Archery Elk

[bacula]

It looks like this weekends opener for archery elk is going to be a wet one. Should be fun!

[CouesSlayer]

Fun Fun, They should bugle a lot then!(I hope!)

[Mattule]

I got a buddy hunting 5A he says there screamin there heads off. I am a little jealous that I couldn't land a tag again and he did AGAIN.

[111]

The rain really stopped most of the bugling where I was hunting. Friday and Saturday morning the elk were going pretty good. From Saturday afternoon on the rut seemed over. Hopefully this week the bugling will pick back up.

[KGAINES]

My brother was hunting in 19a, they were bugling wednesday night, and then I only heard one on saturday, after it quit raining on sunday we had three going crazy around us, but by the time the rain had stopped and we got one located it was dark, and we had a long wet walk back to camp, my brother will be back up this week, and I am going to try and be back up to help him out this weekend if he hasn't got one yet.

[111]

I'm not sure if you can post photos off a video camera, but if you can somebody let me know how. I got some great video of a nice bull I passed up Friday evening.

[Red Rabbit]

Dang Mike,

Get back up there and get that 350" bull. With this cooler weather and wind dying down, they outa be horse from screaming so much. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Doug/RedRabbit

[111]

Red Rabbit

 

I came back Monday afternoon after the morning hunt. I got College. I would have shot the bull that came in Friday evening but I figured I would have a couple more evenings to see what comes in. I said before the season it would have to be 340 plus and while he was drinking at the tank I guessed him at 330. My dad was in a treestand across the tank and got video of the bull. Now looking at the video the bull was probably 350. I didn't think it would rain that much. That ruined the evening tank sitting but the mornings were still great for chasing the bugles. Both mornings I cut off bugles and had them walk right by me. Saturday morning about a 370 bull walked by if he had both antlers, but one antler was a short stubby club so I passed on him at thirty yards. He was with a small three point and cow. Sunday morning my brother and I cut off another bull with cows. He walked out about 12 yards from my brother and stopped with the face and neck showing. My brother was at full draw and figured he would let him step out for a chest shot. The elk sensed something, went back in the trees and came back out to follow his cows at 50 yards. My brother shot broadside and guessed forty yards and shot just under him. It was a lot of fun. I'll be going back Thursday night

 

Later

 

Mike

[CouesWhitetail]

I was up in 6A north for the last week. When I got up there, the bulls were calling all night around my tent. However, that was about three days before the season opened. Then over the next couple days they felt a little pressure from people out scouting and just shut up. It was hotter than heck during the first few days of the season, must have at least been 95 degrees and only cooling to the 60's or high 50's at night. Not great hunting weather. But then that mega-rainstorm came through and the bulls started to get more vocal again. It rained for over 24 hrs (with only minor breaks) where I was. Had an exciting hike back to camp in the dark with rain howling sideways at me and lightning flashing so bright the whole area light up like it was daytime for a few seconds.

 

The bulls still don't seem to be quite worked up yet. I got within 50-100 yards of a herd bull a few times but still haven't seen how big he is due to the thickness of the trees. Most days the bulls stopped bugling by 7 am and didn't start in the evening until 5 pm or even later. The small bulls aren't calling yet. I did get to watch two spikes have a sparring match at a tank one evening. Pretty funny to watch.

 

 

 

I am back home now and figure I will give it a few days for the rut to pick up again.

 

Just before the season I sat some tanks in the afternoon hoping to get a whitetail buck. However, only a doe and her two fawns came in. The fawns were tiny. In fact at first when I saw them out of the corner of my eye I thought that they were jackrabbits. Here are the pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda

[stanley]

I made my first archery elk kill on a nice yearling cow in unit 1. Not a 'trophy' bull, but a trophy to me none the less! Happened in the rain on Saturday evening after stalking a large herd moving from their bedding area to their evening feeding/watering area. My spotter and I followed this herd for over a mile before actually getting in front of them (after they slowed down a little...). It was raining hard the whole time, and I actually think it helped out with keeping the noise & scent down. The rain didn't help much with my shooting however, as I first had a chance at a nice big cow. I belly crawled to within 30 yards, and when I finally drew the string to shoot her, I realized my peep sight had water in it and I couldn't see my pin! I layed back down to clean it out, but when I looked again she and several of her friends busted me! They hauled out of there quick!!!

 

Anyway, soon after that we spotted this young cow and I was able to stalk within 20 yards to make the kill.

 

I know what you mean about walking out in the rain in the dark Amanda, as we had to do it Saturday night after the kill. We didn't have rain gear on, and were soaked through to the skin! Made for a VERY tiring and cold night, but we had her hanged and skinned back at camp by 10:30PM!

 

Oh yea, the bulls were going NUTS where we were hunting. The rain seemed to turn them on even more!

 

Good luck all!

 

S.

 

Edited January 1, 1970 by stanley

[Red Rabbit]

Stan- Glad you had success. You should have some tender and prime eating.

 

Amanda- It's been a lot cooler here in Flag since the storm. Got a little over an inch of rain at the house. Those bulls outa have it crankin when you get back up to 6A, considering the cooler temps. Supposed to be 29 tonight and 60 tomorrow but warming a little through the week. Thanks for sharing the pics. Good luck.

 

Doug/RedRabbit

[CouesWhitetail]

Congrats Stanley on your cow! Sounds like you did some great tracking and sneaking to get it.

 

Doug--Glad to hear it has cooled off in Flag. I sure hope they crank it up some by the time I get back.

 

Amanda

[recurveman]

I can't believe the people left because of the rain. I heard bulls all day long in the rain. It was great. We shot our first 6 X 6 bull Sunday morning in the pouring rain. While we were cleaning this bull the group we were hunting never stopped buggling the whole entire day. It was very cool to clean an elk in the middle of the day and listen to the elk buggle. I would have been a bit happier without all the rain. I spent 4 strait hours in the rain and was soaked through. Thank god I was ready to camp in the rain.

 

Then Monday morning in the wind we shot a 7 X 7 once we found him. The tough part was hearing a buggle in the wind.

 

Then this morning was clear, quiet and crisp. I figured it was going to be great. We heard a few buggles but it was like they needed a break from the heavy rutting they were doing while the storm was working through.

 

Go figure.

 

Later,

 

recurveman

[.270]

i would rather bowhunt elk in the rain. nothing covers scent and sound like rain. seems to calm the elk down too. having to wear glasses, it is sort of a pain to keep glasses defogged, but i like the rain. Lark.

[CouesWhitetail]

Congrats on all your success Recurveman! What unit were you in?

 

I definitely think hunting the elk in the rain gives the hunter the advantage. The only problem is with your equipment (like stanley's peep sight plugging up, and my range finder fogging up, or Lark's glasses ). But I love how quiet you can walk in the wet woods.

 

Amanda