Southern Elk
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It’s 99 here in SW Montana.
Hottest opener ever?
- Thread starter Southern Elk
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YukonGold
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- Aug 19, 2022
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80 in the Bitterroot!
And smoky. mtmuley
PaulRevere
Well-known member
I'm a bartender in Missoula. Like clockwork, I heard a guy on the phone chatting with his buddy who had wounded a bull and couldn't find it. I wanted to vomit. Welcome to archery season.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I had yesterday off of work and spent it high in the mountains looking for Grouse. It was hotter than hell yesterday, which wasn’t as hot as it is today.
It was fun, and to each their own, but I don’t know how much I would enjoy chasing elk today. I suppose it’s better than yardwork, but it just doesn’t feel like fall - just doesn’t feel like hunting season yet.
Tons and tons of utvs with camouflaged drivers zipping by the house today headed for the hills though.
It was fun, and to each their own, but I don’t know how much I would enjoy chasing elk today. I suppose it’s better than yardwork, but it just doesn’t feel like fall - just doesn’t feel like hunting season yet.
Tons and tons of utvs with camouflaged drivers zipping by the house today headed for the hills though.
I was working with a guy this week and he said he was going elk hunting this weekend with three other coworkers. I asked him his comfortable shooting range, and I was expecting 30-40 yards, mostly bc he was a first time archery hunter. When he said he was comfortable to 70 yards, I asked again for clarification. I used to bow hunt a lot and 35-40 yards was my max with a compound and 20-25 yards traditional. When he continued on talking about shooting competition and ear shooting at 80 yards I knew a lot of tracking and/or lost game would result from their hunting trips.
I had a young sporting goods salesman this summer tell me that a percussion muzzleloader with a 32-inch barrel was comparable to shooting a modern bow and arrow, “mostly a 50-70 yard game”. I tried to reason with the guy saying that a .50/.54 caliber bullet would be traveling over a 1000 fps, and arrow half the speed of sound and animals can react/move considerably. I knew the long beard and flat brim he was wearing it was a lost cause.
I assume you hear the same during rifle season
I would have been on my way up the mountain to help instead of sitting in a bar. mtmuley
MTHunter1321
Well-known member
Bar must have had AC.
shrapnel
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I shot mine at 8:00 am this morning, left him for a reasonable spell to die. Came back looking for him and found him not 50 yards from where I shot him. He was already swelling up, and it wasn’t that hot here.
I got him down to a cooler in Belgrade by 2:30 with no problems. We did peel him out and quarter him to get the heat out.
It was 100 degrees in Belgrade when I got there..
I got him down to a cooler in Belgrade by 2:30 with no problems. We did peel him out and quarter him to get the heat out.
It was 100 degrees in Belgrade when I got there..
Irishman
Well-known member
I stayed home because of the heat. My son went out, and I was trying to talk him out of it, then I remembered that he can only hunt weekends, and that I'd be out hunting if that was all I could hunt too. So the decision to hunt or not depends on your circumstances.
It didn't get as hot as expected here in NW Montana, because all the smoke blocked out the sun. This was our first real smoke this year. Hot dry weather for 2 months, and no smoke until now, been lucky. Looks like the smoke will be around until the weather changes next week.
It didn't get as hot as expected here in NW Montana, because all the smoke blocked out the sun. This was our first real smoke this year. Hot dry weather for 2 months, and no smoke until now, been lucky. Looks like the smoke will be around until the weather changes next week.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Looks like it is going to be hot all week in SE MT. Stay safe out there, heat stroke is real possibility and be very careful with fire.
Elkwhisper
Well-known member
As expected it was pretty warmish here in the middle of MT. Had some great action for the first 90 minutes or so and was able to get in front of a herd headed for timber. Had a 270ish bull pushing the cows and could have been done right at first light.
After the herd pushed by I saw a cow limping bad trailing the herd. Ended up cutting her off and waiting for her to hobble by. Thought about punching the cow tag and "putting her out of her misery" when she stumbled past at 7 yards.... but really didn't want to deal with a cow in the heat on opening morning. When she finally just about stepped on me and spooked she made tracks much faster than I would have expected...so I am hopeful she will be fine .
Had two more bulls trailing the herd come by inside 50 yards about 20 minutes later...but they were much easier to let walk than the first one.
After the herd pushed by I saw a cow limping bad trailing the herd. Ended up cutting her off and waiting for her to hobble by. Thought about punching the cow tag and "putting her out of her misery" when she stumbled past at 7 yards.... but really didn't want to deal with a cow in the heat on opening morning. When she finally just about stepped on me and spooked she made tracks much faster than I would have expected...so I am hopeful she will be fine .
Had two more bulls trailing the herd come by inside 50 yards about 20 minutes later...but they were much easier to let walk than the first one.
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Elkwhisper
Well-known member
Got awful hot after that and was back to camp by 9am....which was good cause we had a bull to take care of. My buddy has limited time this season so tagged out at first light on a raghorn.
We all sat water last night and while I had lots of deer and turkeys come in...the elk left me high and dry. The other two blinds were better. Mike had cows and spickes come in...but held off.
Gina on the other hand.... let one fly and took home her second archery elk and first 6x6 with a bow.
I about got it done this morning when I cut off a herd headed to some steep dark timber. Had the big bull broadside bugling at 52 yards...but that was 2 yards the wrong side og the fence. Whole herd jumped the fence about 60 yards from me behind a screen of trees and the cows fed out 35 yards below me. Thought it was going to be a slam dunk. Bull had other ideas, and skirted wide. Could have maybe threaded one in at 60 yards but didn't want to push it....Too bad because this one was definitely over the self imposed 300" limit I am trying to stick to.
Cooler temps should make next weekend interesting.
We all sat water last night and while I had lots of deer and turkeys come in...the elk left me high and dry. The other two blinds were better. Mike had cows and spickes come in...but held off.
Gina on the other hand.... let one fly and took home her second archery elk and first 6x6 with a bow.
I about got it done this morning when I cut off a herd headed to some steep dark timber. Had the big bull broadside bugling at 52 yards...but that was 2 yards the wrong side og the fence. Whole herd jumped the fence about 60 yards from me behind a screen of trees and the cows fed out 35 yards below me. Thought it was going to be a slam dunk. Bull had other ideas, and skirted wide. Could have maybe threaded one in at 60 yards but didn't want to push it....Too bad because this one was definitely over the self imposed 300" limit I am trying to stick to.
Cooler temps should make next weekend interesting.
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PaulRevere
Well-known member
I politely gave him shit, since I was working. I told him his pal should take a better shot next time. Probably a little judgemental... but I don't give a hoot.
Rhinocesaurus
Member
This was my first time out as an archery hunter. I decided to try a new spot in the bitterroot that’s a little too busy for me during rifle season just to check it out. Was 45 in the mornings and 75ish during the heat of the day (though it felt hotter) so nowhere near as bad as others experienced. Checked out 3 seemingly good drainages up high one day, but saw no fresh sign and the only bugles I heard were from other hunters. Ran into another guy who had hiked in from the opposite side and he experienced the same as me. Tried a nearby spot about 2,000 feet lower in elevation the next day and got the same result - no fresh sign and quiet.
Southern Elk
Well-known member
Yesterday was the smokiest day of the year. The heatwave is supposed to break tomorrow. Hopefully the smoke clears out too.
