mtnrunner260
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 26, 2015
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I've been meaning to do this for awhile so here goes.
I reside in the dreaded state of Utah and participated in our coveted OTC hunters choice archery hunt this year(2017)
Day 1. Opening weekend was warm, hot even in the mountains. I was worried about meat spoilage so instead of packing in to the usual spot I opted for something a bit closer to the road and I had put a couple cameras up earlier in the area. I still packed in but just to get across a river. With it being warm I sat on some water opening morning but no action to be found. Moved mid day to another promising looking location. Had a couple guys come though. Nice dudes and we went our separate ways with neither of us feeling like staying was the right call. We each moved on but I didn't come across an elk opening day.
-After the season I checked the cams and a bull cam in just at last night where I was during midday.
Day 2. Despite the warmth I ventured farther in the second day with camp on my back. Ran into a couple small bucks and then working a ridge line spotted a bedded bull inside of 50 yards. He seemed aware something was amiss but hadn't nailed me down. I drew hoping he would stand in the next minute. He did just though but slowly walked away never presenting a shot do to the angle, distance and trees. Close call but never really close to having a good shot.
He was a small raghorn but as he left another bull moved out I hadn't seen who gave me a brief glimpse on a good 6 pt rack. After putting the arrow back in the quiver I hadn't made it another 50 yards down the ridge when I ran into a hunter. I had spooked the bulls right in front of him. He drew but no shot. Unintentionally we almost had them in a squeeze play. We exchanged numbers and went on our way.
Day 3. After having my slumber under the tarp interrupted by elk running past in the night I was hopeful for my last day. Basically I saw some neat country but no elk. Got 1 nice sunset pic and back to work for a week.
Day 4 and 5. Tried a different spot a buddy and I have hit in the past. Ran into a couple hunters, never saw an elk. Its a smaller area and felt it was played out so headed home early to score some brownie points at home. Did get a dusky grouse on the way out. Also enjoyed a very nice camp site.
The next weekend was spent earning more browning points.
Day 6. Sunday and the hunt ends on Friday. My wife and I teach the 5 and 6 year olds at church so I left the house as soon as I was out of my tie and hiked in to my best spot in the dark. Threw the bivy out on the side of the trail about a half mile from "The Spot" and set an early alarm. I need to preface this trip with another buddy went in the Friday and Saturday before and said it was nothing but other hunters. But he doesn't go much further in then where I dropped the bivy. I worked through a series of meadows not seeing any elk. Ran into a spike and cow in some thick stuff. I'm sure it was more the size of the spike but man this cow seemed huge. Was really tempting to make a move on her but I debated to long and the gig was up. But always fun to have elk inside of 30 yards. After this I did my glassing loop above tree line. Really surprised I didn't turn up a single elk. The words of my buddy saying there were dudes all over were replaying in my head on a loop.
I moved back down into the trees and saw a tent. Man there really are people packed in here. I didn't knock or see anyone. I hit the stream for a water fill up
Not long after this it started to hail a bit. Typically these storms blow over quickly. I just keep going in my lightest hunting clothes. After 10 minutes I thought about seeking shelter. I spent the next 2 hours moving from semi dead to semi dead lodge pole getting soaked and eventually fairly cold. As soon as the storm lifted I hear a bugle. I'm still not terribly far from that tent and just assume its them. I put on another layer with the idea of hiking until I'm at least warm if not dry. Hears another bugle. I cow call and get an instant response with chuckles on the end now. I'm still thinking hunter and we call back and forth a bit. Finally I decide to head the other way and find literally steaming elk poo. Man that must of been a bull. He bugles moving away and I just don't think I'll catch him nor do I have any confidence in my calling abilities so I head back to camp. I've got everything I own on and starting to warm up.
The plan is to just hunt back to camp, have a mtn house, warm up by the fire and hit it hard tomorrow. I see another elk on the way but not able to make a play.
At this point I'm 300 yards from camp but what am I doing up here if I don't at least hit one more area.
Another bugle and now I'm going to play everyone like its a real elk. I bugle back and move up a bit. Knock an arrow and lo and behold here comes a bull. I draw as he's goes behind a tree at 40. I hold and I hold and I hold...
He never came out the other side so I pull up the binos and can't pick him up anywhere. I moved up to the tree he was behind and peek around the side. There he is 100 yards away staring at me. I figured it's over so just freeze and watch him for a minute. Finally he starts grazing so I got the tube and bugled again. He has to navigate a path through the timber on his way in giving me a chance to draw and he gets to a big log facing me straight on.
He's close and I'm worried he'll bust so I take the frontal shot.
There's a 5 gallon bucket full of blood sprayed on the tree as he whirls. He crosses another old dead white log and paints a wide swath red. I hear him crash just out of sight.
I plan on waiting 30 minutes just to be safe but at about 3 minutes I can't take it any more. The tracking job is short.
I got him quartered, the rest of the meat in bags and hung in a tree. Back to camp around 10:30.
Woke up the next morning and hit a high point with cell service. Sent my dad the message and he was on his way with the horses. What a great feeling.
I'm sure thankful for dumb young bulls. Got him cut and wrapped with some help from my boys.
Smoked back straps are on another level.
I wanted to share my experience and have a record of it for myself as well.
Thanks for reading it.
I reside in the dreaded state of Utah and participated in our coveted OTC hunters choice archery hunt this year(2017)
Day 1. Opening weekend was warm, hot even in the mountains. I was worried about meat spoilage so instead of packing in to the usual spot I opted for something a bit closer to the road and I had put a couple cameras up earlier in the area. I still packed in but just to get across a river. With it being warm I sat on some water opening morning but no action to be found. Moved mid day to another promising looking location. Had a couple guys come though. Nice dudes and we went our separate ways with neither of us feeling like staying was the right call. We each moved on but I didn't come across an elk opening day.
-After the season I checked the cams and a bull cam in just at last night where I was during midday.
Day 2. Despite the warmth I ventured farther in the second day with camp on my back. Ran into a couple small bucks and then working a ridge line spotted a bedded bull inside of 50 yards. He seemed aware something was amiss but hadn't nailed me down. I drew hoping he would stand in the next minute. He did just though but slowly walked away never presenting a shot do to the angle, distance and trees. Close call but never really close to having a good shot.
He was a small raghorn but as he left another bull moved out I hadn't seen who gave me a brief glimpse on a good 6 pt rack. After putting the arrow back in the quiver I hadn't made it another 50 yards down the ridge when I ran into a hunter. I had spooked the bulls right in front of him. He drew but no shot. Unintentionally we almost had them in a squeeze play. We exchanged numbers and went on our way.
Day 3. After having my slumber under the tarp interrupted by elk running past in the night I was hopeful for my last day. Basically I saw some neat country but no elk. Got 1 nice sunset pic and back to work for a week.
Day 4 and 5. Tried a different spot a buddy and I have hit in the past. Ran into a couple hunters, never saw an elk. Its a smaller area and felt it was played out so headed home early to score some brownie points at home. Did get a dusky grouse on the way out. Also enjoyed a very nice camp site.
The next weekend was spent earning more browning points.
Day 6. Sunday and the hunt ends on Friday. My wife and I teach the 5 and 6 year olds at church so I left the house as soon as I was out of my tie and hiked in to my best spot in the dark. Threw the bivy out on the side of the trail about a half mile from "The Spot" and set an early alarm. I need to preface this trip with another buddy went in the Friday and Saturday before and said it was nothing but other hunters. But he doesn't go much further in then where I dropped the bivy. I worked through a series of meadows not seeing any elk. Ran into a spike and cow in some thick stuff. I'm sure it was more the size of the spike but man this cow seemed huge. Was really tempting to make a move on her but I debated to long and the gig was up. But always fun to have elk inside of 30 yards. After this I did my glassing loop above tree line. Really surprised I didn't turn up a single elk. The words of my buddy saying there were dudes all over were replaying in my head on a loop.
I moved back down into the trees and saw a tent. Man there really are people packed in here. I didn't knock or see anyone. I hit the stream for a water fill up
Not long after this it started to hail a bit. Typically these storms blow over quickly. I just keep going in my lightest hunting clothes. After 10 minutes I thought about seeking shelter. I spent the next 2 hours moving from semi dead to semi dead lodge pole getting soaked and eventually fairly cold. As soon as the storm lifted I hear a bugle. I'm still not terribly far from that tent and just assume its them. I put on another layer with the idea of hiking until I'm at least warm if not dry. Hears another bugle. I cow call and get an instant response with chuckles on the end now. I'm still thinking hunter and we call back and forth a bit. Finally I decide to head the other way and find literally steaming elk poo. Man that must of been a bull. He bugles moving away and I just don't think I'll catch him nor do I have any confidence in my calling abilities so I head back to camp. I've got everything I own on and starting to warm up.
The plan is to just hunt back to camp, have a mtn house, warm up by the fire and hit it hard tomorrow. I see another elk on the way but not able to make a play.
At this point I'm 300 yards from camp but what am I doing up here if I don't at least hit one more area.
Another bugle and now I'm going to play everyone like its a real elk. I bugle back and move up a bit. Knock an arrow and lo and behold here comes a bull. I draw as he's goes behind a tree at 40. I hold and I hold and I hold...
He never came out the other side so I pull up the binos and can't pick him up anywhere. I moved up to the tree he was behind and peek around the side. There he is 100 yards away staring at me. I figured it's over so just freeze and watch him for a minute. Finally he starts grazing so I got the tube and bugled again. He has to navigate a path through the timber on his way in giving me a chance to draw and he gets to a big log facing me straight on.
He's close and I'm worried he'll bust so I take the frontal shot.
There's a 5 gallon bucket full of blood sprayed on the tree as he whirls. He crosses another old dead white log and paints a wide swath red. I hear him crash just out of sight.
I plan on waiting 30 minutes just to be safe but at about 3 minutes I can't take it any more. The tracking job is short.
I got him quartered, the rest of the meat in bags and hung in a tree. Back to camp around 10:30.
Woke up the next morning and hit a high point with cell service. Sent my dad the message and he was on his way with the horses. What a great feeling.
I'm sure thankful for dumb young bulls. Got him cut and wrapped with some help from my boys.
Smoked back straps are on another level.
I wanted to share my experience and have a record of it for myself as well.
Thanks for reading it.
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