# Muzzleloader Colorado Bull!



## TJay (Sep 21, 2013)

This is my second trip with this outfitter.  Went in 2009 and came really close but no cigar.  My buddy who lives out there went with me and killed a 315" 5 x 5.  When I got back to GA I started putting in for preference points looking at going back in 2013  The muzzleloader season is right in the middle of their bow season and bulls are screaming their heads off.  Can't use scopes on muzzleloaders in CO so you are using opens sights and for the most part shooting offhand.  Shot this one on the third morning.  The first day was awesome got within 35 yards or so of a bull but got busted by cows.  Saturday evening was just as cool.  We were watching a waterhole/wallow and had bulls on both sides of the canyon screaming back and forth.  Had a nice 5 x 5 get within 150 yards but skipped out on us.  The coolest thing though was 2 young 5 x 5's fighting right out in the open about 200 yards away.  Guide asked me it I wanted to get one since they are easy to slip up on when they are fighting but with the action being as hot as it was I passed.  Sunday was slow and I was regretting not moving on the fighting bulls.  Monday morning we glassed a fine 6 x 6  and some cows across the canyon but they were just too far.  We continued to side hill and then decided to go up and over.  As soon as we reached the other side a bull bugled and he sounded close.  We had to work our way down the mountain just to see him as he was below us.  We continued down and lost sight of him and had to stop occaisionally and wait for him to bugle to figure his location.    We slipped thru the spruce and were finally able to see this bull as he was walking up the bench.  Guide cow called, bull stopped and I shot him in the shoulder at 65 yards.  I was shooting a 460 grain No Excuses bullet on top of 91 grains of BH209 and it freight trained him.  Broke both shoulders and he barely made 15 yards.  What a great experience!  I am tickled with him!  The spot where it all happened was a very small bench lined with quakies and then surrounded by dense spruce, like a small oasis in the dense oakbrush and absolutely beautiful.   Kind of long post so I'll wind it up, just wanted to share.


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## lagrangedave (Sep 21, 2013)

Sweet.


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## ben300win (Sep 21, 2013)

Great bull TJay!!! Can't wait myself. Real good mass on that big boy.


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## Goat (Sep 21, 2013)

What a beast!! Congrats


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## tcward (Sep 21, 2013)

That is one good bull!!


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## dwhee87 (Sep 21, 2013)

Outstanding!


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## georgia_home (Sep 21, 2013)

How long did it take to break that big boy up and get back to camp?

Nice one!


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## Shug (Sep 22, 2013)

That is a nice looking Elk, Congratulations sir


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## TJay (Sep 22, 2013)

georgia_home said:


> How long did it take to break that big boy up and get back to camp?
> 
> Nice one!



Intersting thing about that.  Once we got the bull quartered guides suggests I stay there while he goes to get the horses that way I only have to walk out once.  That sounded like a winner to me.  So after he had been gone an hour or so I was laying on the ground with my head on a log when I hear something running.  Thinking a cow had wandered in I raised up only to see it was a bear!  He was a youngster probably about 150 lbs and I guess he figured the buffet was open!  He stopped at about thirty yards and I figured as soon as I stood up and waved my arms he would take off but he just stood there looking at me trying to figure out why I wouldn't share.  I finally reached down picked up a stick and threw it at him and he took off.  Pretty neat encounter, although I'm glad he was around 150 lbs and not 450 lbs!    To your question it took the rest of the morning to quarter the elk and get pics.  Guide was gone for about 3 hours fetching the horses and necessary tack.  He brought the horses back in a trailer parked at the trailhead and the pack out was probably only a mile.  An elk hindquarter is extremely heavy so I was happy to let the horses tote the load.


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## snuffy (Sep 22, 2013)

Great story and bull. Congratulations.
I also use the No Excuses bullets. Never shot anything but deer with them though.


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 22, 2013)

What a fine Bull! Congrats on a real trophy.


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## jeshoffstall (Sep 22, 2013)

Congrats man!  Awesome beast, couldn't happen to a better guy!


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## NCMTNHunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Yes sir.  That is fine looking 5 x 5.  Congratulations.


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## stabow (Sep 22, 2013)

Nice


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## tkyklr1 (Sep 22, 2013)

Great story, and a fine bull. Thanks for sharing.


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## Ballplayer (Sep 23, 2013)

Did you leave a little something behind for the bear to enjoy ?


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## deadend (Sep 23, 2013)

Nice TJ.  Are you getting a shoulder mount or Euro?  What unit?


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## TJay (Sep 24, 2013)

Ballplayer said:


> Did you leave a little something behind for the bear to enjoy ?



Oh yeah, plenty to go around.  One of the guides was bear hunting and I suspect he was hunting over that carcass as soon as we left.


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## TJay (Sep 24, 2013)

deadend said:


> Nice TJ.  Are you getting a shoulder mount or Euro?  What unit?



I took the head over to McMicken to get a Euro mount.  I was happy to get him over there too as he was starting to get a little "ripe".  I was hunting in unit 21 I think.  I may have to double check but I'm pretty sure it was 21.


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## Jasper (Sep 24, 2013)

Well done and congrats! Thanks for sharing...........


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## TJay (Sep 24, 2013)

Thanks Jasper and to everyone else.  We had a great time.  This was kind of combination hunting trip/vacation as I had my wife Cindy with me.  We spent a couple of days in St. Louis, went up in the arch, did the Westward Expansion museum and saw a great THX type film on Lewis & Clark that we both enjoyed very much.  We also spent a couple of nights with friends in Denver which was great until we woke up to leave on Friday the 13th and found out I70 going west from Denver was closed due to flooding.  We were able to find an alternate route so it all worked out.  Cindy hung around camp and read her book and sipped wine while I hunted.  If you ever get a chance to check out the Arch "The Gateway to the West" I highly recommend it!


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## Jim Thompson (Sep 24, 2013)

great story and pics and an outstanding hunt and bull!!!!  congrats Tjay!


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## QuackAddict (Sep 25, 2013)

Great bull TJay!  Wish I had been as fortunate. Ill be eating tag soup for dinner tonight.


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## DAVE (Oct 1, 2013)

Congratulations on an exciting hunt. Nice 5X5. I have never been able to dose off out in the open in cougar country.


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## Scoutman (Oct 9, 2013)

Congrats on a fine bull


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## FishEd927 (Oct 10, 2013)

Congrats on the nice bull!


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