2017 Wyoming
- Thread starter Zpd307
- Start date
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,278
Yes!!! Can't wait!
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,278
DTP said:
Awesome! Go get 'em Gary!
for those that don't know me. I'm a flatlander from mn with now 7 seasons of elk hunting under my belt. I took my first elk, a cow, with a rifle in Utah back in 2010. It was the first time I had ever seen the mtns and I was hooked. I started bowing elk in Colorado in 2012. I have since been to Idaho and now Wyoming! I lost a 6x6 bull in Idaho three years ago..... I was lucky enough to take a friend on his first elk hunt last year and he was able to kill a 6x6 bull on day two, so I was finally able to feel the pain of packing out an elk 4 miles in :grin:
lets get started :clap:
lets get started :clap:
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,278
:thewave:Zpd307 said:
day1 august 30th
I am taking another buddy, Jamie, on his first elk hunt. he has an old school friend, brian, who now lives in buffalo. brian was willing to take us to his honey hole and since he was a resident, we could hunt the wilderness area!
score :grin:
it took us three years to draw this unit. I was excited because it was only an 11 hour drive to the big horns instead of 21 hours to our spot in Idaho!!!!!
I love the big horns for that reason, they are so close! I have been taking my wife and boys out there for several summers now, sometimes even a couple camping trips a summer :wink:
the plan was to leave the 30th after Jamie got done with work and get to buffalo on Thursday morning and meet up with brian.
brian wanted to bring some amenities and lined up a friend with horses to pack us in.
I am a self proclaimed over planner. but with this trip I didn't feel compelled to make any plans. I tried, but couldn't muster anything for it.
Jamie borrowed a guy's Polaris ranger, who goes to our church. brian wasn't sure if he would be able to stay with us the entire trip and if he left, we would have to leave the wilderness area and go to a new spot.
the 30th came, Jamie wasn't ready, and for once I was not frazzled. this was weird :grin:
I am taking another buddy, Jamie, on his first elk hunt. he has an old school friend, brian, who now lives in buffalo. brian was willing to take us to his honey hole and since he was a resident, we could hunt the wilderness area!
score :grin:
it took us three years to draw this unit. I was excited because it was only an 11 hour drive to the big horns instead of 21 hours to our spot in Idaho!!!!!
I love the big horns for that reason, they are so close! I have been taking my wife and boys out there for several summers now, sometimes even a couple camping trips a summer :wink:
the plan was to leave the 30th after Jamie got done with work and get to buffalo on Thursday morning and meet up with brian.
brian wanted to bring some amenities and lined up a friend with horses to pack us in.
I am a self proclaimed over planner. but with this trip I didn't feel compelled to make any plans. I tried, but couldn't muster anything for it.
Jamie borrowed a guy's Polaris ranger, who goes to our church. brian wasn't sure if he would be able to stay with us the entire trip and if he left, we would have to leave the wilderness area and go to a new spot.
the 30th came, Jamie wasn't ready, and for once I was not frazzled. this was weird :grin:
day 2 august 31st
the trip went smoothly. there were no critter encounters on the road for a change! we rolled in to buffalo around 7 am. the plan was to get a last good meal in before headed up the mtn. we met up with brian at a local café and had some breakfast.
as some already know, my first couple of years elk hunting, I had a couple of sketchy partners. so I am a little gun shy of meeting new ones. here I was finally able to meet brian in person. although we did talk over the phone a couple of times.
we were to meet brains horse friend on the mtn at 9:30. so we did not waste much time at breakfast.
every time I get to the mtns it feels like home! I get that feeling, giddiness..... and here I was back again :grin: this feeling was a bit more, I usually get a summer mtn trip, but we had to cancel when I had to drop $4900 on a new transmission for my truck..... so we did not get to go to new mexico this summer
up we go!
the two track trail was brutal. I had been on some bad ones, this one took first prize. I will admit, my ford doesn't ride the best..... I watched the speedo and most of the trail the speedo read 0. we were going that slow.....
we met up with Jason and his horses at the end of the trail. one of his horses was lame and the other had recently died. so.... pack space was limited. I was able to dump my food, clothes, sleeping bag, and a few special privileges onto the horse, so my back was super light compared to other spike camp pack ins :wink:
one of jasons horses was little green and gave us a show as he tried to load it up :-o
luckily he didn't get hurt!
a couple of coors light later, we were off! wehad about a 1 3/4 hike in. and it was hot.
one of Jason's other horses didn't play nice and got wrapped around a couple of trees several times and broke loose from the train.... it reminded me of why I don't bring my horses with on my hunts..... :
well we were finally there! it was gorgeous! we camped at the edge of a meadow and had a first class view of this big ol basin :grin:
Jason unpacked our gear and we got set up just into the timber. Jason would pack out our elk as well if we were lucky enough to get one.
all of a sudden the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. pretty soon it was spitting rain.... this is a heck of a way to start the hunt....
but...... brian and Jamie both said the magic words! there's a bugle. then another and another! pretty soon I could even hear him, he was getting closer!
for those that don't know, I don't have the best hearing and I have tinnitus, my ears constantly ring....
pretty soon other bulls join in and the whole basin is lit up! how can this be? elk don't bugle like this in the early season and it is 2:30 to boot......!
my goal for this hunt was to get Jamie into bugling bulls. there is nothing worse than walking for miles each day only to not hear or see anything. and he gets to hear it before the season opens!!!!!
so I talked brian into trying to get eyes on this bull that is on the other end of this meadow.
on the way there, I looked over a saw a cow moose staring at us ;D man this is getting cool!
long story short. the bulls shut up so we go back to camp. but what a heck of a first day on the mtn. we know that there are elk here!!!!
the trip went smoothly. there were no critter encounters on the road for a change! we rolled in to buffalo around 7 am. the plan was to get a last good meal in before headed up the mtn. we met up with brian at a local café and had some breakfast.
as some already know, my first couple of years elk hunting, I had a couple of sketchy partners. so I am a little gun shy of meeting new ones. here I was finally able to meet brian in person. although we did talk over the phone a couple of times.
we were to meet brains horse friend on the mtn at 9:30. so we did not waste much time at breakfast.
every time I get to the mtns it feels like home! I get that feeling, giddiness..... and here I was back again :grin: this feeling was a bit more, I usually get a summer mtn trip, but we had to cancel when I had to drop $4900 on a new transmission for my truck..... so we did not get to go to new mexico this summer
up we go!
the two track trail was brutal. I had been on some bad ones, this one took first prize. I will admit, my ford doesn't ride the best..... I watched the speedo and most of the trail the speedo read 0. we were going that slow.....
we met up with Jason and his horses at the end of the trail. one of his horses was lame and the other had recently died. so.... pack space was limited. I was able to dump my food, clothes, sleeping bag, and a few special privileges onto the horse, so my back was super light compared to other spike camp pack ins :wink:
one of jasons horses was little green and gave us a show as he tried to load it up :-o
luckily he didn't get hurt!
a couple of coors light later, we were off! wehad about a 1 3/4 hike in. and it was hot.
one of Jason's other horses didn't play nice and got wrapped around a couple of trees several times and broke loose from the train.... it reminded me of why I don't bring my horses with on my hunts..... :
well we were finally there! it was gorgeous! we camped at the edge of a meadow and had a first class view of this big ol basin :grin:
Jason unpacked our gear and we got set up just into the timber. Jason would pack out our elk as well if we were lucky enough to get one.
all of a sudden the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. pretty soon it was spitting rain.... this is a heck of a way to start the hunt....
but...... brian and Jamie both said the magic words! there's a bugle. then another and another! pretty soon I could even hear him, he was getting closer!
for those that don't know, I don't have the best hearing and I have tinnitus, my ears constantly ring....
pretty soon other bulls join in and the whole basin is lit up! how can this be? elk don't bugle like this in the early season and it is 2:30 to boot......!
my goal for this hunt was to get Jamie into bugling bulls. there is nothing worse than walking for miles each day only to not hear or see anything. and he gets to hear it before the season opens!!!!!
so I talked brian into trying to get eyes on this bull that is on the other end of this meadow.
on the way there, I looked over a saw a cow moose staring at us ;D man this is getting cool!
long story short. the bulls shut up so we go back to camp. but what a heck of a first day on the mtn. we know that there are elk here!!!!
day 3 September 1
its opening day!!!!! I have never hunted elk on the opener. it felt weird to walk into the timber knowing that no one else had not walked here yet!!!
forewarning.... I do not have ant photos of this day, as I forgot my phone in the tent..... yeah yeah yeah terry, I know what your going to say :grin:
but today was epic!!!!!!
the bulls were bugling when we got up! Jamie told me that he was woken up several times throughout the night due to the bugling :grin:
we pack up and head up! there are 4 to 5 or 5 to 6 bulls bugling! we head into the timber and go after the closest one!
I still cant believe this is happening, on sept 1st!!!! Jamie is so lucky ;D
now, brian and I haven't killed an elk with a bow yet. so neither one of us are experts. so as this bull is bugling, we are feeding off each other on what to do. we were getting close when another bull sounded off below us.
brian told me to go after that one. with some confirmation, I did.
unfortunately that bull went quiet.... I did hear a bugle off in the distance and followed it. it was away from brian and Jamie, so I wouldn't screw up their hunt.
I stayed low and played the thermals. about the time they were about to change I started up and jumped two cows and a calf. the just stood there so I made a couple of cow calls. they walked off so I continued up. I stopped about 50 yards above where they were bedded, trying to figure out if I should stay close and try to call to them or keep heading on.....
as I was sitting on this rock, I heard a noise and looked up to see a calf walking right towards me! my bow was laying next to me.... it was searching for me! it only provided a frontal shot and its head was behind a tree.
I kidded last year, after being 0-5, that I was almost ready to shoot a calf on opening day! and after packing out matts bull last year, I wanted to shoot a calf, and almost had an opportunity on the last day, last year..... 70 yards......
so I picked up my bow, took out an arrow, knocked it and waited. it gave me no shot and walked away.... I ranged the tree that it was by, 35 yards!
more to follow, its late! it was an exciting day!
its opening day!!!!! I have never hunted elk on the opener. it felt weird to walk into the timber knowing that no one else had not walked here yet!!!
forewarning.... I do not have ant photos of this day, as I forgot my phone in the tent..... yeah yeah yeah terry, I know what your going to say :grin:
but today was epic!!!!!!
the bulls were bugling when we got up! Jamie told me that he was woken up several times throughout the night due to the bugling :grin:
we pack up and head up! there are 4 to 5 or 5 to 6 bulls bugling! we head into the timber and go after the closest one!
I still cant believe this is happening, on sept 1st!!!! Jamie is so lucky ;D
now, brian and I haven't killed an elk with a bow yet. so neither one of us are experts. so as this bull is bugling, we are feeding off each other on what to do. we were getting close when another bull sounded off below us.
brian told me to go after that one. with some confirmation, I did.
unfortunately that bull went quiet.... I did hear a bugle off in the distance and followed it. it was away from brian and Jamie, so I wouldn't screw up their hunt.
I stayed low and played the thermals. about the time they were about to change I started up and jumped two cows and a calf. the just stood there so I made a couple of cow calls. they walked off so I continued up. I stopped about 50 yards above where they were bedded, trying to figure out if I should stay close and try to call to them or keep heading on.....
as I was sitting on this rock, I heard a noise and looked up to see a calf walking right towards me! my bow was laying next to me.... it was searching for me! it only provided a frontal shot and its head was behind a tree.
I kidded last year, after being 0-5, that I was almost ready to shoot a calf on opening day! and after packing out matts bull last year, I wanted to shoot a calf, and almost had an opportunity on the last day, last year..... 70 yards......
so I picked up my bow, took out an arrow, knocked it and waited. it gave me no shot and walked away.... I ranged the tree that it was by, 35 yards!
more to follow, its late! it was an exciting day!
Jason Balazs
Member
- Aug 4, 2017
- 219
Leaving me hanging here!!! :shock:
Bowhunter1
Member
- Aug 16, 2017
- 369
Finally I get to hear the story. I have been looking forward to this.
after 21 days in the mtns this year! I have plenty of things to get caught up around the house :grin: and we pulled our second batch of honey off of the hives yesterday, 22 gallons in all!
day 3 continued...
seeing that the elk weren't too disturbed and were still close, I planned to call and move up a little..... just as my luck has it, the clouds moved in and the wind started swirling bad.....
this bench was butted right next to a major boulder slide. when the wind started swirling I heard something big running across the boulders. I thought that was odd for an elk to be hopping along those boulders....
with the wind the way it was, I left in a hurry!
so I climbed up the boulders. I took a break and eat some food. now that I was high, I was able to get a better look of this area.
side note. I had no google earth maps to go off of and remember I hadn't researched it much...........
now I'm on travel mode.... up I climb up above the boulders and over the ridge, 10k ft, now I'm in a meadow and tired. once I got over the ridge it was windy! I laid in the grass in some sun just to keep warm! I ate and slept
I woke up to boulders being overturned just down below me in the timber. at first I thought it was a bull raking. I had to gather up my pack and get my boots and socks on. by the time I got into position behind a large pine on the edge of the timber, I hadn't heard anything for awhile.
I decided to cow call and a bull bugled father down below me in the timber. it wasn't terribly close, a couple of hundred yards away. he was a growler! so I moved in closer. I couldn't get another response from him..... so I sat tight again... I pulled out last years journal. I was laughing at what I had wrote last year when a bull, much closer, bugled from further down! so I packed up, again :grin:
I had to billy goat down a patch of boulders.... once again I didn't get another bugle from him. so I hung tight, as I felt like I had gotten in tight enough.....
it was 2:15, just some lazy mid day bugles. so I settled in again to wait for more action. I finished reading my journal from last year and remembered that I should start this years.
I didn't pay attention to the time. I was numerous pages into writing my adventure, when I heard something. I looked up to see a spike bull feeding on a trail just 13 yards below me!!!! uggg, my bow is sitting on the ground next to me with no arrow nocked. closer he gets as I sit up, grab my bow, pull an arrow, and try to get it nocked. he had gone behind a tree at 10 yards! this time I nocked the arrow too fast and it tinked..... the bull didn't stand for that and ran off.
here we go again.... gary screwed up, again....
I cow called quick and got him to stop right away. I had time to quickly range some trees if he went by them. low and behold he walked in front of tree that I ranged at 40 yards. unfortunately he stopped one step too far. his vitals were covered at 38 yards... he stared in my direction looking for that cow. so I decided to give her to him. I crunched some pine needles and snapped a twig. oops, that didn't work and off he went. I caught a glimpse of another elk that I hadn't seen before. the time was 4:30.
I was so close to tagging out on opening morning.....!!!!! after it was all done I tried to finish my journal but I was shaking too bad ;D
I decided to pack up and still hunt my way back to camp.
I had only gone 40 yards when the growler bull let offa bugle down below. he was down from me, but to my right and farther from camp.
did I say that i even forgot to put camp as a way point on my gps.... :crazy:
but he bugled again, taunting me! so I bit and headed his way. he bugled several more times, each time farther away. he was on the move. I cut my losses and headed back to camp.
now I was fighting daylight. the more I went, the more confused I was.... I ended up busting several elk. eventually I came to a stream that should bring me to camp. the problem with following the creek that it was a major pain....the timber was thick, then it would open up into tall grass with hidden sink holes.....
yay! I found my way with a little daylight left :grin:
Jamie and brian chased those bugles to a wallow. they got into a calling match with a pair of bulls that wouldn't show themselves! they put eyes on a bull that snuck through that brian guessed was 350" at 65yards.
what a first day! my goal for Jamie had been completed! brian guessed that the boulders being overturned was a bear, digging for bugs.
day 3 continued...
seeing that the elk weren't too disturbed and were still close, I planned to call and move up a little..... just as my luck has it, the clouds moved in and the wind started swirling bad.....
this bench was butted right next to a major boulder slide. when the wind started swirling I heard something big running across the boulders. I thought that was odd for an elk to be hopping along those boulders....
with the wind the way it was, I left in a hurry!
so I climbed up the boulders. I took a break and eat some food. now that I was high, I was able to get a better look of this area.
side note. I had no google earth maps to go off of and remember I hadn't researched it much...........
now I'm on travel mode.... up I climb up above the boulders and over the ridge, 10k ft, now I'm in a meadow and tired. once I got over the ridge it was windy! I laid in the grass in some sun just to keep warm! I ate and slept
I woke up to boulders being overturned just down below me in the timber. at first I thought it was a bull raking. I had to gather up my pack and get my boots and socks on. by the time I got into position behind a large pine on the edge of the timber, I hadn't heard anything for awhile.
I decided to cow call and a bull bugled father down below me in the timber. it wasn't terribly close, a couple of hundred yards away. he was a growler! so I moved in closer. I couldn't get another response from him..... so I sat tight again... I pulled out last years journal. I was laughing at what I had wrote last year when a bull, much closer, bugled from further down! so I packed up, again :grin:
I had to billy goat down a patch of boulders.... once again I didn't get another bugle from him. so I hung tight, as I felt like I had gotten in tight enough.....
it was 2:15, just some lazy mid day bugles. so I settled in again to wait for more action. I finished reading my journal from last year and remembered that I should start this years.
I didn't pay attention to the time. I was numerous pages into writing my adventure, when I heard something. I looked up to see a spike bull feeding on a trail just 13 yards below me!!!! uggg, my bow is sitting on the ground next to me with no arrow nocked. closer he gets as I sit up, grab my bow, pull an arrow, and try to get it nocked. he had gone behind a tree at 10 yards! this time I nocked the arrow too fast and it tinked..... the bull didn't stand for that and ran off.
here we go again.... gary screwed up, again....
I cow called quick and got him to stop right away. I had time to quickly range some trees if he went by them. low and behold he walked in front of tree that I ranged at 40 yards. unfortunately he stopped one step too far. his vitals were covered at 38 yards... he stared in my direction looking for that cow. so I decided to give her to him. I crunched some pine needles and snapped a twig. oops, that didn't work and off he went. I caught a glimpse of another elk that I hadn't seen before. the time was 4:30.
I was so close to tagging out on opening morning.....!!!!! after it was all done I tried to finish my journal but I was shaking too bad ;D
I decided to pack up and still hunt my way back to camp.
I had only gone 40 yards when the growler bull let offa bugle down below. he was down from me, but to my right and farther from camp.
did I say that i even forgot to put camp as a way point on my gps.... :crazy:
but he bugled again, taunting me! so I bit and headed his way. he bugled several more times, each time farther away. he was on the move. I cut my losses and headed back to camp.
now I was fighting daylight. the more I went, the more confused I was.... I ended up busting several elk. eventually I came to a stream that should bring me to camp. the problem with following the creek that it was a major pain....the timber was thick, then it would open up into tall grass with hidden sink holes.....
yay! I found my way with a little daylight left :grin:
Jamie and brian chased those bugles to a wallow. they got into a calling match with a pair of bulls that wouldn't show themselves! they put eyes on a bull that snuck through that brian guessed was 350" at 65yards.
what a first day! my goal for Jamie had been completed! brian guessed that the boulders being overturned was a bear, digging for bugs.
day 4 September 2nd
with all the action I had in the next basin over, that was where I was going back to this morning. Jamie decided to head with me.
I found myself not being able to find my way as brian did the morning before. all the different pockets of meadows had me confused.
which was the theme for the day.....
we ended up getting into the basin from the long way around. we jumped a pair of mulies once we got into the timber....
we heard nothing... so we walked and walked...... I wasnt sure where we even were. so we climbed up high to get some bearings. I'm glad we did! we went farther in than I thought.
I told Jamie, we could keep going farther in and not be sure when we would get back to camp or even how :grin: or, since we were already, we could cross the alpine meadow and cross the saddle back into our basin and wait up high for any mid day bugles. we chose option 2!
by this time it was getting hot! we crossed over and found a shady spot at the timber line. it was hard to nap with the flies constantly buzzing us......
Jamie was getting restless so he tried to find that wallow that they found yesterday. I mentioned to him that maybe we should find some water in case an elk was needing a mid day drink.
on our way there, Jamie heard an elk run away. we got into a meadow in which the wind was predominantly blowing down..... dang! on the other side of the meadow we got to some more timber. I happened to look down hill and saw a large cat crossing between some pines about 70 yards away!. I caught jamies attention and he saw it too. we both agreed that it was a mtn lion. it was the first one I have seen in person in 7 years!
we tried for awhile and Jamie couldn't find the wallow. I sat and waited for him in the shade. he was gone for quite awhile and I was being to figure that he got himself turned around. here he came wet with sweat. I was right! he gotten turned around :wink: we talked for a bit on what we should do if one of us truly got lost.....
we headed back to camp and found a well used trail heading down. it was such a good trail that we got back to camp a little early.
while sitting at camp eating supper, just at dark, brian spotted elk! a bull, decent 6x6, and four cows came into the meadow just below us at a couple hundred yards away. we watched them until it was too dark!
with all the action I had in the next basin over, that was where I was going back to this morning. Jamie decided to head with me.
I found myself not being able to find my way as brian did the morning before. all the different pockets of meadows had me confused.
which was the theme for the day.....
we ended up getting into the basin from the long way around. we jumped a pair of mulies once we got into the timber....
we heard nothing... so we walked and walked...... I wasnt sure where we even were. so we climbed up high to get some bearings. I'm glad we did! we went farther in than I thought.
I told Jamie, we could keep going farther in and not be sure when we would get back to camp or even how :grin: or, since we were already, we could cross the alpine meadow and cross the saddle back into our basin and wait up high for any mid day bugles. we chose option 2!
by this time it was getting hot! we crossed over and found a shady spot at the timber line. it was hard to nap with the flies constantly buzzing us......
Jamie was getting restless so he tried to find that wallow that they found yesterday. I mentioned to him that maybe we should find some water in case an elk was needing a mid day drink.
on our way there, Jamie heard an elk run away. we got into a meadow in which the wind was predominantly blowing down..... dang! on the other side of the meadow we got to some more timber. I happened to look down hill and saw a large cat crossing between some pines about 70 yards away!. I caught jamies attention and he saw it too. we both agreed that it was a mtn lion. it was the first one I have seen in person in 7 years!
we tried for awhile and Jamie couldn't find the wallow. I sat and waited for him in the shade. he was gone for quite awhile and I was being to figure that he got himself turned around. here he came wet with sweat. I was right! he gotten turned around :wink: we talked for a bit on what we should do if one of us truly got lost.....
we headed back to camp and found a well used trail heading down. it was such a good trail that we got back to camp a little early.
while sitting at camp eating supper, just at dark, brian spotted elk! a bull, decent 6x6, and four cows came into the meadow just below us at a couple hundred yards away. we watched them until it was too dark!
