2022 ELK MEAT POLE

[buffsmoker]

Got married August 1st. Took the new wife on her first "real" hunt over opening weekend. Didn't have high expectations with only two days to hunt, especially knowing I needed to stay within a mile or two of the truck in an OTC unit. But after a day and a half of not seeing/hearing much, this fella decided to come in silent to some soft cow calls. Happy to show her some success on her first time out. Sounds like she's ready to go again next year!

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[RilePrecise]

Buddy got 'er done last week. Freezer replenished.

 

[Buffalo0922]

Here you are setting the the gold standard. Congratulations, how far was the pack out and how big of a kick in the balls was it


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Thank you! Definitely need to retire now cause that will be hard to replicate. Pack out was only a mile, but the elevation gain was almost 600ft, absolute misery.

 

[Less]

Here is my 2022 Utah general archery bull from Monday night. I sat a treestand over a waterhole that my brother has been scouting for his OIL shiras moose tag. I had several cow/calf moose come in and then this bull wandered in at around 6:30pm. Made a great shot and he only went 30 yards and piled up (G5 Montec CS 100 grain fixed blade head)
Pack out sucked bad but my Brother bailed me out and helped me get it done-it was all worth it for sure and I am already missing the elk woods!
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Your story about you sitting in that stand over night reminds me of a Turkey hunt I had when I was young and really a dedicated turkey hunter.

A friend told me about a place he Turkey hunted in National Forest open to the public. Said he had herd a lot of gobblers in the area. As soon as I got off work that evening. I went there to see if maybe I could roost or kill one. Had a couple hours to hunt before dark.

As soon as I made my first call I got a gobble back. Eventually that dude was gobbling up a storm. I just knew he was going to come in. After about an hour of that and me going half way down the mountain to him , instead of him coming up the mountain to me. And the fact I was running out of day light fast. I thought I had better try to close the distance at a faster pace.

Well it ended up with me about a mile down the mountain side. At which time the gobbler quit gobbling. Figured he had flew up on the roost for the night. Sun setting, me looking at an extremely steep rugged hike up the mountain, in the dark, in an area well known for big diamond back rattle snakes. After working all day. Well I was beat. Knew I was within a 100 yards of where the gobbler had to be roosted.

After weighing the pro’s and con’s I decided to just hunker down right there for the night. Man was it cold that night. Next morning as it started getting day light. Squirrels began stirring, birds chirping a little. Then all of a sudden that gobbler fired up. Never heard him fly down. But I figured he had so I called to him and man he was hammering those gobbles out.

Had my gun pointed ready to nail him. Waited, no turkey, quit gobbling. Thought for sure he was slipping in quite was why he wasn’t gobbling. 20 minutes went by no gobbling. Clucked real soft and he fired back up triple gobbled, every time I called he would gobble. But he wasn’t coming in. Wasn’t 60 maybe 70 yards from him. Couldn’t see him. Kind of rugged foot hills and branch streams. Thought maybe he didn’t want to cross a stream or something.

So I switched my location a little bit. Called to him and he fired back up again. Still wouldn’t come in. This went on close to an hour. Then I heard what sounded like a screen door slam. Turkey quit gobbling, a dog started barking ? I thought what to heck. I stood up saw this older white haired gentleman walking toward where the turkey had been gobbling, dog following him. I walked up on top of the little knoll in front of me and boy was I surprised.

The turkey was a bronze tame turkey in a pen with some chickens that the man was headed over to so that he could feed them You talking about feeling like a fool. Well I sure did. The man never knew I was there. I hiked back up the mountain and went home very tired feeling like the biggest fool ever born.

Now what I done was totally different than sitting on a stand over night. I like getting in my deer stand way before day light. Never have stayed over night in it. But knock on wood I will never pull something as foolish as I did that day again.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Frontal at 18 yards. Died 10 yards away.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I traded my rifle cow tag for an archery tag a couple weeks ago and filled it yesterday morning. She's my first archery cow after years of letting them walk while hoping to shoot the herd bull.

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She will taste loads better than a herd bull any day! Congrats, thanks for taking one of the barking Betty’s out

 

[Erussell01]

My first ever. Solo Idaho elk. I was in the elk the entire time and had multiple close calls on bulls. Morning of day 3, she gave me a great opportunity and I couldn't pass it up. So stoked!

 

[roosiebull]

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My first ever. Solo Idaho elk. I was in the elk the entire time and had multiple close calls on bulls. Morning of day 3, she gave me a great opportunity and I couldn't pass it up. So stoked!

Congrats!!! Nice work!

 

[Elkoholic87]

New Mexico

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[chetraguse]

Some nice animals

 

[Erussell01]

Congrats!!! Nice work!

Thanks man. I am so happy. I got the full gamit of elk hunting, bugling bulls, crazy hikes and a hell of a rough pack out. Can't wait to go back

 

[elkhunter505]

September 7th. Had him screaming and raking a tree. Snuck up once he started raking and shot him at 38 yards. New Mexico bull.

 

[Behlftball]

Congrats to everyone on some great success!

 

[Jarrod Renaud]

After six archery seasons of close calls I finally got it done with a bow. 9th day, 3rd day solo. Last few hours I’d be able hunt for the remainder of the season.

Multiple opportunities throughout those 9 days that just seemed to fall apart for one reason or another. Learned a lot throughout this hunt, especially when it comes to hunting above timberline, it’s tough! The wind laughed at me the whole time!

Hunted this past weekend with Covid in my system, sicker than a dog but was 100% determined. So grateful to not call it quits early.

Colorado

 

[dcremin]

Hunted this past weekend with Covid in my system, sicker than a dog but was 100% determined. So grateful to not call it quits early.

Colorado

Wow, I can't imagine hiking in the mountains and packing an elk out with Covid in your system. Nice work getting it done!

 

[Newtexican]

First ever elk hunt, after nine days of hunting got this one to come into calls. Had blown 6-7 other opportunities so I was pumped to have gotten him.

 

[Havoc]

Not on a meat pole, this Bull was killed by a car in Cali. where I used to work. Sad ending for a great bull.

 

[jgilber5]

First ever elk hunt, this guy came in to cow calling two hours into opening morning solo! Obviously loads of luck involved, but thankful for the months spent planning. Thanks to all the folks on here who helped me learn!

 

[roosiebull]

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First ever elk hunt, this guy came in to cow calling two hours into opening morning solo! Obviously loads of luck involved, but thankful for the months spent planning. Thanks to all the folks on here who helped me learn!

That’s awesome!!! Is it fair to say this won’t be your last elk hunt? Haha

It’s not always like that, but that’s what keeps you going in the grind, knowing you just need to create that right scenario, every step is one step closer to your next encounter

 

[ganngus]

New Mexico bull down. My biggest one taken to date.