Montana Bound
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: OdinsEdge
27-Sep-14
Heading out tomorrow on my first Elk hunt in Montana, probably wont sleep tonight. Went over my gear list 3 times and thinning out what I didn't need. Weather looks a little iffy the first day or two but should clear up for some outstanding hunting. Will be in Noxon for the next 10 days, been dreaming of this hunt for a long time!
From: TurkeyBowMaster
27-Sep-14
Great. Keep us posted. I will be wondering how the bulls are bugling. They were not going a week ago. You should hit it great.
From: orionsbrother
27-Sep-14
You are going to have a blast! TBM's right. Things were pretty warm out there for a week and that seemed to cause the bulls to pause, but I believe that it's supposed to be cooling again. You should have a great hunt.
I wish you the best of luck.
From: WV Mountaineer
27-Sep-14
Good luck and God Bless
From: TurkeyBowMaster
27-Sep-14
Great. Keep us posted. I will be wondering how the bulls are bugling. They were not going a week ago. You should hit it great.
From: JLS
27-Sep-14
Good luck. You are getting a very favorable change in the weather, should be much cooler next week.
From: t-roy
28-Sep-14
Good luck to you & have a safe trip!
From: Leadspreader
28-Sep-14
Get ready for rainy and wet weather! It was ridiculous up in my area the past couple days!
From: ozarkmanp
29-Sep-14
They were rocking last week up there. Im sure they are still busy...good luck.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Just got back last night from a fairly frustrating hunt. They were not talking except sporadically and even then with no frequency. This was a first time elk hunt for me and I learned a lot. This was an outfitted and guided hunt and I suspect my legs will recover in a week or two. Beautiful country but brutal as well. Will break down the hunt shortly.
From: danny.a
08-Oct-14
Best of luck!
From: Southern draw
08-Oct-14
Good luck Have fun!
From: TurkeyBowMaster
08-Oct-14
Somebody's not reading the post...he is already back. Elk not talking. Frustrated. Rest of story later.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Flew in to Spokane on the 28th and was picked up on the 29th by the outfitter "Wayne Hill Outfitters" and 3 hours later we were at the lodge in Noxon, MT. My first time in this part of the country and all I can say is wow, beautiful area. Got settled in and unpacked my gear and got organized for the next days hunt. The lodge is very comfortable and the food all week was very good. After getting things in order, my business was to ensure that my bow was still on point on the range they have set up. Bingo, SKB case did it's job well.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Out on my first day hunt with my guide Chase aka "Spotlight". We headed to a good starter place where he could see what I could handle. The grade was not bad at all here, a logging road with a few clear cuts both above and below along the road. We went about 6 miles in and the same path to return. My breath was short to say the least, coming from 100 ft. above sea level I wasn't surprised. The views were awesome here.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
As far as the actual hunt went, not a peep from a single elk. Saw plenty of deer but no wapiti. This first day let me know I was gonna be put to the test this week both mentally and physically.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Decided to not go out in the afternoon as I was tired from the morning's hunt. The weather was pretty overcast and I developed a hot spot on my left heel with my Pronghorns. No need to overdue it on day one with 6 more to go, figured the weather was the reason they weren't talking anyway.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Day 2 would be an even ruder awakening as we were going into the "honey hole", a big bowl near the lodge and the first 30 minutes were almost a 60 degree climb until we reached a logging road. Even the grade of the logging road was not gentle. We would bugle at most switchbacks hoping for a response, we got 2 very distant calls back that I didn't even hear. These calls had us chasing up through blow downs and dead fall one direction and then another but never getting close. Coming down was also a new experience that I would grow to hate, front of my thighs were burning like I've never felt before. I'm glad I switched to my Salomon Quest hikers for the rest of the week as they are the best investment I made for this trip.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Took a few spills coming down from the morning's hunt, I've never scaled down terrain this steep before and took awhile to figure out my footing. Again I decided to not go out in the afternoon and took a needed nap and then shot for a little while.
From: TurkeyBowMaster
08-Oct-14
That's some bad looking terrain dude, but those shellaced pine boards and fancy lodge scare me more. I know bad things about lodges like that.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Day 3 had an uneventful morning hunt, again they are not talking, legs are starting to feel a little more comfortable with the terrain. My guide Chase went out scouting early afternoon and found a decent 5x5 in a low flat area, we'll head over there close to 2 hours before sunset and put a stalk on him. When we get there we find his tracks along with about half a dozen cows and he's crossed the road onto private property. We have a game plan for him in the morning to come in from above him where it's public land and he's heading. Got to see him for a minute or so with bino's halfway up the face of the mountain and he gave us 4 replies while we were spotting him. Feeling optimistic for tomorrow.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Day four and the hardest climb I've ever done in my life. Multiple sections of very steep faces to navigate to work around private land to get to the public land above it. By the time we got to a position to make a play on the 5x5 the thermals had shifted and he pushed back down into the private lands again but the sign of him and his cows were everywhere on a small shelf. Heading back down was exhausting but we went on another afternoon hunt in a completely different area later in the day. This was a much easier walk on a logging trail but nothing was talking. Hell of a view though.
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
From: OdinsEdge
08-Oct-14
Day 5 we went back to the "honey hole" near the lodge to see what we could get going. My legs are starting to get more comfortable with the terrain and what took me 30 minutes a few days ago, this time took me 13 minutes to navigate. We got out to this rock outcropping overlooking the valley below with no responses to our calling. Again the views were spectacular but I'm not all that concerned with that anymore, I want to hear and see elk.
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
After the short break seeing the beautiful scenery I asked to check out a wallow my guide had mentioned earlier that was up above our position. we made our way towards the wallow when just below it my guide signaled that he had a cow just above him about 80 yards or so. I never see the cow, by the time I get to where the guide was the cow has moved on, not too concerned with us, even took time to visit the wallow and have a piss and poop.
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
Had a good climb for our afternoon hunt that eventually led to a sort of overgrown meadow that looked like it would be a good spot but again nothing is talking to us. Guide managed to knock a grouse out of midair with a rock on the climb up though, pretty funny. Legs feeling pretty strong now, that will change tomorrow...
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
Day 6 and Wayne the outfitter has an idea of a spot and joins us this morning. Drive up to the spot is long and high and unfortunately occupied with 2 rigs when we get up there, so we decide to go to a trail a little lower down the mountain. On the drive back down we kick up a couple of Mule deer. The trail we hit is completely down hill and now killing my toes. On the first switch back of the trail Wayne finds 2 twenties lying in the middle of the trail, go figure. Takes a while to get down to the bottom of the trail and my legs are now rubber and we're not hearing a damn thing. No afternoon hunt, saving up for the last morning hunt, shot for a bit instead.
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
Last day of the hunt, heading to an area that some of the other guides have been hearing some bulls working. Big climb to start the hunt, after about a 2,000 foot climb we have a bull talking on the other side of the valley we just climbed up, so down we go to chase him. He's talking to us while we periodically call to him on our decent. We eventually get to the bottom of the valley and start making our way towards this bull. His last response comes as we start making our way along a logging road. As we cut over to his side of the valley he goes quiet and never utters another peep the rest of the morning, frustrating, but that's why they call it HUNTING.
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
Overall, the experience is good and very eye opening, even though I had hoped to have a little more intimate experience with a screamer coming in hot. I gained the knowledge that if you think your physically ready for this kind of hunt and don't live in this kind of area, then your most likely not. I'll do it again at some point, guided or DIY, not sure, but I'll be much more prepared for it, that's for sure.
From: OdinsEdge
09-Oct-14
From: OdinsEdge
10-Oct-14
As a side note to my trip, traveling my bow was rather simple with Southwest Airlines and cheaper with 2 free check-ins. Had my bow in an SKB i-series case and put all my socks, broadheads and first aid kit in with the bow for additional cushioning. Checked in at curbside and their only question was whether there was ammo in the case. On the return flight it was the same question. The SKB case is oversized but that was never brought up either time.
From: midwest
10-Oct-14
Thanks for sharing the pics and recap! Most guys won't when they were unsuccessful.
Hard to express enough how important conditioning is to be able to hunt out there effectively. You'll be better prepared next time!
From: cityhunter
10-Oct-14
Nick I didn't condition myself once this year to busy !! The above looks like easier elk terrain then most areas.
From: midwest
10-Oct-14
I sit behind a desk most of the day, city. If I didn't commit myself to working out, I would be a mess when I hit the mountains. An hour a day at least 5 days a week and I'm good to go.
