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Its not too late!!!!!!!

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Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Jhg » 11 22, 2021 •  [Post 1]

Some of you may be in despair because you have not made next years elk plans yet.

But there is still time. Its not too late to start planning for next years adventures. 9

I am already talking to nephew and a fantastic hunter/woodsman I met on a solo hunt, about archery 2022.
So far, nephew has made his own bugle, realized he needs some decent mountain boots and quieter clothing. Big steps in the new elk hunters awareness curve. I am thrilled that he learned these lessons on our late rifle hunt, rather than in the crucible of archery season, when a deal breaker on a nice bull can be driven by such details.

I prefer early for herd bulls. First of all they are unpressured so far. Are not rutted down and in general are better table fare. I like how they will be cowing up, and are susceptible to friendly calling from another bull (you).

This years scouting which starts now will focus on finding areas where bulls have been staging early ...

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And green wets in the burn scar where I hunt

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Jhg
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Jhg » 11 22, 2021 •  [Post 2]

I actually own several tree stands. I won't be using one myself, but if the others are game they are an excellent option to enhance our chances.
So our planning will include using stands.

A stand will def be placed on this wallow, which is next to impossible to sit if on the ground due to thermals.

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Jhg
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Swede » 11 22, 2021 •  [Post 3]

Great pictures Jhg. I think I would be pleased to sit at either of the water holes/wallows. I would have to do something special to feel safe around the snag patch. I would not hang a stand in one unless it was anchored with a poles in the back, and a ladder stand up front. It is still going to be hard to avoid being seen. Maybe it would work for a pop-up blind. If that location was being used by a good bull, I would try to figure out a way to pay him a visit on my terms.
You have really opened Pandora's box with this thread. Where to go and what to do from early archery season to the full rut is the essence of archery elk hunting. What should a hunter do when the larger bulls are still together in bull bunches, and cows and calves are together with maybe a spike or two is different than full rut time, and the periods in between. They are all different. That is why it is so valuable to know your area and the elk that live there, but start with Elknut's tips and clips. :D
Where I hunted for years there were a lot of bulls. The place I have hunted for the last few years is a cow only haunt with an occasional spike.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Swede » 11 22, 2021 •  [Post 4]

Or get a good tree stand and wait. Snacking as you watch your area helps keep the time fun.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Indian Summer » 11 23, 2021 •  [Post 5]

I’m liking this thread. You know me I’m a planning fanatic. I think about next season every day. Even before this season started! I can tell you that it won’t be too many years before my arse is in a treestand. I enjoy exploring and going out and making it happen. But these knees don’t really care what I want to do. I’m always thinking about my senior citizen elk hunting days too. I’m about to have a long range rifle built. The scope should be shipping soon after 3 months of pushing the back order date pushed back. With a tool like that and a whole bunch of practice I’ll be able to get the job done every year as long as I can limp to my sitting spot. I think I’ll be able to do that longer than I’ll feel safe and be capable of going up trees.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Jhg » 11 23, 2021 •  [Post 6]

I read somewhere, and it stuck with me, regarding hunter success.

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They did a study and found elk hunters who returned year after year to an area and learned it well were significantly more successful than hunters who bounced around. I know a bounce guy- if he has less than an "elk everywhere" experience he gets disgusted. Then scouts a new area (usually once) and because its summer range, sees many elk. Tells me breathlessly all about it. Then hunts it and sees not a single animal but lots of hunters.
Meanwhile, I take the ups and downs in my area, knowing full well if I stay with it the chances of my getting a shot on a nice bull are excellent. So I accept seeing less for seeing them more consistently and seeing better bulls.
I fall into the planning all the time category. If I decide to add an area to my "elk portfolio" I do it with specific reasons based on what I know about hunters, elk and how I hunt. And the how we each hunt (and I don't mean tree stand vs ground, calling vs ghosting) is an important part to consider.

Know thyself well.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Swede » 11 23, 2021 •  [Post 7]

I have hunted otc public land units all my life. Though I am not going to, I could show you on G.E. literally hundreds of elk out feeding in the day time. It is nice to see them when e=scouting, but seeing the elk in July is not worth a warm bucket of spit. Those elk are following the snow melt and green up of the vegetation. Over 95% of those elk are gone by the opening of archery season. Look for rubs and wallows if you want to know where the bull elk are in September.

I.S. I have a 3-10 power Leupold scope. At 10 power the eye relief is difficult to get right and I doubt I would ever try to use it except on a bench. How can you get those real high power scopes to work for you in the field? To be fair I have never had one or tried to look through one. I have always thought that if 8-10 power is difficult, then 20 power would be near impossible.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Indian Summer » 11 24, 2021 •  [Post 8]

A lot has to do with which model scope you have and to a degree how old it is. Leupold is the only thing I use. But a Vari-X 2 and a Vari-X 3 are very different scopes. They make way lesser models than those as well as much more advanced. My last scope was a Mark 4. I loved it. Should have kept it! My new one is a Mark 5 HD. As good as it gets. This is the stuff military snipers and Swat teams use.

You get what you pay for and eye relief is very forgiving on the high end models. As long as I don’t have it cranked up to max power as soon as I look through it I can acquire a target. This past season I borrowed a Vortek scope that was 6.5-24 power. A good model for that brand. It was comparable to the low end Leupold at best. I had to have my eye the perfect distance from the scope to see anything. Also the crosshairs were so thin I had to wear reading glasses to see them. Fortunately my shot this year was on the lowest power at 92 yards. Being sneaky beats even the best of gear. 8-)

The scope I have ordered right now brings up the cost of a pound of elk meat though at $2400. But if I can shoot bigger bulls sooner I can help my partners or go into vacation mode. That means looking at a few new areas too which I enjoy. I can’t wait to get my arthritic hands on that scope!
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Swede » 11 24, 2021 •  [Post 9]

Thanks Joe. I have a veri X III and it is tough to fit into at 10 power. I would never hunt with it there unless I had a long time to get focused and stable. I cannot imagine 24 power being useful on the hunt, but I do not look for critters 800 yards away unless I am thinking about stalking them to close within 200 yards.
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Re: Its not too late!!!!!!!

Postby Jhg » 11 24, 2021 •  [Post 10]

I am committing to a slow but consistent and steadily improving workout/conditioning habit. This late rifle especially reminded me how much I enjoy putting down some miles. Strong legs and lungs are kinda a big part of that joy.
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