“Fly Fishing” for Elk with a Recurve Bow

Hot Tub

It’s that time of year, when I put the fly fishing mania completely on hold for one week, head off into the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, set up camp, and hunt for elk.

As you can see from the photo, I put in a lot of serious effort last winter, um, scouting and doing my homework. For the record, the hot tub hunting didn’t pan out so well last season, so I’m doubling my efforts in a serious quest to fill the freezer.

I’m hunting with a Wapiti recurve bow… cedar shaft arrows… hiking, calling, and stalking. After all, I am a fly fisherman. I live for the simple tools (stick and string). By the way, Cap’n Gregg Arnold of Louisiana redfish fame will be joining us in camp again this year… I think he’s bringing the camo Mardi Gras beads for his lucky juju.

But don’t get me wrong… when the week is over, it’ll be back to full contact fly fishing. Autumn is my favorite time to fish. When everyone else is fished out and in the field hunting, I’m usually still on the stream. How about you? Fished out? Switched mental gears to full-on hunting mode? Or is it all fishing, all the time, with the occasional hunting adventure mixed in?

Wish us luck. When the fly guys trade their waders for camo, we need all the help we can get.

Deeter