Them girls are smart!! Tired of getting Dicked down for months and months....they hiding...
Chasing Girls!
- Thread starter JakeSCH
- Start date
girls are the only ones that get hunted around here. I am shocked I haven’t seen any of them walking in the junipers.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
My guess would be that the rut is over and they are bred and have no need for the bulls at this point in time. Bulls and cows only come together during the rut. I would suggest that if all you are finding is bulls you are in the wrong place. If I were you I would move somewhere else. I have seen this type of behavior before in Az on the border of NM. When the bulls have had there way the cows go out to the other ranges they know and have frequented and get back to what they know. Feed is a factor so look at what is available and keep that in mind as well as water.
Agreed. I am hunting a wintering zone that has the largest wintering herd “per the local biologists”. Last year this time there was more elk than I can count, but they had a big November snow storm. I just timed it wrong...elk from neighboring units all gather here once a foot of snow falls.
Bulls are still bugling their tails off, fun to watch. Even saw a couple bigger bulls sparing.
you know it! Still have one more trick, going to still hunt through their beds as the work their way back. Requires hills and boots, but I will start from the top and have my dad pick me up from the bottom. Smarter, not harder!
I got my first elk in this zone, in a ravine a few miles back. There were 13 bulls and 2 cows. I shot the bigger one.
I love how bulls hang out like best friends 11 months out of the year. Then something clicks and they kick the snot out of each other for a month straight.
Well another 20+ bull morning & no cows. Thought I had found one, got all set up dialed turret, safety off but I noticed a tiny spike antler. Too close to the limit, let him walk.
ton of close encounters though, had 6 bulls within 50 yards and one within 20y. All I could do is shoot them with my phone camera.
This guy didn’t like my mews. Lol
ton of close encounters though, had 6 bulls within 50 yards and one within 20y. All I could do is shoot them with my phone camera.
This guy didn’t like my mews. Lol
These 3 are about 50 yards away.
Bulls…close ones were about 400.
Bulls…close ones were about 400.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
just got back to the house. Long story short, decided to pack up and glass in the evening and leaving at dark if we didn’t see anything.
got up high and saw elk spread out through sage and junipers in a corner of public land closest to where my dad saw some cows on private while driving 6am.
saw quite a few bulls but some elk didn’t have defined antlers, so we decided to work our way over (2.5 miles away, we’re able to drive around to be about 1.5 miles from them).
hiked in and got setup, sure enough a cow and 2 yearlings come running at me….came to a dead stop at 150 yards. They came from the opposite direction I expected, so wind wasn’t great. They then turn and run into junipers. Got setup, then mamma stepped out and bang. Through the shoulder out the ribs.
she went about 50 yards before she piled up. Best part was my dad was able drive up a creek bed to get within a half mile for the pack out.
There is a huge 360+ Bull running around bugling the entire time. Even had him at 500y…oh well.
I’m exhausted. 15 mile day, at least packout was on the easier side.
Here she is taking a nap on my pack.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
Kind of. We watched bulls in this area the day before…but didn’t go in. Tonight we glassed up a lot more elk than the day before so we went in.