The Elk Thread

[Split Arrow]

Been on the road since 4:15 Am,going through Decatur now.

Good luck! Have a safe trip and come out heavy!

[a3dhunter]

Up at 5 am and started up the mountain, made timberline just before daylight.

[ELKAHOLIC]

I notice a whole lot of you go up pretty high up in elavation for deer and elk. I admit I really don't have much experiance with high elevation hunting and I have only drawn out and hunted bulls one time. Do you all that go up really high have good success rates? And do you see good numbers of big bulls up high while hunting?

I have seen a whole lot of really big bulls and I can't say as I have ever seen the big boys up above 8000. Even when I helped my brothers up at valle vidal we got into some good bulls under 8k. Been to the gilas a few times to help and the bulls were pretty much in the 6-8k range. At least the big ones were.

I have hunted high and low and I have killed them high and low. I have spent most of my time hunting a little lower the past 8- 10 years (under 9000) I have had more encounters and better success lower. (that's why I have hunted lower the last 8-10 years.) I have learned to not think that elk are higher in warmer temps. I have learned that some elk will stay at lower elevations their whole lives, and some will stay higher their whole lives. It seems to me that the lower elevation elk are less skittish. I have seen the bigger bulls at lower elevations.
I used to listen to the locals tell me ( Oh the elk are higher) over and over I even had a guy tell me that at about 11500 feet! I no longer listen to them. I cant count the times I have gotten bad info from them.
I don't believe a lot of the stereo type thoughts that people believe about elk. In some ways elk are smarter than I first thought. In some ways they are dumber than I thought.

Bottom line for me. If there is no fresh sign I'm out of there. I will check it out again in 3 or 4 days. If there is sign I will hunt my butt off. When the hunting is poor I will not kill myself, I will save it for when it is good. Then I am all out! 110%

That said, hunting New Mexico elk is completely different from Colorado elk.

[a3dhunter]

Main reason I'm up high is for my buddys mule deer tag.
Typically hunt elk 8500-9500 feet, any lower is too thick to move or private land.

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[a3dhunter]

Saw seven bucks and seven does up high this morning, still spotting rain on and off.
Anyone coming to unit 85 beware the blowdown is bad around 9500 feet. Trees scattered everywhere.

[letsgoboys8204]

good luck a3d we will be in unit 86 on the 13Th the blowdown was bad there too.

[coonazz]

I'm so jealous of all you guys going early. I've still got 46 days until I head for my CO elk hunt this year.

[ELKAHOLIC]

I'm so jealous of all you guys going early. I've still got 46 days until I head for my CO elk hunt this year.

I tried to tell you bow hunting is the way to go!

[ELKAHOLIC]

Saw seven bucks and seven does up high this morning, still spotting rain on and off.
Anyone coming to unit 85 beware the blowdown is bad around 9500 feet. Trees scattered everywhere.

I will be just north of you in 5 days!!!

[a3dhunter]

Sorry guys, mistype in previous post, should have read unit 86, not 85.

[Brett C]

I made it to elk camp. I will try to post some pics of camp if I can.

[Traildust]

Sorry guys, mistype in previous post, should have read unit 86, not 85.

What elevation are you camping at?....nice and cool too?

[ELKAHOLIC]

I made it to elk camp. I will try to post some pics of camp if I can.

I hope that old run down camp is still standing.

[parkchief100]

We will be in Unit 86 on the 13th with a new moon and good attitude! A3dhunter have you ever tried to hunt down by wolf springs ranch? We never have but I have always wanted to go back in there! Good Luck to You and be careful up there!

[a3dhunter]

We are at 11,700 feet and hunting up from there.
Saw ten bucks this morning, two would go over 180".
Battery going dead on the phone. Hoping to get this done this evening or in the morning.
Good luck guys.