Fort Riley Kansas Elk Hunt

[MattDavis]

Good morning everyone,

I drew the KS OIL elk tag on Fort Riley. Just starting my hunt this morning. Depending on the area I can hunt with a muzzleloader or rifle, this morning is muzzleloader.

The morning didn't start as planned, I think me and the gate guard weren't communicating well this morning leading me down a road I couldn't access the hunting grounds. Causing me to run about an hour late.

Walking to my glassing point I was in a hurry and it being my first day hunting of the year I just wasn't locked in. I ended up bumping a small 5x6. He just stood and started at me from 40 yards. I probably could have dropped him but it just felt sloppy. It's the first morning of the hunt, I wasn't paying attention, it was just luck and he's not quite what im after.

Fog from this morning pretty much covered the ground below until 0815.

Just watched a crossbow hunter from a tree line below me pack up and head out.

 

[tdhanses]

Look forward to more on this, how many pts did you have to finally draw it?

 

[MattDavis]

Id have to look it up. Never paid attention, never thought id actually get drawn. Just kept paying to contribute to them being in Kansas.

 

[MattDavis]

Trying to figure out what to do to be productive during the lull. Walked the edge of some hill tops. Found a spot with beds that distinctly smelled like wet dog?

Driving around now just scouting and figuring the place out.

 

[MattDavis]

Sitting on a planted bean field tonight. I don't have the best set up but I found it this evening. It's not marked as planted on the map and I don't see any sign of recent hunting. The field I want to be on has just had to much pressure so I figured I'd give this one a shot.

 

[KChunter71]

Get ya a Kansas Elk. I always forget to put in for it

 

[tdhanses]

Get ya a Kansas Elk. I always forget to put in for it

I’ve been putting in for 10 years.

 

[KChunter71]

I’ve been putting in for 10 years.

Is it random or points?

 

[tdhanses]

Is it random or points?

I always thought highest points, you can buy points if you don’t apply but there is only a month window of time to do it.

 

[LLB]

Good luck to you . Please keep us updated on how you do.

 

[saltfork]

Good luck on your hunt! Following this for sure

 

[Dos Perros]

The one time I set on a bean field they were playing with their 30 mike mike grenade launcher just across the road and the explosions were loud and I didn't see a single animal. That was a new experience for me.

 

[MajorAR]

That's the sound of freedom you are hearing!

 

[caesAR15]

Good morning everyone,

I drew the KS OIL elk tag on Fort Riley. Just starting my hunt this morning. Depending on the area I can hunt with a muzzleloader or rifle, this morning is muzzleloader.

The morning didn't start as planned, I think me and the gate guard weren't communicating well this morning leading me down a road I couldn't access the hunting grounds. Causing me to run about an hour late.

Walking to my glassing point I was in a hurry and it being my first day hunting of the year I just wasn't locked in. I ended up bumping a small 5x6. He just stood and started at me from 40 yards. I probably could have dropped him but it just felt sloppy. It's the first morning of the hunt, I wasn't paying attention, it was just luck and he's not quite what im after.

Fog from this morning pretty much covered the ground below until 0815.

Just watched a crossbow hunter from a tree line below me pack up and head out.

Pretty looking country. Best of luck!

 

[mcseal2]

Good luck, I've been putting in for years but never drawn it yet. I would talk to the game warden for the area. I know one who used to work that area, and he was going to be the first resource I called if I'd drawn while he was still there. Not sure who has that area now but I'd find out if I was in your shoes.

 

[MattDavis]

Update for today so far.

This morning with out so many hunters around I went into the fields I wanted to check out. Probably made a mistake going in blind. Ended up bushwacking in the dark to get to where I wanted. Made to much damn noise and didn't see anything in my area. Was able to finally scout and determine access points. After speaking with a hunter who dropped a bull a few weeks ago I've now got a blind set up but the wind has that spot blown for the night. I did end up watching a cow and two calfs go over a distant ridge. About an hour and a half later out of curiosity went to check out where I saw that cow disappear. Ended up helping another hunter load that cow into the back of his truck. Said he'd been applying for the cow tag for thirty years.

Won't be hunting hard tonight still explore everything I have access to and food plots to use depending on the wind.

Mcseal2 ive talk to several people and almost feel like I have to much info at this point. I just need to commit to a plan and sort it out. One area everyone talks about currently isn't available due to military training.

 

[Dos Perros]

I only went through the manned front gates once. It's kind of a mess to know where you're going and sometimes you get to a gate that won't let you through. I just always ended up driving from I-70, north on 77 highway, then cut east and then north on Old 77, then more east on 2800 Rd N and around south where it turns into Mallon Rd. It was miles and probably time longer but I never got held up, always knew where I was going, just more dependable.

 

[MattDavis]

Dos Perros I'm pretty much down to the same system. Went and traveled to area N and Q yesterday just to see them.

Sitting in the blind I set up yesterday on the bean fields. Could make out two elk bodies at 0630 but they seemed to have vanished before shooting light. Could hear bugling up until 0705.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Are you allowed to chase bugles?! Sitting in a blind while listening to bugles is like getting dry humped.

 

[MattDavis]

Lol. Yes but it's unique here. All the hunting area surround a massive tank artillery range. Local knowledge is that for the most part the elk live in the artillery range where you can't hunt. So I can't stalk them to his bed. From sitting on the field the brush is to thick to be silent and any other route would have taken to long to get on them. If I had been sitting on one of my vantage points yes I would have dropped in and made a play.

Plus I thought I had one right in front of me and I was just waiting on sun light. Damn thing vanished.