Climbin' Mountains and Shootin' Elk

Castle Rock Ascent and Elk Hunt

October 1st, 2011

Castle Rock

General Elk season opens up on October 1st for many of the areas I like to hunt. Since I drew an additional late season cow for the Lander area, I figured I'd head up the cabin above dad's and at least get some biking/ hiking in. There was quite a forest fire smoldering up there still, and it was forecasted to be warm/ dry, so I didn't figure I do much better than I usually do up there, which has been zilch- alot of close calls over the years, but I've never killed an elk up there.

I had it in my mind to tackle Castle Rock, a prominent peak in the area. I've always wanted to climb it, but never really ever got around to it. I headed up to the cabin after work. Got there in just enough time to sweep out the mouse turds and prep my gear for the next day. I had a lot of company- much more than I'm accustomed to. With the fires, some local outfitters/ guides couldn't set there camp up in Bear Basin... so they set it up next to the cabin.

Got a good night's sleep in and woke up about 4:30am and saddled up. I rode my bike in the dark with a head lamp the first couple of miles, since there's a good road (that was closed a while back). After that I changed into boots and started the trek.

Towards the top of the first little climb.

The view starts to get good. If you look through the rocks on the right, you can see what was left of the Norton Point forest fire, still smoldering. The fire looked alot more impressive before the sun came out. Very eery.


One of two rocky ledges I had to climb. Aside from these, the climb was fairly easy.

The "Castle" rock... on approach.

Once over the second rock ledge and scramble, the top and peak comes into view.

Looking north off the peak, towards Steamboat Mt.

Me on top! Gotta love my biking, hiking, hunting attire!

Looking down the Castle Rock Coulior. It goes. Guess what I'm thinking?

A survey stake on top of Castle Rock.

I love this view. Click to enlarge and you can see my entire route from the cabin.

Started at 5:30am, was back at my bike around 12:30pm and the cabin maybe ten minutes or so later. I heard some bugling, and crashing through the trees while I hunted my way up. I saw some good sign as well. Makes since, especially after I ran into some folks at the base of Castle Rock that had chased a Bull, Spike and cow over the mountain and into the trees on the side that I hiked up. In the end, no elk though... not yet anyway.

After I got back to the cabin, I ate and sat around with my dad. He'd come up to fix a few things. As evening drew nearer, Dad headed back down, and I mustered the energy for an evening hike around the cabin. A guy from the out fitters camp took off earlier in the direction I wanted to go, so I pick another route through the trees. I figured the other guy would venture too far or stay out too late. After hiking for an hour and only seeing black angus cows, I circled around and started back towards the cabin. I looked across drainage with the main trail in it to the sky line. I'll be damned if there wasn't a cow and calk elk on it. I pulled out my binoculars and started glassing... antlers of the wapiti variety poked up over the sky line. Hot damn (open for antlered elk only). Hot damn! Games on... show time!

I crouched and waited a bit. The elk were just feeding. Way out of range- 1000 yards? I'd have to gget my sneak on. When the elked drifted out of sight I boogied to the bottom of the drainage, where they could see me. I began my uphill assualt under the cover of yellow and orange aspen. As I neared the ridge, I gathered myself, trying to get my heart rate down in case I got a shot. Just as I prepared to creep up the ridge- "Crash! bang! rattle!" Seven to nine head of elk busted off the ridge and down a fence line not 15 yards away. I wheeled around, pick out the first set of antlers and shot. Down he went. Typical 300 H&H style (arse first). That was about all I had to aim at though. I finished him off with a neck shot. In the end, I missed the hind quarters- hit him in the back. Works just fine for me.

On approach... already looking for and thinking about griz.

It was a little after 6:30pm when I shot him. I knew I only had about an hour before things would get dark. I also knew I was only 300 yards away from a two track/ road- unfortunately down hill from it. I figured I'd have time to clean him, but that would be it. I'd have to tag him and head back to cabin, and come back for him in the morning. I got my peper spray out handy, and kept my rifle handy with one in chamber as I prepared to gut him out.

A beautiful sight.

Opening day.

Wheeeeehoooo!

Clean and tagged, but now dark.

I didn't have a long hike back to the cabin, but it was dark and I was soaked in elk head to toe. I kept my rifle ready, turned on my head lamp, and made alot of noise all the way back.

Made it. What a day! Didn't sleep the best though, worrying about whether or not the critters would leave my elk alone. Only time would tell.

When I approached the site at day break the next morning, everything was still untouched. Whew!! Now the real work began.

He's so cute! Ha. Time to hack him in four pieces so I can drag them the 300 yards or so up to the truck.

Taking in all in before, going to work.

Wow! Gotta love it.

I started by splitting him down the middle, then cut the two sides in half.

It was hard work draggin that bugger up the hill. After five trips up the hill, I had him loaded and headed down the mountain around 9:30am. He cooled out pretty good over night, but with the warm weather, I though it best to get him straight into the packers-- and their cooler. I had him in Lander before noon and was back at the house a little thereafter.

Nothing ends a hunt better that this!

What a hunt! Finally got an East Fork/ Castle Rock elk. I've hunted and hunted and hunted that area over the year to no avail (lots of near misses). Finally came together this time... and on the first day. Incredible. Only a deer and cow elk left now.



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