Hunting & Fishing Elk Hunting 2018

[Rthur]

As we approach another season I find the anticipation of the possibilities always gets me thinking of the mountains.
Chasing them with a bow in a new area, getting fired up to say the least.

R

 

[Gtscotty]

I'm getting excited as well. I drew a cow tag, but not a bull tag in my preferred area, so the plan is to hunt a general area for bulls with a friend during archery season, and maybe early rifle. If I wind up striking out, I'll wait until late November to go knock over a cow.

I've never hunted the general area we are going to before, we checked some of my friends game cams a few weeks ago, and are headed out tomorrow to check again and hit some new places.

From the pictures we found on my friend's game cam last time, I think they may be onto us!

 

[knuckleballz]

Last year bow season sucked in the areas we planned to hunt in Montana due to the early snow(over 2 feet)and blow down beetle kill. This year 4 of us drew elk bow tags in 620-622. One buddy drew his ram and goat tag also this year. Weather and grizzlies shouldn't be a problem. We are bringing a boat to try calling along the shore with the plan of amphibious landing in remote areas with the ability to get the meat back out on the boat. I have been doing hill climbs for an hour 3 times a week with 50lb pack. I shoot my bow every day in my back yard. I am already in the process of packing. It is shaping up to be an epic hunt! I have 14th September -aug 2nd to get it done for bow. I can come back for a couple weeks for rifle if needed.

 

[waveslayer]

Can't wait! My old man has drawn 3 tags in a row for the Gila in NM. So this time we are off for the Late Muzzleoader hunt. Should be a blast.

 

[Hippy_Steve]

I didn't get a draw this year. I'm still going to train as if I did. Tis the season.

 

[davsco]

yep it's getting closer! i'll be a first time elk hunter, in NW Colo first rifle.

 

[shields shtr]

Bowhunting elk is by far my favorite hunt. Mountain Goats would be next, but since I can't ever draw a tag for the things I am always along for the ride. It's funny too, the older I get, I just more or less enjoy being out there. Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to be in them and seeing them, but just going any more seems like a small victory.

 

[SkyScrapin]

I’m fired up too. One of my favorite parts about each new season is refining my kit. So far I have acquired a new Kifaru pack, Helinox cot, and New First Lite rain gear. If I’m lucky, I’ll have my new ultra light 300wm completed by @LongRifles Inc.

 

[Gtscotty]

Lots of action out there!

Bonus:

 

[XLR308]

I just finished moving to Northwest Colorado two weeks ago and will have to wait until next year but have allready started the search and am feeling the anticipation building.

 

[Rthur]

I just finished moving to Northwest Colorado two weeks ago and will have to wait until next year but have allready started the search and am feeling the anticipation building.

Get ya a OTC tag.
Don't waste a year.

R

 

[Chesapeake]

Those are some awesome trail cam pics. It looks like you guys have it dialed in so far! My buddies and I are rucking every week to get ready for our first rifle season hunt in CO. I can’t wait.

 

[XLR308]

Get ya a OTC tag.
Don't waste a year.

R

How does that get around the 6 months residency issue for the license ?
Or have I overlooked something ?

 

[yakstone]

You would have to go non-res.

 

[Caveman0101]

I used to get so pumped for archery elk to start. 5 years in a row I called a bull in on opening day, 9 years running I called in a bull opening weekend. But the last 3 years have killed it for me. We only hunt public land and there have been so many hunters it has been ridiculous. We literally have hunting spots in CO from New Mexico line to Wyoming and from Durango to Fort Collins, but it has not mattered, everywhere we go tons of bow hunters. I keep hearing "o' this show or article assured us all you have to do is cow call and an elk is bound to show up" Been bow hunting here for 26 years, living here for the last 10, but something has changed the last few years. Until I get horses again I'm done with bow hunting elk. And trust me I dearly miss having a screaming bull at 7 steps. Until then I'll fill my freezer with my rifle.

 

[XLR308]

You would have to go non-res.

I don't want to have to pay the non resident fees, I've been waiting my whole life for the experience what's another year.
Plus that gives me more time for scouting and learning a few areas that I want to hunt and not feeling rushed or unprepared.

 

[ZiaHunter]

I am a resident of NM and haven't drawn a tag in 4 years. We used to draw tags every year until the outdoor shows started bragging how great the elk hunting was in NM especially in the Gila. Cost of ranch tags has gone through the roof especially for units in the Gila. NMG&F will be putting into effect a new system for allocating ranch tags and hopefully will free up some more draw tags.

 

[kurt]

Heading back to Idaho for year three they say third time is the charm. Cant wait for october

 

[davsco]

I don't want to have to pay the non resident fees, I've been waiting my whole life for the experience what's another year.

man, do the nonres otc! i'm paying that, AND driving cross country and all the associated time and money! just buy one less gun this year...

 

[kurt]

yep if i lived there i would pay the nr fee to hunt in my back yard with out second thought

 

[GordonFreeman]

I'll be there in September. Good luck gentleman!

 

[Khavic]

Heading back to Idaho for year three they say third time is the charm. Cant wait for october

What part of Idaho?

I just moved to SE Idaho and will be putting out cams this weekend. If I can't locate them here I'm going to go back to N Idaho where I know I can find them.

 

[Sapinero]

Looking forward to CO archery hunt. Opening day one week from today. Be interested to see what impact all the fires may have on the animals this year.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Lots of action out there!
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Bonus:
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Where is that!

 

[300winemag]

I bought a CO landowner tag for a bull and a cow for my daughters and get to hunt with them in the first week of Sept. Very excited!

 

[Westernhunter33]

Can't wait! My old man has drawn 3 tags in a row for the Gila in NM. So this time we are off for the Late Muzzleoader hunt. Should be a blast.

That is a great bull!

 

[Rthur]

Can feel the wind already...
Bugle echoing up the canyon as the glow grows in the east...

R

 

[Khavic]

Picked my spot to hang cams and was less than half a mile from the rig when I smelled that oh so familiar scent. Looked around on the trail and could see where a dozen or so elk had passed earlier in the morning. Season opens Aug 30th for me.... It'll be interesting to see what's on the cameras next weekend.

 

[Gtscotty]

Where is that!

SE WY

We went back out on Sunday to do some more scouting, hit two different areas, hiked 11 miles and managed to check all of our trail cams. It's kind of neat that in the two weeks the cams were out this time many of the bulls were rubbing their velvet off, so the earlier pictures show bulls in full velvet, while many of the later pictures show bare antlers, or shredded velvet.

Most of the camera's caught a bunch of elk pictures (I think we had over 900 pics of animals between the cameras), but we were a bit disappointed in two cameras we had just put out in a new place two weeks ago. These two cameras were around small isolated meadows which require traversing the gnarliest, thickest, swampiest woods to get to, I thought for sure they would have lots of pics, but they really didn't do that well. Oh well, moved them to another area, at least we know now not to waste our time slogging into that nasty spot.

Can't wait to get out there, I won't be able to hit the woods till the weekend of the 15th, but I'm going to be out there as much as possible after that. I really want to plunk a bull before rifle season comes and the hoards descend on the area.

 

[Gtscotty]

Couldn't fit the interesting pics all in one post, here's a few more.

 

[Westernhunter33]

Wow those are some great pics!

 

[Chesapeake]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing. I’m excited to see what you put an arrow through in a couple of weeks.

 

[kurt]

that moose is a stud

 

[DetroitRearView]

General bull tag again this year and 2 cow tags. I just cannot seem to draw those late bull tags. I plan on going into the Wilderneess soon backpacking for a week or two. The further I get away from other hunters the more Elk I find.

I just got last year’s bull back from my taxidermist:

 

[Rthur]

General bull tag again this year and 2 cow tags. I just cannot seem to draw those late bull tags. I plan on going into the Wilderneess soon backpacking for a week or two. The further I get away from other hunters the more Elk I find.

I just got last year’s bull back from my taxidermist:

Great bull!
I like the mount style as well.

R

 

[DetroitRearView]

Great bull!
I like the mount style as well.

R

Thanks , 11 tough days general season before I found this guy taking a nap. Then I put him to bed...

 

[XTREM HTR16]

Detroit, that’s an awesome bull!
I drew a cow elk tag for WY so am looking forward to my first ever elk hunt this year! Good luck guys.

 

[DetroitRearView]

Detroit, that’s an awesome bull!
I drew a cow elk tag for WY so am looking forward to my first ever elk hunt this year! Good luck guys.

What unit/when?

 

[XTREM HTR16]

What unit/when?

129 - second week of October. Staying in Buffalo with Pete Dube’s outfit.

 

[DetroitRearView]

Oh yeh, you will have a great time. The critters have been feasting n great grass for months.

 

[Rthur]

Almost go time...
It's like a sickness, can't get enough.

R

 

[SkyScrapin]

@Rthur You got that right. It's an obsession. My lady is tired of hearing about it, LOL. Children count down the days until Christmas. I count the days until Elk season.

Made quite a few new gear investments this year: ATV, Long Rifles Inc Ultra Light 300wm Build, First Lite system, Bag, Cot, Sleeping Pad, Kifaru Pack, and a few new single reed calls along with a bugle tube.

T-minus 1 week until I'm headed out to South Central Colorado to help a friend harvest his first bull. 1 month later, I'll be headed to the same area to fill my second rifle season Cow tag.

 

[Rthur]

@Rthur You got that right. It's an obsession. My lady is tired of hearing about it, LOL. Children count down the days until Christmas. I count the days until Elk season.

Made quite a few new gear investments this year: ATV, Long Rifles Inc Ultra Light 300wm Build, First Lite system, Bag, Cot, Sleeping Pad, Kifaru Pack, and a few new single reed calls along with a bugle tube.

T-minus 1 week until I'm headed out to South Central Colorado to help a friend harvest his first bull. 1 month later, I'll be headed to the same area to fill my second rifle season Cow tag.

Good luck!
I leave in about 11 hours.
Chasing them with a bow.

R

 

[Berkman1981]

Great pics

 

[thecontract]

I am a resident of NM and haven't drawn a tag in 4 years. We used to draw tags every year until the outdoor shows started bragging how great the elk hunting was in NM especially in the Gila. Cost of ranch tags has gone through the roof especially for units in the Gila. NMG&F will be putting into effect a new system for allocating ranch tags and hopefully will free up some more draw tags.

Damn, that sucks. Ever tried to draw unit 51 or something with better draw odds than the Gila?