Skunk thread

[Castnblast]

So I hunted all weekend. On a ridge in unit 36 and heard and saw nothing. 10500 feet to 8500. Lots of bear, deer, but no elk. Had to kill some blue grouse with my by to collect some meet. Ant body else shame themselves. Next early season I will start at 11k and go up.

[eriks.]

Hey Jack, I'm not sure if I'm shamed but certainly skunked. I put a lot of miles on my boots covering a lot of ground glassing and listening. Nada! Oh, I did see a 160" buck and a lot of smaller deer, a bear and a lot of beef cattle. Couple of steers were tempting by the time it was all over. lol

By the way, I started at 11k and went up and still nothing to find.

Good luck!

[twinkieman]

This is a thread that I really hope I won't be a part of

[eriks.]

This is a thread that I really hope I won't be a part of

I hope you're not too! I need to see lots of success pics. Maybe I'll get to come back out before season ends.

[Castnblast]

I am hopeing I won't stay a part of this thread the rest of the season.

[JGH]

So far, so skunk.

First weekend had a cow at 30 yards, but didn't draw, thinking a bull would be coming, and besides -- she would have spooked. (Neither ended up to be that much of a possibility, and I should have just drawn and shot her.)

This weekend ... just not going to work for hunting ... not much work to get done here, but it's spread out. I'll use the time in preparation for the major campaign of the year: The Third Week.

About the time that Tomahawks start landing in Syria, I'll be in the mountains. Let's hope I have more effect.

[ABQ_Chica]

Skunked here, too. The only thing I got on opening weekend was the flu!

But camp turned out to be a a beautiful place to be sick, so I hunted when I could. Found fresh sign and sat a couple of promising water holes. Outside of hearing a bull chuckling near camp one night, I saw and heard nothing. That area (NM Unit 50) has been getting TONS of rain, so I suspect the usual strategy of finding water wasn't effective just then, because water was puddled everywhere, even outlasting the 90-degree afternoon heat.

Third week's a charm, I hope. I'll head back out then, hopefully when it's drier and cooler.

Good luck to all of you!

[mtnmutt]

Ditto on the shunking for opening week.

CO Central mtns: Opening weekend had 3x the number of hunters than I had seen previous years. As expected, they drove the elk down lower to 10,500 to 11K. I camped at 10,700 ft. Elk stopped bugling by Monday.

Cow at 16 yard on day 2. I got busted before I could do anything.

I had a great time with a spike (not legal) at 20 yards. He still had velvet. Treated me to my first experience of nervous grunts and a bugle that I could actually hear myself (hearing loss so I don't usually hear them). His bugle was cute. Best encounter I have ever had next to my 16 yard missed shot at a 4x4 on my very first hunt 4 years ago on opening day.

Saw tons of deer. The fawns were entertaining.

After one violent afternoon storm, I heard a lost cow/calf behind my tent at 3 pm. I never got a visual because I was hunkered down in the tent.

Mid week while having fun with the spike, a critter chewed through the webbing attaching my rainfly corner to the tent body and chewed though a guyline. Guyline was easily replaced. The rainfly corner held for the next set of storms, but I broke camp the next day after 7 days of hunting. Done with car camping for the season. Will either sleep in back of car, backpack in or stay at a hotel to hunt different spots.

ABQ_Chica: sorry to hear about the flu. That's way too tough on the body especially in heat. I hope you recovered ok. Good luck in week 3.

[GWH]

Well I hit a nice bull twice last night but haven't been able to find him. Followed half a mile blood trail and then lost it. Spent all of this morning looking for him. 2 days left on my hunt

[ishy]

No skunk, but stepped in a yellow jacket nest. It was on a hand to the hill steep hillside (not good for a quick getaway) that I was crawling up. Only got hit a few times but greatful I'm not allergic, can see how that could turn into a nightmare quickly. Sat a treestand and saw nothing but sounded like a tree exploaded 100 yrds away. Good thing I didn't see anything as I had to work at 11.

[Bullnuts]

Missed the only bull I saw last week, but hoping for better luck over the next few days. I'm heading out again as soon as the clothes are out of the dryer and I have some fresh duds to wear. Never say die!

[Bullnuts]

Fa La La La! The fat lady is belting out some tunes at my house! I called in 3 bulls together on Tuesday but the biggest, a 5X6, remained behind a tree at 40 yards. After Tuesday I about needed a life vest to stay in the woods. I felt like Forest Gump, describing big fat rain. No more elk sightings and no more bugling. It was tough to leave the woods, but it's nice to be home with the family. Looks like I'll be working every weekend now until the middle of November, so game off. Luckily the whitetails ought to be coming into rut by then so I have that to look forward to. Hope the rest of you guys get a chance to get out before the end!

[bnsafe]

im skunked so far, had a bear close enuf the day before season opened an a raghorn behind a tree, but other than that the big ofer for me. havnt given up yet tho, just home building an ark right now. when I get the bull an cow to come aboard its on.

[G Posik]

I am in the skunked club. Seen more hunters than critters. Even went as far as going to another unit we had as aback up plan. Nothing there.

Glenn

[mtnmutt]

Glen, Another hunter I ran into last week reported lots of back country hunters opening weekend back in a different wilderness area then yours.

Now that it is 2nd week and drenched, there are virtually no hunters out. I am beginning to think opening weekend with labor day made opening week this year a zoo everywhere.

There were 3x the number of hunters opening weekend then i had ever seen in other years.

So sorry to hear that it was a bust. For now on, I will avoid labor day week for my extended hunting days.

[G Posik]

Patricia this is the first time I have hunted opening week of elk season. I doubt I will do that again in the back country. I will wait till the first 10 days are gone. I really like the last two weeks as the muzzle loader guys tend to get the elk back up to timberline. I prefer hanging at timberline as most do not want to go there late in the season. Oh well next year will be here before you know it.

I am still trying to make a October mule deer hunt in Utah work out with the work schedule. Then there is always white tail season here in Texas. Not the same but at least it is time in the woods. Not to mention the pigs shoots.

Good luck to you on the remainder of your season.

Glenn

[mtnmutt]

Thanks Glenn. You have a great attitude. Hopefully your mule deer hunt materializes.

I hope everyone who got skunked on their elk hunt has plenty of other hunts to enjoy in the coming year.

[ABQ_Chica]

This is a thread I'd hoped not to revive, but I'll have to join "Team Skunk" for good this year. Between rain and flooding, warm weather, full moon, and me still being a greenhorn, I walked away empty-handed, but certainly not empty-hearted.
Good luck to all of you with hunts still to come!

[nshunter]

2 weeks in Southern Alberta, Canada. Hunted the foothills.....very few elk and not very vocal.....getting skunked is getting very tired.

Bernie

[Waygoner]

I got skunked for muzzle loader season in 551. 2nd year hunting that GMU. Rained hard the 1st 3 days and we didn't see much activity until Wednesday. Elk were much lower than expected, out in the sage brush at night. Not very vocal either, bugles at sunrise and sunset only. We saw elk 8 out of 10 days. I took a long shot at a cow but misjudged the distance. Very few hunters where we were. Overall a good season and we learned a lot more about 551.

[FreshPow]

Well, two days left, but I did find this old as dirt shed:

[8upbowhunter]

I got skunked on my first ever elk bow hunt also. Spent the last 2 weeks in Routt NF with one of my best friends and had a great time . We fought rain and winds the entire time but we learned a lot. We did have 4-5 bulls coming in but got winded by 4 of them in the last 50 - 100 yards and busted by one at 30 yards. It was a fun trip and I am looking forward to next year when my son will hunt with me on his first elk hunt.

[Swede]

I hunted hard all season, but ended with nada. I had a few opportunities, but waited, thinking I could do better. Does anyone have any good tag soup recipes? At least I have gotten past the denial and frustration phase, and am ready to start planning on next season. Darn, I hate those miserable elk.

[elkmtngear]

I think this is certainly the hardest I have ever worked to come home with nothing for the freezer. Here's a link to the story of my last four days, solo:

http://elkmtngear.com/blog/my-last-chance-solo-effort.html

[elkaholic]

Well the choice to pass up on a spike opening weekend is definitely came back to bite me in the @$$. Me and my partner hunted hard for 11 days this season and probably logged close to 60-70 miles on the boots. We lucked onto a 5x6 and I was able to get it called in for him to get his first elk. It was a awesome experience. The weather was COLD, WET, and WINDY WINDY 20-30 mph 9 out of the 11 afternoons.
So begins the long wait till next year.

[twinkieman]

I didn't want to post to this thread, butI'm here. I called in several bulls for other hunters, one was missed, one a bad hit and one without a shot even taken. I called in four bulls inside 30 yds. for myself, two I chose not to shoot, one presented no shot, and one I stopped with a nervous grunt as I was drawing my bow, but I stopped him one step to short(lesson learned here). I still had a great hunt, spent time in camp with some great guys, and I am already looking foreward to next year.

[ishy]

Officially skunked...I tried the treestand thing over a wallow after getting 150 + pics each sept each of the last two years during the season. I have to recheck pics, but never went 3 days without getting hit in 2011 and 2012. It is pretty remote 3.5miles in rough country, no wolves yet, I figured I would get a chance if I just kept "punching the time clock". Just didn't ever happen, never even saw an elk on the wallow. I found the hardest way in thinking it would keep me from spreading too muck scent, and never even walked all the way to the wallow. Pretty humbling year for me. Did have a few small bulls and one bruiser hit at times I wasn't there, but for the season it was more like 25 pics. Nowhere near 150, so plan for next year...read swedes book and rethink sitting.
P.S. Did find my brownest shed ever heavy 5 pt but someone stole it from my campsite

[NebrCatMan]

I'll chime in on this thread. I did the calling ........my buddy had the permit. We came home with the freezer empty. But overall it was a great time to share with my buddy and his son. We made it to Colo. without any problems......... made a camp up high on Buffalo pass for a week or so....hiked and hunted hard..... had great time in camp at nite and always dried out inside the tent next to the wood stove to get ready for the next day !!!! Yes, some may chirp out loud that to not kill an elk is a failure ( the very ones to say that probably never hunted elk) , but to spend a week or more up high in the Rockies away from asphalt and the rat race crowd stirs something in the blood that beckons us to start planning for next year. God willing.......we'll be back. Perhaps my son will be able to get to tag along as he is finally getting some vacation time banked up at his job....after serving 2 tours of duty in the U.S. Army in Iraq. Thanks to all who posted information in this forum. I learned a lot!!!

[Buglemaster]

Put my tag in the pot as well. The 3 of us always hunt together as a team & I seem to nearly always get to set closest to the decoys with my buddies set out front for the shot.in years past, I seem to get as many shot opps as anyone, but that was not the case this year. We called in a nice 5x5, 4x5, spike, & 2 cows, all inside 20 yds but only 1 guy had a shot. He made it count & we brought home the 5x4. We divide any meat equally so I've got meat in the freezer. My only shot was perfect except for the loss of a $12 arrow. I prefer grouse on the ground for a shot, but this one was out on a limb.The grouse cooked up real good tho. We had a terrific time even during the monsoon weather we had here in Colorado. We had to detour way south of Denver when we headed up on the 14th as I70 was shut down due to a rock/ mud slide as well as every other road out of Denver heading west.I have never felt too bad about tag soup as long as I had the opportunity to hear & see elk. We had both in the week we were there . I counted 54 bugles one afternoon between 4 pm & dark thirty . Already making plans for next year & are expecting to draw a tag for unit 61 which is probably in the top 5 units as far as quality of animals.12 years of collecting points is a long time but its gonna be well worth it. Congrats again to all who even had the opportunity to chase these magnificent animals & to those who didn't, you need to start! It's about as much fun as your gonna have with all your clothes on.

[Trophyhill]

after a fruitful early season and putting a small bull in the freezer, I ate tag soup on my antlerless tag. tough conditions after the muzzy hunters and weather left the elkwoods. still though, I had a great time hunting with Jeremy, Cameron, Dave and Gregg for a couple days. this year definitely changed my outlook on hunting with and sharing camp with others. I love doing it solo and discovered I love hunting with others who share the passion with the same intensity that I do.

[BRazz]

Fine, I admit my defeat. I tried as hard as I've ever tried, and finally got into elk during the last weekend. But all I did was cull the herd (I feel beyond bad about wounding - never happened to me before this year) and have nothing to show for it.

I think this is certainly the hardest I have ever worked to come home with nothing for the freezer. Here's a link to the story of my last four days, solo:

http://elkmtngear.com/blog/my-last-chance-solo-effort.html

Good story!!! Thank you!

[Elk_Addict23]

Well I'm throwing mine in too! I had a great hunt with two of my buddies. We all had shots at elk, I passed on 7 raghorns within 50 yards hoping for my first decent 6 point. I'm disappointed now that I didn't take one of those bulls but am proud of myself because I set my goal of "any" 6 point and held to it. The other two guys passed on cows and spikes as they were just wanting any branch antlered bull! Funny how things work out in a season, the wrong elk were put in front of the wrong hunter. I'm already planning for next year, it will be a long 11 months!!!

[Vanish]

4 tags in the soup from our group!

I only hunted 9 days of my reserved 16 this season due to weather and sickness.

I personally had Four legit chances, with one shoulder bone hit, one "no shot" and two where the elk were there before I drew.

My wife had Four chances: one miss, one busted by a moose and two "didn't draw in times"

Our friend had two chances: One elk fever freeze up and one busted by a moose

My Dad had one chance: 40 yard miss

[diggerson]

Yep. I belong here too. Didn't get as many days in as I had hoped, due to weather and life in general. My one good chance came my first afternoon of hunting. A cow came into my calling, but I let myself get distracted and was messing around with my rangefinder. She stopped at 33 yards, but my release wasn't hooked, she turned and ran, then spun and stopped after a few cow calls, at 45 yards, but a small tree blocked her vitals. That would end up being the only elk I had an opportunity at.

[dapper]

Here I amoin this thread again. I actually saw more trees fall over than I did elk, we hunt in an area where the beetles killed most of the mature trees a number of years ago. As we packed out the last morning in a snowstorm, I said that the hunt couldn't end any worst than this. Don't ever say that! Half way through Nebraska I nailed a whitetail doe on interstate 80 with his brand new truck. Luckily we were able to drive it home.
Now for some whitetail hunting.

[baddaddy]

Skunked this year. Only had one elk in range but no shot. Well thats huntin. Can't wait for next year.

[Sucobowhunter]

I made a great batch of tag soup this season. I came to full draw 6 times with no shot. Called in 3 bulls and drew on 3 does all with "just barely" no shots..I hunted hard and found elk right out my back yard so it was an awesome season tho..

[LckyTylr]

I killed a buck with my bow . . . but my only real focus for the last 5 years has been on killing my first elk . . . so I consider myself skunked.

Note: I'm very grateful for my buck, but it's like getting 2nd place.

[Swede]

I sure know how you feel lckytylr. I ended up with the same situation. Second place is really no fun even though I too am thankful for the buck.

[elkmtngear]

Same situation for me Tyler (and Swede)

I'm getting to the point where I'm thankful for any bowkill these days!

Frustrating to say the least!

[mtnmutt]

Proud member of the Elk Skunk Team.

I ate 3 tags (2 elk and 1 deer). Hot sauce or green chili makes them taste better.

Despite my shunking, I had more "successes" and first time experiences than the summation of my previous 3 seasons.

This season, I doubled my bow range encounters to 2 (illegal spike at 20 yds and one cow at 16 yds - busted). Previously, I only had one per season. In my mind, I am getting better at this elk game.

I did my very first deer hunt. It was a backcountry hunt. My best shot was at a pair of yearlings coming into my camp. On the last encounter, I went to full draw. I did not have it in me to leave the other yearling to fend for itself, so I let down so they could grow another year. Also, I thought I would have a 3rd attempt at a young buck, so I passed on the yearlings. Unfortunately, weather came in 4 hrs early at 7 am on my trip back to the car, so I did not get a 3rd attempt at the young buck.

I had an absolute blast at spot and stalk. I am now hooked on spot and stalk for deer. Next year, I will do the CO Eastern Plains archery deer season, so it does not conflict with my elk hunting.

My elk area turned out to be a bust for the last 2 weeks of the season. ML pushed the elk down into hard to reach places and the elk were silent the last 2 weeks. For the flood/rain weekend that I hunted, the elk just did not want to come out and play.

I got home safe each trip and never hurt myself this year.

11 more months and the game is back on.

[cnelk]

I also am a participant in the skunk thread - not entirely, but 2 of 3 tags

I was fully expecting to harvest a bear this fall.
Over the summer I saw a few bear on my trail camera, chased one up a tree and saw plenty of sign
But once I had the tag in pocket, all sighting stopped

I also had a cow tag go unfilled

[JimKirk]

i had dozens of harvest on camera but with only 5 hunting days in some pretty good heat, the big-uns eluded me in new mexico. saw 8 elk total with two good bulls out of bow range. moral of my story is take the entire two weeks of the season off to hunt.

[BrentLaBere]

I guess I should make it official that my name needs to be in this thread.....elk shot in shoulder blade=tag soup.

[Triplebhunters]

Just visiting. Stopping in to say hello, nice to see spirits high. This is my first year without tag soup, I'm still considered a rookie with a lot to learn.