Who’s going....SCOUTING!!!
Elk
I have a feeling I’m going to see a lot of white stuff and not be able to access the area I want to check out, but I’m excited for an elk tag in my pocket and I’m going to see what I can see. I’ll take a couple cameras to set up if I find something that looks promising, but worst case scenario...I get to go on a long hike in beautiful country surrounded by peace and quiet.
Who else is going?
been scouting already. elk tag in new mexico. found 4 really good spots . one nice wallow. been carrying about a forty lb pack when I go. already down to 207 from 225. 17 lbs to elk shape for me. nothing like elk country
I'm looking forward to the first weekend since I went to Omaha for P&Y that I DON'T have to walk anywhere with 40+ pounds on my back (or get up at 3:30 am)! :-) I say that but I know come Saturday morning I'll be out at the ski bump with my training pack loaded up walking up and down getting ready for September.
Already been as well. Didn't draw the tag I wanted, had a 39% chance with my 1 point but my buddy and Son drew muzzie bull tags. I got a cow tag tho on a secondary unit.
This was last Sunday. Started about 10,000 went to 11,000 about half way got into a lot of snow. Notice the walking sticks
John, what is that thing? Can't tell on my phone screen. Looks a little like my first wife..
Read this morning that the snowpack for this time of year is 500% of normal across the state. Still some good drifts in the trees on north-facing at 9K at my place. Snowed again a week ago Tuesday.
Going the first week of August with the wife. A little vacation/scouting trip. Bringing the wiener dog too!
Lou - The Sheep? It was on a old road. Some where along 40.
Rick - where are you going? You can come glass sheep for me!! Season starts 8-3
Lol jaq, I couldn’t tell either. Now I see it. I’ll post some pictures Sunday. I was told that the elk are still down in the flats. Some warm weather should have them following the snow up the mountains!
I'll be going the end of the month. Spend a few days in my Wyo elk unit, a little fishing, then on down to Ft. Collins and Denver to visit friends and family.
Going to scout and set cams a week from tomorrow :)
Lots of snow in Goat country. Need to get a weekend to run up to NW Wyoming to poke around my elk unit but it’s looking like July before that will happen.
The boys taking a break
The boys taking a break
Wife taking a break
Wife taking a break
Scout a lot !! Tag or no tag you can find me in the high country.
I pulled a bunch of gear out of my Costco totes. It amazes me how much stuff I’m able to lose every year. I think there’s a hunting fairy that comes around and steals my crap every season! Last year it was hiking sticks...how do you lose hiking sticks?! This year so far it’s a pack of Magnus Broadheads and my leather strop. Son of a ...
End of July, headed to WY for a few days of camping / scouting ,,,, scouting / camping.
Ucsd, I'm telling ya, it's those damn gremlins - they hide my stuff all the time and I know for sure my wife is in cahoots with them, as soon as I start mumbling about something missing - she comes up with it. Go figure!
The wife and I are heading west on the 17th. It's a vacation celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. Sleeping in a tent scouting for elk. I'm pretty sure I'm one lucky hubby.
Was out driving back roads last night. Possible future target :-)
So what can you learn now? Will elk be now where they'll be in September?
Heading out next weekend....a unit I’ve hunted before.....but checking some additional areas and water holes. I’ve already seen a few big bulls that are already 6x6’s.....lots of growing left here in AZ.
12yards, you can learn a lot, even if you don't see an elk.
Drive around and figure out the road systems. Take a 4Wheeler or motorcycle and ride around to figure out where the roads go and where they don't. Look for glassing locations. Figure out camping locations and where it looks like hunters camp. Do some hiking to figure out where the trails are and are not. Figure out how out of shape you are. Figure out some spike-camp locations. Make lists of all the stuff that is broken or needs an upgrade in your camping and backpacking gear.
Elk will be where elk will be. Typically, I do not worry about seeing elk until I am hunting them. They move a lot so I want to know how best to get around in the country that I will be hunting to be able to get in position when I see elk in a particular spot.
Many times, it makes more sense to hike 1/2 mile back to the truck and drive several miles around to approach from the right direction for the wind elk travel direction rather than trying to go at them with insufficient cover or wind that results in blowing them out of the country and a long, sad hike back to the truck. Knowing the country and how to get around in it is a big factor in success or failure.
Scouting for me now, is exactly what Treeline says, learn the roads, trails, area. I just moved here! My elk/calf picture was taken 5 miles into the area off a series of gravel roads, off the main road.
Soon as the draw results come out in WY. Per the WY GF website the 20th of June.
Trail cameras show that the elk don’t move into the area I hunt until mid to late August. I’m not looking for elk this time of year. Access, lay of the land, dark timber, old rubs, etc will tell you a story!
I am leaving Louisiana on the 15th. We will be scouting/vacationing for a few days then hitting the High Country Shoot.
I drew #54 CO, haven't hunted there since '09..going back and get familiar with my old hunting spot..
Was thinking about heading up this weekend to hang a camera or two. Like Lou said, there’s still a good bit of snow left in the high country tho’. We’ll see...
Did a little loop this afternoon. Really nice in the hills even if I’m not planning to hunt anywhere near here this year. Saw elk, deer, moose and coyotes. Love being in the hills.
Between the cliffs and river I have to cross to access my area I think I’ll go fishing until mid July at least, let the snow melt and the runoff subside.
Yeah, I don't see any since in going for at least a month
Well, I just spent the last couple weeks out there. First stopped in northwest Nebraska to turkey hunt a couple days and had a two day snowstorm. Got to the cabin in Colorado up on the Gore and stayed a week and it snowed a couple days. Did get out hiking but anything above about 9000' was a lot of snow, particularly in timber or north slopes. Then headed up through Wyoming through the Tetons and Yellowstone. Lots of snow in south and north parts of Yellowstone. Up through Bozeman, Helena, to Kalispell. Great scenery. Lots of snow up high. That was my "scouting" trip!
Got home a couple days ago to high 80's. Mowed and found remains of a wolf kill (deer) on my trail by the pond below my house. Head to Canada in a couple days to fish. Got my deer and elk tags for Colorado so good to go after that intense scouting. Oh, don't expect to have a woman put a guilt trip on me, either!
I don't worry about where the elk are till late August. Cows are in calving areas now and won't be there in late August, bulls will move into rutting zones, won't be where they are come September. On a ranch in New Mexico, you'll only see a handful of elk on it now and throughout the summer, but by September, the ranch will have bulls coming in daily. On a ranch in Colorado we guide on, the bulls move into certain basins or river bottoms in late August, and in Utah, mid August the bulls are up high, but by September their down in that aspens and oaks. I'm spending my summer making sponsors happy shooting 3d's and fishing the lower lakes in Colorado. Elk and mule deer ain't even on my mind yet.
I've been out looking, checking out new places, putting up cameras. To me, half the fun of elk hunting is finding new areas to hunt, finding the elk, seeing what kind of bulls are in the area. I am aware of course, like everyone is, that they are not going to be in exactly the same spots come September. Some of the herds move many miles on a daily basis even in September. There are places that I know bulls are going to be every September, but I still like to scout other places.
10k feet
10k feet
Hiked 9 miles today. Climbed 2820 vertical feet and hit snow at 9600 feet. At 10500 I was in 4 feet of snow and I was beat. Made it back down through will power alone. Haha.
Also forgot to mention. Heard 2 bugles. I know elk bugle all year long but this is the first time I’ve heard them outside of the rut. Man oh man, did I get fired up for that!
