2020 Season - Priorities / Live Hunt

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We arrived at the trailhead to plan B around noon on Sat 9/19 and ran into an archery deer hunter preparing to head solo with a couple horses into the backcountry. We conversed about tactics and what he was seeing. Where he was going was up near timberline 2500’ up, 500’ down a pass...5.5 miles deep. He indicated there was a large herd of elk with lots of bugling happening and even offered to help with the pack out if he was still up there. With no llamas or horses rented this year, that was a very generous offer. I was hopeful that we wouldn’t have to go that deep to be in the action. Off to plan A where the bull encounter happened earlier in the month.

 

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Plan A has a path that goes to lakes at 12k feet (about 5 miles) and another path that has a lake at 1 mile. There’s lots of hiking traffic above timberline and to the lake at mile 1. Beyond that, the next lake is 5 miles from steep to steadily uphill so not many venture past the first lake. We ran into the bugling bull earlier in the month around mile 2. So that’s where we started the 1st evening hunt.

 

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We covered about 3 miles from the trail-take-off point trying to find fresh sign and listening for elk bugles. We did some calling, moved high and low across the mountain. Found some beautiful meadows but not much elk Activity and no calls.

As someone who grew up squirrel and rabbit hunting in east TN, elk country always amazes me. Even whitetail hunting middle TN and eventually GA (and now TX), the home range of the game I pursued was relatively small. You find a good draw, saddle, thicket, patch of timber and you are in the game. In elk country, there are so many places that have elk sign and look like prime-time spots. It can be overwhelming when the elk are not talking.

We decided to camp at the meadow on the way to plan B.

 

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Our bodies were exhausted from the travel, lack of sleep and hiking on day 1. So we slept in a little moving out at daylight. I was pleasantly surprised that most of the hunters had moved out. There were still 2 archery elk parties with about 5 total hunters in this area. One had been there off and on since opening day. I got the download from them after our morning drive on how the hunt was going and who had experienced success. The elk simply weren’t talking yet and the grind was wearing people down. Residents who had experience in this unit for multiple years were very frustrated. With warmer temps and moon becoming more full each day, the concern was the season was going to be a flop - not acceptable!

 

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With all the pressure And the sheep that had moved thru the area, I studied the maps and tried to figure where the elk might escape to within 3-5 miles of this valley. The afternoon hunt, we explored a shallow, long strip of timber right off the road but very steep the first few hundred yards. The timber looked thick from the road but actually thinned enough to have great feed that the elk could browse in cover with big meadows not too far away to hit at night. There was lots of sign. Though nothing was talking, we found enough fresh sign to feel like we were onto something. This would be our morning hunt the following day.

 

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Day 3: Monday Up and at it at 5a and in position in the woods by 5:45a waiting on daylight. Listening in vain for any bugles. We covered a bunch of country seeing lots of sign - old and some not so old but nothing super fresh. We continued to do some calling set-ups with cow reed calls, rubbing trees and an occasional locator bugle. About 10a we were about 2 miles from the truck doing a call sequence. I think we woke a group of elk up. 2 cows and a small rag horn bull popped out about 70-80 yards away from my position but moving at a brisk walk away thru a saddle. I did a squeal bugle just in case there was a big bull following. The 3 elk hauled tail and the big one didn’t show. We put our packs back on and were just about to move out when a cow and a calf showed up from the same draw. They were headed on the same path as the 3 previous elk. Still hoping to see antlers appear, we froze but were pegged. After 5 minutes, the cow/calf moved off. Loved it. The hearts were beating and we were in the game. Didn’t get to see the big bull but we found some elk. We hunted the same ridge for the afternoon hunt. There was a narrow meadow that angled from low to high that had lots of sign. We decided to sit and listen. Then back to camp. Encouraged by the elk encounters and excited about the next day.

 

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That night, we heard bugles about 30 minutes after daylight. The bugles were in multiple spots. Two fairly close on opposing sides of the meadow surrounding camp and one deep at the head of the draw where the meadow curls up the hill. The area directly behind camp had been timbered for about a mile. Will be a great place to elk hunt in a year or two.

Hearing bugles fueled the fire. We decided to give the area we hunted in the a.m. a rest. After studying Onyxmaps and trying to figure out how we could approach the bull at the head of the meadow, we found a road that would put us within a mile of some timber that looked like a promising bedding area and some terrain that would discourage other hunters.

 

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Day 4 (Tuesday): We are up at 4:45a and in position by 6a. The woods are quiet. The wind is what we expected and in our favor. All we needed was a bugle....and 5 minutes later we got it.

My buddy is new to reed calls. He struggled early. Our plan was for him to try limited cow calls and rub the tree about 50-75 yards behind me. I would cow call 3 times for him to come up if the call set was over. We circled a couple hundred yards down and towards the bull to keep the wind in our favor for an approach. The morning is just barely legal shooting light and we are within a couple hundred Yards of a bugling bull. This is September elk hunting! Once again the bull slipped to within 30 yards without making a sound. I heard him run off and was baffled as to why. When I turned, my buddy was sneaking up thinking that the other bull bugling about 300 yards away was “our” bull and we needed to move. His look of Oh Chit, I screwed up didn’t I said it all. But there was still a bugling bull to chase so no time for a pity party.

We took off after the other bugling bull and repeated the sequence. This bull did some chuckles and was within a 100 yards but would not commit. He went silent but noted where he was headed - deeper and steeper.

 

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For the pm hunt, we tried a different area that required us to navigate thru some cliffs to get to another heavily timbered ridge behind camp. The hike was brutal, the wind didn’t cooperate but we got a lay of the land. The elk sign wasn’t as good as we’d seen in other areas but there was one really nice draw that like a good funnel for game. Back at camp that night, we had more bugles for about 1 hour after dark. The moon was nearly a half moon by now but went down relatively early. The morning hunt, we planned to be right back in the same spot with hopes that a repeat scenario would occur.

 

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I failed to mention that between the am and pm hunt, we had a visitor near camp. We’d had several mule deer does moving on the the edge of the timbered hillside just 50 yards from our tent. But my buddy spotted a bull moose. We took lots of video and pics from close range. The bull then bedded down. Pretty cool to see such a large animal at closer range.

 

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Day 5 we left camp with lots of optimism that the previous mornings opportunity would repeat, only we wouldn’t screw it up. We were in position an hour before daylight. This was one of the colder mornings so the waiting put a quick chill on us that must have carried over to the elk’s ability to bugle. We pressed on in the direction the bull appeared to be traveling the day before. All the trails led downhill and though steep, we covered lots of ground. We found lots of beds, scrapes and even some fresh poop. But there were no bugles and no elk. The temperature warmed up a good bit this day and though we planned to stay out all day, we decided a burger in town would be a better plan. As we turned to head back to the truck, it became apparent just how far, deep and steep we had come. We thanked our lucky stars not to have killed an elk down in that H**L hole. Never has a burger tasted so good. That evening, we headed back to the meadow not far from the road to “recover.”

I took the high entry point and my buddy sat the lower part of the meadow that opened up to a much wider spot. He was on the edge of the meadow so if he saw elk, he could duck back into the timber and come get me. We didn’t hold much hope of seeing anything but figured it was better than sitting in camp.

Just before dark, I heard branches break and caught a glimpse of antler’s glimmering in the remaining light. The arrow was knocked and the heart was racing. The entry point to the meadow was 55 yards - well within range. Finally I saw brown and prepared to execute only to discover that another moose was cruising country. Grunting with every step, I was treated to a bull moose on the move. I wondered if my buddy would get to see moose as well. Turns out he walked within 5 yards of my buddy. A little too close for comfort but added to the adventure.

 

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After the PM hunt, we heard the typical bugles thru dinner. A few more hunters showed up to finish the season out. Since we’d hiked all over the head of the draw where the meadow ends the last 2 days, we decided to give that area a rest and investigate the area above the bluffs not far from camp. Since this bull had only been bugling 30 minutes after light in the evening, we anticipated that he would be further up the ridge by morning light. With the wind coming down the ridge, we eased thru the timber prior to daylight and waited for the action - which never came. Crickets. So we pushed on further up the ridge.

When the elk aren’t talking, it can seem so hopeless. After 11 years without putting a tag on one (granted passed on many smaller bulls because of what we’d seen - but still empty coolers at the end of the day), there are lots of moments of doubt. I’m too old for this. Why do I work so hard to stay in shape only to get my teeth kicked in? Could I be a worse elk hunter? What a waste of points - too dry, too much pressure, what happened to bugle fest?

So we sat down to eat a bfast snack. Bacon jerky and trail mix. We talked about the next plan. Head back down the hill to the truck or push on up thru the timbered hillside. We talked about staying in the game and it only takes one moment for everything to turn around. And then there was a bugle.

 

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Or was it another hunter. We’d been fooled before. After all the bugle came from the down wind side of the hill we’d already covered earlier that morning. Surely we would have blown out any elk down there. Wait that was a bugle with a chuckle. Let’s do this.

My hunting buddy just started using a reed call. Can’t do a bugle or diaphragm. So our calling sets are a few cow calls, stepping on / breaking branches and rubbing a tree to simulate an agitated bull. I’ve messed up at least 2 times being too close to the caller so I hustled to get 80+ yards separation between caller and my location In the direction of the bull. As soon as I get the arrow nocked, the bull bugles 100 yards away. I adjust around a tree to keep a lane just downhill while maintaining a good lane straight across on the same elevation. The bull is coming up from below.

 

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My buddy starts the calling sequence. After just a short time, I see the bull angling uphill towards our direction at a very relaxed but steady walk. There were a couple pauses as the bull would listen and then continue towards the commotion. When the bull was about 50-60 yards away, I felt I needed to draw. My single slider pin was set at 35 yards. with my secondary pin at 43 yards. I had a couple different trees ranged to help me bracket the hold if necessary and I had practiced using the 35 yard pin at 30, 25 and 20 yards to adjust the hold if necessary.

The bull stopped at 35 yards. There’s a bush in the power line where I practice that is 35 yards. At nearly every single practice session, I shot at least one arrow at that range. I felt so confident at that range. The bull was relaxed, had no clue that I was there and was looking to the side and behind me where my partner cleverly had adjusted a little bit down hill. I will never forget the arch of that arrow. I worked so hard all summer in preparation. I did not want to screw up when given the opportunity and it is so gratifying to execute.

The bull was hit hard. He went about 15 yards down the hill and tipped over. I am so thankful for a quick death. The hike out was short distance wise but worked us over. My hunting buddy and I have some great memories and full freezers. The antlers will go to my buddy who has been with me on many of these trips despite not having a tag himself. Without his calling, this likely doesn’t happen.

The hard work, preparation, vacation, long drive, long hikes, summer practice, summer strength and conditioning, new arrows, new release, studying maps, staying on the mountain, cost, all validated in that short moment. The adventure is always what we are after. Testing ourselves against the animal and the elements they call home. All the failures and mistakes just add to the adventure but it sure is nice for everything to come together every now and then. 2020 can now be remembered for more than just COVID. 2020 will be the year the stars lined up and this hunter killed his first archery bull. Thank you CO! Lord willing I have several more Septembers left in the tank to chase bugling elk.

 

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