DeDutch
09-28-2015, 09:05 PM
So I went out on my annual elk trip,was gonna meet a buddy and hunt but when I got up to my area he was stuck working. So I headed out to a set of ridges that have been good before, set up camp and waited for the morning.
I was was into elk almost right away but the weird thing was they were not vocal. I was able to get them to wait for me while I called and still hunted through the bush but no bugles back. They also would not respond to a bugle. Day one ended with hearing one herd but not able to see anymore than just one cow.
Day two I continued hunting the same area, drive the quad as far as possible then hike all day...I did not call in any elk but did have a monster bull moose come in hot to my cow calls but was unable to count tripalm or ten points even at 30 feet with him tearing up a spruce tree. He winded me eventually and I moved on, had one cow elk at 30 feet that fed down wind of me and one 3 point bull that bugled on his way to a wallow but would not pull in for a look at my cow calls.
Day three I had a nice bull bugling at me for a good half hour and I chased him down into the valley bottom but could not get him to show, I did bump one of his cows but expected a little more play....he was not buying my calling??? At this point the wheels started turning and I had to wonder what the elk really wanted?
Day 4 I went back out and again hiked way back to where the elk had moved away from the hunter pressure, as I was hiking through an open aspen flat and cow calling really quiet I did get a response. He kept trying to cut my wind and I had to even cross some really open timbered sections with no cover, but no problem out came the cow decoy and I just hid behind it behind....I ended up moving around and below him to near a nice wallow/water hole. At this point I set the decoy, moved off to the side and gave a few really quiet chirps....the whole herd was really close as he gave one last bugle, stopped to destroy a small sapling and then walked out at 90 yards. A quick look had me flipping the safety and hitting him. The shot was good he went all of 90 yards but being by myself I did not end up getting him packed out until the next day. Not gonna say I'll never hunt by myself again but this was one of the tougher hunts I've done....
http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y338/Jason_Feenstra/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsl2rmt6th.jpg (http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/Jason_Feenstra/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsl2rmt6th.jpg.html)
http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y338/Jason_Feenstra/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspx5geaww.jpg (http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/Jason_Feenstra/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspx5geaww.jpg.html)
I was was into elk almost right away but the weird thing was they were not vocal. I was able to get them to wait for me while I called and still hunted through the bush but no bugles back. They also would not respond to a bugle. Day one ended with hearing one herd but not able to see anymore than just one cow.
Day two I continued hunting the same area, drive the quad as far as possible then hike all day...I did not call in any elk but did have a monster bull moose come in hot to my cow calls but was unable to count tripalm or ten points even at 30 feet with him tearing up a spruce tree. He winded me eventually and I moved on, had one cow elk at 30 feet that fed down wind of me and one 3 point bull that bugled on his way to a wallow but would not pull in for a look at my cow calls.
Day three I had a nice bull bugling at me for a good half hour and I chased him down into the valley bottom but could not get him to show, I did bump one of his cows but expected a little more play....he was not buying my calling??? At this point the wheels started turning and I had to wonder what the elk really wanted?
Day 4 I went back out and again hiked way back to where the elk had moved away from the hunter pressure, as I was hiking through an open aspen flat and cow calling really quiet I did get a response. He kept trying to cut my wind and I had to even cross some really open timbered sections with no cover, but no problem out came the cow decoy and I just hid behind it behind....I ended up moving around and below him to near a nice wallow/water hole. At this point I set the decoy, moved off to the side and gave a few really quiet chirps....the whole herd was really close as he gave one last bugle, stopped to destroy a small sapling and then walked out at 90 yards. A quick look had me flipping the safety and hitting him. The shot was good he went all of 90 yards but being by myself I did not end up getting him packed out until the next day. Not gonna say I'll never hunt by myself again but this was one of the tougher hunts I've done....
http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y338/Jason_Feenstra/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsl2rmt6th.jpg (http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/Jason_Feenstra/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsl2rmt6th.jpg.html)
http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y338/Jason_Feenstra/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspx5geaww.jpg (http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/Jason_Feenstra/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspx5geaww.jpg.html)