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This is a big area and it would take several weeks to cover it all. I just wanted to give you an idea of what kind of country Colorado has to offer to the out-of-stater.   Tags are over the counter for the area we hunt. The Colorado Department of Wildlife will put you on their mailing list if you are interested in regulations to hunt.  If you want a great hunting experience and have never hunted elk, Colorado is the place for your first, do-it-yourself hunt. I would recommend going with a buddy that has hunted elk before.    Good hunting!

  Story submitted by:  John Keel

   I never carry a side arm while hunting elk.  Everyone kept telling me "One Day" it will happen.   

   Alot of the locals would come up the road picking choke cherries.  They would stop and talk to us saying "have you seen the bear that will let you drive right up to it and take pictures."  Dave and I looked at each other and said this is not a normal bear.  The summer had been really dry so there wasn't much food available for the bears to eat, so a few bears were feeding on the berries along the road. 

   After several days into the Colorado archery elk season it happened unexpectedly.  I had already shot my bull and was in camp taking care of it. Dave kept telling me that he was hearing noises in camp at night, I had my Golden Retriever with me, so I thought it was just my dog.   Dave had just left on his 4-wheeler and I could still hear him going up the road when I  caught  movement out of the corner of my right eye. I turned and looked and there was a bear standing so close that I could literally reach out and touch him on the head. I froze and didn't move.  About that time my golden saw him and came running at the bear and when he hit the end of his tether it flipped him and he landed on his back. That was enough for the bear, and he retreated back under the fence. I still had not moved. If I hadn't had him tethered we both might have been that bears next meal.  so now I'm watching for the bear and trying to get my dog settled down, and trying to find something to defend myself  The next thing I know the bear is back at the fence and popping his teeth.  That is NOT a good sign, when a bear does that he is fighting mad.  The only thing I had was a shovel, and when the bear came around the trailer, I was waitng for him with the shovel in bat ready position, and hit him full force right in the face.  This stunned him and down he went.  When he regained his feet he retreated back under the fence and into the woods. 

   I grabbed my video camera and went over to where he had gone and there he was, eating on something. Then it finally dawns on me, the bear is coming into our camp because of the elk scraps, (that's why Dave kept hearing noises in camp at night).  So that should be a lesson to all of you that hunt from a camp."DON'T LEAVE FOOD AROUND, IT ATTRACTS BEARS."

   I was filming the bear when he started back accross the road so I followed.  When he reached the fence, my dog and the bear were face to face, both were popping their teeth. (I'm just thankful that there was a fence separating them).  I am still filming but now I am back accross the road only 15 feet from the bear.  The bear turns around and sees me.  When he sees me he takes a few steps and then stops. Now the bear is only 8 steps (usually when a bear stops he is preparing to charge)  I knew what was coming next. I turned and ran around the tree and just made it to and over the fence. All the time the camera was recording. When I played back the tape the bear was right on my heals. By this time someone drove up the road and the bear retreated back across the road. 

   Just a few days later on Labor Day weekend we heard a lot of people screaming from the cabin several hundred yards up the road, seems the same bear came right into their family gathering like he was invited and people were running everywhere.  The bear finally left and no one was bothered while we were there for the rest of the trip.

   So, I guess I had my once-in-a-life-time encounter with a bear, right, WRONG. The very next year while I was actually on the mountain hunting, I had another encounter.  Since I am writing this you know the outcome already.  But the story still gives me chills everytime I think about it.

   I was working a small herd of elk, cow calling to them. They were getting closer (so I thought).  I got down and sat behind a tree.  I heard noise 20 yards to my left (It was thick and I couldn't see that far) And I cow called softly and it moved closer. The problem was I couldn't see it. I was thinking the elk is only 8 feet away and I can't see it. Even if it was a calf I thought I should be able to see it being that close. The next thing I know a bear stuck its head around the tree (one foot away) I raised my arms and tried to scare it, but instead it came right around the tree at me. I dove off thinking it was just a few feet down.  When I hit the bottom (20 feet) I thought I had broken my leg, it started to swell immediately.  When I fell, the impact knocked my bow away from me. When I found it amazingly it was ok.  The bear didn't come after me because of the 20 foot drop off. It stood up there looking at me and popping it's teeth. I put an arrow on the string and waited. Everytime the bear tried to descend the bank I would come to full draw.  This went on for 20 minutes. Finally the bear left (so I thought).  I waited a few minutes to make sure the bear was gone and I went on down the trail towards camp.

    I had only gone 50 yards when I heard something behind me. I turned to find the bear had his nose to the ground following me the whole time.  Now, the only way to defend myself was to stop and shoot the bear. (I didn't have a 20 foot drop off to protect me this time). I was mad by now, but I still didn't want to kill the bear if I didn't have to.  The bear was 30 yards from me. By the time I turned and came to full draw he was 20 yards. I settled my pin on his chest and then I spoke to the bear in a pretty loud voice, (it was still coming at me) "I said bear if you don't stop and turn right now I AM GOING TO KILL YOU".  You can believe it or not, but the bear stopped and looked at me for 5 seconds and  then turned up the hill and I never saw him again.  When a bear is only 20 steps from you and not stopping it's time to take action.   

   I still don't pack a side-arm. Hopefully I won't have anymore encounters as intense as those.  I love the mountains and even if I had an encounter every year with a bear it still wouldn't stop me from hunting elk.  I have harvested alot of elk with a bow and have never had trouble with a bear at the kill site.  Always be prepared when approaching your kill site.  I flag the last 100 yards with 2 pieces of different colored flagging tape, that let's me know I am within 100 yards of the site.  And at the kill site I flag with 4 pieces of tape to let me know this is the spot.  When you can see your kill site take your binoculars and check the area out to see if the area is safe to enter. This is the time to carry a side arm.  Hope you enjoyed the story.

  This is the photo gallery section of the website. If you would like to have a photo and story on our website, please send them in and we will publish it here. 

 Here is a few photo's from this years Colorado archery elk hunt. (2008)