- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
Hey guys and gals. It's been a while! Been around but since my dad passed a little over a year ago I have had a lot going on.
Last year I didn't draw a general Elk tag which in reality ended up being a good thing with dad being sick and then passing close to Elk season.
This year we drew a tag and after turning 61 this year I was wonder WTH I was doing. The HD we hunt is miserably harsh and steep. Even with a low success rate, over the past 20 years we have been able to fill a tag or two almost every time we draw. I guess the morel to to story is to stay consistent learn a HD and hunt it hard.
For the past few Elk seasons I have noticed a big change in the way hunters approach Elk hunting. I guess myself and my hunting partner are old school. We like to do a lot of glassing and then make a plan. Sometimes I will glass for multiple days before I actually commit to hunt a animal whether it is a bull or a cow. That being said I haven't carried a bugle in many years. I have seen the results of lots of calling on public land and it isn't pretty. I have watched many many elk vanish into other drainages. The ironic thing is I have talked to many of these hunters and most of them learn from the internet and TV that this is the way to kill elk. I also have asked how many Elk they have killed with this strategy and sadly it is very very few or none at all. Now I am not against calling and it has its place. I carry 3 cow calls and after I have moved into the animals comfort zone almost every bull I have killed has been called closer with a cow call.
This year was no different than the past 10 years or so. We listened to at least 6 hunters over a week and a half serenade the mountains every 100yds and pushing Elk All over the country. I don't get it?? I can sit on one side of the huge basin I hunt and here a bull at the furthest point in that basin. Why call so much?? If you hear one make a plan to get in close and go for it. Why keep calling at them over and over again. Maybe we are just getting less tolerant as I get older but it drives us nuts.
Enough of the rant!! After we had a few days of the band being gone things went back to normal, the Elk finally moved back in then it was on. We had four midweek days of unprecedented Elk hunting. My partner killed a nice bull which will score 320 330. Myself I let a few go early then missed a opportunity at a decent bull at 15 yds. I clipped a branch that wasn't in my sight picture and had a clean miss! I then got hung up on the biggest bull in the drainage. He was always high high with his cows. Although I was able to get within 70 yds multiple times I was unable to get within what I consider shooting range.
I read a article in Eastman's about the precipitation this year in the west and how it should promote good antler growth. Well Eastman's you were correct. We had more PY bulls running around then I have seen in quite a while!! It was also the year of the black bear where we hunt. I saw more berries and bears during daylight hours than ever before.
Here is a pic of my hunting partners bull. With that good luck to everyone the rest of the season. Mark
Last year I didn't draw a general Elk tag which in reality ended up being a good thing with dad being sick and then passing close to Elk season.
This year we drew a tag and after turning 61 this year I was wonder WTH I was doing. The HD we hunt is miserably harsh and steep. Even with a low success rate, over the past 20 years we have been able to fill a tag or two almost every time we draw. I guess the morel to to story is to stay consistent learn a HD and hunt it hard.
For the past few Elk seasons I have noticed a big change in the way hunters approach Elk hunting. I guess myself and my hunting partner are old school. We like to do a lot of glassing and then make a plan. Sometimes I will glass for multiple days before I actually commit to hunt a animal whether it is a bull or a cow. That being said I haven't carried a bugle in many years. I have seen the results of lots of calling on public land and it isn't pretty. I have watched many many elk vanish into other drainages. The ironic thing is I have talked to many of these hunters and most of them learn from the internet and TV that this is the way to kill elk. I also have asked how many Elk they have killed with this strategy and sadly it is very very few or none at all. Now I am not against calling and it has its place. I carry 3 cow calls and after I have moved into the animals comfort zone almost every bull I have killed has been called closer with a cow call.
This year was no different than the past 10 years or so. We listened to at least 6 hunters over a week and a half serenade the mountains every 100yds and pushing Elk All over the country. I don't get it?? I can sit on one side of the huge basin I hunt and here a bull at the furthest point in that basin. Why call so much?? If you hear one make a plan to get in close and go for it. Why keep calling at them over and over again. Maybe we are just getting less tolerant as I get older but it drives us nuts.
Enough of the rant!! After we had a few days of the band being gone things went back to normal, the Elk finally moved back in then it was on. We had four midweek days of unprecedented Elk hunting. My partner killed a nice bull which will score 320 330. Myself I let a few go early then missed a opportunity at a decent bull at 15 yds. I clipped a branch that wasn't in my sight picture and had a clean miss! I then got hung up on the biggest bull in the drainage. He was always high high with his cows. Although I was able to get within 70 yds multiple times I was unable to get within what I consider shooting range.
I read a article in Eastman's about the precipitation this year in the west and how it should promote good antler growth. Well Eastman's you were correct. We had more PY bulls running around then I have seen in quite a while!! It was also the year of the black bear where we hunt. I saw more berries and bears during daylight hours than ever before.
Here is a pic of my hunting partners bull. With that good luck to everyone the rest of the season. Mark
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