I'm a little behind on getting to this post but finally got around to it.
First off I just want to sincerely say thank you to all the members on here who have taken the time to post their valuable insights and information that they have learned over their hunting careers. It provided me with a head start for my first ever elk hunt and I was able to learn so much prior to heading into the field. This is a longer read but if you take the time I hope you enjoy it.
I had the opportunity to hunt an early December cow tag for the Southern Black Hills in SD. I planned for a 10 day hunt. I was stoked, to say the least, when I learned I was successful and called my wife, dad, and brother when I learned of my luck. Fast forwarding a bit I increased my workout regimen, scoured this site to absorb information, poured over OnX maps and practiced further distances then I ever had with my rifle. When the day finally came I packed up my stuff, headed across the state, met up with my dad at hotel (later on I camped in my Subaru Forester or Brother's truck but my dad is almost 60 and said he wanted a hotel) and tried to sleep as much aa I could prior to opening morning.
Day 1: I went over plans with my dad the night before and right away in the morning and had picked a couple glassing spots for us with him sitting at the top of a mountain with ability to glass in all directions (easier climb) and I went another way that had less of a view but was a glassing point into a couple drainages and north side of a mountain with scattered trees. I set my tripod up with my binos and began to scan. Shortly after a cloudy sunrise I was looking at north slope of the mountain and something stood out that caught my eye. I turned the binos on the object and I confirmed my first elk sighting of the hunt! Actually, the first elk I have ever seen in the wild! I was overjoyed to have an elk within half a mile of me on my first morning of my first elk hunt. What was really fascinating is that it happened to be a bull, which upon further examination was a 6x6. Nothing huge but still an elk I would be elated to take. Problem was is I had the wrong tag in my pocket. I quickly messaged my dad so that he could reposition for a look from his viewpoint. What was funny was that while I was watching him I was totally oblivious for 10 min to another one standing close to him. I was just locked on him because even though I had a cow tag I could not believe my luck. After seeing the second one I started to scan the rest of the north slope. In the next few min I found a total of 11 elk. However, all of them were bulls ranging from two 6x6s to spikes. Even though there wasn't a cow it was such a fascinating experience. Unfortunately, I had the good view but my dad was only able to see 3 of the bulls from his position once he moved. I watched some bed and the others slip into the trees. The rest of the day produced no more elk.
Day 2: My dad and I went back the next morning to the general area of where we had found the bulls hoping we could see some cows that might be nearby. However, we only saw some deer and some great views. That evening I found another great glassing point overlooking a eastern facing right that then wrapped and had a north facing slope with scattered trees again (I do not have any experience with timber hunting so I knew that I needed to use my glass and find open or openish slopes). My dad and I were again in different locations. On the north slope there was this small bowl and in the bowl there was this tightly packed group of trees and some deadfall. I remember reading on here about late season bulls finding these small pockets to hide in and not moving far. While looking at that pocket of trees several times I thought to myself that if a bull would pop out anywhere in my view that I would guess right there. And 5 min before sunset I scan over to those trees and just outside of it stands this gorgeous 6x6 bull! Which would end up being the biggest bull I would see from the whole trip! I felt vindicated that my thinking and learning from here had paid off like that and that quickly. I scanned for others but none others were to be found. Unfortunately my dad never got to see him but my dad was happy I had the chance to see the bull.
First off I just want to sincerely say thank you to all the members on here who have taken the time to post their valuable insights and information that they have learned over their hunting careers. It provided me with a head start for my first ever elk hunt and I was able to learn so much prior to heading into the field. This is a longer read but if you take the time I hope you enjoy it.
I had the opportunity to hunt an early December cow tag for the Southern Black Hills in SD. I planned for a 10 day hunt. I was stoked, to say the least, when I learned I was successful and called my wife, dad, and brother when I learned of my luck. Fast forwarding a bit I increased my workout regimen, scoured this site to absorb information, poured over OnX maps and practiced further distances then I ever had with my rifle. When the day finally came I packed up my stuff, headed across the state, met up with my dad at hotel (later on I camped in my Subaru Forester or Brother's truck but my dad is almost 60 and said he wanted a hotel) and tried to sleep as much aa I could prior to opening morning.
Day 1: I went over plans with my dad the night before and right away in the morning and had picked a couple glassing spots for us with him sitting at the top of a mountain with ability to glass in all directions (easier climb) and I went another way that had less of a view but was a glassing point into a couple drainages and north side of a mountain with scattered trees. I set my tripod up with my binos and began to scan. Shortly after a cloudy sunrise I was looking at north slope of the mountain and something stood out that caught my eye. I turned the binos on the object and I confirmed my first elk sighting of the hunt! Actually, the first elk I have ever seen in the wild! I was overjoyed to have an elk within half a mile of me on my first morning of my first elk hunt. What was really fascinating is that it happened to be a bull, which upon further examination was a 6x6. Nothing huge but still an elk I would be elated to take. Problem was is I had the wrong tag in my pocket. I quickly messaged my dad so that he could reposition for a look from his viewpoint. What was funny was that while I was watching him I was totally oblivious for 10 min to another one standing close to him. I was just locked on him because even though I had a cow tag I could not believe my luck. After seeing the second one I started to scan the rest of the north slope. In the next few min I found a total of 11 elk. However, all of them were bulls ranging from two 6x6s to spikes. Even though there wasn't a cow it was such a fascinating experience. Unfortunately, I had the good view but my dad was only able to see 3 of the bulls from his position once he moved. I watched some bed and the others slip into the trees. The rest of the day produced no more elk.
Day 2: My dad and I went back the next morning to the general area of where we had found the bulls hoping we could see some cows that might be nearby. However, we only saw some deer and some great views. That evening I found another great glassing point overlooking a eastern facing right that then wrapped and had a north facing slope with scattered trees again (I do not have any experience with timber hunting so I knew that I needed to use my glass and find open or openish slopes). My dad and I were again in different locations. On the north slope there was this small bowl and in the bowl there was this tightly packed group of trees and some deadfall. I remember reading on here about late season bulls finding these small pockets to hide in and not moving far. While looking at that pocket of trees several times I thought to myself that if a bull would pop out anywhere in my view that I would guess right there. And 5 min before sunset I scan over to those trees and just outside of it stands this gorgeous 6x6 bull! Which would end up being the biggest bull I would see from the whole trip! I felt vindicated that my thinking and learning from here had paid off like that and that quickly. I scanned for others but none others were to be found. Unfortunately my dad never got to see him but my dad was happy I had the chance to see the bull.
