Where's the elk?

[greenbuttskunk]

Just got back from 5 days out in the North fork john day wilderness. They elusive elk where not where they should have been. Hiked my butt off in the heat. We can't get a break from the heat and dray weather I guess. The herds moved out and we were unsuccessful locating them. Any sign we saw was about 2-3 days old.
Anyone else out there do well? I did have a big black bear right under my tree stand, but I passed on shooting him. Wrong time of year, and The wife would not take well to a bear rug at home.
GBs

[Crayfin]

I used to hunt there for years. Are you hunting close to a water source? I found ponds are not as good as running water. Ran into this last year too--hunted for 5 days before I saw an elk and then killed a 4x4 as he was crossing the river. We then layed the smack down on a 6x6 the next day that was within 600 yards of a large spring fed beaver pond.

Been tough all the way around as I have heard it. Not many people seeing anything at all! Good luck and remember the water

Crayfin

[nitrobass]

GBS I was in that area too and found lots of elk, just small bunches that were really spooky. Those elk roam around so much its hard to get dialed into them. There's so much water around you cant really center on that.
I'm going back there in a couple weeks to give them hell again. Lets hope some rain comes down and makes it a bit easier.

[Crayfin]

Good Luck Fellas

[Tilla]

Well here is one theory. The other hunters are getting smarter. Where we hunt we use tree stands and we have relied on the the foot trompers to move the animals around. Last year I never saw a single animal. Well I went and investigated some voices this Sat AM and discovered that the foot trompers had switched to tree stands too and had themselves two spike bulls. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img] It wasn't until a new group of foot trompers arrived on Sunday and all kinds of action ensued.
One of our group was in his stand when two guys crept along and our buddy, they became a little peeved about the situation and one grabbed the chew out of his mouth and threw it on the ground near his stand as they walked away.

[greenbuttskunk]

crayfin,
I was freakin dry all over, but I hiked down into the flatter areas where I almost always found meadows, spring fed pastures and small creak. Very wet indeed. Most meadows had lots of sign, multiple beds, 2-3 day old poop, ans lots of tracks. I set up tree stands and blinds early and late, text book stuff, but NADA! Wish I could have been in these areas a few days earlier.
GBS

[Chin Hook]

Just spent five days up near Crawfish lake and over the summitt of Mt. Ruth to find bachelor groups of big bulls laying as high as you can get up in the wind. All the cows seem to be low near the ritual rutting areas bedded in dark timber and feeding near the streams in late afternoon. We managed to coax a nice six by six and harvested a nice five by five who came in suspicious to the hyper lip single by Primos. I found walking up the bottom of draws in the early a.m. with a Hoochie mama on lost cow only making a squeak every few hundred yards produced bulls o locate bugle from the ridge tops which, would give away their position. Then the hike was up to our physical spirit. The bulls we killed were still in full velvet and did not seem to be any where near the rut yet, however they would come in for a look at a hot cow sound whining. The week was extreme as far as weather went. 100 degrees sat., windy as hell sunday as low pressure blew through and snow all day on monday with fog. The snow kicked off some early morning bugles near upper N. Fork Wilderness areas. We too exp. lots of small groups moving around. I think the rut will heat up in about 15 days or so once the full moon arrives and the air pressure stabilizes with some frosty mornings.

Good luck, stay persistant and shoot straight!

[Gun Rod Bow]

I was talkin to my buddy who took a curious three point bull last Thursday. He called in a not very interested 6 pt for a firend, but got winded at 50 yds last night. He made some observations that I have too.

No (or very little) buggleing. I was in a remote area (Eastern), that had elk, and fresh elk rubs last weekend. After the moon came up, about an hour after dark, I climbed the hill and buggled for a little while...nothin. PS I have heard of buggleing on the coast from some friends.

The rubs have been small trees. Like cleaning their horns, not the agressive, tear stuff up rubs of the rut.

Most animals have been very small groups, lots of singles.

This cooler weather and moon should get em going.

The best is yet to come.

My .02

[WildHawg]

Don't wait for 2 weeks to hunt the full moon Chin Hook--it's tonight