Cow Elk Hunting Thoughts and Recap

[williaada]

I have been chasing elk for the last few years, learning how to apply, plan, and actually go hunt. After this year, I finally felt like I had something to share, and I also have a question for the members who have been at this longer. This question will be at the very end.

Last winter, I started planning my possible hunts for the year and applied in four different states to hunt elk. I did not draw an elk tag in any of the original draws, so I decided to choose a leftover tag in Wyoming. Having done a couple of these tags in past years, I have learned the following:

• The unit will seem small until you are actually in the field.
• Learn the access points and spend a day figuring out how to navigate to different locations.
• There are a select few people who regularly kill elk on public land, bull or cow.
• Plan on hunting longer than a week, with a couple of rest mornings or days built in.

I came out for my hunt the week before Thanksgiving, excited to be back in Wyoming and hunting elk. I left later than planned because I had to stop at the range and recheck my rifle after removing my suppressor. I had put the suppressor on my other rifle so my son could deer hunt with my brothers and dad back in Michigan.

The drive out seemed to take forever. While traveling west, I was speaking with my wife about her and my three oldest flying out to take part in some of the elk hunting. We decided they would all fly out, and I would meet them after I finished hunting for the day.

After arriving in the town I planned to hunt from, I checked into my lodging, pulled out all of my hunting gear, repacked my pack, and made a plan for which access points I wanted to locate. A local friend gave me some intel on where a few elk had been seen earlier in the week, and this became the first location on my list to check.

I arrived at the spot before sunrise and spent about 45 minutes locating the access points between public and private land. I geared up and went on a four-mile hike to see if I could locate any elk in the area. The only animals I was able to locate were mule deer in the rut.

Will continue to post as time allows.

 

[williaada]

The rest of the day was spent driving to different locations, checking parking areas and access points. As I worked my way along the roads, I took notes on how many vehicles were at each spot, whether hunters were near their trucks, and how many parking spaces were available. From this scouting, I was able to narrow down a list of places I wanted to hunt the following morning. I eventually made it back to my base camp and checked in with both home and work.

While I was scouting, an issue came up at work that required my attention. I had a meeting scheduled for the following day at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, which meant I had to adjust my hunting plans to ensure I could attend the team meeting.

The next morning, I arrived at my first location to find three other trucks already in the parking lot. I geared up and started hiking toward the spot I planned to glass from. As I moved farther in, I could hear additional vehicles pulling in and people unloading at the trailhead to start their hunts. Hiking in the dark took about 45 minutes longer than I had anticipated. By the time I reached my glassing spot, I needed to turn around and head back toward the truck to find cell service for the team call.

Back at the trailhead, I noticed three more trucks and several additional hunters beginning their hike in. After eventually finding cell service, I checked in with my wife to let her know I was safe, then spent about 90 minutes on the call—effectively ending the remainder of my morning hunt. Frustrated that work had consumed the morning, I headed out for the next spot.

When I arrived at the next parking area, there were two vehicles and a couple of guys finishing their hike back to their trucks. As I passed them, I asked if they had seen any elk. They said yes—about 20 bulls and spikes bedded in a small bowl. I geared up and headed in, stopping frequently to glass for elk. When I finally reached the bowl, I couldn’t locate any animals. I continued on until I ran into a property boundary, then chose a different route back to the truck.

I needed to get back into town to meet another HT at one of the local restaurants. We met up, had a beer, and finally put a name to a face. I really enjoyed the evening and left excited about the prospect of having a full day to hunt.

 

[undercover]

This is how I’m visioning my first cow elk hunt will go. Fellow michigander(I hate that name) and following