Tough Season? Or just me?

[11boo]

Sounds like an effing nightmare to me, I'll be seriously PO'd if I run into the same during 2nd rifle.

Rifle season will be similar to a wal mart that just restocked toilet paper back in March.

 

[ganngus]

I had an early mule deer tag in an OTC archery elk unit in CO. My hunt started day after archery season ended. I heard a ton of buggling, but everything was down low on private. I hunted between 9000-11500 in search of deer and did not see any fresh elk sign. Sure felt like the OTC archery hunters pushed everything hard onto private.

 

[trophyhill]

I had an early mule deer tag in an OTC archery elk unit in CO. My hunt started day after archery season ended. I heard a ton of buggling, but everything was down low on private. I hunted between 9000-11500 in search of deer and did not see any fresh elk sign. Sure felt like the OTC archery hunters pushed everything hard onto private.

That pretty much goes along with what a landowner told me when he said the reason no one was seeing any elk in a certain area was because the elk had tore down his fences escaping human pressure starting in late spring early summer well before hunting season and stayed there. In fact they are still there. So the hoards just put the exclamation point on the end when we showed up.

 

[Sioux33]

I think the heat and lack of good forage really pushed a lot of elk down onto private early this year. I hunted opening week and the 3rd week in eastern MT and I swear it was 80-90 damn near every day, minus a few. The only movement was during the first half hour and evening action existent was non-existent.

 

[brsnow]

1st season rifle was pretty empty compared to previous years. Saw more elk than other hunters.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Been a grind since the opener.
From fish to fowl and everything in between.

Just feels like the dice are rolling a different direction this year. Catching alot of weird breaks.

Have a 1 tag out of 4 filled and alot of uphill sledding to do after last night's debacle.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Been a grind since the opener.
From fish to fowl and everything in between.

Just feels like the dice are rolling a different direction this year. Catching alot of weird breaks.

Have a 1 tag out of 4 filled and alot of uphill sledding to do after last night's debacle.

Same here. I had a nice bull give me a good shot twice only to jump when another hunter shot nearby...twice in about an hour of messing with the bull.

I had a great tracking experience only to find cows and calfs without a bull.

Soft bugles. Only really a coupe mornings of good bugling.

Now it’s rifle season. I’m finally seeing good sign just cannot get it done. At this point I don’t want to hunt anymore. Every day I go I just hope I get one so I can be done for a while. Frustrated.

 

[S.Clancy]

I think the heat and lack of good forage really pushed a lot of elk down onto private early this year. I hunted opening week and the 3rd week in eastern MT and I swear it was 80-90 damn near every day, minus a few. The only movement was during the first half hour and evening action existent was non-existent.

I agree with that sentiment. I hunted 12 days in Eastern MT and it was hot as hell. 87F last Saturday, October 10th. I got lucky and shot a bull the next day, but it was tough out there