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Scouting Trip

Fatrack

Fatrack

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
414
Location
Bozeman, MT
Hey guys, as the season is quickly approaching, thought I'd share some of my latest adventures!

Been out hiking a bunch lately and while out scouting some old stomping grounds, found some nice trails that lead me through the timber that had good sign all around.

View attachment 26504

While following the well used elk trail, it lead me into some dark, north facing timber. The temperature droped and as I followed the elk trail it lead me to an awesome wallow. Best part was, it was covered up with fresh sign.

View attachment 26505
 
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After seeing the activity around this wallow, I figured it was the perfect place to set up a trail camera. Now, I've never used a trail cam in the past so I was pretty excited to get this one up and let it sit for a while to see what kind of critters hit this water.

I followed the elk trails deeper into the back country and found some pretty cool stuff, including this pinch point in a saddle.

View attachment 26506

There were three trails that all converged in this saddle. One one side there was a steep rocky cliff and the other side was nasty timber and deadfall. I figured this was the perfect spot for an ambush site, they had to come through this saddle at some point, so I decided to build a little blind out of an old down tree.

View attachment 26507
 
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Every evening over the next month or so I'd been thinking about this spot and if the trail cam that I set up was taking any pictures. My plan was to let that camera sit there for about 4 weeks over the hottest part of the summer. The temps got into the 80's and I knew that due to the lack of water up in this high country, the water hole that I found had to be getting hit.

A month later I couldn't handle it anymore so I set out for a long drive and BIG hike back into the high country to check the camera. After the long, steep, bushwacking trip in there I anxiously approached the wallow to find it covered up with tracks....this was going to be good!

I pulled the camera out of the tree and quickly opened it up to find that I had captured over 1000 images! WTF??? Something had to be wrong!! Well, I went through the settings and found that I had the camera set to take a picture every second when there was movement in front of it.

On the long hike out all I could think about was what was on that camera! Was it one animal that stood there for a couple of hours, probably, but I kept optimistic.

The next day I finally got back to civilization and a computer. I plugged things in and started scrolling through the pics.....HOLY CRAP, I hit the mother load!!
 
Nice tease!!!!!!

Now let's see some damn pictures!!! :D

Sounds like you have a good spot staked out, hope it works out for you about 7 a.m. next Saturday!
 
I'm going to put a trail cam on your driveway. I need to know the type of truck you're driving and what time you're coming and going.;)

More elk picts please
 
Great looking animals, congrats. I hope they start ripping up that wallow, the rut is about here!
 
I'm getting reports of elk making noise. You should slip up to your secret spot for an evening and do some listening. But if I was you I'd drive some mixed up route around town, switch vehicles in a covered location, and slowdown when coming to an intersection to get them to turn yellow just before driving through them to loose anyone that might be following you. You can never be too careful these days. Oh ya and another thing, if you've been looking at maps on your computer your probably already hacked and Randy has sold your data to Lawnboy who is sifting through it as I speak. So I suggest you erase your hard drive just in case they haven't hacked you yet....use magnet, and then take a sledge hammer to it. While smashing your computer you might as well toss in your cell phone because where you go it usually goes and someone can track you so pull the battery and smash it up as well unless you want to toss it in some unsuspecting college students car to through off those that are following you. Good luck man.
Remember keep your honey hole protected at all costs.

PS if you need me to help protect your secret please e mail me lat lon of the wallow and the saddle with detailed info on what time animals are tending to visit the wallow.;)
 
Fatrack,

Not sure if it is not showing up on these pictures after you posted them but set you camera to date and time stamp the pictures so you know when the animals are there.
 
sweetnectar said:
I'm getting reports of elk making noise. )
Click to expand...

Oh boy I was wondering if you were going to post something about that. I was going to go for an early morning before light jaunt and see if I could hear anything. I think I'm going out early on a horse ride though and see if I can see some deer in my tag area.

Fat track we want more Picts.
 
Still waiting for the WAY better part. Don't get me wrong you have some awesome pics there but when you throw out a teaser like that...
 
PRMS0002.jpg

OK, its not Montana, but its the biggest Red Deer Stag i have ever seen where i shoot, i don't mind giving away its location, its in the county of Devon in the UK!
Cheers
Richard
 
ok guys...sorry about the wait there, but I don't do computers on the weekend.

Ok, so where was I, oh yes....trail cam pics. Here's a few more that were on the camera!

These guys showed up on the camera and got me pretty interested. I couldn't see what was up with the bull in the back...was he missing an antler?

View attachment 26554

Well, I got a bunch more pics of this duo and finally a good close up on what he had going on the other side. Would ya shoot this freak horn?

View attachment 26555
 
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Not only were there elk hitting this water source, but there were a few moose in there as well. Funny thing is, all of the time that I've spent in this area, I've never laid eyes on a moose.

This old girl liked this nice cool spot.

View attachment 26556

This was the biggest bull that used the area.

View attachment 26557

This little guy came in frequently. Actually, he laid in the wall for over three straight hours one afternoon in the heat of the day.

View attachment 26558
 
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Home away from home!


Nice view to wake up to.


Hope to run into one of these guys next saturday!
 
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