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Hunting & Fishing Elk Hunting 2018

Rthur

Rthur

Philomath
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Apr 16, 2010
    15,275
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    Not Chicago, Illinios
    #1
    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
     
    #2
    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!

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    #3
    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.
     
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    #7
    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.
     
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    #15
    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":mad: 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.;)
     
    #17
    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.
     
    #28
    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.
     
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    #29
    Sniperwannabee said:
    Where is that!
    Click to expand...

    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.

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    #34
    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:
     

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    #35
    DetroitRearView said:
    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:
    Click to expand...
    Great bull!
    I like the mount style as well.

    R
     
    #42
    @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.
     
    #43
    SkyScrapin said:
    @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.
    Click to expand...
    Good luck!
    I leave in about 11 hours.
    Chasing them with a bow.

    R
     
    #45
    ZiaHunter said:
    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.
    Click to expand...
    Damn, that sucks. Ever tried to draw unit 51 or something with better draw odds than the Gila?
     
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