Scouted a New Area this Weekend

[elkmtngear]

I got a good tip from a patient of mine (who has many miles on his boots...he was the creator of several very popular Muley videos quite a few years ago). Fortunately, I only had to drive a little over four hours to get to the area he told me about.

I checked the Northeast face of the rim behind the meadow first...and didn\'t see too much to get excited about. So I headed across the meadow to another rim about a mile away I had mapped out on Google Earth.

To my delight...I found elk tracks 300 yards from the truck out in the meadow!

When I got close to the pond, I jumped a male bufflehead. He kept circling because the female stayed on the pond (probably had a nest)

I moved in closer while he was circling, and got a shot of him as he landed

When I got to what looked like a \"Glassable Rim\" on Google Earth...I found out it was a big brush patch! :agg:

With the thermals coming up, I thought I\'d be OK to skirt around the East Side of the rim and drop down across the meadow, so I could set up and glass the North Face. The meadow was beautiful with some good prospective wallows

Watched the open ridge and the meadow until dusk, but didn\'t see anything. Mosquitoes had their way with me :wtf:

 

[elkmtngear]

Well, I was a little discouraged. I checked the map, and there was a long, steep East Facing ridge with several springs marked on it not far from where I was parked. Slept in the truck with the windows open in case elk decided to get vocal out in the meadow. Didn\'t hear a peep all night.

Got up early and headed over to the first marked spring. There were a lot of elk tracks on the timbered benches, I was getting pretty jazzed!

The marked springs were dry...stupid drought! :evil:

I worked those benches up down and around for over two hours. I knew if I could find a high water source it would be gold. No Dice!

Finally I followed a drainage down toward the road, and there was a bit of a seep there! There were trails ripping into it...but it was so close to the road that I decided to just mark it and keep looking.

There was a small spring at a bend in the road. I followed it down toward another big meadow in the bottom, and found a lot of decent waterholes there.

 

[elkmtngear]

Walking back to the truck, I walked right up on this nice Muley buck, and managed to get a shot of him

I still really wanted to find water up near the top where I was seeing all the tracks. So I looked on my map, and there was a pond just up over the top West of the benches. I drove around the top and walked into it.

Very cool place...large meadows ending in a good size pond.

I walked along the backside of the rim, looking for an outlet trail. Nothing big enough to float my boat. :roll:

I had to walk back through a ponderosa pine plantation to get back to the truck...and I came across a big wide trail heading into the meadow from the West. It looked like a cattle trail, but there was no fresh moo cow sign anywhere, and there were plenty of deer and elk tracks on it. Stuck a trail cam on it, and headed for home.

 

[elkmtngear]

Saw another nice buck on the way out...had to sneak on him to get the pic.

Some Pronghorn on the highway...I just had to stop. They actually walked toward me out of curiosity

And, back in blacktail country again as I got nearer to home

I could tell it was going to take time to figure this new area out...but knowing there are elk in the area is a relief

 

[Buglemaster]

That\'s some great looking country Jeff! I\'m anxious to see what your camera picks up.Great pics also :clap:

 

[Zpd307]

That\'s some great looking country Jeff! I\'m anxious to see what your camera picks up.Great pics also :clap:

no kidding! I wish I was able to get some boots on the ground right now....

 

[bnsafe]

that is awesome. if anybody asks why some hunters kill elk an some dont, point them to this thread. sounds like you put more boot leather on the ground this weekend than most folks will do during the season. well done. :clap:

 

[Deertick]

Great photos ... what kind of camera?

 

[Swede]

Let me check it out for you Jeff. I am concerned all of the elk will have left before the season opens. Maybe I can recon. it for you a kittle if you PM me the coordinates. LOL

 

[cohunter14]

Great pics Jeff! Was this back in CO or are you hunting a different state this year? The absense of snow had me wondering :think:

 

[elkmtngear]

Derek,
Eastern Oregon (Swede is obviously aware of it :lol: )

Oregon elk are just weird. Hard to hunt...non-vocal, etc. Only snow I saw was at 8,000 feet or higher. The drought is taking its toll. But I guess the good thing is, finding the right water source can be a big bonus in that situation. :shh:

 

[elkmtngear]

Great photos ... what kind of camera?

John, it is a Sony Handycam (HD Video Cam) that takes 10 MP Stills as well. I like having everything in one unit, and it slides easily into my front pants pocket in case I need it quickly (like when I walked up on that buck)

 

[Swede]

I can not say exactly where the pictures were taken, but I could sure take you to some very similar spots. The elk will be there, but Jeff is right about the critters.

 

[iccyman001]

Awesome!!!! Looks like you had a great time and I love the pictures.

You are making me very antsy

 

[Zpd307]

You are making me very antsy

ditto!

 

[Retterath]

Beautiful place thanks for posting all the pics

 

[Tenderfoot]

Looks like a great trip. I will be hunting a new area this year and feel like I am already behind... I should have been up there at least a few times already!

-James

 

[elkmtngear]

Looks like a great trip. I will be hunting a new area this year and feel like I am already behind... I should have been up there at least a few times already!

-James

James, in a normal Year I probably wouldn\'t have been able do scout near as much territory because of snow.

So, the drought actually created an early scouting opportunity.

And the bugs are horrendous this time of year. But it still felt great to get out and kick around in that country! :upthumb: