leaving the unit Im done

[Lefty]

Maybe I had been lucky with all the elk encounters over the past 6 years.
I suspect a culmination of a number of things mostly reduced the elk usage where I hunt. I dont think it was the rain.
In the open desert it doesn't take much pressure to move the elk ,.. not out of the area but to move them. often bumping them hard might mean 8-12 miles.
The big burns over the past few years has eliminated possible hiding and bedding spots in the sage. the old growth sage has mostly burned up.
I saw two wolves,.. I spoke to a coyote hunter and another archer who also saw 2 black wolves, The wolves I saw were dark gray . Maybe some impact.
After talking with a CO a water tank had been filled with water and the trailcams placed and checked two and three times a week in a remote area. The elk that had been there left after 3 weeks of that
And the other area a family started hunting the area, nice people new to hunting, and they had been successful big deer and close opputunities with bulls but they spend a lot of time driving in feeding bedding and rutting areas often in the dark
In the past Ive seen elk each Friday/Saturday hunt. I have always gotten close shooting opportunities and have seen way too many big bulls to wan to leave.
I remained in the one area because I saw a big bull a week before season, the other area I found the area where bulls rubbed the velvet, and a little excitement having a bull walk past my blind in the middle of the day when I wasnt in it
I always got in 2 or three hunts with bugling. I never heard a bugle this year
I did have some "excitement on my 4 day hunt. I purposely camped in the rocks expecting the elk to skirt the area.I placed my tent on the only patch of soil.
$ AM I woke to a clop clop,,, clop clop. Sort of wierd I chuckeld to myself,.. Like 8 tiny reindeer,.. the clop clopping kept happening. while it was too dark to see I could envision the elk liniing up on a lava riff and inspecting at my truck and tent. Then it happened, they trotted though my camp. Not a mew. sort of a surround sound event.
I started getting ready to follow the herd. and it started to pour rain,
I spent the day looking for sign, evidently the herd moved far enough off I never did find them
driving the area I may go back in the future,
there just wasnt room for their hunting tactics during the archery seson

So Im off to hunt grizzle country next season, should make hiking in the dark exciting

[six]

Yup been there done that. Left what was once was a pretty good unit. Never looked back. Heard more bugles in one day in the new unit than I did in the old unit over a 5 years span. Lost a good hunting partner over it tho. The new unit was much more rugged.

Good luck with the Griz

[zpd307]

dennis, that sucks.....

[Lefty]

Good luck with the Griz

YEAH THEY SCARE ME

dennis, that sucks.....

My wife said she would go along if I didnt hunt the desert. She enjoys what we call bear hunting, , she wlll sleep in, then sit in the stand, check and place baits.

The painful part is I think I really know how to hunt the area before the burns,.. And the big bulls,... thats why most go there is the big bulls

[ElkNut1]

Good decision, grizz or no grizz!

ElKNut1

[twinkieman]

It always sucks, to have to leave a place that fells like a second home. Sorry you have to change, but I know you will be back into the elk.

[Lefty]

Good decision, grizz or no grizz! ElKNut1

My problem: Ive always like the open country, chasing around in the west desert(Utah). Running predator trap lines in the Dakotas and Nebraska.
Most would think with the amount of elk we see chasing bears in the spring and ATVing in the summer I would have made the move sooner.

Hiking in the shade will be nice, Ill miss the coyotes singing to me every night. I wont be hauling 200 lbs of ice each Friday. My camp backgrounds will be prettier, Ill be able to nap in the shade of a tree instead of a rock or sage brush,.. Still trying to convince myself its for the better


I like not having people problems, always like a bit more challenge than the rest : roll:
In fact I think hunting elk in the forest will be like shooting fish a barrel

[Olydog09]

Bummer Dennis. I always liked reading your posts about the open range hunts. I grew up hunting mule deer in the river canyons of the Columbia and there is nothing quite like it to me. That being said where I grew up hunting is like a tree farm in comparison to where you elk hunt. I hate bumping into people and have left a few spots that were very productive because others had found those spots as well. Good luck in your new area I am sure you will adapt and do just fine shooting those barreled up fish.