Lost in the Woods - Mental recharge season

The draw season is here and it’s looking like incredible so far.

As of right now my September will be maxed out with 2 archery elk tags and 2 archery deer tags.

On top of that there will deer hunting in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kentucky, fishing, turkey hunting, and trapping. Add in a few other random adventures and this might be a fun season to document.

View attachment 323450
The draw season started off swell with an Archery Elk tag in Montana plus the deer tag.

I’m going with a friend who has hunted the unit a few times and has been fairly successful. I’ve never stepped foot in Montana so this should be fun.

View attachment 323451

Next New Mexico gave me a heart attack when I drew an archery elk tag and archery mule deer tag.

The elk unit is one that I hunted in 2020 and took my best bull.

See below

View attachment 323453

The deer unit is near where I use to live when I was stationed in New Mexico and there is a decent population of deer.


Ultimately my goal for this season is to slow down and enjoy my time in the woods/mountains/outdoors.

These past few seasons my brain has been on fire and my body has been on overload from work and life stuff. So it’s time I learn to recharge better and there is no better place to do it.

Hope you enjoy.
100% agree!
 
Better check the weather and your schedule. It’s going to be grab a snickers time in that country after this week
Hope the mud doesn’t get ya! Pretty soggy around these parts!

We got some rain last night and more coming today. I am getting to experience how much it likes to hold on to your boots and layer up as you walk!




That being said - I got into some elk last night. I had the herd bull at 10 yards in some tall grass, but could only make out his head. His cows were all around me too and it was awesome.

The way they communicate reminds me of public land turkeys. Very silent and low level calls.
Weak bugles (if any), moans, light barks, etc.

The only time they really bugle is if the herd gets busted up.

Back at it today!
 
This morning is more what I’ve been looking for.

It was the first morning we had a little chilly bite and there was a lot of fog down in the bottoms.

Bulls were lighting off light crazy and I was able to get in tight on one. In fact feel like I was anywhere from 25-60 yards from him for over an hour. The only issue is we were in willows and grass over my head. I kept finding micro openings for shots, but he would just edge out of them in time.

I did put him to bed near a spot where there are a few openings close by so I’m hopeful this evening when he gets up I can be ready for an ambush. It was tough not to leave him and shoot one of the many cows around! I think I’m close to that point where cows are added to the menu too.

Fun hunt for sure. Very different from anything I’ve experienced, but it’s fun.

I’m absolutely soaked from playing in the heat all stuff so it’s oatmeal with peanut butter time, coffee, and time to dry off!
 
Been a minute sense any update. How did this weekend go?
Sorry for the lack of updates. I’m out here trying to battle the elk and massive amounts of hunters.

Full disclosure it’s not my favorite hunt, but that’s not stopping me from going as hard as I can towards success. It just doesn’t feel like an elk hunt or is my style.

It seems like most of the locals use tree stands or jet boats as an advantage.

Given the fact the local landscape changed so much since the giant flood they had in 2019 I believe, I’m finding lots of hunters in the same small areas that hold elk. Verse maybe before when there was lots of mature growth in the bottom for them to be spread out.

For example this morning and yesterday evening I watched anywhere from 4-7 different hunters try to get in on the same bull. No one cares about the others - it’s just a free for all.

They elk move for maybe an hour after sunup and maybe an hour before sundown.

It’s odd not being able to do mid day stuff.

They hunker up in the thick willows and I’m not going to stomp around that mid day and blow them out.

To me it’s like I’m hybrid hunting whitetail/mule deer with these tactics.

That being said I am seeing some of the biggest elk I’ve ever seen in my life and still getting close.

I’m glassing from up top and the second I see them in familiar areas I get down in quick and ambush. I’ve passed a few cows and a small 3x2 that was no larger than a spike.

I think I’m ready to shoot a cow now if I can.

I will be hunting as hard as you can possibly imagine until I leave Friday. So hopefully something happens soon.

Also to note - I think I’ve seen hundreds of whitetail or mule deer does and only one small buck. They don’t allow B tags to be used down here and it shows.



IMG_2884.jpegIMG_2886.jpegIMG_2889.jpegIMG_2896.jpegIMG_2898.jpegIMG_2900.jpegIMG_2902.jpegIMG_2904.jpegIMG_2906.jpegIMG_2908.jpegIMG_2910.jpeg
 
Back
Top