We got it done in an OTC. Hunted 6 days. Saw the fewest amount of people we’ve seen in years. Was strange but nice. Bulls were talking pretty good. Moved to a high point LE unit the next 7 days and saw way more hunters than the OTC. Go figure.
Hunted Northern CO 9/5-9/12 archery OTC. They were getting after it the 9 through the 12. Moved to Southern CO on a muzzleloader LE in a high point unit. Left this morning and it was crazy the last two days in the evenings especially. Heard 5 different bulls screaming their heads off in a small...
Same here, but age has given me a sense of mortality. I’m much more careful than I used to be. That stuff is tough on everything from the body to the gear. Don’t know why I keep hunting it honestly.
In my experience, the edges of those burns are a nightmare maze of logs and half fallen trees. Once you get into the actual burns they seem to be easier to navigate because most of the downed timber is limbless. But “easier” doesn’t mean easy. If you’re gonna hunt that stuff, throw some...
You aren’t far off…. Drew it two years in a row ‘00 & ‘01. Struck out ever since. Of course the word got out and now every guy with a bow thinks he can elk hunt. Odds are horrendous now.
There’s a recent thread on here right now. ‘feedback on backcountry elk loadout”. Read it. Then search all the other threads similar to yours. Ignore the smartass comments and really think about the information that’s there. Tons of experience and knowledge on your question already readily...
Thank God they aren’t like whitetails… lord knows they’d be even harder to kill. One of the most difficult things to kill is a heavily pressured mature Whitetail buck with a bow on public land. I go elk hunting to get a break from deer.
Whatever you decide to do on the food end, good rule of thumb is 100+ calories per ounce of food. I’m a fan of 2 oatmeal packs and an energy bar for breakfast. Tuna packets are an easy lunch, you can spice them up with some Taco Bell sauce packets or mustard etc. Nutella on tortillas is also a...
Seven miles is a chore. Seven air miles or OnX miles doesn’t =7 actual miles unless your on an established trail. That’s a really long pull with camp/meat. That could compute to a 40 plus mile pack out for a bull elk with 2 guys. Not saying it can’t be done. Just saying that I wouldn’t purposely...
I killed elk 15 yrs apart bedded on the same tiny bench in a super high pressure area. Didn’t hunt the unit for 15 yrs. Drove over on a Hail Mary last day of the season. Slipped down above the bench, one cow call. 45 minutes later 6x6 was being butchered. I know they are there every year. Only...
That’s kinda what I thought. I’ll just see how the .670 performs and venture out from there if needed. Knowing my luck, it’s gonna turn into an expensive experiment.
So ordered a new turkey gun today. Winchester SX4 28” 3.5” chambered 12ga. Shoulder doesn’t like the 10ga anymore. My question is does anyone have a choke suggestion for this gun? Primarily have shot 2oz #5s in a 3” 12ga my son uses with a .670 Kicks GT choke. I also have a .660 Jellyhead...
I was just curious if other guys went at it the same way I do. Seems like most do. At the end of the day, elk are where you find them right?!? The circumstances surrounding them just changes.
Tarptent has some good lightweight options. I’ve used the MomentDW 1p tent for the past 3-4 years. It takes some learning to get it just right but it’s super lightweight, packs down small, and has a very small footprint. An elk bed or the uphill side of a tree is often plenty of room. Plus...