2015 Archery Plan (Amongst ML's)

[bowhunter15]

Last year I rifle hunted in Unit 12 with two friends. We all saw elk but nobody filled a tag. Maybe some of you remember the maps I posted while scouting or the video afterwards. Anyways, this year we're doing a September hunt in unit 45 in CO. My buddy, his dad and two friends will all be hunting with muzzleloaders. I'll be using a bow. Initially I had applied for a mule deer tag given the high draw chances and high success rate. I did not draw the tag, despite a 94% draw rate last year. So the focus is elk.

One of the older guys in the group will be sleeping and hunting from the camper at the trailhead. The rest of us will backpack in. LESSON #1 from last year: Expect other hunting pressure. Granted, we were hunting in 1st rifle in a 100% draw unit and what ended up being a popular trailhead. I have no idea how you tell which ones are more popular other than knowing someone who's been there or having hunted there yourself. It likely changes year by year too. I saw a Google Map image of one of the trailheads in what must have been the summer. There were over a dozen vehicles parked - mostly cars. So the scenic hiking pressure is probably high in spots, too. LESSON #2 from last year: No matter how strategic a campsite location may be, ensure there's fresh water nearby and open area to dry out your tent. That whole water thing has already put a hold on a couple areas I've looked at setting base camp on the map. They're in good spots, but the only water is either at the bottom of the steep drainage 2000+ feet from the saddles at the top, or at the same elevation but over a mile walk.

So based on those criteria, there are a couple places I've picked out for potential base camp sites for the group. Now what do I look for? When I was cyber scouting for rifle last year, I looked hard at any and all saddles and north facing benches for cover. This year it'll be too late for hot weather wallow sitting I'd imagine, and perhaps not enough pressure to only sit on saddles waiting for hunters to move the elk around. Basically I'm expecting a rut hunt. What type of terrain features does one look for when planning a rut hunt? I would imagine saddles and water should still be priorities for a rutting bull that's burning a lot of energy. Anything else?

LESSON #3 from last year: It doesn't seem to matter if you're back in the end of the drainage where it webs out or just along a ridge halfway from the trailhead to the end. There could be elk sign anywhere. So, is there any way to determine which drainages offer more potential than others? There are plenty in the Holy Cross Wilderness where we'll be. Some are really long and steep (like 10 miles long and >2000' from creek to ridgetops) while others are smaller and more shallow, less than 5 miles long before webbing out with less than 1000' elevation from the main drainage to the ridgetops. It seems like the long, steep drainages are more rocky and open, while the smaller, shallow drainages tend to be more wooded with grassy parks (reminds me of the area we were at in Unit 12 last year which had lots of elk sign).

[ElkNut1]

Sounds like a September hunt? Unless you find unoccupied Trail Heads avoid them all together! Hunt country where trails & roads do not head your way, this will remove you from much hunting pressure & no re-creationist!

If after any elk consider Trolling for elk, this means keep moving/walking until you find fresh sign or where you feel elk are within earshot, do a blind calling sequence off & on for 15-20 minutes & wait a total of 35 minutes or so without getting fidgety. Elk can sneak in very quietly at these setups. Also if elk aren't saying much switch to Advertising Sequence calling setups for the same amount of time. If nothing after either move on another 1/4 to 1/2 mile & re-create! Keep it up until you hit pay dirt!

If after Sept. 10th we focus on covering country & run & gun for the most part until we either hear bugling or entice them into bugling, it's generally us getting them to respond. We will go & go until vocal elk are found. We will by pass basins & great looking parks if no response comes out of them, we are not interested in sneaking through the country in hopes of seeing an elk bedded or so before they see us. We get them to respond or move on! Cow Calling can entice a response especially if on the radical side but nothing has beat the bugle to date for receiving response!

ElkNut1

[bowhunter15]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds a lot like how I shot my turkey this spring. We left an area we knew had a couple toms because they weren't playing ball. Starting driving around to land we'd never been to and blind calling. Eventually we struck up a hot gobbler and he came right in on a string. It sounds like you're describing a very similar hunting style. Keep moving until you find elk that are willing to play the game.

You are correct, this is a September hunt, we'll probably be hiking in on the 11th and leaving the 18th or so. And I'm happy with any legal bull. This hunting style goes against everything I've become good at in regards to whitetail hunting... picking apart a map, scouting it to death, and picking out the perfect ambush locations that everyone else has overlooked or didn't make the effort for. Blind calling does not feel right to me, but I know it can obviously be very successful when hunting animals that can be called in, like elk. Sounds like I should buy on of your bugles and get very good at using it.

[CurlyTail]

Lesson#4 - Hunting the rut is twice as much fun as hunting post rut during rifle season. The elk are easier to locate because they are bugling, and much more responsive to calling which is fun. Muzzleloader tags are limited so hunting pressure will be much reduced.

Trails are like interstate highways for hunters. Drainages without a trail system are seldom visited. People are terrified of getting lost and will not venture far off trail. If you can read a map, and don't mind slow, rough going, give bushwacking a try.

Seems like tree line would be a good place to start.

That is pretty wet high country so sitting wallows would not be my choice. Most people end up camping in the valley for access to water, and shelter from high altitude winds/cold, then hike to the top each morning. You can camp on top but watch out if the weather turns bad even in September. Above treeline, it is cold and windy year round.

[bowhunter15]

So when hunting during the rut, how can you differentiate between hearing an actual bull bugle and a hunter bugling? I would guess that if it's in response to your bugle, it might be a bull, but if it's on its own more likely to be another hunter? The guy I went turkey hunting with this year had such a good ear for turkeys that he could differentiate yelps from old hens, young hens, jakes, and hunters - and tell what kind of call they were using. I'll be nowhere near that kind of experience with elk sounds which is why I'm asking.

[brun]

I always assume a bugle is from an elk until I have evidence otherwise. Some of the worst sounding bugles I have ever hear turned out to be elk. They are all different and if you give up on a sound because it doesn't sound right to you, you're going to pass by some opportunities. With time you will get better at telling an elk from a hunter by the sound, and the cadence, but there are no absolutes, and don't assume it's a hunter just because you heard a bugle without a prompt.

[bowhunter15]

Day 1 update. For reference, trailheads around 7800, peaks are over 11000. Camping around 8900 near a small creek. We were the first ones to pull into our trailhead yesterday. Got passed by two horses on the way up. BTW there are no drainages here without trailheads, so I'm focusing on splitting the difference and getting between trails. This morning I set up on the spine of a ridge transitioning between dark timber and aspen. Heard a bugle, got close, bugles, it responded pretty close, I got ready. Turns out it was a couple ML hunters. We each went separate ways. I "trolled" for elk to about noon. No bugles heard since we arrived yesterday afternoon. No gun shots within hearing distance despite being ML opener. Seems odd. Not a cloud in the sky. Low temps around 40, highs around 70, and expected to stay that way for most of the week.

I've seen several mule deer so far. They seem pretty dumb compared to midwerstern whitetail. Any tips or advice at this point? I'm seeing some elk sign. Droppings, rubs, tracks. I'm currently sitting overlooking a secluded meadow surrounded by evergreen with some grass munched down to the dirt, a couple empty beds, tracks etc. Planning on sitting here for the evening. Not sure to go higher, lower, or same elevation. If we go up too high, there's a ton of other hunters and horse camps by a lake in the next drainage. Otherwise, where we're camped is about the highest you can find a small stream with water. I feel that there are elk here, but high temps around and over 70 may have them shut down a bit. And I don't know if the sign I'm seeing is where elk spend a lot of time, or just the sign they leave while passing from bed to food or water. Not sure if they're bedded high and coming to the meadows to eat, or if the recent hunting pressure will have them bedding low and coming up to feed.

[bowhunter15]

I think I finally found them. A big dark timbered east facing slope. It's just far enough away that people from the other drainage probably avoid it, and there's probably not too many people on this side going there since its about 1500 feet above enough water to filter and drink. I was about to take a nap around 1 after calling and putting on miles all morning. The wind picked up, and I heard a faint bugle behind me. Not sure if it was my imagination, I hiked into the timber 200 yards, bugled, and got a response. Ran in to about 150-200 yards and bugles again. He screamed right back with a chuckle. The wind kept changing, so I was doing zip zags trying to get upwind. Bugled again, he responded. Calf called, he chuckled. He was probably about 80 yards away and getting closer. About 50 yards I could see movement and feel the breeze shift to the back of my neck. That was it...

I need to make a game plan so I don't need to hike 2 and a half hours to get to that elevation because I don't have enough food or headlamp batteries. The whole side of the ridge at that range seemed to have good sign. Even found a little meadow with trails, fresh dropping, etc along it.

[cohunter14]

I think you are answering some of your own questions. If the elk are that high and staying up there, then there is water up there somewhere. Find the water and you will probably find more elk...and a location to get more water for yourself so you can camp that high.

[bowhunter15]

I think you are answering some of your own questions. If the elk are that high and up there, then there is up there somewhere. Find the water and you will probably find more elk...and a location to get more water for yourself so you can camp that high.

I did find a small wallow above 10000, but more importantly we discovered that the elk appear to be traveling down the mountain each day. One of the guys saw a 6x6 headed uphill through a meadow at 9300 feet. Then in the evening missed him at 50 yards when he came back down through. This morning I set up in a pocket of spruce in a meadow at 9200 feet. At 630, two bulls and three cows went trotting by at 30 yards headed uphill. Couldn't get a shot, turned around and saw a big 6x6 headed my way fast. He was headed for a lane but took a path that was down wind. He offered a quartering away 65 yard shot before finally headed back where he came from. Didn't feel comfortable with it though.

Setting up low for morning and evening travel is attractive because the pack out wouldn't be nearly as far and it saves headlamp batteries. So far the only bugle anyone has heard was that bull way up high at 1pm. Maybe the rut hasn't fully kicked in yet, or they're smart enough not to bugle in places and times they don't feel completely safe.

[bowhunter15]

Do you guys think that wallow might be worth a sit? And what time of day? There's a pretty heavy trail headed up to it though the muddy water itself is maybe 15' in diameter with tracks visible on the edges. It's very secluded. Not marshy or anything. Just a muddy water spot in the dark timber.

[Toothy]

I have nothing to offer, but damn.. I'm enjoying the read.. good luck.

[Rtko555]

Keep the story coming. Can't be in the mountains now and enjoying your hunt. Good luck!

[bowhunter15]

Last night my buddy with the ML cow tag and I tag teamed a stream drainage. He sat up high with better visibility and I sat a few hundred yards further down. At 7:20, we both saw elk. He had two cows come in but of course at the worst possible location behind him. He tried spinning for a shot but they spooked, looped downwind and stopped.. Right behind a couple small trees. One more step he could've shot but they took off.

My elk was also a cow. She came down to the creek 20 yards to the left of me (40 yards total distance) drank, and starting coming up my side and downhill. Got the cameras on her and drew back with my pin set at 40. She walked a ways and eventually stopped, quartering away around 60 yards. Was holding the pin just over the top of her back and wanted to release really bad, but there was just too much potential for a high or low hit so I let her walk. Might end up regretting it, hopefully not.

My boots, socks, and pants from the knees down are all soaked from walking through the tall grass and deadfall after the last days' rain. I'd really like to let them somewhat dry at camp because I was cold this morning and it's going to get colder. I might just work higher though and do some blind calling. I can be comfortable when I get home. I really hope someone shoots something soon. I only rationed about 1500 calories per day and I'm probably burning through a third of that before sunrise every day.

[bowhunter15]

Talked to a couple bowhunters who crept into my setup this morning. They came to our side of the mountain because the next drainage over apparently had a couple outfitter camps and no one was seeing anything. They said they just set their camp around an area with a lot of elk sign at 10000 feet and had elk spook going through last night and again today before light. Hopefully that doesn't kill the mid elevation feeding travel pattern we've had going. I'm headed up to sit the wallow. A bit of a gamble with the wet weather we just had, but if in fact the bulls are becoming call shy (no one I've talked to has heard an elk bugle other than me that I've talked to) sitting the wallow might give an opportunity for a bull to come in without calling having a chance to screw it up. If it doesn't work, I'll probably be running and gunning up high again while the rest of my group hunts low. After Friday it's all done.

[BRazz]

I'm enjoying the updates Garrett. Keep 'em coming.

And good job passing up a questionable shot - it's easy to second-guess later on but it would be much worse wounding one and not being able to recover it.

[bowhunter15]

The elk are really showing signs of heavy hunting pressure now. All day yesterday no one in our group saw or heard an elk. No shots heard either. My assumption is that there're holed up in the hardest to get to dark timber, which is where I'm headed today to call. I could be wrong though. Maybe some have moved even further down the mountain and are just chilling beneath everyone at like 8500 and down. I was wrong about our schedule. I thought we were packing up and leaving Saturday morning, but I guess the plan everyone else wants is to leave Friday. So today is the last day. Hoping for some magic. Going all in today with nothing to lose.

[bowhunter15]

Another semi encounter. Was working my way up to 10400'. Was around 9950 when I heard a bugle about where I was headed. I knew I needed to get above him so I started trucking uphill alongside the creek. About a minute later, he bugles again, this time almost level with me on the other side of the creek, maybe 150 yards total distance. I ran up another 40 feet and sprinted across the creek. I started cow calling and raking, but when he bugles again, he was way down the hill. I knew a bugle was my last ditch, but it fell flat. Never rolled onto the high note. I'm sure the cows he was chasing were much more interesting. I've gotta say, I could bugle OK in my basement, and my buglelingwas good enough for the second day bull, but it needs some serious work. Some of my attempts never hit the high note and sound more like yelling than screaming. I know, more tongue pressure, and I can hit the right tone when I do it quietly, but sometimes when I add the air volume it just dies. Gonna continue to stick to the plan, work up another 400 feet and blind call along the ridge until I hit the meadow around 4.

[bowhunter15]

Change of plans. Just found out one of our guys left the mountain this morning. Something about only having a 50 degree sleeping bag and not seeing much. Seeing as he has the keys, we've decided to head down first thing tomorrow morning, which means no hunting high tonight. Not enough manpower to get meat down in a reasonable time. We'll hunt closer to the trails and camp tonight. There's always a chance something comes through low again.

[bowhunter15]

Saw two mule deer last night but that was it. Totals for the group were 13 elk seen. Of those, 1 was heard bugling at random and then called with in, and the rest were seen hunting travel patterns from bedding to feeding. Of all the time I spent trolling and blind calling, I got zero responses and called in zero elk. Not sure if my calling sucks or they were that call shy lol. Of the bulls we saw, every one was legal. I saw two rag horns and what I think was a nice 5x5 or 6x6. One of the guys missed what he thought was a 6x6. The guy with the cow tag had two within 30 yards but no shot. So we had some opportunities which meant we were at least in the game. Not too bad for a few flatlanders going into an OTC area for the first time. Would have been nice to bring home some meat for the price of the tag, but oh well, that's hunting.

I might take a year or so away from elk hunting, we'll have to see. It's tough to justify taking so much time away from hunting deer, bear, and turkeys around home with the low odds and high cost even though I love doing it. But I do think I'll start building preference for limited draw hunts. I just can't get out of my mind the conversation with the bowhunters I had about how night and day different their limited draw WY hunt was compared to their current trip. One of the most exciting things about the hunt was hearing a bull bugle up close, and it would be awesome to hear more than two bugles in 7 days during peak rut. I do already have a preference point for mule deer, so maybe I'll try to alternate between those two species.