Unsuccessful Elk Season Over

[Njdiverdan]

Well, another season is now in the books. This was my 4th season chasing elk. No success yet, but getting closer each year.

I moved from NJ to Idaho in January of 2012. That first September I hunted a popular OTC area. The first morning in, I had a bull respond to my bugle, but not knowing what to do, I stayed put and hoped he would come in. We bugled back and forth several times but of course he never got closer than 100 yards and then moved off. The next day a neighbor and I took his horses in deeper down the draw. We bumped a small group of elk on a bench as we were entering the timber. My neighbor cow called and we had a cow come back to us at 30 yards. Neither of us had a shot and the cow quickly left. That night after riding the horses out of the draw, I fell getting off the horse and twisted my already bad knee. Season 1 was done after 2 days of hunting.

The next year I scouted a new area as a few friends from NJ were coming out and did not want to take them to my "neighbors" area. We were on elk every day and each of us had close encounters but not one of us had the opportunity to even draw our bows. The season was cut short with heavy snows and that was the end of season #2.

The third year I hunted the same area as the previous. There were several more hunters in the area that year. The rut came on strong and the mountains exploded with bugles light someone turned on a light switch. The action was hot for about 3 days. My best opportunity happed by putting a bull to bed due to running out of shooting light. The next morning I was booking it to where I was last calling the bull and only 75 yards from my tent and 40 yards from me there was a bull staring at me on an ATV trail. I was out in the open and totally busted. I had a couple more times when bulls would answer but I could not close the gap fast enough to get them engaged before they would move off.

That brings me to this year. I went back to the same area as the previous two years for opening weekend. There were 4 more camps this year which was going to make this area super crowded. I posted previously about being worried that I had burned the spot because of my neighbor and his two buddies, but even resolving that made this area way too crowded. I had been virtually scouting several other areas, so the second weekend found me about 50 miles east in a different drainage system. This new area had many more options as to where to hunt. I saw elk every day, although sometimes they were 1-2 miles away. I had two cows in close one night with no opportunity to draw. Had several calling contests with bulls but again could not get in close enough before they would move off. I need to be able to pin point their location better so I can not need to call again until I am close. The rut never seemed to really get going this year as well during September. The unit I am hunting has a cow only muzzle loader season so this past weekend I went up for one last try. Saturday morning found me high up on a draw where I had seen elk during September. At about 9:45 am I spotted 2 cows being followed by a bull side hilling their way toward the timber below me. I quickly moved down a bit into the timber and up the drainage to where I thought I could intercept them. At about 10 am I gave two soft cow calls and moved about 20 yards up the game trail I was following. The I see antlers coming towards me. He is up a bit higher than I am so the thermals are perfect as they are blowing down the hill still. The bull comes in like he is on a string. It is a small 6 pt that I had seen several times during archery. The cows??? Where are the cows? The bull ( a small 6x6) walks above me on the hill broadside at 20 yards. If this had still been archery season, I had 4 different opportunities where I could have drawn my bow. The cows never showed up. The bull paced back and forth crossing above me several times, moving further and further away looking for the sexy cow I must have sounded like. He then went over the top of the ridge and was gone. It was now about 10:20. The cows never showed. As the thermals changed, I worked my way through the timber along the bottom of the draw hoping that the cows had bedded near the spring running in the bottom. That night I worked my way up to a water hole high on a bench and sat hoping to have some lady come in for a drink with no luck. Thus ending season #4.

I have learned a lot. Both from being out and thanks to this web site. My knees are a major limitation on my success but I am going to make a hard push this year in the off season to get them as strong as possible. I need to be able to close the distance to that bull when he answers much faster than I can now. I am also hoping that learning the new terrain will help next year with better pin pointing that bull once he sounds off. I had two occasions this year where I initially headed in the complete wrong direction because the bugle was bouncing off the canyon wall behind me. Idaho mountains are steep and rugged. All my experience to date has the elk sticking very close if not on the top of all the mountains. Typically running just the tree line, so I need to be able to get up high faster, and still have the energy / strength in my legs to close that gap. It will be a tough journey to get in much better shape, but hopefully seeing all the elk I did this year just out of reach will be enough motivation.

Best of luck to everyone who still has season remaining. Time to focus on geese for a bit before ice fishing starts.

-dan

[CurlyTail]

You are doing great! The most important thing is that you are having fun and getting better/closer every year. You are clearly very close to your goal. And once you get that first elk, your success rate will be much higher in subsequent years.

A couple of thoughts - if you can come up with a regular hunting partner, you will greatly increase your odds of success. Then, not only will you have a companion to support and encourage each other during the exertions of the season (and off season), you can take advantage of the caller/shooter tag team calling setup which is a huge thing. Sounds like when your buddies were out from NJ, that you were all trying to get an elk. You need to hunt as a team for better success. Those elk can pinpoint your exact location way better than we can pinpoint their location. When they come up to where they expect to see another elk, and they do not see another elk, they hang up and get cautious. Having the shooter out front and silent, while the caller is farther back (out of sight over a rise, over a ridge, in thick cover, in the bottom of a small ravine) will draw the Elk past the shooter. Once you get your elk you will appreciate your hunting partner even more.

Continue to scout alternative locations. If your plan A is too congested with other hunters, you need to have a plan B to fall back on. It takes years to fully scout and understand the nooks and crannies of a hunting area.

Locating favored bedding areas in an area is a huge thing. That is where you will check first next season. That is where you will do some cold calling in the pre-rut. My best calling success has been midday around bedding areas. In these areas, the elk are no longer moving, and you have all the time in the world to get the wind just perfect. Get as close as you dare and give a cow call - hopefully the bull will bugle back - then give a short aggressive scream over the top of his response. Nock an arrow, because he will often come right over. Remember you need to be under 100 yards for this to work. If it does not work - no need to spook the herd, just wait and hope something feeds your way, you can always slip away undetected and try them again tomorrow. If you force the action and spook the herd, you will have to start all over locating the elk again - sometimes easy, sometimes not.

Dont forget sitting wallows, sitting water holes, sitting pinch points(saddles) - these techniques are not as exciting as calling, but allow you to conserve energy and still have a chance at a high probability shot opportunity.

Getting in top physical condition is a great idea and could make a big difference. Go for it! Has health benefits as well.

Just some ideas for your consideration

[Lefty]

You are doing great! The most important thing is that you are having fun and getting better/closer every year. You are clearly very close to your goal. And once you get that first elk, your success rate will be much higher in subsequent years.

A couple of thoughts - if you can come up with a regular hunting partner, you will greatly increase your odds of success. Then, not only will you have a companion to support and encourage each other during the exertions of the season (and off season), you can take advantage of the caller/shooter tag team calling setup which is a huge thing. Sounds like when your buddies were out from NJ, that you were all trying to get an elk. You need to hunt as a team for better success. Those elk can pinpoint your exact location way better than we can pinpoint their location. When they come up to where they expect to see another elk, and they do not see another elk, they hang up and get cautious. Having the shooter out front and silent, while the caller is farther back (out of sight over a rise, over a ridge, in thick cover, in the bottom of a small ravine) will draw the Elk past the shooter. Once you get your elk you will appreciate your hunting partner even more.
Continue to scout alternative locations. If your plan A is too congested with other hunters, you need to have a plan B to fall back on. It takes years to fully scout and understand the nooks and crannies of a hunting area.
Locating favored bedding areas in an area is a huge thing. That is where you will check first next season. That is where you will do some cold calling in the pre-rut. My best calling success has been midday around bedding areas. In these areas, the elk are no longer moving, and you have all the time in the world to get the wind just perfect. Get as close as you dare and give a cow call - hopefully the bull will bugle back - then give a short aggressive scream over the top of his response. Nock an arrow, because he will often come right over. Remember you need to be under 100 yards for this to work. If it does not work - no need to spook the herd, just wait and hope something feeds your way, you can always slip away undetected and try them again tomorrow. If you force the action and spook the herd, you will have to start all over locating the elk again - sometimes easy, sometimes not.
Dont forget sitting wallows, sitting water holes, sitting pinch points(saddles) - these techniques are not as exciting as calling, but allow you to conserve energy and still have a chance at a high probability shot opportunity.
Getting in top physical condition is a great idea and could make a big difference. Go for it! Has health benefits as well.
Just some ideas for your consideration

what he said%^^^^^^^^^


Reconsider your use of the word unsuccessful Ive killed one cow in 7 years,.. My consistent killing days are getting closer The close encounters have been a huge success