Ray's Colorado Elk

By Ray Henicke

Fifteen years seems like a lifetime, especially when you are trying to draw a trophy elk tag in a trophy unit in Colorado. I had been building up preference points for 11 years and started doing my homework as to which unit to try to draw my tag in. I talked to several outfitters before I got close to what I felt like would be enough preference points to draw the tag. I could not decide which outfitter I would use. It was during this time that I read about Garth Carter and his Huntin’ Fool magazine. I subscribed to the magazine and read his recommendations for what unit to draw for. After visiting with him on the phone for some time, he convinced me to try for unit 10. That year I put in for unit 10 but was unsuccessful as I did not have enough preference points. It turned out that Garth was able to get a tag that season in Unit 10 and took a great bull that scored 365".
Each year I kept trying to get enough points but was always just one shy of having enough to get the tag, until finally I was successful in 2005. When I checked the results of the draw in June of 2005 and saw that I was successful, I had to read it about 10 times to make sure that I was reading it right. I got on the phone the next day and talked with Jason Carter and asked him for recommendations for an outfitter with experience taking hunters into that unit. He gave me the names of two different outfitters to contact, and after talking with them and checking their references, I decided to book my hunt with Lonnie Vanatta. Lonnie suggested that I talk with one of his guides, Rod Owen, to get more information about the unit. Rod lives in the unit and not only has guided for elk and deer there, but also hunts lions from December through March in the unit as well as several units that adjoin it. I explained to Rod that I had taken a bull in Colorado in 1992 that scored 344 and that I wanted to try and find a bull that would score at least 350. He said that there were a few there that would score that and if everything went right, it would be possible to accomplish my goal.
I went through the summer dreaming about my hunt in the fall. I tried not to be too impatient and only called to visit with Rod twice, once in early September and then again the week before the hunt to get directions on where to meet up with him. He said he had seen several bulls while out scouting but the best of them might only score 330. He assured me that there were some bulls out there that were bigger. Finally the end of September came and I had checked my rifle and it was right where I wanted it to be. I loaded my gear in my truck and took off from Abilene, Texas and headed for Rangely, Colorado on Thursday afternoon, September 29th. After driving for 2 days and 1,025 miles, I arrived at Rod’s place shortly after 4 pm on Friday and unloaded my gear.
Rod and I went out to scout for elk before the morning hunt and saw several bulls in a hay meadow that bordered the unit. We guessed the largest bull would have scored around 330 but that bull had one of his main points broken off. This made me a little nervous but Rod assured me that where we would be hunting, the bulls would probably not be missing any tines since there were a much smaller number of bulls and the competition for cows in that area would be much less.
After a restless night, Saturday morning finally came around and we headed out before light to a spot that Rod had chosen. He had been in this area and had seen and heard several bulls just 2 weeks earlier. Things can change a lot in 2 weeks and we did not hear or see anything that morning. We only found one set of fresh tracks and they appeared to be from a young bull. We both left that area feeling somewhat disappointed but also realizing that it was only the first morning. That evening was not much better as we went to a different area and saw only one elk right at dark, a bull that might have scored around 300.
The next morning we went to a different area that Rod had a hunch would be good. He had bugled in a bull last year in this canyon that he guessed would have scored close to 380. As we were waiting for it to get light enough to see, we heard an elk bugle close to us. Rod located the bull and it was really tearing up some cedars with its antlers. He looked pretty good through our binoculars and this was confirmed with the spotting scope. We went in his direction and Rod showed his expertise as he cow called the bull within 90 yards of us. He was a very nice bull that we both guessed to be around 340. I had him in my crosshairs but decided to pass on him. Rod then told me that it was strange that the bull did not charge in to the cow calls, saying that often a bull would act like this when there is a bigger herd bull around the cows. About this time, we heard another bugle from across a canyon to the west of us and we moved closer to check it out. Rod spotted some cows and then he found the herd bull. We both looked through our binoculars and could tell he was a very large bull. Rod glassed him with the spotting scope and said he was a 7x7 that was a “dandy.” As we watched him herd his harem of cows and listened to him bugle, Rod spotted another bull about 100 yards south of the herd bull. The spotting scope showed him to be a 6x6 and Rod guessed him to be about 350.
We knew we had to make a decision on which bull to go after. After looking at both of them through the spotting scope, we both agreed that the 7x7 was bigger. The bulls and cows were about 1,000 yards away across a large canyon and Rod was formulating a plan to get us close enough for a shot of 300 yards or less. At 8:15 we decided to go back to the truck and circle around the bull and his harem from a different direction. While we were in the truck, the wind shifted from the north to the south and began to blow at 20-30 miles per hour. This was good for us as it would allow us to make our stalk from downwind of the bull. When we got out of the truck, we listened for his bugling and finally heard it very faintly in the strong wind. We headed in the direction of the bugle and got up on a point where we tried to pick him out in the cedars.
While looking for the bull, Rod and I saw a dark spot on the side of the hill that looked like the head and neck of an elk. While looking through the spotting scope and binoculars, we finally found some antlers but it was not the 7x7. It turned out that there were three bulls together, two 6x6 bulls and a 5x5. We heard a bugle and then spotted the group of cows and the 7x7 about 100 yards from the three satellite bulls. To our amazement, we now had four bulls across the canyon from us and the two 6x6’s looked like they were about 330 and the 5x5 was also very nice. After looking closer at the 7x7, Rod guessed him to score 360 or better
By now it was about 10:30 and the harem of cows were starting to bed down. We knew that as long as they stayed, the big bull would not leave. Rod began to formulate his plan to get us closer to the bull as he had checked the bull with his range finder and found it showed 480 yards. I told him that I did not feel comfortable with a shot across the canyon at that distance with the wind howling like it was. We decided that we would stay there all day to keep watch over him and his group of cows and wait to see if they would move out later in the day and feed in our direction.
We listened to him constantly bugle and threaten the satellite bulls as we sat on our lookout. Rod kept checking him out in the spotting scope and we both watched as he would thrash the cedar trees and keep his harem of cows herded together. The group gradually moved to the west close to the edge of the cedars and I spotted the first cow to come out into the sagebrush at around 4 pm. We had been persistently observing this bull for eight long hours, since 8:00 am that morning! As the herd made their way out of the cedars, we spotted the bull with the cows and at first they moved toward us. However, this changed as the bull herded them in a different direction, feeding mainly into the wind and away from us. Now it was time for us to make our move to get close enough for a shot. We moved into the strong wind and quickly closed the gap while Rod kept peeking over different high points to keep watch over the group of elk. Finally, he felt like the next high point would be within range and said I should get ready. We both crawled up to a vantage point and I quickly positioned my pack as a rest for my rifle. Rod checked the distance with the range finder and said it was 269 yards but that the bull was close to going over the next ridge. I put the crosshairs on the bull but he was only showing his head, neck, and the point of his shoulders from behind a cedar tree. I waited about 5 seconds for him to move but decided it was time to make a shot as the cows were moving up to the ridge and I was afraid he would not step into a clearing but rather go over the ridge and out of sight. I held the crosshair on the point of his shoulders and squeezed the trigger. I heard the solid hit of the 180 grain Nosler Partition from my 300 Winchester Magnum and then heard Rod say he was down. Rod reached over and shook my hand, as he knew the bull was down for good. We waited for what seemed like a long time but was actually only 5 minutes or less and he never moved. We gathered our gear and headed to where he was and we could see his antlers above the sagebrush. As we walked up on the bull, he did not shrink one bit. Patience and perseverance had paid off and the long 8 hour wait had been well worth it. What a feeling I had as I admired the magnificent animal realizing how I had been truly blessed with a trophy of a lifetime.
We took a lot of pictures and began to field dress, cape, and quarter the huge bull. About 2 hours later, we had the meat bagged and hung in a tree for a morning pick up and then started back to the truck with the head and cape. We came across a road about 250 yards from where I downed the bull and Rod asked me to stay with the head and our packs while he brought the truck around.
After a good night’s rest, we returned to pack out the meat and then took the bull to Lonny Vanatta to have him scored. After much anticipation, Lonny came up with a score of 366 gross B&C. My goal had been exceeded, my dream had come through. Patience and perseverance had truly paid off.
I have so many people to thank for all of this. Most have been mentioned already.
I would like to thank someone else, as she is the most important person in my life, my wife, Karen. It was hard to be gone away from her as she has been so encouraging to me. When I left, her last words were, “Have lots of fun and bring home a big one,” and what’s more, I knew she meant it. Last of all, I want to give thanks to God, as without Him I would have nothing.