The Elk Thread

[q-all]

Congrats on a beast! Can"t wait to hear the story

[ladrones]

Sweet bull Split arrow! Looking forward to the story.

[coonazz]

Success! My first elk!!!!!!! I'll do a full report this week, but here's a picture of my bull... It was an incredible hunt and I can't wait to share it with y'all!!

Sweet!

[a3dhunter]

Split arrow, awesome bull and congrats!

[txdblcab]

Well it was a strike out. Heard 1 bull bugling the first night in camp and 0 after that for 4 days straight. Hiked my ever loving ***** off anywhere from 10500 to 12200 feet. Glassing hours on end. Blew the 3 cows on the trail first day up, saw 3 more about 4 miles out. Had a freaking blast and hunted my butt off. Third year is going to be the charm I think. Good luck everyone and have fun!

[Split Arrow]

Here's the story- I got a little long winded and the pictures look strange, but oh well.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5836941#post5836941

[ELKAHOLIC]

Awesome bull dude! Way to go!

[ELKAHOLIC]

Almost got a shot this morning. So close.

[unclefish]

Almost got a shot this morning. So close.

Get you some Terry!!! Keep at it!

[coonazz]

Almost got a shot this morning. So close.

Terry / Brett - Any update?

[a3dhunter]

here's a bull my friend took in Colorado OTC public land, helped him pack it out on Wednesday

[ELKAHOLIC]

Terry / Brett - Any update?

The elk really picked it up yesterday.we have had a few close calls.
This is it, last evening of the season tonight any elk will do.

[coonazz]

The elk really picked it up yesterday.we have had a few close calls.
This is it, last evening of the season tonight any elk will do.

Hope you connected with one!

[ELKAHOLIC]

Well we are headed home. We are coming home light but we had alot of good encounters and passed up several smaller bulls and cows. At last light last night Icalled in a great 7x7 that was 340ish. I had him at 42the yards. I waited till he walked behind a tree to draw. Just as I did the wind swirled and hit me in the back of the neck. I held at full draw until he spun and bolted. Just wasn't ment to be. Oh well thats elk hunting. Brett C and I had a great time and made a lot of good memories.

[drthornton]

Got home early Sunday morning from WY. We all struck out. We timed this hunt to hit the peak of bugling activity in this area but they were silent. All the normal spots had 2 weeks old sign. We ended up going over the top of the range and got in to 5 different bulls. One was a bonified 300" 6x6 that we tried to get in arrow in 3 different days. Got a real good look at him the 2nd try as he stood behind a stack of deadfall right before he winded us. 3 of the Bulls were alone and 2 were still bachelored up. We didn't see or hear a cow the entire week.

We had to switch our plan to a very early season strategy. We basically figured out the elevation the bulls were and just walked as slowly and quietly as we could through the deadfall, softly cow calling. When we would jump the bulls they all circled downwind trying to get an eye and nose on the cow. My buddy had one very fast shot at a small 4x4 that he missed over the top of his back.

The residents who hunt it every year said that the dry weather this year has them off normal patterns. Whether that's true I don't know but I do know for a fact that the Bulls were going crazy the past 2 years on the dates we were there.

It was a tough hunt but had a good time and as always learned allot more about Elk. The most amazing thing to me is the lack of motivation most hunter's have. Everyone below was hunting the same spots bitching about the rut and waiting for it to kick off. Heck, we even told some guys there was a 300" inch bull over the top and they still had no intention of going after him.

Below are some various pics from the hunt. We set a base camp this year and it sure was nice to come back to after diving in. Also a pic of the bones from my Bull from last year.

My biggest problem now is waiting an entire year before I can Elk hunt again