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Big Game Plans 2022

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Big Game Plans 2022

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 06 21, 2022 •  [Post 1]

Here we go my WapitiTalk hunting guys and gals. Most of the state draws for residents and non-residents have been posted. Whats on your agenda for this fall’s hunting adventures? Elk, deer, bear, moose, sheep, goats, and other species (caribou, bison, big foot, etc.). Please, share how your dates and various big game hunts are shaking out for this year. I have a feeling it’s gonna be an epic year…….. ;).
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby wawhitey » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 2]

Washington bear hunting in august for sure, after that i have no idea how my year will shake out. Things are a little weird at work wight now. Just have to go with the flow and see what happens. Decide what to do with whatever free time i end up with. Most likely ill be getting some wolf / lion hunting time in idaho at some point. And im sure ill squeeze in some washington lion hunting here and there. May or may not end up hunting elk or deer in washington. Just have to see what happens. I havent purchased deer or elk tags yet, so im not commited to rifle or archery or muzzy seasons. If i find myself with time off to hunt deer or elk, ill just buy the proper tag at the time. Really not too worried about the uncertainty. I know ill be getting some hunting in and enjoying myself, whatever and wherever i end up.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby 7mmfan » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 3]

I'll be starting off with bear in August like wawhitey. Got a couple of weekends set aside on the calendar to spend up high in the alpine if the weather permits. Probably a trip or two in September as well.

Then off to ID in October for the general Elk opener. Just my Dad and I. Luckily he is willing to go along even though he doesn't have a tag. He did NOT draw WY or MT this year so I guess he's decided he has the time. Retirement must be nice :lol:

Then I'll be focusing on Blacktail locally at the end of October. Trying to find some time to get back over to the Winthrop area where I had my late mule deer hunt last year and just spend a couple days in the woods looking at big bucks. It's pretty addictive.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Swede » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 4]

My plan is to leave home a little over a week before the archery elk season begins. That will give me more time to scout and decide if I want to hunt a new location or return to the spot I have hunted in the past. I have a Mule deer rifle tag for early October so I will likely return to hunt that same area for a buck. I have a bear and a cougar tag. I don't know why I ever buy a bear tag. I have passed on some very large bears as I lack interest in butchering one and packing it out. I am not sure I want to eat one either even though I have had some tasty bear meat.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Tigger » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 5]

Stick and String Elk in Montana! Just my brother and I. Will be different with only 2 of us.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Thegreatwapiti » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 6]

I am planning on bow hunting for 20 days in Colorado for OTC either-sex elk and I drew an archery either-sex mule deer tag. I probably will pass on a small mule deer for the first week or so while I pursue the great wapiti! In October I am taking my 13 year old son to Minnesota for the youth whitetail hunting season. He gets 4 days a ND his license is free! In November I will return to Minnesota for the rifle Whitetail season on my families land. It's basically all I think about.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Fridaythe13th » 06 22, 2022 •  [Post 7]

4 of us are looking for lefty archery hot spots in the elk woods. Leaven Sept 12 for 2 weeks man my wife is pissed off about that. Normally we hunt for 7 days. Call it a late 50th birthday gift.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Old school » 06 25, 2022 •  [Post 8]

My son and I will be headed to Wyoming mid Sept for 2 weeks of archery elk. Then will hunt whitetails in MO in Nov.

That’s it for this year.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Wapiti » 06 27, 2022 •  [Post 9]

I’ll be hunting Alberta from Aug 25 opening archery till September 18th. Then I head to New Mexico to guide and teach as a calling instructor for the Elkbros crew !! One on one calling and hunting tactics with our clients !!

Each year Joe and the Elkbros bring in 4 elk hunters into there elk camp !! I’m absolutely honoured that they have invited me to be part of the ELKBROS team !! Guys I’m so pumped !!

Check out the Elkbros online training camp if you guys want to hone your knowledge base even more. ELKBROS.com is how you find it all. You guys know I’m like a sponge and I soak everything Elk101 offers and the Chris Roe hunting resources ect. Phelps and the guys have the Collective video series out as well. I’m soaking it all up and what I do is modify this with that and get your own system down. All these tricks up your sleeve will help with your plans this year !!
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Lefty » 06 27, 2022 •  [Post 10]

September will be all archery elk.
October will be a mix of deer, waterfowling and maybe bear.
November ill set a few traps for coyotes and maybe pine marten.
December I might do some predator calling if there aren't ducks and geese. That runs all of January.
Then March, snow geese in SD
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Indian Summer » 06 28, 2022 •  [Post 11]

Elk. It’s all I care about anymore. My interest in Pennsylvania hunting, even for deer is fading away fast. So yeah… elk.

I just mailed my deposit today for my hugh country mule deer hunt in Wyoming next year. I’m excited about that. It’s not necessarily just the elk that make me tick. It’s the mountains in general.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Lefty » 06 29, 2022 •  [Post 12]

Indian Summer wrote:. It’s the mountains in general.
:D :D :D :D :D

Just got an "unsuccessful" for an antelope hunt
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby wawhitey » 06 29, 2022 •  [Post 13]

Well i just got word on what my future holds as far as work goes, and if nothing changes between now and then i should be able to hunt the first ten days of september (and most of august). Of course elk doesnt open until september 10th this year, so ill have to decide if my time would be better spent in a treestand for whitetail starting september 1st, or jamming over to idaho for the fall bear opener on august 30th.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Billy Goat » 07 05, 2022 •  [Post 14]

first rifle CO bull tag for me

we have about 7 in camp this year, including one newish hunter, my cousin. she is getting an OTC bear tag. I'll probably hunt with her several days to get her acclimated to western hunting.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby lamrith » 07 21, 2022 •  [Post 15]

1st AZ Elk hunt for me. Rifle Cow hunt in the unit by Mom's place beginning of Dec. Probably all I will be able to get out and do as got a new job 2 mos ago so all my time off is for that hunt.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby lilshootergirl » 07 23, 2022 •  [Post 16]

Question! If a group of you go to the same unit, do you split up then flip a coin who shoots 1st?
Just curious
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby wawhitey » 07 24, 2022 •  [Post 17]

Heading out this morning for a couple days of bear scouting. Looking for new areas to hunt just for the hell of it. Season opeens in 1 week. Might set up a couple cameras. Pick some huckleberries.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Elkhunttoo » 07 25, 2022 •  [Post 18]

I’m adopting Swedes method of sitting high up in the trees this year…plenty of activity on the cameras last year to remind me what I should be doing…really hoping for a nice bull this year…fingers crossed
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Swede » 07 26, 2022 •  [Post 19]

Shootergirl: I do not hunt with anyone, We just camp together. Back when I did, it was generally understood that the one that one that had not gotten one lately got the first shot, if they were in position to make the kill.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby >>>---WW----> » 07 26, 2022 •  [Post 20]

lilshootergirl wrote:Question! If a group of you go to the same unit, do you split up then flip a coin who shoots 1st?
Just curious


I always hunted by myself. I figure I can mess things up bad enough all by myself. Don't need any help!!!! :? But on occasion when I have hunted with others, we basically just shared camp and each of us went our separate ways to hunt. That way we could cover more ground and share information at the end of each day. So, there was never any reason to decide who got the first shot.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby BlazingSaddle » 07 27, 2022 •  [Post 21]

Was unsuccessful in the draw, so 4 of us are doing an OTC in CO 3rd week of September. Not too thrilled about an archery OTC unit....
Going to head up into the Zirkel. New territory for me, so it will be a learning experience for sure. Hopefully, I can get some scouting in before the season rolls around so I at least figure out where to go and not to go a bit.

Other than that, whitetail in the famed Buffalo County of WI, and chasing ducks up and down the Mississippi.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby lamrith » 07 28, 2022 •  [Post 22]

lilshootergirl wrote:Question! If a group of you go to the same unit, do you split up then flip a coin who shoots 1st?
Just curious

Lot will depend entirely on the group you are with. Could be any number of ways. new/youngest shooter gets it, 1st spotter gets it, out of towner gets it, person with longest drought, oldest, etc, etc...
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby 7mmfan » 07 28, 2022 •  [Post 23]

lamrith wrote:
lilshootergirl wrote:Question! If a group of you go to the same unit, do you split up then flip a coin who shoots 1st?
Just curious

Lot will depend entirely on the group you are with. Could be any number of ways. new/youngest shooter gets it, 1st spotter gets it, out of towner gets it, person with longest drought, oldest, etc, etc...


Most of our current group is made up of experienced hunters. We generally share camp and do our own hunts during the day in different areas. If we do hunt together, the person who sees the animal first is the one who decides if they want to shoot it. If they pass, it's up to the other person at that point. It seems to work just fine. If there are kids in tow, the kids always get the first opportunity.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Thegreatwapiti » 08 08, 2022 •  [Post 24]

For $42, I picked up an "add-on" Colorado black bear license today to go with my elk and deer licenses. After seeing this guy on the trailcam, it would be a bummer to have him walk by for $42.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby LDriver » 08 17, 2022 •  [Post 25]

OTC Archery in CO for Sept and second rifle muley. Hoping to be a good season.
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Thegreatwapiti » 09 08, 2022 •  [Post 26]

I'm considering a location change for next year. Here is my question. Assuming all things are equal, say 10 square miles, would you rather hunt in an area with 100 hunters and 500 elk or in a place with only 2 hunters but with only 10 elk? Same 5 to 1 ratio. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby Jhg » 09 08, 2022 •  [Post 27]

2 hunters every time. Where I usually hunt you do not see a lot of elk. When you do, well, its better than average.

I have a friend who always gets sucked into the "I saw 200 elk up there scouting in July". Then he gripes about seeing nothing during archery except hunters. Meanwhile, I packed out a six point. I only saw 12 elk and none when scouting. But the difference is I don't see many hunters either.


The elk are way less pressured. Guys running atv's, generators, their trucks up and down the roads, loud camps, walking across meadows or pitching camp right on its edge (my personal pet peeve). These all contribute to more hunters having a much larger impact on the elks response than if they actually were bumping them (and they do that too all day long except lunch time because we all know big bulls do not move mid-day, right?)
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Re: Big Game Plans 2022

Postby six » 09 08, 2022 •  [Post 28]

I would take fewer hunters every time. Last thing I like when I’m hunting is to get into an elky area and see a fresh boot print or run into another hunter. However if there were 500 elk in a 10 square mile area it would be easier to trip over an old crippled one. Good luck with your decision.
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