ML Elk Season
12-02-2009, 04:18 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
ML Elk Season
As some of you know our ML elk season started today. We have seven days to get the deed done.
We have been keeping track of a group of elk on a 40 acre block most of the fall waiting for the season to get here... It a heavily logged area with a lot of red-stem on the south east slopes and running water in the bottom draw on the far east side of the picture - up against the standing USFS timber.
Ok... and now the problem(s) - we have run into a couple of problems... a darn big full and bright moon shining on the snow, and it is up all night. The snow in the area.... it has melted then re-froze - it is like stepping on pop-corn with a microphone and amp in your boots. oh and just to mention the brush and old logging debris pops very easily.
Even with all of that both my hunting partner and I bumped elk today, but neither of us could get a shot. I got really close to a cow and a calf but just could not get to a point for a clear shot... after feeding all night - they were not moving very much at all and I could not move, but I tried just a little. I had them in front of me for most of 30 minutes but ultimately they moved directly away from me and dropped over the ridge top. I bumped another bunch later that morning and I was hoping they would drop down to Larry - no such luck... We are headed back in the morning - see if we can get lucky...
We have been keeping track of a group of elk on a 40 acre block most of the fall waiting for the season to get here... It a heavily logged area with a lot of red-stem on the south east slopes and running water in the bottom draw on the far east side of the picture - up against the standing USFS timber.
Ok... and now the problem(s) - we have run into a couple of problems... a darn big full and bright moon shining on the snow, and it is up all night. The snow in the area.... it has melted then re-froze - it is like stepping on pop-corn with a microphone and amp in your boots. oh and just to mention the brush and old logging debris pops very easily.
Even with all of that both my hunting partner and I bumped elk today, but neither of us could get a shot. I got really close to a cow and a calf but just could not get to a point for a clear shot... after feeding all night - they were not moving very much at all and I could not move, but I tried just a little. I had them in front of me for most of 30 minutes but ultimately they moved directly away from me and dropped over the ridge top. I bumped another bunch later that morning and I was hoping they would drop down to Larry - no such luck... We are headed back in the morning - see if we can get lucky...
12-02-2009, 04:37 PM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
cayugad
It isn't big in your world - i know you like those 500's but I am gonna git it down with a Bull Shop .503/460 from a GM-LRH...
I hate seeing and not getting to shoot..
Send a big conical to one of them and then we can share the hunt through your story
I hate seeing and not getting to shoot..
12-02-2009, 04:55 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,918
Good luck with those tiny little 460s Sabotloader. How far off were those ones that you got close to?
Maybe you need a sling-shot to lob some marbles to the far side of them to get them to move your way.
Maybe you need a sling-shot to lob some marbles to the far side of them to get them to move your way.
12-02-2009, 05:08 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
Semi
The cow and calf were probably 60 yards across the draw and I could see parts of them all the time - until they walked off - I couldn't believe they went staight away and over the ridge.
The second group was really close - probably 20 yards... they were just over the ridge from me. I could smell them - if you have hunted elk you knowwhat I mean. The breeze was coming right at me - so I know they did wind me. Think they were probably laying down and I am sure I popped some thing trying to get through the junk... but when they moved - they were not walking...
In fact that is the second time I have kicked elk off that knob this season... I am goingto take a different approach in the morning... wings would really help!
How far off were those ones that you got close to?
The second group was really close - probably 20 yards... they were just over the ridge from me. I could smell them - if you have hunted elk you knowwhat I mean. The breeze was coming right at me - so I know they did wind me. Think they were probably laying down and I am sure I popped some thing trying to get through the junk... but when they moved - they were not walking...
In fact that is the second time I have kicked elk off that knob this season... I am goingto take a different approach in the morning... wings would really help!
12-02-2009, 08:40 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hyde Park, Utah
Posts: 252
WE had a full moon when we hunted elk the first week of November also . The elk would be out for the first hour at sunrise but did not come back out until the last few minute before dark( after legal shooting hours ) each day . The first few days it was cloudy and we had a snow storm come through and we saw more elk moving around , then it cleared and with that large moon was so bright and with snow on the ground you could see almost perfect all night long .
