The excitement continues day 2 and 3. Im learning that I have to pace myself and think about har far do I want to pack out my elk. First day I walked about 8 miles in the morning. The country is flat with lots of piñon/juniper trees which makes finding your way without a gps very difficult. The second day I heard lots of bulls bugling across the dry lake bed about 5 miles away. I knew I would have to hurry before they stopped bugling for the morning. The bulls last bugle lead me in his direction and I found him racking a tree. I stalked in to 43 yards on the 350 class 6x6, and as I was about to shoot he turned and walked away. I was so close I could hear him breathing on the other side of the tree I was hiding behind. It was a intense stalk my heart was a pounding. Second evening at the pond was slow, no bugling. Right before dark 8 cows and 1 5x5 bull came and got water. By the end of the second day we figured we had walked 15 to 20 miles. The terrain is somewhat flat about 6500 ft elevation, extremely rocky and hard on the body and vehicles. Day 3 I tried a new area in the morning that had no bugles. Thats the gamble you take when scouting. Evening hunt was about the same. The elk are feeding and traveling mostly at night. The full moon is now at half and getting smaller the remaining days of the hunt. Our best hunts have been to locate a bull before daybreak and get in close at first light. Day 4 Jeff and I drove in the dark for hours before daylight listening for the call of the wild. 3 am comes early each morning but hearing bugling while we are trying to sleep motivates you. We located several bulls and split up. Jeff got in close to 40 yards and the bull wouldnt take that one step forward for a clear shot. The bull turned, started bugling and walked away. My 4th morning was intense. I found a 350 bull with one cow and we played cat and mouse for twenty minutes. I had this bull a step away from a shot opportunity and he never knew I was there. I circled the mountain top and ran into the bull close under 30 yds away looking away. I took one step forward and two steps back as the cow walked out in the open. Busted one more time. This bull was bugling in my face (loud!) and if that dont get your heart racing nothing will. Day 4 The evening hunt was quiet. Lots of hiking and glassing. Sunrise Day 5 The bulls were bugling in the next unit over but pretty quiet where we started hiking. I came back and moved to the ridge where I saw the bull racking his horns earlier in the hunt. I was there the night before and got frustrated because a hunter was calling over and over. The bugles where terrible so I hunted away from the noise. The next day the same noise was coming from over the rise. To my surprise it was a 6x6 340 class bull that couldnt bugle I guess. I saw him at 100 yards. As he fed away I stalked in close to thirty yards and he spooked and trotted away. Darn it... So close another heart pounding outdoor moment. The bulls are on high alert, once they bugle they are challenging other bulls to fight. Lots of testosterone in the mountains right now.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 21:35:50 +0000