Finalizing my elk strategy

[silverbullet555]

So, i've had eyes on a bull twice in the last couple of weeks and will be going after him on Tuesday morning.

We are expecting a storm to move in overnight Monday to Tuesday.

Initial plans were to go in high to where I have glassed him from above on two occasions. I'll have to see what the wind is doing, but I do believe I'll have to start high to get eyes on him.

I'll stay on the offside of the ridge on my way up to try to keep my scent away. I could go around and come up from the bottom but have never gone that way while I have gone the way I plan to many times. If I go my usual route, I will not be closer than 500 yards to the top of the area where I have seen him.

Thoughts on the strategy and things I may not be considering? I've never gone after a specific bull like this.

 

[Ucsdryder]

How far is that knife edged ridge to the right of your 2 pins. Can you get there quietly? At first light peak over the top?

 

[WRO]

I'd shoot him from the ridge to the left in your picture.

Do you have a buddy who could spot for you and walk you in?

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[silverbullet555]

I'd shoot him from the ridge to the left in your picture.

Do you have a buddy who could spot for you and walk you in?

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I don't think I have anyone going with me unless it is a drastic changes.

On this pic I marked the ridges I intend to use depending on where I find him and where is going. The first time I saw him was around noon and he was feeding the edge of the timber up high.

The second time was early in the morning and he started mid mountain and worked down (which is what I hope he'll do on Tuesday. If he is feeding down I'll make my way to the lower blue line and use that ridge for cover. The shot will be 200-300 yards from there depending on his location.

If he is in the timber, I'll use the upper blue ridge to get to about 300 yards. The terrain should help me for the most part, at least from a cover point. The initial glassing point is about a mile away.

 

[SteveCNJ]

Good luck!

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[GoBig]

Winds go downslope, down drainages in the morning. As the day goes on it reverses and you will get upslope winds and thermals.

 

[TreeWalking]

Sounds like a plan. Stay safe and good luck on your adventure!

 

[Wrench]

If you get within 500 yards and get thermaled.... it will take a very short minute for him to bail. I would not consider a high approach until well into the rising thermal. If you must glass first do it early and do it on contour. This time of year bulls get pretty jumpy.

 

[silverbullet555]

We went in from the back side and stayed on the opposite side of the ridge from the drainage they were in. Got to the glassing point late, but kept with the plan. The prevailing breeze was up and over the ridge. I was a little concerned the scent would carry down the other side, but we were well past the elk when we popped up the other side.

We glassed from my first point for a couple hours. No elk. Grrrrrr.
After that we started working our way to a second glassing point, glassing along the way. Still no elk.

Sat at a closer glassing spot and ate lunch, watched, glassed, etc. Texted a buddy that we still weren't seeing elk.

Then, in the bottom of the drainage, elk. Two, Feeding up hill.

So, we discussed, made a plan and bailed of the face. We stayed a couple minor ridges over so any scent coming down would hopefully stay in our individual draw and carry past them. The winds weren't perfect as I checked them. As we got to where we thought they were elevation wise, we popped over the minor ridge. But, we were still too high. So, we backed down and went down some more and came over again. We were closer, but the sage was tall and getting a steady rest was challenging.

They continued to feed uphill unaware we were 400 yards away. It took a bit to get set up, but I did.

He dropped and rolled a bit. Watched to make sure he was down and made my way over. The plan worked and that added to it.

Hiked 30 miles this week between hunting and getting the meat out. I can't carry really heavy loads due to some prior medical issues, but I can walk. So, it got done.

He was a 5x5, but a small one. Really stoked.

 

[Mr_Steve]

Congrats! Love it when a plan comes together.

 

[exppi]

Congrats!