Elk hunt Recap thread

[Beendare]

Lets use this as a during the hunt progress report or recapping your elk hunt. Pics will make it even better.

Please post conditions- hunt pressure, weather, terrain, etc and any elk behavior...or lack of it.

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[tmitty]

My bro and I went out this weekend. He has an OTC cow/spike archery tag and I have a LE archery bull tag for the same unit. We got on a big group of cows at first light headed to water. My bro made the stalk up the ridge and missed a shot at 60 yards, and they trotted off. We made our best guess at where they would be headed to bed, around the basin to a North face. Sure enough when we got there about 11:00am, chirping everywhere and we saw them feeding in a meadow below. Bro made another stalk and made a good shot on a nice cow, and we packed her out. Hopefully I can put down a bull in the next couple weeks and he can return the favor.

 

[UtahJimmy]

Hunted Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday morning. Heard my first bugles of the season Saturday night and then again yesterday morning. He shut up before sun up yesterday but exciting to hear their September songs already

Saw elk everyday inside 60 yards, just enjoying my time in the backcountry!

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[ElkNut1]

Great job guys!

ElkNut

 

[Disco14]

Good luck & safe hunting everyone!

 

[11boo]

So ready for September.

 

[5MilesBack]

Where is everybody finding all that water? All my wallows are dry as a bone.

 

[11boo]

Where is everybody finding all that water? All my wallows are dry as a bone.

I guarantee that wallow is bone dry this year. I do have a couple others that still have a bit of water, and were getting used last week. We just have so much water on the Mesa it’s hard to put too much attention on any one spot. Like last week, I found another wallow. Beautiful spot with a long abandoned tree stand overlooking it. Only track seen was a very old bear track.

 

[11boo]

The trails will be paved with gold. Soooooo ready.

My Posting skills are about as good as my tag filling skills. Don’t click the full size button twice

 

[5MilesBack]

The first time I found this hidden water hole, the water was covering the entire grassy area in the pic. Haven't seen more water than what's in this pic since.

 

[tmitty]

Was able to sneak away for a day hunt yesterday. Wow, what a day! After a 3 mile hike, I made it up to the saddle I was aiming for a little later about 8:00am. I let out a bugle and immediately got a response about 300 yards away. A few more bugles from me, and a few more responses it was clear he wasn't moving. I made my way to him, bugling back and forth the whole way. By the time I got within 80 yards or so, I hear sticks popping and he is coming in. I see his antlers rise over the hill and I draw. He hangs up at 50 yards and chuckles. Then he turns his head and I see he is a 7-point with main beams that look like they could have scratched his butt. I never had a clean shot. After a couple minutes he leaves, and I take a minute to stop my knees from shaking.

Ended up calling in 3 bulls within 50 yards, but never had a shot I felt good about on any of them. I didn't expect the bulls to be so vocal already. Especially considering the hot weather where I'm hunting. I even had an encounter with a bull that was with a group of cows.

I really needed a calling partner to set up behind me to pull them in that extra bit. Anyone have some pointers for bugling in bulls when you're hunting solo? They seem to hang up just behind something to obscure a shot and stare right at me. When they don't see an elk, they get spooked and leave.

 

[Lukedog]

Remi Warren gives some good tips on elk calling (specific to your questio) on one of his Cutting the Distance podcast episodes. Check his podcast out, they are short so they are easily digestible.

Luke

 

[tmitty]

Remi Warren gives some good tips on elk calling (specific to your questio) on one of his Cutting the Distance podcast episodes. Check his podcast out, they are short so they are easily digestible.

Luke

Thanks. I've listened to some of his stuff before. I'll give it a try. Appreciate it.

 

[AGPank]

Get the elknut app too. Work on a tighter set-up so they have to come in range to see the call location.


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[Fridaythe13th]

Was able to sneak away for a day hunt yesterday. Wow, what a day! After a 3 mile hike, I made it up to the saddle I was aiming for a little later about 8:00am. I let out a bugle and immediately got a response about 300 yards away. A few more bugles from me, and a few more responses it was clear he wasn't moving. I made my way to him, bugling back and forth the whole way. By the time I got within 80 yards or so, I hear sticks popping and he is coming in. I see his antlers rise over the hill and I draw. He hangs up at 50 yards and chuckles. Then he turns his head and I see he is a 7-point with main beams that look like they could have scratched his butt. I never had a clean shot. After a couple minutes he leaves, and I take a minute to stop my knees from shaking.

Ended up calling in 3 bulls within 50 yards, but never had a shot I felt good about on any of them. I didn't expect the bulls to be so vocal already. Especially considering the hot weather where I'm hunting. I even had an encounter with a bull that was with a group of cows.

I really needed a calling partner to set up behind me to pull them in that extra bit. Anyone have some pointers for bugling in bulls when you're hunting solo? They seem to hang up just behind something to obscure a shot and stare right at me. When they don't see an elk, they get spooked and leave.

Thank you, now I'm fired up. 2 weeks till we leave.

 

[bassface33]

Beautiful pics


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[Coveyleader]

Went for the weekend, very few people, elk bugling good, sheep screwed the area up big time.
Filled one tag, will go back last week and hopefully kill a bull. I could have shot a 6x5 1 minute after I killed my cow but passed. Hopefully won’t burn me in the end. My big hunt of the year comes up starting Saturday. Maybe get a day of antelope prior

 

[roosiebull]

I will post a recap tomorrow, it was a fun week as always, and I can still do it with a compound haha. Weird little bull that was a spike x4 last year, so technically he got bigger, haha
First bull I bugled to this season, shot him at 7-8yds

 

[bloatmar]

Congratulations on the bull. I head out Friday for my first Elk Hunt super nervous and excited. Looking forward to reading the recap.

 

[tmitty]

The canyon my bro and I packed into was on fire with bugles all day and night. As soon as we crested the ridge into our spot, we called in a giant 6 point to 15 yards, but he was quartering to me and I wasn't going to take a shot that wasn't 100%. The next morning we walked circles from camp for 30 minutes trying to decide which bugle to chase. "This one is closer, no this one is closer, no this one sounds bigger..."

We got on a bull about noon, who was with a big group of cows, pushing them around and screaming his head off. He was answering every bugle, but didn't want to leave his cows. We got the wind right and slipped in. I stood on the edge of the herd, waiting for my chance. A couple of his cows wandered up to within 15 yards of me and bedded down. Sure enough, a few minutes later he came to check on those cows. I drew and sealed the deal.