Tough Season? Or just me?

[AaronMColeman]

This has been a really tough season. Elk aren't calling, it's hot and dry and smoky, not nearly as much sign as usual. I'm seeing elk but not nearly as much as in the past. I also haven't seen as many "grip and grins" online this year. Normally they are all over the place.

Am I just striking out, or has this been tough for everyone this year? I guess misery loves company and I'd feel much better if everyone else is having an abnormally slow seaosn?

 

[IdahoElk]

It's not just you!
in my neck of he woods some of my friends did score but a majority complained about the crowds of NR's and lack of aggressive bugling action. I had a average year with good action but I packed in 8 miles to get away from the pressure, still didn't get one but that was my fault. seems like the guys that scored were quietly sitting over water.

 

[Dos Perros]

I hunted 14 days to get mine, and I'll admit it was tough, tougher than I would have guessed. Never found the "meatball" with a rutted up herd bull and satellites crashing in on the action.

 

[fishslap]

Tough for me but I gave up earlier than normal and didn’t move to some of my backup spots. I’ve killed five elk in a row but struck out this year with a muzzleloader. Elk were crazy spooky.

 

[justin84]

This was my first year elk hunting, in a general area in Wyoming from 9/15-9/25. We saw a lot of elk sign, some fresh but most looked like we were a week or two late to the party. Difficult to tell since much was buried in snow for a few days, though. We did get into some vocal elk in the first few days, but never actually saw an elk. We believe we were into elk and not hunters, because the times we were into hunters the calling continued and we eventually saw people. In the "real" cases, the elk shut up and we just didn't have the experience to know how to react to that. Word on the mountain was most of the herd in our area bailed off the mountain during that early snow and made things pretty tough for most. So, all in all, it was a great first elk hunt and while I was disappointed to come home empty handed, we had some relatively close calls and that felt like a win.

 

[cnelk]

I spent 27 days between 2 states and about 120 miles on my boots.

It was a real tough year. I was lucky to eek out a Wyoming raghorn

 

[5MilesBack]

I turned in my elk tag from a different unit to focus on moose, but I still didn't hear a mature bugle the whole time I was up there (that's a first for me). Lots of raghorns with cows roaming around, but no big bull sightings either. That was weird. Now I don't regret turning my tag in.

 

[ahlgringo]

Yep, absolutely tough year. Hunted hard and finally able to connect with a small bull, but much less total action than as long as I have been hunting elk with a bow. I think this is finally the year I needed to stop huntin this otc tag. Have a variety of spots that I used to hardly see a soul, covered up with guys this year. I think we have reached carrying capacity in most places otc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bluetick78]

It has definitely been a different year. Lots of smoke, above average temperatures, and while Idaho only sells a certain number of nonresident tags each year, it seemed like the Labor Day crowds never went home. More people were able to stay longer, I'm sure some is related to things still being shut down to some degree. Took my son bear hunting over the weekend, I've never seen that many people already camped out waiting for OTC deer to open. Most were from out of state "working" from home. It'll be interesting to see how the general deer plays out, and what changes, if any, will be made to ease overcrowding in certain areas if the residents decide to increase the complaints to a shrill pitch again. It was also unique to see as many people flying units to find the animals as there were. I know some were outfitters, but not all. Seems that the dream of big elk and deer knows no bounds when it comes to harvesting said animals ethically.

 

[John Henry1]

Toughest year I’ve seen in quite some time hunting Montana. It was so dry the dirt made noise, as crowded as I’ve ever seen it, smoke made visibility low, elk were not talking and a lot of miles put in to find them. It took me 8 days to get my mule deer and 13 days to get my elk. Usually I can get it all done within a week, but I ended up moving camp 4 times this year to find them. I’m already waiting to do it all again next year.

 

[Jd259]

Guess I got lucky this year I was in wy last week of September got in two days early and had 8-10 bulls screaming every morning and evening got weather opening day which changed the elk a bit but second day it was back on and I glassed six bulls that morning and killed a good herd bull that afternoon called him in on a string to 80 yards and that was that. Same experience last year as well except I shot a rag second day.

 

[hobbes]

Every year is tough from my experience, but maybe that's just me. So far I've been beat like a drum. My bowhunting is probably over this year and on to rifle.

 

[Shawn_Guinn]

I killed a spike opening morning, then my buddies kid arrowed a 5 point 6 days latter. Things were heating up call wise but camps got evacuated due to fires the day it really kicked in to the rut. Buddies relocated camp found elk again and took another 5 second to last day. 6 of us hunt hard couple others give a few days but not much. So I'm saying 50 percent archery success. Did notice more people than usual especially with fire closures people were scrambling tward us until fire ran 20 miles our direction then everyone had to go.. No caps in this unit So I'm never picky especially with an empty freezer.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Indian Summer]

I leave this Friday for Wyoming. So far everyone I know who has hunted has done very well. I see that this Saturday the weather out there takes a pretty big change for the better. Fingers crossed.

 

[Fullfan]

It was tough for us, smoke and hot weather. Persistence paid off tho. Killed my bull on 9/12 @ 1400 when it was 80. We would have 8-9 bulls screaming one day, and not a peep for two days. We killed 6 bulls and two cows.

On 9/27 we had 5 bulls talking, kid w us killed a nice 5x5. Across the drainage I saw two bulls feeding together, one was a 340" class and the other was not far behind. 20 yds apart, no cows both talking like no tomorrow. Strange they were together.

 

[justinspicher]

It feels like a tough year every year for me. Every season is also my last season.....

 

[AaronMColeman]

I leave this Friday for Wyoming. So far everyone I know who has hunted has done very well. I see that this Saturday the weather out there takes a pretty big change for the better. Fingers crossed.

Good luck! What area in general are you hunting? I'm in NW Wyoming. I'm starting to think they haven't moved from the high elevations. Why would they? Feed and water are great, hunting pressure is minimal, and it's much cooler.

I hope you are right that the cooler weekend temps will create some snow up high and maybe give them the nudge they need to move lower. In our area we have "resident" elk who don't leave, and we have "migratory" elk. I sure hate to shoot our residents, I like them, so I hope the migratory guys start coming through

 

[11boo]

My unit was packed, more hunters than ever. Also, the crossbow permits must be pretty easy to get, saw more of those than ever.
Elk, not so much. They were really scattered out. Very quiet too. I hoped the snow would get things rolling, but it was not to be. Still, a great 3 weeks and man I covered some country.

I have a late season cow tag for 30/public land. Hoping for a New Years Elk!

 

[Benchleg66]

No archery tag this year for me. Spent a couple weekends helping buddies and I’d say the archery season was pretty standard here in OR as it pertains to rut activity.

 

[mtnwrunner]

It's not just you!
in my neck of he woods some of my friends did score but a majority complained about the crowds of NR's and lack of aggressive bugling action. I had a average year with good action but I packed in 8 miles to get away from the pressure, still didn't get one but that was my fault. seems like the guys that scored were quietly sitting over water.

Yeah, but you got that buck to go after. Let me know if you need a hand.......

Randy