tradhunter
FNG
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2023
- Messages
- 6
Long time reader...first time poster looking for some advice.
Any honey hole GPS coordinates for a successful DIY elk hunt? No? Well I tried.
Intro: live in North Louisiana. I live to hunt, fish, and camp. Got two young boys I love getting out in the woods and on the water with me. I'm passionate about archery, especially traditional archery. Ive shot longbows and recurves for 30 years, but I got a compound I hunt with occasionally too. I also just got into building and hunting with self bows.
I wanted to start going on a yearly DIY archery elk hunt. When I got serious about it, my buddy suggested I start by going with him and his dad on a 2nd rifle hunt to see what I was getting myself into. We hunted the Grand Mesa 411. I went three years in a row. I killed a nice mule deer the first year and a small one the 3rd year. Saw some big bucks the 2nd year, but didn't have a tag. In those three years I saw a total of four elk. One big bull and two cows the last evening of the 1st year. I only had a cow tag, but of course the bull is the only one that stopped in the open. The second year, I saw one in pretty much the same area. It was too late and I couldn't tell exactly what it was. I haven't been in a few years now, but I'm missing the mountains and I'm planning my trip for next year.
I thought about trying a different area, but I feel like in the 3 years I hunted 411 I learned a good bit. I found lots of rubs and elk sign I assume was from the rut. Makes me think an earlier hunt might be better. I didn't feel like 2nd rifle was overly crowded where I was. With 2 PP, would yall suggest going back to the same areas I'm already familiar with and try and draw an archery, muzzleloader, or first rifle tag? I'd love to go back with my selfbow and just spend time in the woods, but it being my fourth trip I'd also like to have the best chance I can. The elk and elk sign I found were not terribly deep as it seems you can't get too deep with all the atv trails. What would yall do? Stick with 2nd rifle, use my points to try and get an earlier tag and hunt the areas I think they may be earlier in the season, or try a different unit all together for a change of scenery? Thanks!
Any honey hole GPS coordinates for a successful DIY elk hunt? No? Well I tried.
Intro: live in North Louisiana. I live to hunt, fish, and camp. Got two young boys I love getting out in the woods and on the water with me. I'm passionate about archery, especially traditional archery. Ive shot longbows and recurves for 30 years, but I got a compound I hunt with occasionally too. I also just got into building and hunting with self bows.
I wanted to start going on a yearly DIY archery elk hunt. When I got serious about it, my buddy suggested I start by going with him and his dad on a 2nd rifle hunt to see what I was getting myself into. We hunted the Grand Mesa 411. I went three years in a row. I killed a nice mule deer the first year and a small one the 3rd year. Saw some big bucks the 2nd year, but didn't have a tag. In those three years I saw a total of four elk. One big bull and two cows the last evening of the 1st year. I only had a cow tag, but of course the bull is the only one that stopped in the open. The second year, I saw one in pretty much the same area. It was too late and I couldn't tell exactly what it was. I haven't been in a few years now, but I'm missing the mountains and I'm planning my trip for next year.
I thought about trying a different area, but I feel like in the 3 years I hunted 411 I learned a good bit. I found lots of rubs and elk sign I assume was from the rut. Makes me think an earlier hunt might be better. I didn't feel like 2nd rifle was overly crowded where I was. With 2 PP, would yall suggest going back to the same areas I'm already familiar with and try and draw an archery, muzzleloader, or first rifle tag? I'd love to go back with my selfbow and just spend time in the woods, but it being my fourth trip I'd also like to have the best chance I can. The elk and elk sign I found were not terribly deep as it seems you can't get too deep with all the atv trails. What would yall do? Stick with 2nd rifle, use my points to try and get an earlier tag and hunt the areas I think they may be earlier in the season, or try a different unit all together for a change of scenery? Thanks!
