flyingvmt
Active member
So I have lived in Montana for 3 years now. I was able to harvest a cow a day before thanksgiving the first season and have since been shutout . I did get into the elk a couple times last season and wounded a bull in rifle and lost him into private. (super shitty feeling in my gut to this day).
That being said, I am wondering if anyone can critique my style to help me figure out what I must be doing so wrong.
This time of year I am hiking in around 5600 feet up to 6200-6800. I am finding elk sign sporadically in the drainage I am hunting along with rubs from this season. I had a sweet little meadow system in a canyon without a marked trail located last season that is 3 miles from a road in each direction. Only hunted there one day after finding it due to work. Saw a good black bear was all. Hiked in there last week on Friday and the place is destroyed by moo cows and I saw little elk sign, but did bump 2 lone cow elk on the way out of there.
Saturday I did not think it was worth battling the bovine, so I did some onx splorin and found another meadow system with clean water on top and some nasty looking fresh wallows below. I skirted it and got out to return early afternoon to sit til dark as I was not hearing any bugling at all. I got back up in there by 3pm and sat until legal light ended. Did not see a single animal. I thought maybe I boogered it and went back yesterday morn early hoping to catch a bull raking the piss out of the wallow and throwing the mud and grass clumps I had found 15 yds outside the wallows. Nothing. Wallows were crusty from a slight frost.
Did a little walkabout to higher elevation and saw one baby mule deer buck. Found an old weather balloon and proceeded to hike back to the truck and come home to do laundry and regain a positive attitude.
I have gone from walking at mach speed through the woods to literally taking 5 soft steps and stopping to glass/listen. I honestly feel like the shittiest/dumbest elk hunter who should just stick to rifle season and shooting cow elk.
Anyone have any points to pick out of my rambling that I can do differently or do I just need to hustle tf up and keep after it and rely on that c hair of luck that is needed?
Thanks for taking the time to read through this and offer any advice at all!
Josh C
That being said, I am wondering if anyone can critique my style to help me figure out what I must be doing so wrong.
This time of year I am hiking in around 5600 feet up to 6200-6800. I am finding elk sign sporadically in the drainage I am hunting along with rubs from this season. I had a sweet little meadow system in a canyon without a marked trail located last season that is 3 miles from a road in each direction. Only hunted there one day after finding it due to work. Saw a good black bear was all. Hiked in there last week on Friday and the place is destroyed by moo cows and I saw little elk sign, but did bump 2 lone cow elk on the way out of there.
Saturday I did not think it was worth battling the bovine, so I did some onx splorin and found another meadow system with clean water on top and some nasty looking fresh wallows below. I skirted it and got out to return early afternoon to sit til dark as I was not hearing any bugling at all. I got back up in there by 3pm and sat until legal light ended. Did not see a single animal. I thought maybe I boogered it and went back yesterday morn early hoping to catch a bull raking the piss out of the wallow and throwing the mud and grass clumps I had found 15 yds outside the wallows. Nothing. Wallows were crusty from a slight frost.
Did a little walkabout to higher elevation and saw one baby mule deer buck. Found an old weather balloon and proceeded to hike back to the truck and come home to do laundry and regain a positive attitude.
I have gone from walking at mach speed through the woods to literally taking 5 soft steps and stopping to glass/listen. I honestly feel like the shittiest/dumbest elk hunter who should just stick to rifle season and shooting cow elk.
Anyone have any points to pick out of my rambling that I can do differently or do I just need to hustle tf up and keep after it and rely on that c hair of luck that is needed?
Thanks for taking the time to read through this and offer any advice at all!
Josh C
