4th season ELK thread

[sniper7]

I know there are a few others heading out. I'll be on my way up to 17 with a cow tag. Taking my buddy with me who hasn't really hunted much before so hopefully we can bump into something.

Been scouring over the migration and winter range maps to see where these elk end up at...but I think the data might be worthless this year. Seems like they are still up high!

If anyone knows much about 17 rifle hunting please feel free to let me know. I don't typically hunt rifle...only reason is my buddy wanted to go. I always go archery and muzzleloader, so I am used to calling and working my way to bugles and listening to elk.

[Inconel710]

I'm headed to 521N. Last scouting trip in October, I was talking to a local and he said the same thing - Elk were staying high and weren't where they usually were this year. I didn't see or hear any that weekend, that's for sure! I'm hoping the snow storm this weekend pushes them down. We'll be hunting the creeks and drainages.

[oinco]

Sniper7, just spent a bunch of time up in 17, saw a busload of moose, lots of deer, a few elk. One in the party got a cow. The drought and warm weather seem to have changed up patterns, spent a bit of time up high off of Buffalo Pass and North...barely any sign, and the sign we saw was single animal tracks. Ran into a few others that were up high and didn't see much in the way of tracks/sign at all.
Ranger we ran into said she had not seen many elk up high even before 2nd season, she did say that there were confirmed reports of a herd North of Elk Mtn of almost 200 that were still staying together. I think she was just being mean. PM me if you want any more specifics.

[Inconel710]

All packed up and ready to leave tomorrow! Good luck to everyone headed out for wapiti!

[Diesel24]

Should be pretty good hunting with the cold weather and snow moved in. Good luck everyone! Mine ran out 2nd and 3rd season.

[Rucker61]

I just got back from 53. I saw 8 cows about 8400 ft on one day, and that's all I saw. I couldn't get anywhere near them, unfortunately.

[Inconel710]

I had to end 4th Rifle early - crappy boots chewed up my ankles. Other than that, it was a great trip! Got in a day early and the snow from the weekend was still untouched by humans. Lots of tracks (turkeys were everywhere!), but no signs of herds moving through.


Just one or two elk moving up and down the gas service road. I was showing my hunting partner and his son around when we bumped into a young 4x4 about 2 or 3 miles up the closed gas service road. He had been pawing the snow to get to the grass when we came around the bend about 50yds away. Went to bed with hopes for more on opening day.


Opening day, we hiked a couple of miles in and didn't see much change from the previous day's scouting. Came back to the vehicles and took a ride around to see if there was more action somewhere else while the boy took a nap. Found a bunch of tracks in snow heading into the southern half of 521 (and out of our area), so we came back to camp and decided to push further up the road than we had the day before. This is when the boots started killing me. We got about three miles back and saw a bunch more sign, decided to follow the tracks of three animals off the road and over a small ridge. That's when we struck pay dirt! The drainage on the other side of the road had tracks everywhere. We were about to set up under a couple of trees to see what showed up when I looked to the south and saw three cows heading downstream. We took off after them and came on a herd of 30-40 cows. They were tucked behind a little ridge and were already bolting when we saw them. My partner took a shot at one that paused for nice broadside shot, but he misjudged the range and shot under it. We lasered it afterwards and found it a 350yd shot. I gained a new appreciation for elk - they looked alot closer than 350!

There were some monsters out there.


So, I didn't fill my tag, but I enjoyed the hunt nonetheless. I think if we'd gone a little slower over that first ridge, we might have been able to sneak up on those first three cows. When the herd bolted in front of us, there wasn't enough time to set up perfectly it happened so fast. Amazing couple of days!

[spittoon]

Opening day 3 bulls down the boy got his 5x6 dad and brother 4x4's I had the job of calling points and shots. I did not have a gun in my hand just the bino's fun stuff seeing the boy get a good bull. it sucked packing them out. Saturday I got my cow what was i thinking , 20 yards off the road 4 elk now. got home last night that is a lot of elk .The garage is full and the work starts we cut our own meat. I hope to get the front quarters done today.

[RJLou]

Opening day 3 bulls down the boy got his 5x6 dad and brother 4x4's I had the job of calling points and shots. I did not have a gun in my hand just the bino's fun stuff seeing the boy get a good bull. it sucked packing them out. Saturday I got my cow what was i thinking , 20 yards off the road 4 elk now. got home last night that is a lot of elk .The garage is full and the work starts we cut our own meat. I hope to get the front quarters done today.

Congratulations. Too many guys didn't fill tags this year. Way to go!

[sniper7]

Just got back and settled in. Unfortunately didn't see a single live elk other than a bull (only had cow tag). saw 3 moose, 1 really really really nice mule deer buck (with a collar on it-first I have ever seen), tons of coyote tracks.
Couple guys we ran into got bulls, couple others got a cow, what struck me the most was the guy who had 5 cows hanging in his camp. great for him until I find out the full story: apparently he saw the herd laying down in the sage while driving along the road. not sure if he actually made it out the 50' or if anyone else was there with him shooting...but 24, yes....twenty fucking four shots later 5 cows were down. I have no respect for people who 1 can't shoot for shit, and I highly question if the 2 younger girls and the I assume mom were all along shooting as well.

then today I had to help two fucking morons pull their toyota out of a 5 foot drop off into a ditch, only thing that saved them from flipping over was trees. I would normally help people without any gripes but these idiots decided it would be great to fly down the snow covered row at much to high of a speed in 2wd...yes 2wd. WTF? I really wanted to leave them there but my conscience and my buddy told me otherwise. I just got them into position with my truck and let them use the come along and the winch on my atv to pull them all the way out. I'll post pics tomorrow.