Virtual Elk Hunt
September 24-25, 2005
Game Unit 18
Back
in the Never Summer
Wilderness again this weekend to see if I can repeat the events of last
weekend. I posted my frustration on the elk
forum on www.bowsite.com and was given
generous advice on how to handle bulls that hang up. I could have done a couple of things. Since the bull left without being spooked I
could have given some more cow calls when he was out of site then run over to
where I last saw him. That would have
put me in a much better wind position and about 5 yards from where he was
standing. Bulls often return on the same
route if you are lucky enough to fool them twice. The other idea would be to cow call or bugle
to get a response. Then run about 60
yards or so in his direction. Don’t call again once you’ve closed the
distance. He’s got to be coming to the
call you did 60 yards back. He won’t expect you to have closed the distance and
his attention will be behind you. If I
could get myself back in the same position with the hang up bull I would try
one of those.
We
would be able to practice these techniques the following week when filming with
my brother. We had heard some bugles from almost a mile away. We closed the distance but the morning was
going by way too fast. The elk were
really competitive for a short time and then they started to break up and head
towards their bedding area. We needed to
close the distance quickly. A moment of
hesitation and the elk were going in different directions. There were four bulls in this bunch and a
mighty herd bull that sounded more like a fire engine racing down the
street. By time we got to the patch of
trees where all the action was they were gone.
Only the smell of elk was in the air.
We chased their bugles aiming for the fire engine bull first. We did see some of the other elk who stepped
out into the open several hundred yards away to check us out. But my brother had a feeling about this
unique bugle we were chasing. Come to
find out the bulls with the more unique bugles are worth chasing. We only caught up to him when his cows
stopped to bed on this small shelf near 11,000 feet. He
was a true monster. Bigger than
we’ve ever seen in this part of
Back
to the hunt. The weather continued to be
warm and dry. Clouds would pass over and threaten but wouldn’t deliver. I hiked and hiked. I hiked 12 hours Saturday (saw nothing, heard
nothing) and Sunday when I spotted movement on the hill above me. It rises sharply to a bedding area – a very
nice bench. The area is mixed with aspen
and pine. Lots of water and I even found a migration trail. I was on the way down the mountain. I wasn’t far from my truck. Maybe a mile or two. All I saw were black legs moving below some
tree limbs ahead. It was about
330pm.
I
was in a good position. Wind in my
face. My outline broken up by the pine
behind me. This cow steps into view. It was incredibly quiet this afternoon. She was grazing down the hill possibly
heading toward the big meadow in the Kawunechee valley below. She was in no hurry. I waited. I could see more legs nearby. She had company.
I
was busted. This cow sensed something
was up. And there was another problem
behind her. She had a calf with her. It was an hour later at this point. Elk can move so slowly and quietly at
times. I watched them graze for the
longest time. I don’t think the cow
actually saw me. She just sensed something was up. These were the only elk I would see the last
weekend. I wouldn’t shoot a cow to
orphan her calf. And I wouldn’t shoot a
calf in front of her mother. Those are
my excuses and I’m sticking to them. But
the reality is I never had a shot. You
can see by these few photos that something is always in the way. Instead I watched them graze slowly away from
me. I arrived back to the truck in the
dark.
I
was tired and it had been a good hunting season. Though it was warm and dry mostly the elk did
get going the last two weekends in the season for me. I never could find that herd the last
weekend. They cleared out of the basin.
It’s like they just disappeared.
I
drove back home wondering what it would have been like if I had stayed put in
one area and spent more week days out in the woods than weekends. I know the elk have a different routine on
the weekends than during the week. And
there are A LOT fewer people in the woods during the week.
Sorry
this entry is so short but here are some scenic photos for you. Best of luck to everyone next year.
Elk
trail through the dark woods for bedding one early morning.
Found
this HEAVY 6x6 shed from many years ago.
It was cracked and chewed down. I let it lay. Interesting to find this halfway up the
mountain. It must have been a light
winter for the bull to shed this antler up this high. I looked for the other one but didn’t find
it.
So
ends my Archery Elk Season 2005. I hope
the photos and information were helpful to you.