tri2hunt
Lil-Rokslider
Well even with the issues with our beautiful little boy, I was able to get out and do what brings me a little bit of peace. I was unable to make out opening morning but I did make it out opening-day.
I had been able to make it out scouting and setting a few trail cameras over the summer after making my eyes blurry with Google Earth. I found a great spot with a particular little bench that had about 6 to 8 different trails converging. My tactic for the 1st week or so of elk season was to set a tree stand in the area and primarily see if I can catch the moving from bedding to feeding. I got set up in the stand around 4:30 Saturday evening. Decided I would do a little cow calling about every 20 to 30 min. to see if I could get something to move my direction.
I was able to hear three bugles from two different directions and a few chuckles. Did not see anything moving except for the damn annoying squirrels.
I was able to return Sunday for another evening sit in the tree stand.
This evening I ended up having the best and most unnerving experience I think I have ever had hunting.
Since I heard bugles Saturday I decided to bring a bugle tube with me. Got in the around 5 this time. I bugled around 5:20 and then cow called about every 20 minutes. About 7:10 I hear a bugle off to the right from the same area I heard one yesterday. So I let out a bugled and cow called. About ten minutes later he lets out another but closer and now out in front of me over the hump of the bench. Probably less than 300 yards. This was the direction I wanted to hike in from but was not able to due to time constraints of helping the wife with our boy.
Anyway just after he bugles this time a pack of wolves start howling down below him and farther over to the right. I bugle a gain then cow call and the wolves start howling again. The bull moves closer to the top of the hump and bugles again. He is about 120 yards out this time. The wolves start howling again and sounds like the pack split coming in behind him and circling me more over to my right. Since he is this close I decide not to do any more beautifully and try to entice him with cow calls.
I cow call again the wolves howl and he starts moving closer. I get to see him now and he is funking huge!!! Nice wide tall 6x6 with good mass. His body was just massive. He comes to the opposite side of the opening about 90 yards. He hangs up looking for any movement. Unfortunately he turns around and walks away the way he came. He gets back out to about 110 yards and I stop him with a cow call. The wolves have now gone silent which was real freaky. Then he makes the craziest grunt and takes off. Think I caught a glimpse of a wolf going his direction just after the sound. Of course about this time it's dark and I'm just over a mile and a half in from the truck with no idea where that pack of wolves went. Even though I have my pistol it was still unnerving moving to the thick brush with a headlamp.
That may be the fastest I got back to the truck in the dark. I am glad I had the pistol and it sucks that the wolves were after elk because I would have liked to of eliminated one or more?
I know he did not wind me cause the wind did not shift, he was closer and wasn't spooked when he wondered off and stopped. But it was a crazy sound he made before he bolted.
I also had bear tracks across mine from when I left Saturday night.
Maybe the best experience I've ever had hunting, the only thing that would've been better was if the nice big elk had an arrow in him.
I had been able to make it out scouting and setting a few trail cameras over the summer after making my eyes blurry with Google Earth. I found a great spot with a particular little bench that had about 6 to 8 different trails converging. My tactic for the 1st week or so of elk season was to set a tree stand in the area and primarily see if I can catch the moving from bedding to feeding. I got set up in the stand around 4:30 Saturday evening. Decided I would do a little cow calling about every 20 to 30 min. to see if I could get something to move my direction.
I was able to hear three bugles from two different directions and a few chuckles. Did not see anything moving except for the damn annoying squirrels.
I was able to return Sunday for another evening sit in the tree stand.
This evening I ended up having the best and most unnerving experience I think I have ever had hunting.
Since I heard bugles Saturday I decided to bring a bugle tube with me. Got in the around 5 this time. I bugled around 5:20 and then cow called about every 20 minutes. About 7:10 I hear a bugle off to the right from the same area I heard one yesterday. So I let out a bugled and cow called. About ten minutes later he lets out another but closer and now out in front of me over the hump of the bench. Probably less than 300 yards. This was the direction I wanted to hike in from but was not able to due to time constraints of helping the wife with our boy.
Anyway just after he bugles this time a pack of wolves start howling down below him and farther over to the right. I bugle a gain then cow call and the wolves start howling again. The bull moves closer to the top of the hump and bugles again. He is about 120 yards out this time. The wolves start howling again and sounds like the pack split coming in behind him and circling me more over to my right. Since he is this close I decide not to do any more beautifully and try to entice him with cow calls.
I cow call again the wolves howl and he starts moving closer. I get to see him now and he is funking huge!!! Nice wide tall 6x6 with good mass. His body was just massive. He comes to the opposite side of the opening about 90 yards. He hangs up looking for any movement. Unfortunately he turns around and walks away the way he came. He gets back out to about 110 yards and I stop him with a cow call. The wolves have now gone silent which was real freaky. Then he makes the craziest grunt and takes off. Think I caught a glimpse of a wolf going his direction just after the sound. Of course about this time it's dark and I'm just over a mile and a half in from the truck with no idea where that pack of wolves went. Even though I have my pistol it was still unnerving moving to the thick brush with a headlamp.
That may be the fastest I got back to the truck in the dark. I am glad I had the pistol and it sucks that the wolves were after elk because I would have liked to of eliminated one or more?
I know he did not wind me cause the wind did not shift, he was closer and wasn't spooked when he wondered off and stopped. But it was a crazy sound he made before he bolted.
I also had bear tracks across mine from when I left Saturday night.
Maybe the best experience I've ever had hunting, the only thing that would've been better was if the nice big elk had an arrow in him.
