Lone Billy
New member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2013
- Messages
- 8
I'd appreciate some input from people with more knowledge and experience on a question I've had about my area for the past few years. OTC public land in MT.
I have a nice spot I've hunted for the past 7 years. Between my career, my wife's career (we're both attorneys), and having 4 kids 10 and under at home (including a newborn), my ability to hunt is quite limited. However, I usually am able to hunt this area between 3 and 6 days per year. I just got back from a 36 hour bonsai trip.
The area is roadless, steep, thick, and not hunted by many archery hunters. It takes a couple hrs to access by foot. In fact, I've seen a grand total of one other hunter in this area the past 7 years, and he was in there illegally last year. I do not know what type of rifle pressure it receives, but imagine it is not much.
I have never been in this area and not had close encounters with big bulls. It is all timber other than a few open parks ranging from 50-500 yards wide, but, mainly, is all huntable timber other than some bedding areas that are too thick to feasibly hunt.
This past trip (1 and 1/4 days of actual hunting) I had encounters with 3 different bulls, one of which was a layup on a legit 340+ 7x8 which I completely and totally messed up at 25 yards. That's one memory I'll never forget (my brother called him in to me with a few enticing cow calls). The burning question I have about this area is where the hell are the cows????? I have laid eyes on 26 elk over the past 7 years in this area, all within 100 yards (mainly because if you see one, it is within 100 yards). Only 3 of these were cows. The only bulls I've seen with cows were both 3 1/2 year old bulls and didn't bugle. The other bulls have all been solo and vocal. Many of these elk are mature bulls by anyone's measure. I've called them in with both the bugle and with cow calls, and I've snuck within range by being silent.
I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on why this area holds so many bulls during the rut (I've hunted anywhere from the opener to early Oct), that are obviously rutting, yet I see so few cows. I'm dumbfounded.
I have another pass for a quick 36 hour hunt in a few days, so hope to have some pics to post. Thanks for the input and good luck to all this year.
LB
I have a nice spot I've hunted for the past 7 years. Between my career, my wife's career (we're both attorneys), and having 4 kids 10 and under at home (including a newborn), my ability to hunt is quite limited. However, I usually am able to hunt this area between 3 and 6 days per year. I just got back from a 36 hour bonsai trip.
The area is roadless, steep, thick, and not hunted by many archery hunters. It takes a couple hrs to access by foot. In fact, I've seen a grand total of one other hunter in this area the past 7 years, and he was in there illegally last year. I do not know what type of rifle pressure it receives, but imagine it is not much.
I have never been in this area and not had close encounters with big bulls. It is all timber other than a few open parks ranging from 50-500 yards wide, but, mainly, is all huntable timber other than some bedding areas that are too thick to feasibly hunt.
This past trip (1 and 1/4 days of actual hunting) I had encounters with 3 different bulls, one of which was a layup on a legit 340+ 7x8 which I completely and totally messed up at 25 yards. That's one memory I'll never forget (my brother called him in to me with a few enticing cow calls). The burning question I have about this area is where the hell are the cows????? I have laid eyes on 26 elk over the past 7 years in this area, all within 100 yards (mainly because if you see one, it is within 100 yards). Only 3 of these were cows. The only bulls I've seen with cows were both 3 1/2 year old bulls and didn't bugle. The other bulls have all been solo and vocal. Many of these elk are mature bulls by anyone's measure. I've called them in with both the bugle and with cow calls, and I've snuck within range by being silent.
I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on why this area holds so many bulls during the rut (I've hunted anywhere from the opener to early Oct), that are obviously rutting, yet I see so few cows. I'm dumbfounded.
I have another pass for a quick 36 hour hunt in a few days, so hope to have some pics to post. Thanks for the input and good luck to all this year.
LB
