Late Bull Archery Tag Soup 22N

[kidso]

Well, I put the best effort I could for my 3rd late archery bull hunt. First year, I only hunted one day. Last year, I hunted two days. This year, I hunted four and a half days. I was in 22N. A Junior's Cow hunt just ended before my hunt, and I think they had scared the bulls/elk pretty good in my area.

 

I had two salt licks a mile apart that had bulls in daylight hours every other day and cows every day multiple times. They all went nocturnal. Cows were coming in 30 to 45 minutes after dark and bulls were showing up after midnight. I bumped elk daily, but they were so skittish, I couldn't even have shot one with a rifle, let alone my bow.

 

It was still fun, though. But, I would rather have made 50 stands calling for bear in 100 degree weather in four and a half days than freezing my tail off in 20 to 50 degree weather in one spot. That is hunting!

[4Falls]

These late hunts sometimes take a while to figure out. And weather plays a huge factor. I think im 1 and 3 on late archery hunts in 22 and I grew up in the unit and knew it pretty good back then.

 

I just came off my third late archery hunt in unit 8 and was finally succesful.

[Couestracker]

That's too bad Keith, but at least you still had fun. I had a late archery bow hunt in 7W a few years ago with the same results.....fun but tag soup.

[218buck]

You don't have to be successful to have a successful hunt I have learned that from my 40 years of hunting

[pwrguy]

Is it over? I thought this hunt was still ongoing. +1 to what 218 said.

[Zeke-BE]

Even with a tag soup I go home and start day dreaming about the hunt I was on. Then I think what I could of done different, and with in a day or two I'm usually on google earth scouting and day dreaming about the next year hunt .

[Sam]

That's too bad. Tag soup for us too.....

[1uglydude]

If it's any consolation, next year that junior cow hunt will be moved up to coincide with all the other junior cow hunts.

 

It has been proposed that the week that will leave open will now be used to accommodate a second whitetail season, with the tags for the current October season being split between the two.

 

Well, I put the best effort I could for my 3rd late archery bull hunt. First year, I only hunted one day. Last year, I hunted two days. This year, I hunted four and a half days. I was in 22N. A Junior's Cow hunt just ended before my hunt, and I think they had scared the bulls/elk pretty good in my area.

 

I had two salt licks a mile apart that had bulls in daylight hours every other day and cows every day multiple times. They all went nocturnal. Cows were coming in 30 to 45 minutes after dark and bulls were showing up after midnight. I bumped elk daily, but they were so skittish, I couldn't even have shot one with a rifle, let alone my bow.

 

It was still fun, though. But, I would rather have made 50 stands calling for bear in 100 degree weather in four and a half days than freezing my tail off in 20 to 50 degree weather in one spot. That is hunting!

 

[Swivelhead]

How was the interaction between hunters on your hunt? I've run into some negative experiences on that late hunt.

[kidso]

I sat water and salt from 4:30-9:00am each morning, then stalked around on low finger ridges bumping up bedded elk until I returned to sit water and salt from 4:00-dark pm each evening. Never saw another hunter in the field, but heard them driving machines north and south of me road hunting during my morning and evening sitting sessions. My camp was left unguarded during all daylight hours, but nothing was disturbed by anyone. So, I had no problems with other hunters.

[kidso]

One edit...not a problem, just an interesting situation that one accepts when hunting our public lands... a junior hunter did harvest a cow off one of my two salt licks the day before my hunt started and left the huge gut pile 50 feet from my lick. However, a pack of coyotes or a big bear took care of that overnight, as it was gone without a trace! I expected overlap on that plan "B" location, as I had 8 hunters on that cam, but none on my other salt lick at my plan "A" spot. Needless to say, I spent my hunt at my plan "A" spot. Good to have several options when public land hunting!

[JeredMD]

That is a tough hunt. I hunted that unit last yr for 7 days straight until I finally dropped a bull on water. I tried the stalking game like I do deer and never could get close. They were all to spooked to get close enough. I ended up taking a 4x4 off water that I decided to sit for the entire day. I didnt leave the stand the whole day. I have the same unit again this yr, but the rifle hunt instead. Buddy of mine wanted to go or else I would have done archery again.

[mattnduke]

Sorry to hear that Keith! Was hoping to see pics of a monster!

[mbiewer]

that archery hunt is tough. I went up for a weekend last year to run support for my buddy who was going solo. He botched his only attempt at a 4x4, and he spent the first week there.

 

I went up on the thanksgiving bull hunt. I actually went up the Tuesday before with my dog to set up camp, so we could spend longer with the family on thanksgiving day. Went up Tuesday, stayed overnight. came home and went back Thursday. no problems with anything being messed with when I was gone for the night. (had coyotes raid camp 2 nights in a row in 23 for deer this past year, while we slept).. All in all, we got blanked though.

 

Really excited, my buddy im was the odd man out in our group of 5 that wanted to put in. Of course, he was the only one to draw. So going up on the late, late hunt. Hoping to see what we can find and get to see what the unit looks like in the late season. We seen a bunch of cow last year. Had 3 walk about 15 yards from my brother in the clear open. Talked to a couple different guys thru ought the hunt and they all said that the bulls were hanging out "on" the rim. (like literally on the steep shelf wall between the two units... nearly impossible o recover an animal)Hopefully colder weather moves in and pushes hem down for tim.