Bold Predictions for the Upcoming Wapiti Season!

[WapitiTalk1]

All right you wild WT elk hunters, what do you anticipate will be the end result of your/your team's efforts/season this fall? Ya, I know it's a bit presumptuous to predict an outcome for our planning, practice, scouting efforts but what the hay, let's talk about our goals and what we are thinking may happen when yourself or crew spend those glorious days in the elk woods!

Here's my bold prediction . I'll call in multiple bulls in the early part of our hunt for Joe who will shoot a dandy 6X6 in the nastiest flipping elk hole you can imagine around day 10 of our hunt (it'll be the pack from hell but we'll get the stinky old bull out and chill it in the mountain spring a day or two till we get it to the processor). Swede will shoot and kill a very nice 5 or 6 point from his stand on day 4 or 5 and still hang with us at camp for another week, busting my chops on why I haven't shot anything yet. Larry (Lamrith) will either kill an elk from one of the TS spots we work up next week on our scouting trip, or, shoot the tallest two point that the world has ever seen on one of his outings with me. Me? I'll finally get Joe to call at a decent level and down a gnarly old 6X7 that has one foot in, and one foot out, of the grave on day 15 . Wait, that's 4 for 4... That would be a trophy year and something to write magazine stories about! Could very well happen, I've been hunting this area for 5 years have got it dialed in pretty well.... We'll just see... How about you cats? What are your bold predictions for this elk season? RJ

[Swede]

Everywhere I am likely to go this year will be new. I want to try a few days back where I have gone for years, but won't hang around long. I am always an optimist when it comes to hunting. What kind of a knucklehead would go out with a defeatist attitude? If I thought I was going to be skunked, I would stay home and just work around the house.
Ok the prediction: I believe my Oregon hunting friends will score big on numbers. All of our time permitted is limited, but I am anticipating 3 out of 5 will get elk including 2 branch bulls.
In Idaho I am going to guess we will go 75% on bulls only.
Lets be careful not to get so aggressive in our shooting that we lose a wounded animal. Lets take our time, aim carefully and properly follow through on the shot.

[Roosiebull]

For myself I am guessing I will sneak in and kill a 4x5 within the first 10 days, and will be very happy with him...if not, a spike on week 3

[Tigger]

Prediction and goal are the same for me. We will go 2 for 4. Lady luck will finally tag along and help us!

[RooseveltObsession]

I will call in a bull for my girlfriend, but this time, he will present her a perfect shot; the shot will be good and we'll have a short tracking job. He'll be one of the big bulls we've been seeing on our cams the last couple of years. It'll be a nice cool morning, in the Oregon coast range, so we'll be able to take our time boning him out, and getting him back to the truck.

I will be so proud of her, for taking such a magnificent animal, in only her 4th season hunting, that I'll forget I have a tag...for a minute. The shoulder mount will finally take it's rightful place, in the empty space on the wall, that I've been saving for her bull.

We've had a rough year, and we would really benefit, from such a positive and rewarding experience.

Good luck to you all!

[1Elkhunter]

My hunting buddy and I will have 2, 6x6 bulls in the coolers and be drinking Knob Creek from the bottle back at the truck by sundown on day 8.

[Indian Summer]

RooseveltObsession it sounds like you and her deserve it so I wish you the very best of luck my friend.

I am hunting with a party of 3 including myself. We have a total of 2 weeks minus drive time to hunt. Lots of time. Time is the most important thing assuming you are in a good area and know what you're doing. My one partner is solid. His uncle is our 3rd man. I've never met him so it's hard to say what he's made of. He has elk hunting experience but has never killed one. But my buddy, a former guide for me, says he is very capable and he has all the faith in the world in him.

The first 3 days it's legal to shoot cows but we are passing on that so it's bulls only. Spikes aren't legal but I rarely see those anyway. I want to say we can go 3 for 3 BUT this is elk hunting AND I'm a realist so I'll say 2 for 3. I hope to kill a 6 point BUT this is elk hunting AND I'm a realist so I'll say we come home with two 5 point bulls. My partner will shoot the first legal bull he sees I think but I'm confident that'll be at least a 5. If you guys pray for my I think I can find a broadside 6 point so help a buddy out please!!!

[stealthycat]

my prediction for my first elk hunt in a decade, first one solo backpacking in 20 years ...... I take a big heavy 6x6 on day 5 and it takes me two full days to get all the meat out because of where I had to go to kill him

[saddlesore]

Trying real hard to make myself believe I will get to go elk hunting. I already have the tag for ML season. However, I am scheduled to get a whole new right shoulder Dec 19th. The first of 2017 , I didn't even think I would be able to hunt again. If I go,it is going to be one handed and a shooting bi pod. If I go,I will kill an elk. It will be a four pointer once I get her laying on her back. If it goes well, I'll be back at it in 2018

[stringunner]

Swede- am I included in your 3 of 5? I sure hope so, it's been 2 years and this year I may be even more limited since it looks like I'm heading back to China around September 13.

I will predict that either my dad or I will shoot an elk and one deer. I also predict a bear between the two of us.

I predict Swede will shoot at least one elk in either Idaho or Oregon. With his new Mathews, it should be a drop in the hat!

Oly, well it's hard to tell, I would predict a dead elk by him for sure, but he will likely be so excited to show off his cool new bow with bright blue strings to every squirrel in the woods, he will likely be caught off guard by the biggest bull of his life!

[Swede]

I am no prophet or as Amos reflected the son of a prophet, but I was figuring Stringunner and or his dad would get an elk. Oly, his friend and I would combine for one or two. I will hunt much less in Oregon this year than in the past, but I expect to get an elk somewhere. I have twice the hunting time as the rest of the people I hunt with. I agree the Stringunner and his dad are due. Stringunner does his homework when it comes to scouting and planning. BTW, I am leaving next week for about 10 days of scouting.

[Old school]

This is the year my boys and I finally connect with our bows. One of us puts one down and we have other encounters but no more elk. I predict 1 for 3 and would be thrilled with that (not that I wouldn't take more ) We will have a total of 9 days of actual hunting.

Small steps, small steps...

--Mitch

[Da White Shoe]

I predict that I will not shoot at an elk this fall.
I may possibly call a few in for a friend who has an archery tag in the Hills, here. This will be the 3rd year out of 40 that I do not have an elk tag.

[WapitiTalk1]

I predict that I will not shoot at an elk this fall.
I may possibly call a few in for a friend who has an archery tag in the Hills, here. This will be the 3rd year out of 40 that I do not have an elk tag.

I predict that you'll down a very large moose this far; decent enough trade off .

[Da White Shoe]

I predict that I will not shoot at an elk this fall.
I may possibly call a few in for a friend who has an archery tag in the Hills, here. This will be the 3rd year out of 40 that I do not have an elk tag.

I predict that you'll down a very large moose this far; decent enough trade off .

Here's hoping your right, Great Karnak!

[>>>---WW---->]

I will take a 412 bull on day 4 this year. You did say BOLD PREDICTION, right?

[lamrith]

Man RJ, I love the vision, but gotta keep it quiet! Stuff like that are Mr Murphy's favorite parties to crash, can't let him know thee is a party until the bull is in you bag!!

I will take the tallest 2pt in recorded history, any day every day and 2x on Sunday if it was legal!

[scubohuntr]

Stumble around the mountains for a couple of days, never see an elk, keep running into other hunters, get ticked off and go east to try to fill my deer tag instead. Again. Probably have a couple more seasons in me before I sell off my elk rifles and quit completely.

[Fridaythe13th]

My prediction is Deafirishman well shoot a spike on the 1st morning, haul meat out day 2. Day 3 run into a couple of groups of bulls. Day 4 the 2 elk virgins (Hondo and jon) each shoot a 5x5 while deafirishman is kicking himself because a 300" bull is standing in front of him at 40 yards. Day 5 haul more meat out and have to many cocktails. Day 6 give it a half ass effort because we hungover and because we have to go home on day 7

[CurlyTail]

Dialing back my expectations for this season.

We have a group of 4 with General Wyoming Tags. We are hunting an area new to us - I have scouted it for 3 summers now and think I know where to hunt but have no idea if everyone else in the universe already hunts there. If we do not encounter too many other bow hunters, I think we can do well.

2 of our hunters are inexperienced, and have never shot an elk. One is young and in great shape, a good shot, and can call adequately. The other is 65, and in decent shape but cannot call. Since he is an avid fly fisherman, he may lose a couple hunting days to fishing which is OK with me - I just want him to have a positive experience.

Myself, I am marginal condition due to a rapidly deteriorating L hip. Am looking at a hip replacement after elk and waterfowl season. I am 55 and was hoping that these challenges would hold off for another 10 years but no such luck. I still think I can struggle up the mountain and get my elk. Going to need some serious help getting it off the mountain however. My brother, my usual hunting partner, is in even worse shape physically with some sort of pinched nerve in his back and his hip flexor goes dead on him after a mile or so. Not sure if he will be able to much of anything. Maybe camp cook and fish a bit.

So we have 2 inexperienced elk hunters, and 2 on the disabled list - time to be realistic

I think we will take two legal elk. Cows and spikes legal and will be quite happy to shoot one if given a chance. I still want a European Mount of a Spike which I thing would look awesome on the wall. Kind of freaky cool looking to me. I will be disappointed if we eat tag soup. Even if we only get one Elk, I would be quite happy assuming we all had fun and a good experience.