Shrek's big adventure

[Shrek]

On the general tag cheat sheet it says antlerless elk in some areas. If I understand correctly it means my general elk tag is good for cow elk ?

 

[Jon Boy]

Correct.

 

[jcodyc40]

Regs say you should be able to pick up a map at the local license providers. Good luck Shrek, I think you will enjoy hunting eastern Montana.

 

[Shrek]

Only outside of the national forest and few and far between it looks like. Deer it is.

 

[realunlucky]

You might look into walk in access for elk and see what corresponds with your tag

 

[Shrek]

The elk hunting was wearing on me. I'm not in good enough shape for it and it was just frustrating. With rutting deer running everywhere it was getting really hard to think about elk. I've never killed a mule deer so it sounds good to me. Next year I'll be in better shape and hunt an earlier season in probably Colorado or maybe Idaho. I'm not going to do Montana in November again unless I move somewhere cold and I'm adjusted. I'm good down to about 29º but lower than that I just hurt. I haven't looked but I need to check when Wyoming's rifle season starts. If it has a season in early October then it will be on the list.

 

[doin1]

Wyoming General rifle is mid October. I believe.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Wyoming General rifle is mid October. I believe.

For most of the units that dont require a guide.

 

[Randle]

I is great to follow you along this hunt. Yes the cold can wear on you, I presonally love hunting in the cold and snow you have sound advise here and you seem to be learning alot
Keep after them whatever them maybe, deer or elk. Good luck

 

[squeekieslayer]

for the most part, wyoming deer seasons start Oct 1. Most elk areas start Oct 15. That is not universal like it is in MT, but most deer seasons run for only 10-15 days.

Joe

 

[Shrek]

Packing up this morning is kind of hard. The deer are calling but giving up on elk isn't so easy this morning. I could second guess myself to death if I let my mind wander.

 

[Jon Boy]

Sent yuh a PM shrek.

 

[Shrek]

I still haven't left town ! Getting some food and debating if I really want to quit the elk. This is very hard. It seemed so clear yesterday watching those bucks run doe's but today not so much .

 

[Whisky]

Packing up this morning is kind of hard. The deer are calling but giving up on elk isn't so easy this morning. I could second guess myself to death if I let my mind wander.

Just get an animal down, any animal, and you'll feel a lot better Shrek. Been following this with interest. I got my butt whooped during archery season by the elk out there and am contemplating a last minute trip over Thanksgiving to try to fill either a deer or elk tag for meat. Does or cows would make me happy right now. Look forward to your reports once you get moved East.

Good Luck man!!!!
Whisky

 

[Shrek]

Whisky , I can feel your pain ! I'm in a great position as far as meat for the freezer. I can stop on my way home at a friend's house in south Georgia and shoot a couple of small doe's from his front porch or stop by a farmers place I know and for asking I can shoot a couple there in the middle of the night if I want and be covered with his crop damage permit. If you can hike in snow and stand the cold the chances of killing an elk around here is getting good. There is enough snow up top for my pumkin to leave a trail in the snow already. You can see and track elk now but I'm not in good enough shape to strike out cross country in eight or ten inches of snow at 8000'.

 

[Shrek]

Another thought , this section of Montana has a lot of tall athletically built and good looking women ! SHREK LIKES !

 

[Shrek]

Driving through what I think is the Bitterroot valley and there are deer in every other field. Just saw five cow elk in someone's front yard and thirty or so head of elk in a field a few hundred yards off the highway. Game is everywhere on private land around here.

 

[hflier]

Hang in there Shrek. I learned many of the lessons you have this year myself. Going make it even better next year for me. I spent two weeks elk hunting this year. One week solo in AZ (bow) and one with my brother in CO (rifle). It was hard, but I had a blast even though it was tag soup for me. I was in pretty good shape, but it was still hard. Those mountains are much steeper than they look on the map I am starting to train for next years Elk hunting already. At 51 years old, no time to waste. I have decided to do my Whitetail hunting on the ground this year to make me more effective on stalking Elk. I am going to drop 20 more pounds and I learned that running is important, but training to go up and down mountains is more important. Running is easy compared to running up a mountain with a pack etc., especially when you come from 700 feet above sea level. I wish I would have started 35 years ago.

 

[Shrek]

Hflier , I can't agree more with the sentiment that I wish I had started earlier. I also agree 100% about training for uphill travel. I don't think you hit snow while going uphill but I promise you it adds a bunch more effort to it. Stairmaster , bleachers , local fire tower , ect. I can't emphasize enough how this will be the make or break conditioning. Running is great for baseline fitness but I think you could struggle to run a mile and still be prepared if you could keep a steady pace on the stairmaster with your pack on loaded for three hours straight. On the other hand you could be able to run ten miles but if you struggled with the stairmaster and pack you aren't in elk hunting shape. There's was almost no place I could have run . It was all picking your way through debris while hiking straight up and down. It puts tremendous strain on your ankles and knees also. Side hilling may not be like climbing but if you are coming from flatland it will wear your ankles out.

 

[Shrek]

I've been having a total vegetative day. Checked into a motel last night in Billings and have only been out for coffee and food. The Burger Dive may be highly recommend by yelp but I found it gross. Way too salty and greasy. I'm not kidding about the the Burger Dive , I'm sick to my stomach as I write this from the grease.
I've been thinking about what makes a great hunt and for me I have decided that someone to hunt with is important. After about five days I started to burn out without someone else around. Somebody to camp with is what it would take. I have hunted alone for weeks but I wasn't truly alone. I would be texting my friends through the day and calling with the hunt report in the evening. I will not plan more than five days alone again. I like big trophies but any animal can make me happy . I knew that before I left but it is reinforced now.
I'm going to hunt through the weekend and then I'm most likely heading to the house. I'm looking forward to hunting with my friends and will have a new appreciation for it. I am planning to meetup with Jonboy and maybe hang out and hunt for a day or two and if I don't shoot anything with him I'll spend a couple of days in the Custer National Forest. I'm just relaxing now with no expectations. I've learned a lot about what it takes to hunt elk and a lot about myself.