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Tag soup 2015

Pagosa

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Nov 13, 2011
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Montana
Well with the season wrapping up I didn't fill a elk tag in Montana. This is my 2nd year as a resident, but have hunted in Montana five other times. I thought elk hunting would be slam dump this year since I Lucked out last year and got a six point in 4 days in 2014.
Anyhow I hunted nine hard days this season from opening day until yesterday. I managed to see lots of elk and could have filled several cow, spike tags, only had a general tag and region 4 b tag.
I learned a lot about elk hunting in Montana this year and found two excellent spots for next year. I still consider it a successful season and really enjoyed my time afield. Good luck out there guys.
 
I'll be eating a cow tag but all the rest are filled. Didn't even go cow hunting figured I'd save one this year
 
It wasn't exactly meatless. I filled both of my deer tags in northwest MT, just no luck on elk. I'm going to check into the shoulder season in region 4 and contact the hunt coordinator in Great Falls. If I can reduce the size of the photos I will try to post some pictures from this season. Does anyone know how to reduce the picture size? Take care guys.
 
Kalispell, but mostly hunt region 3 for elk. I still don't want to spend the time learning to hunt region 1 due too limited numbers of elk, and lots of pressure.
 
For the first time in many years, I did not pull a trigger on a cow elk. The warm weather beat me in spite of 8-12 miles a day on foot. Oh well, I can go back and try again if I get motivated or I can just punt and concentrate on filling my 11 remaining deer tags!:W:
 
Taking my rifle for one last afternoon walk. I'll likely be in the same boat. First time in 22 years. 20 days of bow hunting elk, 23 day rifle hunting elk this year.
 
Taking my rifle for one last afternoon walk. I'll likely be in the same boat. First time in 22 years. 20 days of bow hunting elk, 23 day rifle hunting elk this year.

I bet you kill a small 330 6 point, just to finish out the season in the remaining 4-5 hours. Your boy got a great bull later in the season last year.
 
I've convinced myself that passing on young bulls will eventually pay off. Sixth year in a row my tag stays intact.
 
I've told my wife that they can use my collection of un-notched tags as fuel for cremating me when I die - it looks like it's gonna be a heck of a bonfire.
 
The 2015 MT elk tag was harder to eat than the 2006 AZ strip deer permit. But I'll get a license next year. Had a great season though. Have to look at my calendar, but 43-45 days hunting elk total. Only 2 days hunting deer(youth hunt) and one day on antelope(girlfriends hunt). All other days were elk hunting. Lots of action and some great bulls. Full draw during archery with my son on a 400+ 8x8 that I think would have made all time b&c typical and non-typical. Tough rifle hunting but nearly killed a great 6x7 early in the season that was certainly a b&c typical. Wrecked me for the rest of the season. My son and hunting buddies scored, girlfriend a near 1st bull in the 340 range. I never pulled the trigger- hunted til dark tonight. Wish there was another couple weeks..
 
Of thirteen consecutive papers, 10 remain unscathed.....all good hunts though.

...no whitetail or hogs yet is sort of irritating.
 
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I hunted a fair amount, but mostly with my son. I only filled my Deer A tag. The deer's antlers were so small I mistook it for a doe. Yesterday my wife took out a yearling doe with a 50 yard offhand shot. Its buddy came back and I whiffed a 30 yard offhand shot. I couldn't believe it, but we followed and refollowed the tracks for an hour and never found a drop of blood or piece of hair. The day was gorgeous, especially considering it started out -6F.

Still we wound up with 4 deer, 1 antelope, and 1 smallish elk which is about what we go through in a year
 
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The 2015 MT elk tag was harder to eat than the 2006 AZ strip deer permit. But I'll get a license next year. Had a great season though. Have to look at my calendar, but 43-45 days hunting elk total. Only 2 days hunting deer(youth hunt) and one day on antelope(girlfriends hunt). All other days were elk hunting. Lots of action and some great bulls. Full draw during archery with my son on a 400+ 8x8 that I think would have made all time b&c typical and non-typical. Tough rifle hunting but nearly killed a great 6x7 early in the season that was certainly a b&c typical. Wrecked me for the rest of the season. My son and hunting buddies scored, girlfriend a near 1st bull in the 340 range. I never pulled the trigger- hunted til dark tonight. Wish there was another couple weeks..

Sounds like an outstanding season.
 
Just checked the calendar I was keeping. 46 days this fall after elk which doesn't count driving or hiking in the dark the night before or glassing from the roads where I didn't have a bow/rifle along. Those are days out walking with a bow/rifle. 20 archery and 26 rifle.

Is there a shoulder season I can capitalize on?
 
It would take multiple years in Colorado to be able to hunt elk that many days.
 
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I'm with you, Pagosa. Not one tag notched this season. Passed on a fair number of small deer, had some missed opportunities with elk, but learned a lot about a part of Montana I've not spent much time in, as well as elk hunting in general.

With an empty freezer to date, I take solace in the old Thoreau line: "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."

It helps the tag soup go down easier. :D
 
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