uturn
Senior Member
Seems you are in great shape to me...again I look forward to what's next!
Good Luck..thanks for sharing!!
Good Luck..thanks for sharing!!
Welcome Guest!
Moved to Idaho
- Thread starter sgtstinky
- Start date
sgtstinky
Senior Member
Spent the first night out during archery season, first impression is elk hunting is similar to hunting hogs, they make a lot of noise coming in. First hunt in the morning I got a late start humping in my tree stand and setting up. I had them around me, I could hear the cows calling, but they just didn't come into view. That evening I returned to the stand over the pond and at last light as I was walking out I ran into three mature bulls coming in. I was busted and they barked and ran off. Very exciting to have them that close, the barks were loud enough to make me jump. I was taken back by the size and now I am seriously conceded about how to pack out a mature bull!!
Next morning I slipped back into the tree stand over the pond and as I was going up the tree a bull gave off a half hearted bugle. twenty minutes later he attempted to slip in on me and I picked him up at 25 yards away, he was just a few steps away from entering a clearing but he knew something wasn't right. I made a slight move to get ready for the shot and he bolted. He was a young bull but I would have taken him. He was moving silently and slowly like a white tail, I wasn't expecting that from such a large animal.
I didn't hear any other bugling or see any rutting sign. Most of the green forge is dried up, it seems that the cows are now hard to find. I am not seeing the same amount of fresh scat, but I am seeing bulls. I think the cows are now feeding in more concentrated areas and the bulls are now starting to move due to the pre rut. I did see another hunter, he came in under my stand and he had no idea I was there.
I will return next weekend for another over night hunt before I do my full week during the peak of the rut. I feel confident, to be honest I am just glad I was able to get that close to a mature bull.
Next morning I slipped back into the tree stand over the pond and as I was going up the tree a bull gave off a half hearted bugle. twenty minutes later he attempted to slip in on me and I picked him up at 25 yards away, he was just a few steps away from entering a clearing but he knew something wasn't right. I made a slight move to get ready for the shot and he bolted. He was a young bull but I would have taken him. He was moving silently and slowly like a white tail, I wasn't expecting that from such a large animal.
I didn't hear any other bugling or see any rutting sign. Most of the green forge is dried up, it seems that the cows are now hard to find. I am not seeing the same amount of fresh scat, but I am seeing bulls. I think the cows are now feeding in more concentrated areas and the bulls are now starting to move due to the pre rut. I did see another hunter, he came in under my stand and he had no idea I was there.
I will return next weekend for another over night hunt before I do my full week during the peak of the rut. I feel confident, to be honest I am just glad I was able to get that close to a mature bull.
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GT-40 GUY
Gone But Not Forgotten
I have hunted in Wyoming and the distances are over whelming. If you don't have these already these were a must where I hunted with a rifle. First is a laser range finder of at least 1200 yards because one like this is only consistent out to 800 yards. The other things to shoot your rifle at targets at 200 yds. for zero, then 300 yds, then 400 yds. Keep accurate records ( number of inches your bullet drops below your zero for each of the 300 and 400 yards while aiming at the same point for every target ) of this which will give you the ark that your bullet will take as it goes down range. Then to save some money you can order CUSTOM TURRET LABELS which will be dead nuts accurate out to 1,000 yards and beyond.I had Vortex make custom turrets for my Vortex 6-24x50mm FFP MOA scope. You also need to tell them the altitude above sea level. You will not have to count clicks with this system. All you have to do is laze the distance , turn your elevation turret to the yardage then hold for the wind and shoot. This is a great system that really works.
http://customturretsystems.com I have these on my AR-15 and it works perfectly out 800 yards for me.
gt40
PS: If you know all of this I'm sorry for boring you. Good luck and be safe.
http://customturretsystems.com I have these on my AR-15 and it works perfectly out 800 yards for me.
gt40
PS: If you know all of this I'm sorry for boring you. Good luck and be safe.
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Triton Mike
Senior Member
I hunt out near Idaho Falls almost every year. If you want some good intel shoot me a pm.. We hunt the Centinneials in GMU 61. Much easier terrain. Bow hunting only tho.. BIG BIG bulls there. While we haven't killed anything we have seen some monsters and have fudged quite a few opportunities.. Elk are NOT stupid trust me!!
Cole Henry
Senior Member
Idaho is one of the most over looked whitetail states there is. I have a close friend from there and he has killed several 160"+ bucks there and he tells me hardly anyone in his area hunts them. Good luck!
QuackAddict
Senior Member
It sounds like a great first hunt! I would not sweat not seeing many cows bc where we hunt in Colorado we don't see a ton of elk but the majority of what we see are usually shooter bulls. I have been fortunate enough to take 5 bulls in 10 years and when I first started I was only after mature bulls. After taking a couple of really nice ones and a couple raghorns I have realized it not about taking a mature bull but the just the opportunity to harvest such a magnificent creature in the Rockies. I leave Friday and will not hesitate to shoot the first legal bull that I see.
As far as packing out I would recommend deboning the quarters at the site of the kill to lighten your load. I have also found that soft calling less frequently is better than wearing it out every five minutes with loud calls.
As far as packing out I would recommend deboning the quarters at the site of the kill to lighten your load. I have also found that soft calling less frequently is better than wearing it out every five minutes with loud calls.
molarmechanic
New Member
Subscribed! Hopefully moving to the Pocatello area for a year in May for a residency after dental school. Will be paying attention as my gf and I are excited to get out there and chase some Elk with our bows. Good luck to you, will be excited to see the outcomes.
sgtstinky
Senior Member
Had several moose come in, one bull following a cow, and several other cows through out the morning. Didn't see any elk, heard some at night but the day was very quiet. I think it is the lull before the rut. Plenty of hunters out now and the weather is still hot.
I walked to higher elevation and further along the ridge and I feel confident I am in the right area. Higher elevation is covered up in deer sign, but it is no joke getting up there.
We should get our first frost sometime this week, and I think that will help. I have seen some rubs but not much at this point. Not sure what to expect, this isn't going to be a Georgia whitetail rut. The rubs could be deer, they seem lower to the ground than a bull elk. Down along the river I can see some major damage to trees, I think this maybe moose?
One more week until the big hunt, I am very happy with my gear. Each trip I keep taking things out of the bag, weight is a major liability. I also have to consider food and water, it is very easy to get dehydrated in the high desert. My biggest challenge is going to be getting the meat off the mountain and if I am not hydrated its is going to be an issue.
I walked to higher elevation and further along the ridge and I feel confident I am in the right area. Higher elevation is covered up in deer sign, but it is no joke getting up there.
We should get our first frost sometime this week, and I think that will help. I have seen some rubs but not much at this point. Not sure what to expect, this isn't going to be a Georgia whitetail rut. The rubs could be deer, they seem lower to the ground than a bull elk. Down along the river I can see some major damage to trees, I think this maybe moose?
One more week until the big hunt, I am very happy with my gear. Each trip I keep taking things out of the bag, weight is a major liability. I also have to consider food and water, it is very easy to get dehydrated in the high desert. My biggest challenge is going to be getting the meat off the mountain and if I am not hydrated its is going to be an issue.
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sgtstinky
Senior Member
I have a whitetail tag. I will be hunting the river bottoms closer into town and the deer are thick in there. No QDM what so ever, the bucks don't have to work hard to find a doe. Hardly anyone hunts from a tree stand, most are hunting them like they hunt mule deer, on the ground walking from place to place. From what I hear the whitetail is new to the area and considered an oddity. I would be happy just to take a doe for the freezer. My kids have grown up eating venison and we aren't use to not having any in the freezer.
Toddmann
Senior Member
Taking my son to Caldwell Idaho in Dec to hunt upland birds with a good friend who moved out there a few years ago. Looking fwd to it.
Mac
Senior Member
Enjoyed reading about your hunts, will continue to follow,
Good luck
Good luck
sgtstinky
Senior Member
I am headed out today for the rut. Will be in camp all week. Weather calls for wind, rain and some snow.
I hunted one day this weekend and had a bull bugle on a ridge above me. I called him back with some cow calls but he never came in. After an hour I made a long hike avoiding the wind to get closer to him. As I got in location I heard the bull again, but this time he had moved down lower to my original location. All I could do was laugh !!
I am seeing lots of sign, tracks and scat, but not seeing a lot of torn up trees or hearing the bugling. I have one active trail with a wallow that appears to have a bull hanging out on it, but I can't slip in on him. First season impression of elk: they are more curious than whitetail, and can be sneaky like a whitetail if they are pressured, the big difference is that they move a lot and have a herd full of eyes and noses. I will hit my plan B locations this week. I did go in deep and checked out a another drainage, lots of sign, but all I could think was how difficult it would be to get anything out. Solo hunting in these mountains is no joke.
I hunted one day this weekend and had a bull bugle on a ridge above me. I called him back with some cow calls but he never came in. After an hour I made a long hike avoiding the wind to get closer to him. As I got in location I heard the bull again, but this time he had moved down lower to my original location. All I could do was laugh !!
I am seeing lots of sign, tracks and scat, but not seeing a lot of torn up trees or hearing the bugling. I have one active trail with a wallow that appears to have a bull hanging out on it, but I can't slip in on him. First season impression of elk: they are more curious than whitetail, and can be sneaky like a whitetail if they are pressured, the big difference is that they move a lot and have a herd full of eyes and noses. I will hit my plan B locations this week. I did go in deep and checked out a another drainage, lots of sign, but all I could think was how difficult it would be to get anything out. Solo hunting in these mountains is no joke.
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QuackAddict
Senior Member
Good luck! I have a feeling you are going to get a shot at one after all the work you have put in. I just got back from Colorado yesterday and took my biggest bull to date. It was the hottest weather I have ever seen there in the past 12 years. Luckily mine was bugling the first morning and I was able to move quite a few times and slip up on him with his herd of about 12 cows.
sgtstinky
Senior Member
Congrats on the bull !!
Weather is much colder now, and rain has moved in for the week. I came by the house to drop of a doe, first bow kill and a good chance to quarter and pack out an animal. Wife and kids were excited to have some venison. The EXO pack performed well as a meat hauler. Lesson learned, tarp is a great idea to help keep the dirt off the meat.
On the way back to the truck it felt like I had 100 lbs on my back and of course I ran into elk !! No way I was stealthy with all the weight on my back and I got busted. I also saw fresh tracks from a herd so I think this new area may produce. Headed back this afternoon.
bobbyleroy
Member
This reminds me of reading Outdoor Life and others when I was a much younger 50 s and early 60 s Adventures by Jack O Conner and others. Keep the hunt stories coming.
GSUbackwoods
Senior Member
Have you posted any story for your hunts over the years?
QuackAddict
Senior Member
Yes I have. As soon as I get a chance I'll post the story and pics from this year.
shootemall
Senior Member
@sgtstinky, I really enjoyed reading your narratives. In my mind it sounded like Kevin Costner describing the state of his situation in Dances with wolves. Good luck, and maybe you should look into writing as a side gig.
Triple C
Senior Member
sgtstinky...Just finished reading your thread. Great narrative. Enjoying the ride-a-long on your quest. Thx for taking the time to share!
PappyHoel
Senior Member
This... no one hunts whitetails out there. My uncle retired to billings Montana and some of the trail cam pics he has are huge whitetail bucks. There's just not a ton of them.
