Burnt out

[Lefty]

Monday and Tuesday I took a bit of a hike in some nasty country. Just checking out some what I would call feeder country, Very near where I hunt, I just wanted to expand and know the country better.
Where I live it has been smokey for the past three weeks. Last week I commented to my wife the smoke smelled closer and I hoped it wasnt my hunting area. It was my area. 100,000 acres
One water tank I was planning on putting a blind was burned up ; nearly everything surround where I hunt is gone,
Kind of frustrating, Now Im not sure, do I move on, hunt whats left
All that tall old growth sage and bedding area ,.. gone well mostly
Im going to bed to cry

IMG_0620 (Small).JPG (44.89 KiB) Viewed 3408 times

the water tank I was planning on hunting

IMG_0622 (Small).JPG (42.35 KiB) Viewed 3408 times

[JohnFitzgerald]

Dang Lefty, sorry to hear that!

[ElkNut1]

Bummer, but from some of your past photos you have some decent back up country, get after them there!!!! (grin)

ElkNut1

[dreamhunter]

When one door closes,another opens and it could be your best hunt yet.Now go and get em ; )

[bullrub]

I'm sorry Lefty, just hang in there you will figure something out. You are an ELKNUT.

[Bullnuts]

That's a real bummer Lefty. Good luck in your backup area.

[elkaholic]

That sucks Lefty. Its going to be a while till it comes back too...Do you have any backup spots in the same unit? Other units?

[Lefty]

I did loose a bit of sleep over it. But after a lot of thought I look at it this way. I only need one elk. My guess the hunting group from out of state will move, Their camp site is black and much of what they spend their mornings hunting is black.
Im sure for this year the elk numbers will be down. But if Im the only guy hunting the area that could be a real advantage for me,... yes fewer elk, but I only need one. I really like the seclusion out there There is some ground left that I have hunted with decent cover and maybe the resaon it wasnt burned out the rancher left the cows on there longer and ate the grass to dirt before moving them off

Two track open to vehicle roads that got little use look like highways from all the heavy equipement and truck travel .
The 2nd pic is where there was a water tank there was a bit of grass that didnt burn there and the elk had spent some time an ate much of the grass that had not burned
I still have one water source another 40 minutes away that I may sit on eveings. Tomarrow Im going to check out anouther piece of ground near Pocatello,.. public land that if I can gain access thru some private ground is very secluded A bit of a hike and I dont expect anyone elk hunts there. Again low population density but over an hour closer

Should be good area for antelop in a couple years

[POk3s]

I think you're on the right track. If you can try and get out for one or two more days and do some scouting. If you can find a secluded pocket of elk in a source of cover bingo you've got all you need. ESPECIALLY if there's not any other cover for a while. As long as you don't blow them out of there they'll be in there come hunting season....especially if there's low hunter numbers like you said.