Elk Season 2016 Summary (and early 2017 plans)

[WapitiTalk1]

Well, how'd ya do this year? Please do a quick rating for your 2016 elk season (poll selection) and let us know what your very early plans are for next year.

[oldnovice]

Unless the weather takes a dramatic tutn for the normal, I probably won't hunt elk next year.

[Wyo67]

Same as always. Wyoming general resident bull tag for archery and leftover cow for rifle.

[Fridaythe13th]

Plan C did not turn out that great, we did get 1 cow for 6 people. We only had 2 opportunity in 7 days of hunting. Ran into many more hunters than elk. If I ever have to go back to that zone I'm going to leave the calls back in Minnesota just so I don't get tempted. Archery Idaho 2016, the weather was windy or wet and makes for poor hunting.


2017
Plan A: Colorado muzzle-loader (if CO gets there head out of there b#tts). Darn preference points.

Plan B: Archery Idaho in my favorite zone.

Plan C: God help us that don't happen, back to the same place as last year.

Plan D: skip elk hunting and saving money for a trip to Alaska 2018.

[Tigger]

6 opportunities last year and foiled on every one! But fun, serious fun, was had. When you call in 6 bulls, that is a good year methinks.

2017: back to Wyoming to our favorite spot. We are going to set up a basecamp down a four wheeler trail a couple miles and hunt out of that. A traditional elk camp. Wahoo!

[Swede]

Oldnovice are you still waiting for that global warming thing to make Colorado feel like California?
Anyway, I am looking forward to next season. I want to scout more and do more to prep myself. I know I have got into a rut and it is going the wrong way for me. There are a few elk left in the old tracks, but not many. I need to change something.

[saddlesore]

Tagged a cow in ML season. none in rifle season.

2017. ML cow elk hunt and center fire rifle hunt. Need to find a new area or the rifle hunt and another hunt pardner that hunts with horses or mules.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I haven't had my 2016 season yet!!!! Slow the roll!
I head out tomorrow for Montana actually.

[WapitiTalk1]

I haven't had my 2016 season yet!!!! Slow the roll!
I head out tomorrow for Montana actually.

Ya I know brother. Looking forward to hearing about your hunt back home

[Lefty]

Fewest encounters in the past 7 years this year. Last year was nearly too good to be true.
I got my daughter under 40 yards, Lets say it was a great learning experience messing up on nearly a gimmie elk( yeah I know there really is no such thing as a gimmie elk) she should have been able to close the last 20 yards easily.
But she really made up for that mess up getting her bull moose the next hunt.

Next year we will start at the one location,. This years plan A if there are not sheep. When the wind is right we will go to plan B . And westerly winds Plan C is ready to go

[DBLGBL]

We had a great year. Our group went 4 for 5. We were into elk everyday. Still learning this game. Plan for 2017 is to take wife out west unless I draw Arizona then I will be in a quandary.

2gbl

[six]

Same plan as last year. Camping 3 miles deep into a wilderness area. I think I have a couple more years of sleeping on the ground for a week in me. Try and get a deer tag just in case I see Bambi’s dad again. Same group +1 maybe.

Changing up my practice routine this year. I'm going t try and incorporate some type of quick intense workout just prior to taking the shot. I was seriously winded and my heart rate was elevated from running and climbing seconds prior to the shot. I found it really hard to float my pin where it needed to be and for the record I punched the trigger.

[Backyard]

I don't think I'm gonna make it out for elk next year. The wife and I are planning a west coast trip on the bike around Sturgis time that will most likely use up all my vacation. But if things change, you know where I'll be...
Meet and greets along the way to Or. would be great too.

[CurlyTail]

Great results for me this year - 537 lbs. of Elk meat in the freezer with 2 Elk.

But - Not the most FUN i have ever had Elk hunting. Bugling Bulls were down for me this year. Weather a bit too good.

Next year - going to try the Wyoming general tag. first time every to WY for Elk. Going to be a great adventure.

[RAMMONT]

Climate change hasn't stopped me from getting my elk, my guess is that most hunters have had to adapt to changes in weather from day to day ever since man started hunting animals.

Most people around here are saying that the elk seem to be harder to find this year and we haven't had any real snow yet. It snowed a couple of days ago but it was less than an inch. The high temps have been swinging up and down, literally swinging plus or minus 20 degrees from one day to the next but overall the temps have averaged 5 or 10 degrees lower than normal for this time of year, the lows for the last few days have been less 20 degrees or less (so much for that warming problem). The day I got my elk, a week ago, the high was around 55 degrees, within a couple of days the high was 30 degrees. The weather and hunting pressure has pushed the elk in to the trees and small grass parks within heavily forested north slopes. They are moving between the northern and southern aspects so we've found that ridges that run on an east/west axis have provided us with the best opportunities. The problem is that with the cold we can't walk in to those forested places quietly, the ground has lots of ice and frozen ground cover that crunches like broken glass so getting to them without spooking them out is pretty hard to do. Finding a good place and then getting in early and setting up a good ambush site is the only answer. If you can't adapt quickly enough you wont get your chance to take an elk this year.

[ewade73]

Best year ever for us. We had the last two weeks of September to hunt and we only hunted 3 days and killed two and had another one coming to 30 yards before he got our wind. I feel the weather helped us. With fronts moving in it gave us some consistent winds wich are hard to come by in North idaho.
First on my list is to find as light of a pulley system for my pack. Both our Bulls this year died in unfavorable positions and you forget how hard and dangerous it can be to move one of those things even if it's only a couple of feet.

[Navesgane]

First year in 3 not releasing an arrow at an elk but did have more encounters this one calling than the last two combined. I think I just found a sweet spot that doesnt see much pressure. Plans for the offseason are to tune-in my calling and look for a partner.

[Indian Summer]

This year went well for me. Since my last elk was a cow it was a "6 point only" year for me which means all or nothing. Scary. I avoided the nothing with a good bull. The weather just downright sucked. Beach weather in mid November. My partner came up empty.

So back to no points. I have another partner with 4 elk points so it's EXTREMELY hard to pass on applying as a party with him to guarantee my Wyoming elk tag in the cheaper Regular draw. But I am ready to burn my mule deer points. For 2 years I've been talking with a friend about a serious two week horseback high country mulie hunt looking for 200 inchers with hopes of nothing under 180. Right now I'm still up in the air on it because well you know....I'm an elk junkie.

The next time I hunt elk though I know my plan. I actually already know exactly what I will be doing on each day. How's that for a preplan! lol I'll do my usual base camp at the truck with horses. But I want to buy a toy hauler for bike trips and elk hunting. So I'll have options for my wall tent. I have a spot that I can hike back to the truck from in 45 minutes (hauling serious butt) but it takes me an hour and 45 to hike or ride to there. All uphill and steep at the top. My problem is it's a horse killer. After riding them up there 2 days in a row they are ready to either drop over dead or have a mutiny. Last time I was there I rolled my pack horse and after that he informed me that we were not freakin going up that trail anymore. The other thing is that once I get up there the sky is the limit. Miles of meadows and timbered draws. Grassy avalanche chutes. I've never been up there that I haven't seen a bull or two and usually a 6 point. And..... no other hunters. But when I hunt the outer reaches of the place I always have that butterflies in the stomach feeling knowing that if I kill one there I am on my own a damn far from anything including my horses that are tied off. it sucks when you are hunting and saying oh my God I hope I don't have to kill one up here.

It's been a long time since I thought I had a legit reason to pack a wall tent camp in. But I fell like it's time to really hunt that area and to get revenge on the bulls that have been giving me the slip up there. I've seen bulls to about 320 but I doubt I've seen what the place really has to offer. The idea of having both a base camp and a high camp really appeals to me. The views up top are great. I get a cell signal up there AND I can glass my lower area really easily and drop down the mountain like a madman if I see a good bull to go after.

Can you tell I miss my old spots? That ranch stuff was all fine and dandy but this mountain man needs them thar hills! My partner said it best at the end of his hunt last week: If I'm going to get skunked I'd much rather have fun doing it in the mountains. Yep it'll be monster mulies or elk but it'll be up high.

[MT Bound]

God willing and a little luck I will be a full time Montana resident by August of next year, and I will be scouting new areas and hunting elk every spare minute that I can....

I've got a lot of years to make up and am really looking forward to living the rest of my life hiking, hunting, fishing and trapping in the high country.

[zpd307]

excellent this year! brought out a new hunting buddy for his first elk hunt. he arrowed a nice 6x6 on day2! we ended up seeing the most elk that I have ever seen!

I am hoping to draw in the big horns next year and go with a different buddy for his first elk hunt also! if not, back to Idaho again!

[T.B.]

6 bull encounters this year . Did not come home with elk meat again but as always enjoyed the mountains and camp. If not Wyoming in 2017 it will be back to Idaho

[COElkNut]

Well, i didn't see an elk not to mention not getting to harvest one.....

However, i had a good time being out.

I will hunt again next year, but will hopefully get my draw unit preference.

[Ben Nicholson]

2016 was painfully slow for me. I hunted CO 371 the last week of archery. One encounter with a cow, no shot. Only a handful of distant bugles.

2017 planning starts now. I'm researching where to go, but at this point I haven't even picked a state. I know I'll be somewhere out west with a bow in my hand mid to late September next year. Hopefully somewhere with less people and a few more elk.

[Kentrek]

Early season wa was pretty rough....too much traveling back and fourth to work...but I gotta start buckling down in my career for a couple years...that aside the elk hunting was poor too...still haven't figured out the cause but might be time to branch out and find new areas

The out of state hunt went great...3 bulls down and a few days of packing made for a short hunt...it was awesome !

Next year is going to be difficult....gotta stay close to town for work so no more big backcountry for me need to sharpen my skills on all accounts as I know opportunities will be tough to come by...

[oldnovice]

Oldnovice are you still waiting for that global warming thing to make Colorado feel like California?
Anyway, I am looking forward to next season. I want to scout more and do more to prep myself. I know I have got into a rut and it is going the wrong way for me. There are a few elk left in the old tracks, but not many. I need to change something.

El Nino is killing us. It was in the 50s and 60s even up at 10,000ft. Finally had some snow but the hunting was a bust by then. EVERYONE I talked to either saw no bulls or the shots were far out of range. One store owner even said that the bulls were down in river bottoms at the beginning of Sept.

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

We had two close encounter. Which I was happy with for a first timer. One should have been a kill when my partner had a cow at 30 yards. We heard bugles 3 out of the 7 days. Nothing was really fired up.

Next year can't come fast enough. I have an itch and the doctor said it's only cure is September. Haven't really decided on where we're headed yet. Would love to go back to the area I know a little bit about in Colorado. This upcoming season I will have a new partner he hunted Montana and know his area. I think it's going to come down to a coin flip.

[outdooraddict]

2017 will be my first time elk hunting. Taking my wife and baby out West on an rv trip. Planning on hunting somewhere around Jackson Hole so that she can stay busy while I'm in the woods. Any tips? I'm looking at Elk unit 88, 81, 0r 89. Any tips? I want to fail at a DIY before I do a guide. I'm by myself, can't talk any of my hunting buddies into going.

The whole preference point thing is confusing to me too. I have 3 preference points so I'm guessing the points are really only good for the type 1 draw? What about if I choose unit 81 or 89, they are just general draws. If i get selected for either of those wll i be throwing my points away? Is there a better area near there i can use my points? PM me somebody please I need all the help I an get. Thanks-

[Indian Summer]

2017 will be my first time elk hunting. Taking my wife and baby out West on an rv trip. Planning on hunting somewhere around Jackson Hole so that she can stay busy while I'm in the woods. Any tips? I'm looking at Elk unit 88, 81, 0r 89. Any tips? I want to fail at a DIY before I do a guide. I'm by myself, can't talk any of my hunting buddies into going.

The whole preference point thing is confusing to me too. I have 3 preference points so I'm guessing the points are really only good for the type 1 draw? What about if I choose unit 81 or 89, they are just general draws. If i get selected for either of those wll i be throwing my points away? Is there a better area near there i can use my points? PM me somebody please I need all the help I an get. Thanks-

OK no problem. You would NOT be the first guy I planned an elk hunt for while on vacation with a wife a kids. Here's a story from a guy with 3 kids under 6! haha http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/t ... ES=51&FF=5

I have plans in the areas that fit your schedule. Have a look at this DIY hunt plan page from my website and let me know if I can help.

http://www.headinwest.net/DIY.html

Good luck and happy holidays

[Indian Summer]

Had a thought..... you have enough points to guarantee both you and a partner a license in the Special drawing or yourself in the Regular.

So is there anyone else on this site that might be interested in hunting Wyoming that has no points? You might be able to get together with Outdoor and benefit both parties. When time is limited having help to find kill and pack out elk is a good thing. Might lead to a future partnership too. A general license unit has great hunting and those points are valuable! 3 of them! I have a friend with 4 or I'd be applying with you myself.

[RichM]

Didn't draw in my home state and work got hectic.

[saddlesore]

I did ok .One cow elk,two doe antelope and a small whitetail buck.Still have one deer tag to fill next week

[MidwestHunter]

My first year had mixed results. It was a success in planning everyone came back safely from our 4 mile hike into the mountains. All the planning for gear was good and never really thought "I wish I would have brought this!", except the 20 seconds that I had thought I left all the wall tent angles at home 2000 miles away (it quickly changed from terror to laughter after I found them).
It was a success because I learned much about the back country and necessity for packing as light as possible.

We saw very few elk during our rifle hunt, only 4 different animals, and unfortunately the 2 spikes that came broadside at 70 yards were not legal. Good planning, wrong size animals.

It honestly was the most peaceful and beautiful week I spent outside. The weather was too warm 50-60 highs. And I am not sure whether I should be frustrated or relieved that even the regulars there said it was an off year, and they "usually see 10 times as many elk". We were even confirmed our location was a good one when the regulars were coming up to our spike camp daily
For their hunting.

Thank you everyone from this board that helped me with the questions I asked to call my first western elk adventure a success!. 2017 will be our first bow hunt, and hopefully there will be more meat on the ground.