Ever walk past an elk that was watching you?

[Big Fin]

Opening day of elk season this year, we had some other hunters down below in the area elk usually move through. Since they had camped down there, I decided to stay higher and just watch what might happen for the morning.

I've seen some crazy things out elk hunting, but this is a first. Makes me wonder if this has ever happened to me when I had my head down and was just trekking to the next glassing knob.

 

[BlakeA]

Ha, I'm sure this has happened to all of us a time or two. Cool footage!

 

[hank4elk]

Opening day of elk season this year, we had some other hunters down below in the area elk usually move through. Since they had camped down there, I decided to stay higher and just watch what might happen for the morning.

I've seen some crazy things out elk hunting, but this is a first. Makes me wonder if this has ever happened to me when I had my head down and was just trekking to the next glassing knob.

Had a cow catch me zipping up last year. I had walked right past her and needed to relieve myself. Never saw her and she did not see me peeing. She just walked out from where I had been. 20ft away.

 

[Caseknife]

I am sure it has happened to me mainly because of the timber I prefer to hunt. I have been surprised to see elk feeding or just standing there when I look up, makes me wonder how many others I just walked by.

 

[CRJR45]

I have a video of me in Newfoundland walking right by a decent size moose , I couldn't see it because of the rise in elevation , but the guys up on the ridge videoed the whole thing .

 

[seeth07]

Opening day of elk season this year, we had some other hunters down below in the area elk usually move through. Since they had camped down there, I decided to stay higher and just watch what might happen for the morning.

I've seen some crazy things out elk hunting, but this is a first. Makes me wonder if this has ever happened to me when I had my head down and was just trekking to the next glassing knob.

You mean opening day of elk last year right? That doesn't look like an August rifle hunt?

 

[QuazyQuinton]

Knowing how many animals I've stumbled into and spooked at close range because I wasn't paying attention, I'm sure it has happened to me. Elk may not tolerate it so much, but a blacktail for sure will stand and watch you walk by.

QQ

 

[Oak]

That <1 minute clip will get more views than any conservation video you've done.....

 

[2rocky]

I'm positive this has happened to me with Blacktail bucks. Probably a couple times hunting elk too...

 

[Big Fin]

That <1 minute clip will get more views than any conservation video you've done.....

True. Unfortunate reality, but true.

 

[Doublecluck]

Second one was a nice bull..

 

[Salmonchaser]

Hell, not only elk and blacktails, PH, tracker and I making a stalk on an exceptional Kudu did the same thing with 3 giraffe. How the hell do you walk by three giraffe?

 

[recon6036]

I watched it last night….wow!
Even my wife said “how the heck can he not see those big Elk?”

 

[hunter49]

This one still stings to this day but was a good learning lesson.

Had a spot on the prairie I could take my Dad with when I went out spot and stalk, and he could sit on a knob and watch the valley below from the truck with binos. He cant hunt anymore but would enjoy going when he could tag along and glass or feel useful in camp.

Anyway. Dropped in from camp one morning and was working my way back to a differnt glassing knob to get a new angle that day.

I'm about there and I see a couple deer in the bottom so I drop my stuff and get the tripod setup. I'm glasssing and glassing. Trying not to loose them. At this point its daybreak and everything is cleary visible. I'm so focused on not losing the deer cause I know if you blink wrong you can sometimes lose them. That I zoned out completely from my immediate surroundings. After a couple minutes I get this odd sensation that something is watching me. I peel my eye off of the spotter and barely glance to my right. And there stands a nice 4 point not 15 yards away just staring me down trying to figure out what this thing laying prone on the ground is.

After a couple min standoff he just bounds down the hill and out of my life.

When I get back to the truck for lunch.

Dad for the life of him couldn't stop laughing.

Said he watched that buck. Walk from about 200 yards out all the way to on top of me. He couldnt figure out why i wasnt shooting. Best I could figure was he must of seen me walking in the dawn light and got curious when I laid down to glass.

 

[Khunter]

Cool video. Once I walked past a bunch of cows and spikes that were looking at me at 70 yards on my way to a bull I subsequently arrowed a couple hundred yards further. Had just a few minutes of shooting light and no time to tiptoe around so just kept moving as they watched me. Granted this was in a willow bottom and I was hunting in sandals and jeans cuz I was just sure it was a fools errand while I was scouting moose at last light so took off from the truck with a license knife bow and flashlight. But ended up with an elk for the trouble. They could of cared less. One of those deals where there are so many elk and the rut is on and they are so close that you get away with almost anything.

 

[Bill Zent]

I have walked past many an animal watching me. If it is not one I want I will not look at it again until I get to where it thinks I am no longer a danger, and then will glass the area. It all depends on the distance, terrain and what animal.

 

[get-n-birdy]

Was there just enough topography there to hide the first elk from the two guys? The first elk looked like he never saw them either, but that elk looked a touch lower and shielded by the cover a bit more. The 2nd elk looked out in the opening more, not so close to the cover and a bit higher than the first and even he didn't see the guy till it looked like the guy gained a little elevation? Hard to tell from that far away, but a little angle can hide a lot. Great footage and catch by the guy behind the scope!

 

[Rack Daniels]

Mannnnn I had a couple’a guys tell me I had a great big bull right by me when I crossed this drainage and my buddy and I thought those guys are UNDOUBTEDLY yanking our chains…. Especially the spot they were said to have been hiding… I suppose it’s really possible!

 

[Kiwi]

I'm sure we have walked past animals that were close by. But the lesson is keep stopping and look around. Seemed like the hunter in your video was looking down the whole time.

 

[rlg1965]

Opening day of elk season this year, we had some other hunters down below in the area elk usually move through. Since they had camped down there, I decided to stay higher and just watch what might happen for the morning.

I've seen some crazy things out elk hunting, but this is a first. Makes me wonder if this has ever happened to me when I had my head down and was just trekking to the next glassing knob.

That is Wild!