story2

Gathering up our gear we headed out for another of our wayward adventures into the wilds of the Colorado mountains.

Off I headed into the mountains - I was hunting with my brother and a good friend. and we had each decided to take a mountain to ourselves. Now I know what most of you are thinking that maybe this was not such a good idea - 3 guys hunting in a strange place but... we all had extensive woods experience.

So this is where my story really begins (long winded so far right?) I walked and crawled my way across a huge wallow, elk tracks were everywhere. I was starting to get a little more optimistic now. I hit a very heavily traveled path and started following it up the mountain. I could hear elk around me but, I could not see them. Tracks were fresh but, no elk themselves.

I walked up and up for what seemed like hours, still nothing but tracks.... Then I came across a set of prints that I was very familiar with "BEAR" BIG BEAR!!! He had torn up a tree stump looking for grubs or other insects and his track was huge.

Now having guided bear hunters I knew this was not a Blackie - it was a Griz!!! I was carrying my old longbow and about 16 good cedar arrows tipped with my fav heads Howard Hill Broadheads. I was ready for him, I thought!!!!!
As I continued on his tracks I began to start thinking about what I was going to do if I caught up to him. That's when it hit me big time! Man was I stupid! No help and no way of letting anyone know if something were to happen to me. Reason got the better of me so I left his trail.

I started to skirt the side of the mountain and found another heavy trail. So off I- went again! Heading straight up the side again I saw a large opening well up above me. As I got closer there was a huge pine tree at the top. And guess what was lying on a large horizontal limb!
A rather large Mountain Lion!!! (cougar) He saw me and jumped down...he started to run toward me... as he got within around 80 yards he veered off and disappeared. This had me rattled a bit but I decided to trudge on up the mountain. When I got to the pine tree I found out why the big cat had come my way. If he had jumped off the tree and run away from me he would have had a 400 foot drop to contend with. This at least put me at ease as I knew that he was not interested in me as an easy meal.

The above story was only one of several adventures that occurred on this particular trip.. Check back and read more as the entire story unfolds.