Opening Morning results?

osulogger · 08-26-2006, 08:21 PM

How did everyone do this morning???

We were fortunate enough to get into elk in the first clearcut we got to. 10 - 15 cows/calves, one long horned spike and this guy:

A couple of cow calls and a short bugle from the older reprod and this boy put on quite a show! And he was very very vocal.

After about 45 minutes of not seeing another bull and covering the clearcut from one end to the other, he got rather irritated and herded the pack up and out he went. We tried to connect for another 4 hours but he shut right up.

I don't bow hunt, but hearing that bull chuckle and bugle like he did would make me jump on that wagon in a minute!

I should mention though, that I was there with a friend who was hunting this guy and not just messing with animals :smile:

Hope everyone else had a safe, productive opening morning!

From the land of Big Sticks,

Osulogger

Bugle4em · 08-26-2006, 08:24 PM

Looks like you guys had a good morning.

SandyRiverFisher · 08-26-2006, 08:26 PM

Nadda for me.

Checked out an area where my dad saw elk yesterday, but they were gone today. Nothing but track soup for me tonight.

lentz · 08-26-2006, 08:36 PM

Nice bull, hopefully you can run into him later!!! Always nice to see something like that right off the bat.

jokester · 08-26-2006, 08:43 PM

That IS a nice bull!!

Well, I had a great morning, but no meat to show...should have been some, but I kinda blew it. This is my 2nd year of archery hunting for these magnificent creatures, and i'm loving it more and more each day.

I was hunting along and crested this ridge. I saw 2 cows and a bull (I think he was a 3x3, but couldn't tell for sure) down in this clearcut ravine about 300 yards from me. So I found some cover and watched them through my binos for 10-15 minutes. They started meandering off the other way, so I blew my cow call. They all 3 turned and looked my way and started calling back to me. I blew my other cow call this time. They started towards me then. The bull hung up about 150 yards out and wouldn't come any closer, but the cows kept coming. Then, they stopped moving and shut up...so I shut up too. They started calling to me again and I called right back at them and they started my way again at a pretty good clip. From here, everything's kind of a blur cause it happened so dang fast! I lost sight of the closer cow, but I could still hear her coming toward me. I had just enough time to draw when I saw her coming through the bushes, and she stopped broadside ~8 yards from where I was kneeling...AND I SAILED ONE RIGHT OVER THE FREIKIN' TOP OF HER BACK!!!!!!!!

The old bow I used to use in Illinois had 4 pins (10, 20, 30, and 40 yards). The one I use now has 3 pins (20, 30, and 40 yard) and I just shoot 5 and 10 yards off my top pin (aim a little lower). Well, elk fever got the best of me, and I wasn't thinking very clearly

and kind of reverted back to my old setup in my head this morning. I put my 20 yard pin (what I thought was my 10 yard pin) on her and released. Saw it fly about 3-4" over her back...D'OH!! She turned and ran 10 yards and stopped broadside again. Oh man...I was thinking "This time, i'm gonna make good on it!" Let one fly and saw it all the way till it went PING....what the heck...the arrrow hit a branch that I didn't see at the time and deflected over the top of her again. Needless to say, she didn't stick around after the 2nd shot. It just wasn't my day for bringing home the meat I guess. Got into another herd later in the morning, but couldn't get close to them. Still an awesome day for me!!

I even had a few things happen for the first time this morning:

1) First time drawing on and first time releasing an arrow(s)

on an elk
2) Saw my first bull in the wild
3) First time ever calling to cows and them responding like they did from 300 yards out. Plus, I got to watch the whole thing in slow motion (seemed like it anyway :grin

Can't complain about an opening day hunt like that for a noob like myself! Maybe one of these days i'll be seasoned enough not to make rookie mistakes like this :smile: Oh well...i'll get one next go-round

It's still early!

-jokester

lentz · 08-26-2006, 09:08 PM

Sounds like a good morning even though you did not hang a tag. To have it happen like that is almost to good to be true. I've had that happen once in 4 years of archery hunting and it was really neat. Good luck with the rest of the season

Rank Amateur · 08-26-2006, 09:15 PM

I talked to Limbhanger and ehunter tonight, no go, they are hunting locally and I just had to pay them a visit, heck they were already in bed!

I heard of two bulls taken today.

pythonwill · 08-27-2006, 07:32 AM

A buddy of mine had a terrible morning, he was gonna get up at 3:30 to get ready to head out locally for a hunt. well at 3:00AM he was woke up buy a loud crash! get gets up to find his bow has fallen off the wall and hit the floor. It broke the cam on one end and the string & cables were all loose. This all happens a half hour before he was gonna get up & go. Thats about the worst thing that could happen on opening morning. and he had left his backup bow in Montana with his dad too. What luck He has

duckboy · 08-27-2006, 07:58 AM

Quote:

A buddy of mine had a terrible morning, he was gonna get up at 3:30 to get ready to head out locally for a hunt. well at 3:00AM he was woke up buy a loud crash! get gets up to find his bow has fallen off the wall and hit the floor. It broke the cam on one end and the string & cables were all loose. This all happens a half hour before he was gonna get up & go. Thats about the worst thing that could happen on opening morning. and he had left his backup bow in Montana with his dad too. What luck He has

Sometimes the very hand of god reaches in and changes things around for some folks.

That is a real disappointing deal.

Rank Amateur · 08-27-2006, 09:47 AM

Maybe there was a drunk driver in his future and the Lord changed his path.

That is very strange, in the still of the night and the bow falls from it's perch, did we have an earthquake???

kodiakfisher · 08-27-2006, 10:26 AM

Danger and I went to our spot and got all set up, first light had the heard go by at about 150yds. Wasn't certain is was them at first but as more and more joined into the chirping and calling it became clear it was them.

We know generally where they bed down but decided not to put any pressure on them plus the they where headed uphill facing into the down hill currents they will then crest the ridge and bed on the downhill side. As soon as you crest the ridge the down hill currents will take any scent right to them. The spot we hunt gets better as the season progresses because more and more elk will move into this area as more pressure gets put on them.

Danger had what he believes was a bull due to what sounded like vegatation rubbing antlers at about 50 yds but nothing to shoot at materialized.

I have had animals behind me but again no animals have presented themselves.

I have been a little surprised at the lack of bugling. I didn't even hear the normal bed down bugle/groan.

We had a hunter in jeans and a tee shirt walk through the clearing that we could see from our spots 50-100 yds inside the treeline blowing a hootchie momma call at about 7:00 pm the elk if left alone will start to make their way from the bedding areas at about 7:30 pm and hit the tree line about 8:00 pm. Last night it wasn't until about 8:35 when I could see two elk starting to make their way out past the tree line.

It is only a matter of time before pressure or a mistake pushes elk past us. On a funny note we momentarily found ourselves lost opening morning and found an elk trail walked about 20yds found the very old skid road that we where looking for and it leads us to our spots. As it turns out this is a much easier and less disruptive way to our spots. It can almost be done in the dark if you know what you are looking for!

Came back to town last night to take a break and will hunt Tonight and tomorrow.

Good luck everyone!

Kodiakfisher

bullslayer · 08-27-2006, 12:03 PM

No killing or shooting for the four of us. Saw lots of sign in the High Cascades, but no elk. Could've shot a doe If I had a archery tag, but thats OK. Maybe she'll birth the next booner buck :smile: Great morning, but way to hot in the afternoon. I leave for Silvies on Friday

Good luck everyone, Kris.

arlie · 08-27-2006, 02:36 PM

Out of the blue my 20 year old son says he wants to hunt elk with me this year. So I set him up and he practices like he should and so off we go. I saw a cow earlier in the morning, nada for him, then mid-morning I have a cow, calf and a 5point bull come in to a cow call but too brushy for a shot. Feeling bad for him because I was seeing all the elk until he tells me how he passed on the cow because of the calf and did a staring match with the bull at 20 yds. If the bull had followed the cow and calf he would have had his shot but as usual the bull did his own thing and came straight at him unknowingly, thus the staredown and no shot. Talk about an excited kid! I think I'll have a partner from now on. Life is good!

red willie · 08-27-2006, 02:45 PM

GOOD LUCK TO ALL,,shoot true and my your arrows not bend in the wind

,,

rw

sooslaw · 08-27-2006, 02:53 PM

It was awy to hot and dry on the coast. I roamed the creek bottoms trying to locate sign and there wasn't alot of movement. I did sort the area out to determine where the bulls were staking claim. Located three different areas rubbed by different bulls. Finally cut some large fresh bull tracks and they took me some mammoth rubs! Got me all excited.

Tracks went into 12 year old reprod so game over for me. This morning I slipped up into an area that I didnt have time to hit yesterday and didn't see much sign. On the way out we spotted a young buck at 32 yards. I almost bought a deer tag but decided not to. I would have had venison in the freezer. Oh well, all in all, I didn't get the impression that the area I was hunting is quite ready for some serious action as the animals aren't talking yet. Praying for a weather change. Hit it hard this Friday.

I did switch my camera to take 10 sec. video. I am curious to see how this works out. Tha alder clump I have my camera on got rubbed up directly opposite the side I mounted to. The bulls tracks came in from the back side and he managed to sneek out without getting caught. I only had a couple pics of spotted fawns feeding this time.

Maverick Maxcat · 08-27-2006, 04:06 PM

I don't archery hunt anymore, but I got to watch a 6x6 and 14 cows 300 yds from my porch as I was drinking a beer. He was already acting rutty, 3 weeks earlier than normal. Good luck to all!

Santiam338 · 08-27-2006, 06:09 PM

Had to work Sat, so didn't get out until this morning...Got on to a good herd with 3 spikes and "ANOTHER" bull that bugled from the timber...Pretty sure he wasn't a spike...LOL

Did run into a guy from Florence that said he knew Sooslaw...Small world...LOL

[image]

nwsteelheader · 08-27-2006, 08:05 PM

I was up above detroit. the area I wanted to hunt was closed by the fire, bummer, but I do know a lot of turf up that way. I went to another area and bumped into a nice 3 pt buck, but sadly, i have only an elk bow tag this year (steens rifle deer!).

Short hunt, I was camping with the family and allowed to sneak away for a 1/2 day...

Looking forward to the coming weeks!

awesome pics folks,

shawn

Steelie Ben · 08-27-2006, 08:35 PM

Opening day was spent out at Bouy 10 fishing!! Caught a few nice chromers but my heart was in the woods. Figures on the way down to Astoria I look off to the south in a nice field and what do I see?? Four big bulls running right for the road, of course they were on private property or else I might have skipped out on the trip due to skinning a opening morning trophy!! I plan to hit it hard this week after work and camp next weekend!!
Ben

Mad Mikey · 08-27-2006, 08:57 PM

I'm not a big game or bow hunter but I saw some really nice racks in the back of several rigs today in the Starkey area.....

Land Shark · 08-27-2006, 09:39 PM

Opening morning was almost a duplicate of last season. My buddy kicked up a herd in the bottom of a canyon and they headed up and over like they usually do. They went right between where my son was set up and below me before I could get them cut off. I did get within about 80 yards before they winded me and headed out of town. Later I guess a hunter and his son saw the herd just off the side of the road and his son shot a 3 point in the neck.... :depressed: They never found it and only found a small amount of blood. There where quite a few hunters in the area compared to the last several years. Sun night I woke to gun shots at midnight, 2: 30 am and then some at 6 Am....

Looks like we might have some cooler wetter weather for a couple days. Maybe it will quiet things down a bit.

lentz · 08-27-2006, 10:17 PM

You had to rub it in don't you Mad Mikey. That is the unit i normally hunt. I took this year off because of alot of projects that needed to be taken care of before winter. A good friend of mine said that the bulls are yelling like crazy. I guess that this was not the year to take "off". Oh well, maybe next year!!! Good luck guys!!! :grin:

Blacktail Slayer · 08-28-2006, 04:33 AM

Opening morning we heard some elk calls from in some reprod. They were already in bed by first light, so it was a no go. That night my hunting partner and I got set up about 100 yds from each other and waited for a herd to come down a ridge we knew they were bedded on. An hour and a half left of light the ridge came alive with elk calls. My partner thought the first elk call was me and he decided to head up the ridge to find me. I had not moved and had no clue that he had left his spot and went up the ridge. Three cows came down first and turn to walk past the trail he should have been watching. I never heard a shot and figured he didn't want to take a cow opening day. Then more cows and a 3 pt. came off of the ridge and turned towards the spot my friend should have been, while I'm watching 60 -70 yds away. I still heard no shot after they walked by. After that it became to dark to shoot, but the elk still were filling off the ridge. If I would have known my partner left the area I could have easily moved into postion to take a shot, but I didn't want to steal a shot from him. On Sun. I chased around 5 cows with no bull with no luck. I did find a 5 by 6 buck on the side of the road and collected the antlers. One of the points broke off from being hit by a truck, but still a nice buck.

ehunter · 08-28-2006, 06:41 AM

Limbhanger and I had a long hot weekend but nothing to show for it. Elk were not talking and we did not see a elk. I know they will be there we will try it again starting in the middle of the week. We may have to have Rank take us into his hot spot :grin: I am hoping he will have mercy on a new elk hunter and a fat old guy :grin: Had a nice sweat and a good time with Limbhanger though so all was not lost.. Showers and cooling mid week lets hope that happens.

Gun Rod Bow · 08-28-2006, 10:26 AM

I slept in.

Leave for NM in the morning.

blackdog · 08-28-2006, 01:05 PM

GRB - whereabouts you headed down there? Gila? Wherever it is, I'm jealous.

Hook'em dano · 08-28-2006, 01:20 PM

Done. I'm going fishing now

mtn300 · 08-28-2006, 01:26 PM

Elk were plentiful but I have a deer tags never saw a buck all weekend. My buddy has an elk tag though he missed a spike at 20 yards. It is his first year achery hunting. The elk didn;t make a peep they were pretty quiet. There were 3 bulls 2 spikes and a 4x5 . Oh missed a bear with the rifle on friday oh well. We were down in the minam i am tired today. Good luck to everyone hopefully this weekend is better.

younggun20 · 08-28-2006, 02:05 PM

Five minutes into opening morning had me and a raghorn in a stare off at 10 yards. It was still fairly dark, and he could not figure out what I was. After a couple of minutes he decided to turn and slip over the ridge. I followed him and as I crested the ridge there he was walking away. I drew, and he stopped at 20 yards broadside. However, there was a log on its side covering the lower half of his vitals, so I did not take the shot. After about 10 seconds he decided that was enough and took off. There was also a couple of cows and what I'm sure was a larger bull as I could hear him down in the creek bottom absolutely thrashing a tree. I decided not to go after them because they were already spooked, and I did not want to drive them out of the area. I continued on the hunt I had already planned. About two miles later, up the same creek bottom, I came across an area that had tracks, trails, and crap everywhere. I decided I would sit down and try a few cow calls, although I had not heard any elk being vocal yet. I got set up and began to call using a couple of different calls, sounding like a small herd of elk. About 45 minutes later I caught some movement headed my way, and I'll be damned it was a 5 point bull. He was about 40 yards and moving my way. At 30 yards he stepped behind a tree and I drew. He decided this would be a good spot to take a couple of bites of grass...while I'm waiting at full draw. A couple minutes later he begins to come my way again; at this point I'm still at full draw. He crashes down a small hill heading my way, and at 20 yards and half a step from being in my shooting lane, he looks up and spots me. Wouldn't you know it, he happens to have a tree covering his vitals!! He turned and began to go away, but I stopped him with a cow call at 35 yards. Again there was some small branches in the way, so I opted not to shoot. I followed in the direction of where he headed out and ran into about four more cows. I didn't see anything on Sunday or this morning, and no deer all three days. All in all it was a great opening weekend. I could have taken shots at either of the bulls I saw, but they would have been high risk shots, and I don't want the first animal I hit with a bow to end up being wounded and lost. I can't wait for the cooler weather!! PS-None of the elk I saw responded to calling, and I didn't hear a single bugle.

Hogwild · 08-28-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Done. I'm going fishing now

Congrats on a very nice bull

. Unless you were miles behind a locked gate the pack don't look to bad either.

sliverpicker · 08-28-2006, 03:04 PM

Congrats Hook'em!

What's the story behind the kill?

jschainsaw · 08-28-2006, 03:10 PM

nice bull! I Hope I get a shot at one-

Hook'em dano · 08-28-2006, 03:32 PM

yes locked gates it is.I love to ride my mt.bike,so I look for the locked gates.as for the story really not much to tell I was in dark timber and came up over a hump and a cow was comming straight at me with the bull right behind (nose in her rear and I think his eyes were closed

)she see's me and darts to the left he (eyes still closed)kept comming forward and at point blank range turned to see where she went

sooslaw · 08-28-2006, 03:52 PM

Hookem dano- congrats on a short season!! Nice bull!

jokester · 08-28-2006, 04:53 PM

Nice work Hook'em

Congrats

-jokester

Ethical hunter · 08-28-2006, 05:40 PM

All summer I have yet to hear an elk bugle and the morning of the 26th there was bugling everywhere. Its rare for me to hear one of the costal elk bugling so, I suspect it was one hunter calling to another and on and on and on and on and on........

EH

Coastalfisherman · 08-28-2006, 08:49 PM

I took a small cow on Sunday evening. 20 yard shot and she only went about 50 before she keeled over. Only 30 uphill pack the about 100 yards to the road straight down hill. Just got her all cut up and put into the freezer. Elk meat again this winter.

Radke · 08-29-2006, 06:26 AM

we need a jealousy graemlin.

nice bull. I can only hope to get a shot at something that nice.

heck, if I get a shot at a mature cow, I'll take it.

I'm not as pickie as some of you guys.

Rustyoar · 08-29-2006, 07:51 AM

Nice work guys!

Elk; its whats for dinner!

Abalone · 08-29-2006, 08:45 AM

OK ! I am going to check out this weather thing.

I'll be in the woods in about Four hours. Leaving work in Five minutes and heading for the Coast.

See you Thursday.

High Country · 08-29-2006, 08:49 AM

I also took a nice sized cow at about 8:00 opening morning. I stalked to about 20yds, she made it only about 100yds before she tipped over mostly because it was so steep. So it's elk again this winter.

OSUfishing · 08-29-2006, 08:51 AM

I am done for the season as well. I did not go out opening morning, but that evening I went to the tree stand by 6 pm. I heard my first bugle by 620 and then another at 710. At 8 oclock I had a herd of 14 cows, 5 calves, a spike and a herd bull that was a 6x7 come into my area. They were across the field from me, but the wind was right and they walked across and were inside 20 yards. I was going to shoot the herd bull, but there is a hunter there that is 16 and is going through a bout with lukemia, so I left the bull for him to shoot. I did pull back on it though and whispered "you're dead". Then I swung on one of the tender looking cows and released(810pm). I had a complete pass-through and then sat and waited. I watched as she walked off and stayed in the stand until 9pm. Then I got on the cell phone and called in the troops to help me go and find her. At 11 that night I was standing over her, very proud!!! When gutting, I saw that I hit the liver and a lung, which made me wonder how in the world she made it almost 3/4 of a mile from where I shot. Come 2 am I had her hanging in a cooler and was exhausted. For those who wonder why I did not shoot the spike, he was standing right in front of one of the calves and I was worried that I would hit them both with one arrow!!! Another great season, and now it is time to go cut and wrap and get ready for DUCK SEASON!!!

Amahnee · 08-29-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

I could have taken shots at either of the bulls I saw, but they would have been high risk shots, and I don't want the first animal I hit with a bow to end up being wounded and lost.

JIMBOUY · 08-29-2006, 01:42 PM

pnwcoast · 08-29-2006, 05:35 PM

RAGHORN! · 08-29-2006, 06:02 PM

Now that is Class!!!

gottafish · 08-29-2006, 07:05 PM

I spent 4 days Basically Guiding My son (14) and a buddys boy (13) on there hunts. They were both able to take there first Deer. I also called in a cow to 5 yards.

doubleoxL · 08-29-2006, 07:49 PM

got my buck on the opener and had 4 calling sessions with the elk where they came within 30 yards or so but it was a little thick. even had a bull bugle at us once. pretty good weekend saw around 300 elk 16 of them being bulls. only two branch bulls the rest were spikes and forks. all eat the same to me

Bugle4em · 08-29-2006, 08:14 PM

Tonight I spent my third time since the opener hunting the area where my trail camera is.

I have come to the conclusion that aliens have come and taken all the elk away.

There hasn't been any new pics or sign since the last time I checked my camera. Which was the Monday before the opener.

fishinpox · 08-29-2006, 08:23 PM

Don't you know that deer and elk know the hunting seasons pretty well. They know when it's time to hide.

Wak · 08-29-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

I spent 4 days Basically Guiding My son (14) and a buddys boy (13) on there hunts. They were both able to take there first Deer.

Hope to see a new thread on this soon.

gottafish · 08-30-2006, 05:58 AM

Quote:

I spent 4 days Basically Guiding My son (14) and a buddys boy (13) on there hunts. They were both able to take there first Deer.

Hope to see a new thread on this soon.

You will I am waiting for the pic's. we had three new guys in camp this year one was a 30 years old bow hunting virgin. he said this trip changed his life.

uhmw · 08-30-2006, 07:44 AM

17 bulls in the hepner locker by sunday acording to the sheriff.

hunting pressure very lite. amazing what the reg changes do for the area, the local vendors noticed it to.
bull only unit didnt seem to slow archers down much. I killed my first manegy yote with my bow

managed to see 4 cows under my stand after I had to move it cause I apperntly put it in a tree with a sharp tail hawk nest in it and they were just dive bombing me constantly. I didnt see one darn bald face hornet the bees were non existant-kinda weird saw tons of turkey where I have never seen them before. The fly fishing in penland lake was phenomanal.

Yeti · 08-30-2006, 03:02 PM

Did a short steep circiut looking for deer. At the last moment as we were going to crest the ridge that familiar smell hit me. Elk! By that time we were pretty tired and it was hotter than heck. So we blew out leaving the mystery animal for later.

Tried to go out the next day but it was still so hot I blew it off. I can't wait for cooler weather!

Yeti