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Barb's First
Hunting Trip
October 2003
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Barb decided to jump into the limited ranks of women hunters and give it a try!
So, in March she took her Hunter Safety course, started practicing shooting a rifle and put in for her first license - a cow elk in the early October elk-only rifle season. In September she particpated in the Division of Wildlife's 3-day BOW (Becoming an Outdoors Woman) Program to gain additional skills and experience in shooting.
Neighbor, Mike Laird, loaned her his .280 caliber rifle because it has less of a "kick" than using Steve's 30.06 elk rifle.
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Mike recommended Barb hunt in Area 62 up on the Uncompahgre Plateau and let us use his camper trailer.
So, we loaded up the truck and ATV and headed out Friday morning - the day before the season opened.
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Steve & Barb scouted the area and picked a meadow that was about a mile hike in for opening morning. We left camp before sunrise, hiked in by flashlight and full moon.
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Here, Barb sits (with many layers of clothing on for warmth!) watching the moon set and waiting for a herd of elk to appear after sun rise.
(They never did!)
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For the afternoon we hiked over another 1.5 miles to a hillside overlooking a pond bordered with timber area.
For Barb's evening hunt, we thought we'd change our luck & moved to a larger pond and timber area. It looked like a great elk habitat!
(The dang elk no-showed ALL DAY. The only 4-legged critters we saw all day were chipmunks and 1 wayward dog!)
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That night, as we hiked back to the truck in the dark we met a rancher who told us the elk had been run off the top of the Plateau from earlier archery & muzzleloading seasons. He told us where to go to find them lower.
So, the 2nd day we drove into lower country and hiked over hill & dale searching for the elusive elk!
Although we did find 8 deer and a flock of 20 wild turkeys, we still didn't see a single elk or even amy fresh sign.
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The 3rd day, discouraged and tired as heck from hiking for 2 days from sun-up to sun-down, we admitted defeat, packed up camp and headed home.
How disappointing for both of us - not to even see 1 elk anywhere!
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As we drove lower on the Plateau, we decided to take an ATV ride out on Payne and Traver Mesas and scout some more. We covered over 20 miles and had a great ride.
We did strap the rifle on the ATV (just in case) and grabbed the 4 bullets we had been lugging around for the past several days. Didn't think we'd really find an elk so we didn't bother to take any more ammunition - just our 4 cartridges.
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Here Barb stops to take in the view of Roubideau Canyon.
Driving around out on the mesa we decided to hike/hunt 1 more area. After still seeing no animals - not even any tracks or other recent signs - and hearing no shots from any other hunters, Barb decided the hunt was over and wanted to shoot the rifle. Taking aim at a dead tree a safe 100 yards off, she shot twice. At least she got to "bag" a dead tree! Then we hopped back on the ATV. "Let's go home!"
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While riding back to the truck Barb saw an open meadow a few yards through the timber off the road and wanted to try one last time. Why give up 1 last evening hunt! We parked the ATV and hiked down the middle of the meadow to get in place and sit, hoping one might come out later that evening.
Then, in 7 seconds - everything changed!
With 2 bullets left in the rifle and Steve hiking in front of Barb (a cardinal sin in hunting), we spotted brown movement in the timbers to our right! Then, suddenly a cow elk trotted out of the trees and into our meadow 75 yards broadside in front of us.
Steve yelled, "Shoot it, Barb!" But Barb couldn't shoot because Steve was in front of her! Then, realizing Steve had dropped to the ground and was rolling out of the way, Barb reacted. Rifle off her shoulder and scope up to her eye. But all she saw was black! "Take the lense cap off, Dummy!" "This isn't a camera, Dummy, there is NO lense cap! Just straighten the rifle!"
Meanwhile, the elk is running further away toward the timbers to the left of the meadow.
Finally seeing the elk through her scope, Barb pulled the trigger...
...the elk dropped instantly in mid-stride!
"Oh my, God, I hit it!"
Steve told Barb to get down, the elk may not be dead. It might still jump up to run away. "Be ready to shoot again." As we slowly inched up on the creature we learned 1 shot had done it!
In just 7 seconds...
a disappointing 3 days resulted in an exhilarating succesful 1st hunt!
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Mighty elk guide Subby cleaned the animal while Barb rushed the ATV back to the main road to bring back the truck before we lost the sunlight.
Too heavy to budge in one piece, Steve had to half the animal so we could drag it the 150 yards to the dirt road where the truck was parked.
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We still can't believe that shot!
Then the meat processing began!
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Doug & Julie Barger came over to help us package the hamburger and sausage (Sweet Italian and Country).
Doug also came over earlier in the week to help with the butchering.
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By the end of the week we had finished processing & butchering.
The 2 year old cow produced:
Steaks: 19 lb
3 Roasts: 11 lb
Hamburger: 97 lb
Sausage: 46 lb
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