Fall 21/22 Days Afield Thread

[Phall]

Had bulls all around me this weekend, just couldn’t make it happen. Inexperience mixed with nerves and doing the whole calling/raking/ranging thing solo is hard!


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[gretch6364]

Had bulls all around me this weekend, just couldn’t make it happen. Inexperience mixed with nerves and doing the whole calling/raking/ranging thing solo is hard!


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Were they coming in partially, but not all the way? Were you in more open terrain or thick?

[snapt]

I have 13, mostly half days, in trying to kill my first archery bull. GPS says I've hiked 85 miles. Been in them most days, passed on a fair few spikes, called in one that a buddy killed. For the second season in a row I've gotten a fired up bull on the line only to have satellite come in late and start harassing him, kinda neat.
Taken a couple days off to run the pups, back at it tomorrow. Nice critters all!

[Phall]

Were they coming in partially, but not all the way? Were you in more open terrain or thick?

It was timber. I would make moves into the closest bugle, get within 100 yards, and wait and see if I could hear/see movement. I'd then cut off the next bugle from the elk with a challenge, and that would get them coming a bit, but i failed to range before the elk was in visual range, so that bull busted. One of the others gave me the "show yourself" bark behind a new growth of pine, and I froze forgetting what to do. The third gave me an opportunity at 30, but my lane had some sticks in it. He bumped up over a little ridge. I should have called/raked a bit more which got him initially fired up, to see if he would peak back over, but i decided to stalk in, I should have been slower and I would have seen his antler tips, but I popped over the top and he was right there, 10 yards broadside. He spooked and I drew but had taken my mouth call out and forgot to put it back in. That would have stopped him, as once i let down and put it in he stopped at about 75. I think they would have came in to calls if I had just stayed put on a setup and been patient.

[gretch6364]

It was timber. I would make moves into the closest bugle, get within 100 yards, and wait and see if I could hear/see movement. I'd then cut off the next bugle from the elk with a challenge, and that would get them coming a bit, but i failed to range before the elk was in visual range, so that bull busted. One of the others gave me the "show yourself" bark behind a new growth of pine, and I froze forgetting what to do. The third gave me an opportunity at 30, but my lane had some sticks in it. He bumped up over a little ridge. I should have called/raked a bit more which got him initially fired up, to see if he would peak back over, but i decided to stalk in, I should have been slower and I would have seen his antler tips, but I popped over the top and he was right there, 10 yards broadside. He spooked and I drew but had taken my mouth call out and forgot to put it back in. That would have stopped him, as once i let down and put it in he stopped at about 75. I think they would have came in to calls if I had just stayed put on a setup and been patient.

Sounds like you are doing it right to me and that is just elk hunting!

I have had the most success, especially when alone, making sure I close any gaps that have open terrain so that the bull doesn't have to come into the open for me to see, while still balancing have a shooting lane. Also, as you mentioned, patience. Its really tough being patient, but the last two bulls I have shot have taken about an hour from first bugle till shot. I like to let them get worked up and once I can tell they are starting to get aggressive, that is when I might challenge. If they are doing all the work though, I try to stick more to cow calls.

The biggest key I have found, most times, if they start coming and are really worked up, they will keep coming. So don't keep calling when they are on their way in. Otherwise, they are going to be looking for an animal right where you are calling from. If they don't see one, they hang up. That is the biggest thing IMHO. Have to use the terrain, the direction you are pointing your call, the volume and the vegetation to get the bull to come within shooting range. Especially tough when calling by yourself and you can't put the caller 30 to 50 yards behind you. As you obviously know, bull elk have tendencies for how they will come in...but if you can get them really worked up, they are a bit more predictable and circle downwind less.

Man...kind of sad I am not out there still chasing....fucking love talking to bulls. They always have something interesting to say!

[Patarero]

Had bulls all around me this weekend, just couldn’t make it happen. Inexperience mixed with nerves and doing the whole calling/raking/ranging thing solo is hard!


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I feel ya, we went 0 for 6 inside 50. Step here or there, wind swirling, etc. Had a toad coming in, responded to cow call with a woof that sounded like a dog. Needed 2 more steps to clear a couple trees, wind swirled, game over. Until next year.

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[Patarero]

Hadn't posted this, but here's my friend's caribou. Glad we got him at the bottom of the mt rather than up high where I took mine. This is the 2nd biggest one we saw on the trip.

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[Phall]

Nice. That’s a hunt that’s on the list for sure. Luckily we’ve got a three season tag so I’ll be back the first weekend of Oct with the rifle


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[hatchgreenchile]

responded to cow call with a woof that sounded like a dog.

Heh - got that same experience on Tuesday midday.

I climbed adjacent to a bench that I strongly believed held a bull. As I approached, I heard him bugle and found a spring in my step. When I got to the bench, I sat down to listen and heard numerous "woosh" barks from the thick timber. I figured it was some moose, but I did have several cows trot through, directly up a ~40 degree slope at ~11K. A quick hit on the cow call had the bull scream from the thick timber, 100 yards away. Inject that shit into my veins! I worked around the bench with the wind, as I never heard him climb the slope, but he clammed up and retreated.

That was my closest opportunity over a week. Tag soup. This was a very challenging trip, as it felt like the elk were bailing from the area left and right. This OTC unit has a 6-13% success rate, and I've had excellent results there with two 6x6+ bulls in 8 years, but damn, I feel pretty rundown after this one. Time to put my preference points into some premier GMUs for a change of pace.

Maybe I had to pay the piper so I can score a big muley for 3rd season. Good luck to everyone still after 'em!

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Not connecting with the elk but I can still drill a grouse if the opportunity presents itself.

[Talisman]

Damn a head shot! I hope it is from this year's brood as the older grouse can be stringy.

Not connecting with the elk but I can still drill a grouse if the opportunity presents itself.

[gretch6364]

As someone that had success this year on a killer bull…gotta say, most years don’t work out like that. Killing a big bull with a bow is no easy task and gotta remember it’s more about the journey. Fill the freezer most years with a rag horn/cow and a gun.

Sounds like everyone is at least hearing bugles and getting into elk…which, doesn’t even happen every year OTC!


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[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Damn a head shot! I hope it is from this year's brood as the older grouse can be stringy.

Practicing on marauding gophers pays off!

I've yet to have bad grouse, they are damn tasty. Maybe I should just start carrying a shotgun forget this fucking elk bullshit.

[Hopeless Sinner]

Practicing on marauding gophers pays off!

I've yet to have bad grouse, they are damn tasty. Maybe I should just start carrying a shotgun forget this fucking elk bullshit.

Come on now, get a grip!

[Phall]

I've shot more with my bow than with my scattergun. I always end up finding coveys during scouting/archery hunting, then going back and never seeing a bird.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

I've been running into pretty big groups, which is unusual because I've had a judo point in my quiver. Usually I run into big numbers when I only have broadheads.

[CovertM]

I've shot more with my bow than with my scattergun. I always end up finding coveys during scouting/archery hunting, then going back and never seeing a bird.

This! Everywhere when archery elk is over I try and go back to kill all of those pesky grouse that almost gave me a heart attack. Always gone.


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[G. Gordon Liddy]

Had a fun day out with a good friend filling a very sought after pronghorn tag. From my cabin deck we watched a few groups for a while finally picking the buck we wanted to stalk, only to watch an ATV pull up and scare all of them away. These guys were way to rushed and ended up scaring every animal within the drainage. Regardless, we hopped in the truck and drove a mile up the road. As per usual it didn't take long to find another buck. Maybe not as big, but a shooter when you're a couple of dads with weekends stacked with MTB races and LAX games... My buddy took a long ball shot and connected. The buck walked a few hundred feet, laid down and that was it. From beginning to end the adventure took less than 3 hours (unless you count the hours I spent hiking the area during archery season trying to stick one of these spooky bastards).

[Hopeless Sinner]

Had a fun day out with a good friend filling a very sought after pronghorn tag. From my cabin deck we watched a few groups for a while finally picking the buck we wanted to stalk, only to watch an ATV pull up and scare all of them away. These guys were way to rushed and ended up scaring every animal within the drainage. Regardless, we hopped in the truck and drove a mile up the road. As per usual it didn't take long to find another buck. Maybe not as big, but a shooter when you're a couple of dads with weekends stacked with MTB races and LAX games... My buddy took a long ball shot and connected. The buck walked a few hundred feet, laid down and that was it. From beginning to end the adventure took less than 3 hours (unless you count the hours I spent hiking the area during archery season trying to stick one of these spooky bastards).

Congrats! It always harder when the pressure is on.

[John_B]

Well I had the luckiest day in the field yesterday. A good buddy found some feral apple trees with a preponderance of bear shit around them. We went yesterday morning to still hunt around the trees in hopes of turning him up. After a few hours as we worked closer together my buddy bumped the bear and I saw able to shoot him. In my rush I made a shitty shot but was able to slow him down a little bit. He took off running down a draw and after a 300 yard dead sprint down the other side I was able to get ahead of him and hit him. He made it 10 more yards and died in some heavy bushes.

After waiting 10 minutes I crept into the bushes and was able to find him. It's quite an experience crawling up on a wounded/dead bear.

After hiking out the quarters, rib meat, neck meat, tenderloins and straps it weighed in at 165 lbs minus a partially blown up shoulder. We figure he was probably around 325 lb.

I'm no trophy hunter but we taped his skull out at 19.75 inches which is a quarter inch short of making it into B&C which is just crazy to me. This thing is enormous and as my buddy has constantly reminded me, I will likely never shoot a larger bear in my life. Not bad for my first bear I guess.

Here is a goofy grip and grin, a photo of the skull next to a 6.25" tall boy and the wound that was already on one of his pads. Wild animals are so much tougher than humans!

[highangle]

Congratulations John_B! You got O'l Slewfoot!

That cut pad prob affected his mobility and had him on an apple purge, so those hams should be extra good!

[gretch6364]

Yes…congrats to all the mags so far on great hunts. Just got back from moose camp…it went too fast and was prepared for a week of hunting, but it worked out great.

My lifelong hunting partner who I have known since kindergarten drew the moose tag. Him and my brother in law have struck up a friendship based around hunting, so he came along with us. Buddies dad was also right there as we planned out the shot, watched the bull and then the four of us spent the evening butchering and packing out.

Bull comes in just half an inch under 40 and of course the next morning while packing up camp a bigger bull wonders out in the meadow we could watch from camp.

So not the biggest and was shot opening day, but hell of a good memory and stoked we were standing with him when he shot. Brother in law has an elk tag in same unit for his wife in a couple weeks and him and I did a long hike and saw three bull elk…so hopefully they have a good season.




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[hatchgreenchile]

Nice work JohnB and Gretch!

When the draw stars align, moose (and bighorn) will be such a fun hunt.


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[Phall]

Great bear! Gretch you've had a season!

I'm never riding the MTB during hunting season again. Separated shoulder has me in recovery mode. Missed the waterfowl opener, probably out until late Oct. early Nov. May have a friend sherpa for me and get out to pull my camera and bring the rifle on the deer hunt. Keep the stoke coming, living vicariously at the moment! If anyone in UT has some really easy car access for elk on private, I'm all ears .

[CovertM]

Yes…congrats to all the mags so far on great hunts. Just got back from moose camp…it went too fast and was prepared for a week of hunting, but it worked out great.

My lifelong hunting partner who I have known since kindergarten drew the moose tag. Him and my brother in law have struck up a friendship based around hunting, so he came along with us. Buddies dad was also right there as we planned out the shot, watched the bull and then the four of us spent the evening butchering and packing out.

Bull comes in just half an inch under 40 and of course the next morning while packing up camp a bigger bull wonders out in the meadow we could watch from camp.

So not the biggest and was shot opening day, but hell of a good memory and stoked we were standing with him when he shot. Brother in law has an elk tag in same unit for his wife in a couple weeks and him and I did a long hike and saw three bull elk…so hopefully they have a good season.




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So awesome! But I can see the bittersweet of it ending on day 1.

I know the 42/421 and 444/47/471 Moose tag holders at the moment and have been trying to help out. They are not having as much luck getting it done. There was a good bull a couple weeks ago right up the pass behind Costner's house, but seems to have relocated.