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From a Ghost to a heaving Elk to a Black Angus Cow?
By PK | September 15, 2008
How weird can a hunting trip get? This one, folks, tops them all beginning with a long hike back to a secret elk hunting spot and picking up a ghost who apparently wanted to go hunting. I promise you, though the sun was shining brightly, I was not delirious!
Gerry, Dalton and I decided today would be the day to hike back to a secret spot which took us 2 hours to achieve. About three quarters of the way there, Gerry had a call to nature and Dalton and I left him behind as we continued on our journey.
Beautiful, scenic views
We left the woods and headed down a path along a ridge into an partially open valley. We both were sneaking along as elk were known to hide in this valley during hunting season. Dalton was approximately 100 or more feet ahead of me, and glancing to my left to look down into the valley, I seen a shadow about 5 feet behind me and heard footsteps. Now, I was thinking this was Gerry who must have finally caught up with us and continued on down to the bottom of the valley, another 50 feet I guess. When I reached the bottom, I realized there weren’t any more footsteps behind me. I stopped, turned slowly around thinking Gerry must have seen elk. But after I turned around, no one was there. Gerry was nowhere in sight and hadn’t caught up yet at all.
Close-up of the Snow on the Upper Mountains
A ghost? I would say so, while many people don’t believe in them. I have seen them through my entire life starting at age 9. The ’so-called’ orbs, the shadowy out-linings of individuals who have passed from this life onto another but refuse to leave our earth, the chilling winds in a cemetery, and have felt their presence on quite a few occasions. I was even tested once in PA in an old house owned by a family throughout many generations who thought their ancestral home was haunted. After a tour of the house, I told them who haunted it….but they already knew by the ghostly appearances various family members had witnessed. But I proved my point, some how, some way, I knew without being given previous information.
Who was that behind me? I suspect an old cowboy, maybe an old homesteader, a man to be sure, who wanted to join an elk hunt one more time. He didn’t follow me long, maybe he can’t or didn’t want to leave the valley, whichever the case may be, but he made himself known to me.
me on top of the ridge
We reached the secret spot and spread out to do some elk calling. Gerry made his way further up the ridge, Dalton and I within eye contact of each other. We heard several bulls, but just couldn’t pull them in. We were along a fence line, and I soon saw a cow elk running along the inside of the fence. I spoke into my Motorolla Walkabout to let Dalton know she was headed his way. She was coming fast and running hard. She stopped almost directly in front of Dalton. He had to wait for her to cross the fence, it being private property where she was.
She pushed against the fence, I cow called to her, then she jumped it. I couldn’t believe my eyes, she landed only 10 feet in front of Dalton, her head almost slamming into a tree. She was heaving, breathing hard, gasping for breath. Dalton couldn’t take the shot, she was too close, and to maim an animal for it to suffer is cruel, so he had to pass. She ran past me, I called and she stopped. Too wooded for a clear shot, Dalton had to pass again. I again cow called to her, trying to lure her back, but no luck.
Yeah, yeah…many of you are probably cheering for the elk. I understand everyone has their views.
Dalton on top of the ridge
We called for awhile later, but soon got bored with the spot and moved on. We headed farther up the ridge of the mountain and located another spot where we heard elk answering us. We got situated again, Gerry staying where he was.
I got behind Dalton to do my calling. What a day this has been already and I was wondering what else might it hold for us. Of course, we’re hoping for an elk, but we got something totally unexpected. Who would think my cow calling would actually call up a cow? A black, Angus cow. She hung around so long, I dubbed her Betsy.
Betsy, our newly founded friend
We hunted all the way back to camp, not seeing or hearing anything once again. We only heard one shot (second day of muzzle loading) early in the morning. Perhaps that was a lucky hunter. So, tired, not so achy this time, we headed for home and once again, it was dark when we got there. The moon was full and shining brightly as we made our way into Steamboat.
This will be a memorable, weird hunting trip to relate to my grandchildren one day.
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Topics: "Post Cards From the West", Colorado, Wildlife and Hunting |
12 Responses to “From a Ghost to a heaving Elk to a Black Angus Cow?”
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September 15th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Awsome pictures this blog has…congrats for the author!
September 15th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
A very detailed account, you make the reader want to be there. What a wonderful experience which and not deemd as a failure for no kill.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Oh PK! I DO believe in ghosts! They give Cowboy the willeys to think about, but I do believe we have one in our home! Even Cowboy has ‘experienced’ some happenings…yet he won’t quite admit it is a ghost doing them! He blocks it out….until the next ‘event’!
Hey, you could have nailed that angus for my freezer!
September 16th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Wow, what an adventure! The pictures are beautiful. Who would have thought you’d see a cow out in the middle of nowhere. LOL
September 16th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Ronald, thanks for the compliment. Come back and visit anytime, we’re always open!
Martin, thanks for visiting again. We’ve two more weeks of bow hunting to be able to fill our freezer with elk. After that, if we get permission from a rancher, we can rifle hunt as all the public land licenses have been already bought. They are limited. Dalton could have taken that shot, but he refuses to maim an animal that might get away and later suffer, so he declined the shot which makes me very proud of his respect of the elks.
Barb, It was my first experience at ’seeing’ a ghost out in the middle of nowhere. That was weird and totally unexpected. I agree with Cowboy, most of the time I block out any unnatural events. It is so creepy! Your ghost in your house must be agreeable, I’ve encountered one in a rental house that wasn’t so likeable. He awoke me in the middle of the night, the hair literally stood on the back of my neck and I felt a very hostile attitude coming from him. Needless to say, I didn’t stay another night in that house, but went and bought a new mobile home and stayed with in-laws until it was set up. And hey, don’t think it didn’t enter my mind to have a freezer full of beef instead of elk. LOL
Karen, That’s one thing about hunting in Colorado, if you don’t see an elk, you’ll at least enjoy the views. *grin* But it’s not unusual to see range cattle throughout the mountains. ‘Betsy’ was on a private ranch just over the fence. Most ranchers will ’sell’ their right to hunt on private land. We know the owner of the ranch next to where we were hunting, knew he had several hunters there that day and were hoping they’d ‘bump’ elk over to us, which we assumed what happened with the ‘heaving’ cow elk.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Cool! The ghost, I mean. I can feel them and sense them, but don’t get much more than that.
As for hunting, I am loving reading about your adventures. That said, though, I hope you find one already. Yum!
September 17th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Thank you Susan for visiting. I’m glad you’re enjoying my website. I wish sometimes I didn’t see or feel them, that can get downright spooky. Okay, off to visit you!! Thanks again!
September 18th, 2008 at 5:30 am
If I show the pictures of your bow-hunting trip to my Hubby I know he will let me know that I was the one too afraid to move to the states … More and more I regret this as I know that this is what he would like to do mostly in his life. Looking at your incredible pictures I believe that at some point we might still do. With our without ghosts …
Loved your story, stumbled your blog, well deserved!
September 18th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Hi there.
I found your blog through EntreCard and am very glad I did. I, too, live in Colorado, but I’m out on the NE plains. I absolutely adore the mountains, though, and we try to get up there as often as possible. I totally believe in ghosts. I think it’s cool that you can see them sometimes. I feel them now and again, but I’ve never seen one (except for an orb once, which was very cool).
Congrats on the coming grandchild! All of your grandchildren are completely precious! And wow, two sets of twins even!
I’m adding you to my blogroll and look forward to reading more.
September 18th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Karen, Thank you for stumbling my blog, it generated a lot of hits for that story. Dalton and I have been looking for the perfect place in which to retire here in Colorado. We love it and never get tired of all the activities to do and the beautiful mountains surrounding us. Thanks for visiting!
Leigh, Thank you for visiting and adding me to your blogroll. I’ll add you as well. I’m a newbie to Colorado, moved here June 2008 and have loved every minute of it. Can’t wait for the snow to fly, I have my snowshoes and skis all ready. Never did either one before and am anxious to try that adventure next…after elk hunting.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:35 am
[...] From a Ghost to a heaving Elk to a Black Angus Cow? [...]
January 16th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Interesting, but usual =)