Elk Hunting 2014

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10-15-2014, 21:27
Rucker61

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

Stayed in our tents most of the day Sunday. 6 straight hours of sleet.

You have a wood stove for the tent? Sounds miserable.
10-15-2014, 21:33
Irving

I can think of a lot worse weekends than that Zach.
10-15-2014, 23:28
Zombie Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach O

Attachment 50951

Its hard to see, shes in the reticle on the right. Shot her at 481 yards Sunday morning. Looked for 1 1/2 days and never found her. My first one. My boss seems to think it was either to small of a caliber (6.5) or the 140 Beger. He has tested Begers and apparently has had bad results. Anyway, worst weekend ever.

Aaaargh. You're going to make me get into a caliber tard argument. 140 grain anything almost 500 yards later... I know I'm going to stir up all the fellers what thinks a feller can use a .243 on African plains game, but while 6 and 6.5 make some fantastic long range target cartridges, they make horrible hunting cartridges on things bigger than deer. BC ain't everything. Bring enough gun. Is Hoser around? Can you change my title to Fuddcicle?

Sorry to go down this road, glad you at least got to see something... wish it would have been a clean kill.
10-16-2014, 06:56
Zach O

Me to ZS. Saw them every day I was out. I was alone with only 2 1/2 days, so the ones farther out, I ruled out. For me to quarter it and get it to the truck would have killed me. The one I shot was 1/4 mile from the truck.
10-16-2014, 07:42
Zombie Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rucker61

You have a wood stove for the tent? Sounds miserable.

No, but I do have a Summit Series North Face tent. No problems. Stayed warm and dry.
10-16-2014, 08:15
Colorado_Outback

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

Aaaargh. You're going to make me get into a caliber tard argument. 140 grain anything almost 500 yards later...

Thats sig worthy right there..

Spend a lot of time thinking on your new favorite crapper? We need to have lunch soon.
10-16-2014, 10:55
Zombie Steve

Ah, yes... we came across this one morning hunting the river for bear.

https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...e2&oe=54B16ED1

I guess they do shit in the woods... in style.

Thursdays or Fridays would be best for me if you want to grab lunch. Give me a shout.
10-16-2014, 11:02
Hummer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

No luck 1st rifle. I busted my ass hiking up for 5 days. No fresh scrapes, tracks, poop... nothing. They just haven't moved into the area yet. I was the western edge of GMU 54 up 721 and 723.

If they allowed deer to be harvested last week, I could have popped about 50 of them including one buck I'd be proud to call a hat rack. Some bear sign if you're interested...

Oh well, at least I got to take my rifle hiking. [facepalm]I suppose that's why they call it hunting and not getting.

Gorgeous area.

Beautiful country, Zombie Steve, sorry you didn't connect. Five days afield is a pretty good effort.

Elk hunting ain't easy and there's a lot of luck involved which is why four out of five elk hunters go home empty.

I'm packing for 2nd Season and heading to the Flat Tops in the morning. Will be hunting bull, cow elk and bear. Looks like it's going to be warm and dry to start. A few inches of tracking snow would sure be welcome.

I'll be looking for this fellow, and one of his girls....

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pscd456c82.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps50a1ee44.jpg
10-16-2014, 12:07
henpecked

nice pictures, thanks for sharing
10-17-2014, 11:36
Zombie Steve

Rumor has it that the private land owner next to where we were hunting had 300 head of elk on it. He's a private outfitter, and apparently is putting out a bunch of alfalfa for them. I don't know for sure, but I've seen that before in Montana. Ultimately, pay the big bucks to get an elk or the hell with you. Anyone else ever run into something like that?
10-22-2014, 08:20
GilpinGuy

1 Attachment(s)

First Bull!

My first bull! Got him yesterday with a 7 Mag at about 50 yards with a neck shot. He dropped like a sack of rocks right where I shot him. I can still feel the adrenaline. :)

Attachment 51147
10-22-2014, 08:25
Zombie Steve

Very cool! Congratulations!
10-22-2014, 08:31
buffalobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilpinGuy

My first bull! Got him yesterday with a 7 Mag at about 50 yards with a neck shot. He dropped like a sack of rocks right where I shot him. I can still feel the adrenaline. :)

Attachment 51147

Well done. Need more bragging.
10-22-2014, 09:05
sniper7

Nicely done! Congrats!
10-22-2014, 09:35
henpecked

Nice, so now your hooked
10-22-2014, 10:49
barney fife

2 Attachment(s)

My girls did it again!

Pair of Rem 700 .300wm w/NF Scopes, some sweet private land access, and some expert teenage girl shooter equal full freezers again this year! Both at 500+ yards; praise the Lord!Attachment 51149 Attachment 51151
10-22-2014, 10:49
CO Hugh

Congrats, have some bacon wrapped tenderloin!
10-22-2014, 13:37
Zach O

Way to go!! Congrats!!
10-22-2014, 14:25
GunsRBadMMMMKay

Congratulations to you guys that succeeded. So far the only places I have found fresh elk sign up here were outside my legal units (stupid otc tag lol).......I'm thinking I may take up bow hunting or even black powder next year so I can get out there earlier lol. I might give it one last shot tomorrow morning, maybe I'll get lucky.
10-22-2014, 20:49
JMBD2112

Range finder said 698yds. Couldn't find him Saturday night and lost daylight. Found him at 8:30 Sunday morning and took 5 of us 7 hrs to pack him out, I thought I was going to have a stroke after packing the head out hahaha.
http://i.imgur.com/EEAZHOY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VT0V0Io.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NiQl4NQ.jpg
10-22-2014, 21:06
Zach O

Way to go man! Congrats!!
10-22-2014, 21:12
Irving

a 700 yard shot for reals?
10-22-2014, 21:15
smchop

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMBD2112

Range finder said 698yds. Couldn't find him Saturday night and lost daylight. Found him at 8:30 Sunday morning and took 5 of us 7 hrs to pack him out, I thought I was going to have a stroke after packing the head out hahaha.
http://i.imgur.com/EEAZHOY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VT0V0Io.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NiQl4NQ.jpg

OH HELL YEAH! Makes my antelope look like I shot babies.....if you run outta room in the freezer just let me know, I'll store the loins for you. Hard work rewarded with success!
10-22-2014, 23:17
DFBrews

1 Attachment(s)

Attachment 51169Cousins bull
10-22-2014, 23:26
JMBD2112

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irving

a 700 yard shot for reals?

Yep, he walked out in the opening right side of the pic on that ridge
http://i.imgur.com/51TFOyp.jpg?1

Quote:

Originally Posted by smchop

OH HELL YEAH! Makes my antelope look like I shot babies.....if you run outta room in the freezer just let me know, I'll store the loins for you. Hard work rewarded with success!

Hahahaha If we can get out to the range I'll bring some to grill up
10-22-2014, 23:29
JMBD2112

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFBrews

Attachment 51169Cousins bull

Dayum how many points? looks well over 300.....
10-22-2014, 23:57
GilpinGuy

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFBrews

Attachment 51169Cousins bull

Holy crap! A monster!
10-23-2014, 05:15
smchop

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFBrews

Attachment 51169Cousins bull

Awesome DFBrews! Great picture, you guys had better leave a bull up there for me
10-23-2014, 09:08
mtnrider

You guy's are killing me [Mad] ..... Actually I'm just jealous. My hunt this year got cut short because my wife had to go TDY so I only got out 2 days last weekend and didn't see a damn thing.

Great hunting guys, Congrats!
10-23-2014, 09:25
drift_g35

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMBD2112

Yep, he walked out in the opening right side of the pic on that ridgehttp://i.imgur.com/51TFOyp.jpg?1

Hahahaha If we can get out to the range I'll bring some to grill up

What unit is this?
10-23-2014, 12:11
02ducky

Great pictures thanks for sharing.
10-23-2014, 12:22
SamuraiCO

Nice work gentlemen.
10-23-2014, 20:30
JMBD2112

Quote:

Originally Posted by drift_g35

What unit is this?

It's a secret, I'm not telling.......just kidding man, its GMU 28.
10-24-2014, 21:51
Sixgun

2 Attachment(s)

Attachment 51221 Attachment 51223
1st time caring an AR-10, heavy.....
10-24-2014, 21:56
Sixgun

2 Attachment(s)

Attachment 51225 Attachment 51227
Btw this is the 1st time being able to go since my wife's passing.. Things gettin better.[cigar]
10-24-2014, 22:21
brutal

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehaus

Up near unit 16 for a few days this week. No bugling there either.

Sent from my iPhone

We hunted 6-16-17-161-171 2nd rifle. Mostly in 6.

Didn't see one damn Elk in 5 days of humping and sitting.

Heard a few far off bugles when we were in 6 around Custer Mtn.

There were just a few taken around Custer Mtn. We heard some far off shots from Owl Mtn.

All the guides were saying they're still up high.

Some areas that have had historically higher harvest rates are being pressured by cattle grazing and the Elk aren't there. Sucks they combined DOW with parks and are all about the money now.
10-27-2014, 12:35
Hummer

Double whammy elk

I hunted second season on public land in the Flat Tops region east of Meeker. It was my 29th year hunting the same area where I typically cover about 15 square miles, so I know the country well. The weather was very warm and it seems there were very few hunters this year, I guess because many are OTC bull hunters who wait for snow to buy a license. I drew a cow tag and also carried bull and bear licenses.

For six days I hunted the area widely but only flushed a single cow in the timber as she ran straight away from me. There was elk sign everywhere but most all of it was old. I knew there were 50+ head of elk on private ranch land in a valley over the mountain and sometimes hunting near the fence line can be productive. But, it requires a 10-12 mile round trip climb up a mountain, an 1800 ft. vertical descent, and then back out at night. I've done it many times before, hunting until end of legal shooting light, then hiking out in the dark. It's spooky as hell, even with a GPS and flashlights. In pitch dark it's easy to miss the trails and end up in a dangerous tangle of down timber.

One of the truisms of elk hunting is that you have to hunt elk where the elk are, not where it's convenient. Without big snow to spur migration I knew there was little chance of getting an elk without making the marathon hike. On Saturday I climbed over the mountain and got into a group of elk in the timber. A spike bull zeroed in on me at 30 feet and I couldn't move for 20 minutes. There was a cow or calf to it's right but I couldn't tell which because it was obscured by deadfalls. I didn't want to shoot a calf. Eventually they caught my scent and booked out of there. I worked my way up the slope and busted a bull from his bed. He shot by me only 35 feet away running down the hill like a race horse so fast I couldn't count points, but he was massive.

As I climbed the hill a short while later another bull stood from his bed to look in my direction. I took a few seconds with binoculars to check antler points and made the shot at 69 yards just as he began to move away. The bull disappeared and pretty soon several cows and calves emerged to move away and down slope. In a stroke of bad judgement, I picked out the biggest cow and shot her too. I watched as she slowly moved in a different direction from the other elk which headed to safety on the private ranch land. I hit the bull neatly on the left shoulder and he dropped and died 40 feet from where he was shot. The cow took a double lung hit just behind the left shoulder and dropped 230 yards from the bull. It was 4:34 p.m. and I knew I had to work fast before dark.

I got the cow eviscerated, skinned and parts laid out on a log to cool, then went to work on the bull. It was now pitch dark, no moon, working by headlamp and I struggled with my knife which just wasn't cutting well. Got the job done so the meat would get cold overnight, and started the climb back out at 7:45. I found and trudged a muddy horse trail and made it back to camp at 11:45 p.m. It was a grueling hike. The next day I rode in by horse with an outfitter and pack animals. Didn't have time to take grip and grin shots but here's the evidence:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pscc07b164.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps3a88184f.jpg

These were my 26th and 27th elk in 29 years of hunting the area, and the first time I've taken two elk in a single year. Now the butchering and packaging begins.
10-27-2014, 13:23
DHC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hummer

I hunted second season on public land in the Flat Tops region east of Meeker. It was my 29th year hunting the same area where I typically cover about 15 square miles, so I know the country well. The weather was very warm and it seems there were very few hunters this year, I guess because many are OTC bull hunters who wait for snow to buy a license. I drew a cow tag and also carried bull and bear licenses.

For six days I hunted the area widely but only flushed a single cow in the timber as she ran straight away from me. There was elk sign everywhere but most all of it was old. I knew there were 50+ head of elk on private ranch land in a valley over the mountain and sometimes hunting near the fence line can be productive. But, it requires a 10-12 mile round trip climb up a mountain, an 1800 ft. vertical descent, and then back out at night. I've done it many times before, hunting until end of legal shooting light, then hiking out in the dark. It's spooky as hell, even with a GPS and flashlights. In pitch dark it's easy to miss the trails and end up in a dangerous tangle of down timber.

One of the truisms of elk hunting is that you have to hunt elk where the elk are, not where it's convenient. Without big snow to spur migration I knew there was little chance of getting an elk without making the marathon hike. On Saturday I climbed over the mountain and got into a group of elk in the timber. A spike bull zeroed in on me at 30 feet and I couldn't move for 20 minutes. There was a cow or calf to it's right but I couldn't tell which because it was obscured by deadfalls. I didn't want to shoot a calf. Eventually they caught my scent and booked out of there. I worked my way up the slope and busted a bull from his bed. He shot by me only 35 feet away running down the hill like a race horse so fast I couldn't count points, but he was massive.

As I climbed the hill a short while later another bull stood from his bed to look in my direction. I took a few seconds with binoculars to check antler points and made the shot at 69 yards just as he began to move away. The bull disappeared and pretty soon several cows and calves emerged to move away and down slope. In a stroke of bad judgement, I picked out the biggest cow and shot her too. I watched as she slowly moved in a different direction from the other elk which headed to safety on the private ranch land. I hit the bull neatly on the left shoulder and he dropped and died 40 feet from where he was shot. The cow took a double lung hit just behind the left shoulder and dropped 230 yards from the bull. It was 4:34 p.m. and I knew I had to work fast before dark.

I got the cow eviscerated, skinned and parts laid out on a log to cool, then went to work on the bull. It was now pitch dark, no moon, working by headlamp and I struggled with my knife which just wasn't cutting well. Got the job done so the meat would get cold overnight, and started the climb back out at 7:45. I found and trudged a muddy horse trail and made it back to camp at 11:45 p.m. It was a grueling hike. The next day I rode in by horse with an outfitter and pack animals. Didn't have time to take grip and grin shots but here's the evidence:

These were my 26th and 27th elk in 29 years of hunting the area, and the first time I've taken two elk in a single year. Now the butchering and packaging begins.

Very nice!

That is the same GMU my son and I are heading next week. We filled our deer tags just a bit North of there this past week. Spoke to the DOW officer about elk success this year and he indicated it was pretty dismal for most hunters due to lack of weather. Hope the snow flies and/or we are able to scare some up as you did.

Nicely done.
10-27-2014, 13:34
Irving

How did you have two tags? I'm new to this.
10-27-2014, 13:37
henpecked

very nice

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