Hunt Update Thread

Helped my buddy on his hunt. Passed on a 310 bull first day. He practiced his stalking and went from 95yds to 30yds. Bulls bugling into the night (full moon) and up until around 11am - then start again around 6pm.

Second day was dismal in the area we went - only around 10 elk.

3rd day dropped into a very steep nasty canyon and still hunted into a small bedding area and took a shot at a huge 5x5. Arrow hit an unseen branch and veered off course. Bulls bugling in the deep canyon.

4th Day still hunted into a herd and sat for 4 hours with around 70 elk feeding, laying down and bugling. Cows, calves, spikes and bulls from 4pts to 6x6\'s. No shooters.

Today we dropped into that steep canyon from the other side and silently moved in on a bugling bull. Turned out to be a massive 6x8, but we couldn\'t close the deal on him.

My buddy is on his own for 5 days. I\'ll help him the last week of the season if he doesn\'t tag out in these 5 days.

Friday I head into the backcountry to help my 2 brothers and nephew on their buck hunts for 8 days.
 
Dan sent me a text at 10:25 He had a shot at an elk. Missed because he didn\'t have time to range it. Shot for 40 when it was 50. At least it was a clean miss. :oops: Good news he thinks he found some elk to hunt. :upthumb:
 
Like Terry said,

Just missed an elk. I heard him bugle about 700-1000 yards away. So I responded and went after him. After a mile and a half run/sprint/ fast walk I find the drainage he\'s in. I know he\'s still far away so I\'m moving through this elk paradise. All of a sudden I stop and there is a spike feeding about 50 yards away from me. I had my range finder in my pocket because I was running so I had to guess a shot in a lane I had selected. I picked 40. It was 50. Shot under him. Found an elk hot spot though.
 
For those who didn\'t hear. We found fresh cat kills near our hot spots and all the elk has disappeared since like the 29th.

So it was like starting fresh all over again.
With that being said, the fact I stalked within 80 yards of an elk first day and had a shot today, it just makes all of this worth it. I\'m still a complete elk noob, but I\'ve learned so much from you guys and it\'s made this so much smoother.
 
Good luck Brad and crew.. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Keep on keeping on, Dan and it\'ll happen... :upthumb: :upthumb:
 
Russ, thank you for sharing the details of your hunt. It was very educational to me as an inexperienced hunter. I too would have punched my tag. It\'s a personal decision for each person to make.

Other hunters have left my area. The low number of elk sightings are sending people home early. I know there are elk and deer near my camp each day, so tomorrow I will be hunting near camp.

I started to get a virus. I have to be careful. Last September while hunting, I got a virus that may have damaged the rest of my left ear nerve. I had the same hearing for 30+ yrs. In October, I found out that my left ear went from profound loss to deaf. In September, I do not use my left hearing aid because of feedback when wearing headware for hunting. Therefore, I did not know the ear went deaf. I have to take viruses more seriously now. I cannot afford to lose my right ear hearing too.

Still warm. Storms for the next few days.
 
We ran into town to stock up on water.

I\'m on a high from getting into the elk so I got a treat.
 

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\"Stringunner\" said:
Nothing yet from Swedes camp. Swede had a buck come inyesterday but not shot and a cougar walked in this morning but no shot. I miss ranged a buck this morning and shaved his belly, had hair all over my broadhead but no blood. Still no elk. Cold weather and rain tonight is hampering the tree stand hunting. Came home tonight to do laundry and regroup. Heading back in the morning. Nothing from Dad tonight and don\'t no if Swede saw anything tonight. Checking all cams again in the morning and hunting hard till Monday. Hopefully it happens for one of us.
Click to expand...

Go get em Jer! Hey....just a thought.... if you spent less time watchin the squirrels get their business on you might find more elk. Just sayin. :oops:

Sick sick sick. :lol:
 
Another day in the books.
No elk were seen from the stand today but I did get into them not too far away.
Went for a death march into some nasty - took 4 hours to do a 1.5 mile loop.
Got back to the truck as the rain started about noon.
Got back out before 5 and my trail cam near my stand showed a cow came by just after 3pm as the rain was quitting.
Nice cool evening, no wind and not a bugle for miles.
 
Well..... I\'m not sleeping tonight. Cranky would be an understatement, but I\'ll keep it pg.

Anyways I go back into the area I missed that spike at I had a real good feeling about. Sure enough, it goes up to a north facing ridge and I found a wonderful water hole off of it that\'s being used. So much sign....

I find a spot at the water hole and at 6 they start bugling.
I waited and at 730 I heard a bull racking above me...

So there is like 20 minutes left of light and wind is in my favor. He was above me at 125 yards racking. I made the choice to be aggressive. I find a path to start moving up and I see movement.. lots of movement. Cow, calf, and 3 confirmed bulls with 4 more sounding off about 400 yards away. Anyways I see them go from my right to my left and I cut around the corner and here is two bulls fighting..... I got as close as I could in the wide open, barely any light, both broadside, too dark for range.....and I shoot over his back..... the two bulls play fighting were both 5x5s.....

I did not get seen by them and they didn\'t smell me, but I have found an absolute honey hole that I may have ruined. Today is bitter sweet....





Happy I can find the elk.....mad I can\'t seal the deal.
Tomorrow will be another day.
 
Sorry It didn\'t workout for you Brad. Dan keep after them it\'s just a matter of time!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Heading up with my son tonight into an elky spot. Scouted the area early Aug and found the elk right where Atfrith and I left them (so to speak) last year. Hoping they didn\'t get pressured this opening week and they are eagerly awaiting our presence this weekend. :mrgreen: I get service in this area so I\'ll try to check in a couple times.
 
GOOD sized cat at my spot an hour before I show up.....

Gun safety off...




Hopefully they didn\'t scare my elk out.
 
Heading back up tonight with the wife for the long weekend. This will be her first hunt that she is actually hunting. Hopefully I can call her in a bull. Taking her into the spot I killed my bull last year. Should be a good time. Good luck everybody heading out this weekend.
 
Ok.
Luck was bestowed on me this morning.
Short story is:
I called in a cow and I shot her. She went 50 yds
While I was punching my tag a 5x5 bull walks up so I shoot him too.

2 of my 3 elk tags are filled.
Hell yeah!!!!
 
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