Outdoors International client John Lebanc with his 2024 Colorado pronghorn antelope

John LaBanc: Colorado Pronghorn and Elk Combo Hunt Report

TRIP TAKEN: Combination Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt in Northwest Colorado
CONSULTANT: Kyle Hanson, Outdoors International

October 10, 2024

There were ten hunters staying at a lodge outside of Craig, CO. There was a corporate group of eight hunters and my neighbor and myself. The accommodations were comfortable. The wonderful meals were provided by a retired executive chef. The lodge and cabins were clean and very comfortable. The guides were pleasant, friendly and competent.

The hunt was scheduled for two days of pronghorn hunting and five days of elk hunting. Both hunts were conducted from the Craig lodge. Each day we got up before sun rise, had breakfast and drove about 1 1/2 hours to various hunting ranches. I was blessed to harvest my pronghorn and elk on the first of each hunting days and was able to tag along as an observer with my Georgia neighbor.

Pronghorn Hunt

The strategy is to drive the dirt roads, look for pronghorn, glass them to look for a buck, then make a stalk.

We spotted the first group on the edge of trees grazing. They moved into the timber and we stalked after them expecting them to stop and graze on the other side of the timber. We did not spot them as we hoped. Got back in the truck and drove the roads. Spotted a second small pronghorn herd at 500 yd. Got out and stalked to get closer. The herd grazed off and over a ridge. We drove to a horse corral, parked and stalked to the crest of the ridge. The herd was feeding in the open area below the ridge. We spotted a buck at the rear of the herd with several does.

My guide, Brent, instructed me to crawl to the top of the ridge using low sage bushes for cover. I crawled slow and quiet being careful not to skyline myself. I could not get a clear prone line of sight due to the sage and brush. I could use a bush for cover the make a low kneeling shot off the GunStix. Brent stayed well behind me so as not to alert the herd. I ranged the buck at 250 yards true ballistic range with my Vortex Fury binoculars.

There were two does in front of the buck. One doe was looking in our direction and covering the head of the buck. The buck was broadside. When its head was down feeding it was covered by the doe. When it lifted its head to look in our direction I could see its face. Brent felt this was the best buck in the herd. I set the elevation at 0.8 Mil based off the range card on my wrist board. I kept the scope power on a low setting for the best field of view. I was in a half-kneeling position sitting on the heel of my right boot. Not too comfortable, but manageable. The APA 300 WM with a Vortex LHT 4.5-22×50 scope and chambered with 200gr ELD-X was steady. Brent asked if I had a clear and clean shot with the does in front of the buck. I said yes and pressed the trigger. I heard the “thump” and the buck dropped.

The herd ran off about 500 yards and stopped to feed. I hit the buck right behind the shoulder where I aimed. There was a massive exit wound with a large pool of blood. Brent field dressed the pronghorn and we placed it in a large ice chest (pronghorn coffin) and packed ice in the chest-abdomen cavity and more ice over the body. It was 1200hr and I had a pronghorn buck down and tag filled.

Elk Hunt

Parked at the hunting ranch, Brent and I walk 100 yards to a glassing point overlooking a drainage. We saw one cows and two calves run across the bottom of the drainage at 650 yards. Below us at the low end of the drainage was a spring that runs into a man-made pond. There are also several wallows. Historically this is a good area to see elk.

We moved to a second glassing spot on the same incline closer to the pond and with a better view up and down the drainage and across to the other hillside. First we saw two mule deer does cross the earthen dam at the far end of the pond. The doe walked into the drainage toward us, then ran up and out of the drainage.

Brent spotted a legal elk (4 points) on the slope on the opposite side of the drainage. The slopes are heavily wooded with a few clearings scattered about. I could not spot the elk. Brent told me to shoot on two occasions, but I never saw the bull. The bull crossed the drainage and worked along the slope to our left. I still could not see it. Finally I saw it moving away from us and disappear into the heavy brush and timber.

At about 10:00 we saw several cows dash across the drainage beyond the pond. Then 5 cows and one bull ran to the pond and stopped to drink. Brent identified the bull as legal and told me to shoot it when I had a shot. I ranged the bull at 365yd, set the elevation, steadied the 300WM on the GunStix from a seated position. Initially a cow blocked the buck. The bull was quartered to me, almost a frontal shot. As soon as the cow cleared the bull I shot. The bullet entered at the base of the neck, right side, traversed the thoracic cavity and settled just beneath the hide on the left side. I heard the “thump” then saw the elk in the water. One shot quick ethical kill. It floated to the opposite side of the pond.

Brent and I were able to catch a chain and rope on enough of the elk to float it to the edge of the 20 foot deep pond. Brent attached a rope and used the truck to wenched to the elk onto the earthen dam. Not even noon of the first day of the elk hunt and my elk tag was filled.

Outfitter Evaluation

How was your outfitter?

GREAT

How would you rate your trip overall?

5 STARS

How were your guide(s)?

GREAT

How was your lodging?

GREAT

How was the food?

GREAT

How physically demanding was your trip?

EASY

Contact us About This Hunt

Consultant Evaluation

How would you rate your consultant?

5 STARS

Why did you choose that rating?

Kyle has hunted with each outfitter he recommends. Kyle is easy to speak with and responsive to questions.

Would you use Outdoors International again?

YES

Schedule a Call
  • Can we use your stories and/or photos on our website? YES
  • Can we use this in social media? YES

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