be ready when it does, could happen "fast". Besides, you have let a couple walk last year iirc, so you aren't batting 0% in my book.

I don't go there to trophy hunt, I make the call at the time. If I wanted a guaranteed stud, I'd cough up the big cash to get on Private land as well. Even though there are odds at a stud on PubliceL, I take it for what it is and if I go home with a 4x4, I'm OK with it if that's the opportunity I chose..DIY is tough, but you sure have a stronger feeling of accomplishment IMO.

I passed on one, and he wasn't bad at all. Solid 5 or small 6, I would guess. I would have been happy with him, but I thought one of my greenhorns was around the corner and I could get them on it. Didn't work out. I'll be sure to keep at least one hunter with me at all times to make sure that doesn't happen again. Or, I just won't pass up the shot. I have a good one on the wall from up there, and I can shoot enough whitetail to get me through the year, so it's not a big deal to pass one up if I think I can get someone on it that's never taken one before. I learned a lot when I put a group together last year. I feel a lot better about getting things done this year.

I hear you. It is great to see a look on a guys face when he actually walks up to his first bull, the size is always whats gets them, even me to this day.
I have learned from experience, if you pass up on one, you likely missed the opportunity, not always, but a majority of the time. The guy "around the corner" probably had as much odds of seeing something as you did, just hunting free range migratory big game.. Edit to add, Private land not as bad.

For all you know, the dominoes may fall in line and you fellas have to figure out how to move 4-6 bulls opening morning, talk about sore!

Now that's what interest me. A fella willing to share. Like I said I've read all 58 pages now of this thread and it gets my heart pounding. Yep, I would be a greenhorn to the elk and wouldn't mind a bit joining to the hip. A solid 5/small 6 or choice would be fine with me for my first. I wish you guys best of luck, travel and weather. I'll be watching and looking for the 2016 Group when it starts.

It's too much fun not to do every year.

Amen to that.

They haven't left yet? No better time to start going than now.

X1000

They haven't left yet? No better time to start going than now.[/quote]


Western,
Wish I could go but too many irons in the fire right now.... but you never know. Been thinking life is too short lately and need to get on with some of these hunts.

There's a spot open if you want it.

You should go. That way I could ride share with someone...

I found and joined this forum in Sept of last year. I started to read the post on the 2014 hunt and wanted to go so bad. But I was out of the country and not able to get back in time, ever since then I have been planning on making this trip. I too work oilfield and we are actually very busy (knock on wood). My advice for "always ready 2 hunt" is to live up to that screen name and take the plunge. I regret it all the time that I was not able to be home last year. It is going to take a major crap storm to keep me from going this year.

I added a new piece of equipment. A CPAP machine is on my list. I'm hoping I can run it all night on an inverter and mt truck battery w/o too much of a drain. I'll bring jumper cables just in case!

Did four miles at Mohican State Part. Not the Rocky's but a good leg workout none the less.

I read a short list of things to do to make a successful hunt. They said if you see something you'd shoot on the last day before that

That leg work will pay off. You won't know the difference when that thin air hits you and you aren't sure if there's enough oxygen in the vicinity for the whole group of us, but you will be better off, anyway.

All I can tell you is don't pass up anything you'd be happy with.

I doubt I'd shoot a 4 point opening morning of a 9 day hunt, but I've killed elk before. On my first bull hunt, I sure would have. Now, I prefer something decent, or better, as long as I have other ways to fill my freezer. For the beginner or any meat hunter, I strongly recommend any legal bull. Shooting even a smaller bull is really something.

My dad has a 5x5 hanging up in their house, and I told myself I would shoot a 5x5 or bigger. But since I've never shot an elk, not sure what I would do if a 4x4 was standing right there calling my name lol.

count pts and as soon as you hit 4....shoot. Set back take a deep breath and let it soak in, for that rare day you beat the mountain.

That mountain going to beat you more times then you will beat it.... But that's ok, why it's a mountain. Most importantly don't forget to thank it by taking every second all in.

Sept needs to hurry up, I need a recharge and some redemption.

I have no doubt that mountain will kick my rear end. lol. I'm going to soak it all in, and hopefully bring a little something back home. If anything, I'm taking my wife's new fancy camera with me and will get at least some camera shots in.

It can't get here soon enough. I'm going through all my gear right now. Going to be a long two months.

becareful it can come some what obsessive... In fact I leave tomorrow to go on vacation......(and scout in CO) .