IdahoBugler
Well-known member
Well I was lucky enough to draw a 2nd chance late elk tag here in Idaho. I had never hunted this herd in November so I wasn't sure what to expect. A buddy and I went up 3 days early to scout and hunt deer but the weather had other plans. The first 3 days we were in white out conditions waiting for breaks in the clouds to glass and find something to shoot. We had seen a total of about 50 deer, the biggest buck was a 3X3 that was 22" wide, and 4 cow elk. Not a great start to my elk scouting.
On the evening before the opener I headed to a burn I like to hunt. I cow called and got a response from a bull a ways off but atleast we knew there was a bull in the area. We never saw him but figured it might be a place to start until we saw a huge pack string of horses that setup camp right on top of them. |oo Plan B was another burn I like to hunt so opening day we headed in 2 hours before light to got to my pre-determined spot. Just as it was getting light enough to see I heard a bugle, then another, then about 100 cow calls. We sat and picked the hills apart and found the heard 1/2 mile away. There was probably 100 head total with about 20 or so bulls. We put a stalk on what we thought was the biggest bull and I put a 200 yard heart shot on the quartering away bull. I was hoping to beat my biggest archery bull but this one falls just shy of that. But with the way the hunt had been going I thought I better get what I can get. He's a good bull and I'm happy with him.
The fun part. We were in 3 miles and it took us a total of 9 hours to get him off the hill.
I was lucky enough to have a good buddy with me on this trip to help with the spotting and packing.
Now off to New Mexico. hump
On the evening before the opener I headed to a burn I like to hunt. I cow called and got a response from a bull a ways off but atleast we knew there was a bull in the area. We never saw him but figured it might be a place to start until we saw a huge pack string of horses that setup camp right on top of them. |oo Plan B was another burn I like to hunt so opening day we headed in 2 hours before light to got to my pre-determined spot. Just as it was getting light enough to see I heard a bugle, then another, then about 100 cow calls. We sat and picked the hills apart and found the heard 1/2 mile away. There was probably 100 head total with about 20 or so bulls. We put a stalk on what we thought was the biggest bull and I put a 200 yard heart shot on the quartering away bull. I was hoping to beat my biggest archery bull but this one falls just shy of that. But with the way the hunt had been going I thought I better get what I can get. He's a good bull and I'm happy with him.
The fun part. We were in 3 miles and it took us a total of 9 hours to get him off the hill.
I was lucky enough to have a good buddy with me on this trip to help with the spotting and packing.
Now off to New Mexico. hump
