RockyDog
Member
no not them, if im readin you right anyways Buzz. it could be an older father/son team though. Who knows, who cares, i have a feeling Big Fins gonna have good fortune, he deserves it.
Montana Rifle Elk - Gonna be a good one
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
- Status
Not sure what the other guys' hunt turned into today, but however they plan to hunt this area, we will continue to carry out our plan and work around what ever obstacles we encounter. Not going to let other hunters be the end of our fun. Too much other terrain and too many elk to chase to be bothered by people who might be possessive of all the spots and all the elk.
The good news is that we found lots of elk today. Rather than finding them where we had hoped to ambush them in the morning set up, we went into the thick stuff, When Bart plays his elk horn, even the most wiley of bulls feels compelled to answer.
This evening Bart called a 6 point out to a small opening, along with his cows. The shot was never good for me and the camera at the same time. We snuck up closer, but just could never get things lined up. Not sure he was big by standards around here, but he is going to be in trouble by Monday.
Right at dark we found two nice groups of elk near our camp. Too late to film, so we let them feed away. Hoping they are somewhere nearby in the morning, but will probably have more company, again. Oh well, such is the life of hunting public land.
We walked and hunted our tails off today. We are all tired. The effort to go slowly and quietly through the thick stuff takes almost as much energy as hiking the rough stuff.
Gonna do all we can to get a bull on the ground tomorrow. Gonna get some sleep.
The good news is that we found lots of elk today. Rather than finding them where we had hoped to ambush them in the morning set up, we went into the thick stuff, When Bart plays his elk horn, even the most wiley of bulls feels compelled to answer.
This evening Bart called a 6 point out to a small opening, along with his cows. The shot was never good for me and the camera at the same time. We snuck up closer, but just could never get things lined up. Not sure he was big by standards around here, but he is going to be in trouble by Monday.
Right at dark we found two nice groups of elk near our camp. Too late to film, so we let them feed away. Hoping they are somewhere nearby in the morning, but will probably have more company, again. Oh well, such is the life of hunting public land.
We walked and hunted our tails off today. We are all tired. The effort to go slowly and quietly through the thick stuff takes almost as much energy as hiking the rough stuff.
Gonna do all we can to get a bull on the ground tomorrow. Gonna get some sleep.
BuzzH
Well-known member
RockyDog,
You're right, it doesnt matter, and you're also correct Fin will do just fine. I cant stand people that show up late and then ruin an area...and worse yet, act like its theirs and their right to act like that.
You're right, it doesnt matter, and you're also correct Fin will do just fine. I cant stand people that show up late and then ruin an area...and worse yet, act like its theirs and their right to act like that.
Rocky- with that tidbit and yours, what are the chances you're thinking of someone with the last name ****tka?
stillkickin
Well-known member
Don/t let em get to you Fin, I would be happy to swing by Big Falls on my way to Bozeman and get a bunch of volunteers for welcoming party for those fellas if you want me to....
nmtaxi
Active member
M*** ****tka.... Mike Ditka!?!.... wow. Da Bears.
Go get 'em Fin.
Go get 'em Fin.
upper deck
Member
Great post big fin. Good luck on the hunt.
Here's hoping you git 'er done this morning and can call for an early pick-up. Looks like it's going to be a bumpy ride out. Good luck and stay safe!
Current forecast for your area in case you can't get it:
Today: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a southwest wind 8 to 11 mph increasing to between 19 and 22 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Tonight: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 37. West southwest wind between 9 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Windy, with a west northwest wind 20 to 23 mph increasing to between 30 and 33 mph. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 33. West northwest wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 41. Breezy, with a northwest wind between 18 and 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.
Current forecast for your area in case you can't get it:
Today: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a southwest wind 8 to 11 mph increasing to between 19 and 22 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.
Tonight: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 37. West southwest wind between 9 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Windy, with a west northwest wind 20 to 23 mph increasing to between 30 and 33 mph. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 33. West northwest wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 41. Breezy, with a northwest wind between 18 and 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.
Some things are just not meant to be.
Bulls were bugling like crazy. At daylight, a huge herd of elk, well over 200, came off the prairie about a mile to our west. They looked to be headed near where some shooting had been going on this morning.
Havinbg only two cows come by this morn, it made sense to run west in hopes we could get to them before they reached the private.
Within a half hour we were above where it looked like they could cross. The majority of the herd was above the saddle, on private. One really nice bull was pushing his cows lower and was headed directly on to public.
Troy and I set up. They were angling to our left and slightly downhill. The bull was following behind and screaming loud.
I ranged it at 180 and the lead cow was getting closer. The bull was a couple hundred yards behind.
Now there are nine cows at 150. Come on big boy, clear those few trees.
Suddenly the lead cow comes to full alert. She barks and turns at a trot. The entire group is heading up the hill. They are now too close to private for me to take a comfortable shot, combined with a strong cross wind.
Off they go. Nothing can be done.
I walk over the ridge to our left to see what the cow smelled/ saw. The two guys from yesterday were there. Good for them to have shot a bull. They were the shooting we had heard after daylight. They had a nice bull on the ground just a couple hundred yards down the trail of where the cow was headed.
Bad for us that they shot it where this herd was headed. I ran past them and there bull, hoping to follow the public boundary. No luck. The GPS said I only had 300 feet to go. I am sure more can go wrong, but I hope not.
I have never been on a hunt where I have seen so many bulls and not got a chance. Either moving elk, private land, bad camera angle, too much brush, or whatever. A little luck goes a long ways in hunting, and a little bad luck can go just as far as a little good luck. Hoping the good luck comes, but with the weather, we are in for a real challenge now.
So, now we are going to plan H.
Bulls were bugling like crazy. At daylight, a huge herd of elk, well over 200, came off the prairie about a mile to our west. They looked to be headed near where some shooting had been going on this morning.
Havinbg only two cows come by this morn, it made sense to run west in hopes we could get to them before they reached the private.
Within a half hour we were above where it looked like they could cross. The majority of the herd was above the saddle, on private. One really nice bull was pushing his cows lower and was headed directly on to public.
Troy and I set up. They were angling to our left and slightly downhill. The bull was following behind and screaming loud.
I ranged it at 180 and the lead cow was getting closer. The bull was a couple hundred yards behind.
Now there are nine cows at 150. Come on big boy, clear those few trees.
Suddenly the lead cow comes to full alert. She barks and turns at a trot. The entire group is heading up the hill. They are now too close to private for me to take a comfortable shot, combined with a strong cross wind.
Off they go. Nothing can be done.
I walk over the ridge to our left to see what the cow smelled/ saw. The two guys from yesterday were there. Good for them to have shot a bull. They were the shooting we had heard after daylight. They had a nice bull on the ground just a couple hundred yards down the trail of where the cow was headed.
Bad for us that they shot it where this herd was headed. I ran past them and there bull, hoping to follow the public boundary. No luck. The GPS said I only had 300 feet to go. I am sure more can go wrong, but I hope not.
I have never been on a hunt where I have seen so many bulls and not got a chance. Either moving elk, private land, bad camera angle, too much brush, or whatever. A little luck goes a long ways in hunting, and a little bad luck can go just as far as a little good luck. Hoping the good luck comes, but with the weather, we are in for a real challenge now.
So, now we are going to plan H.
csutton7
Active member
well hopefully the two guys will be gone and leave the place to you guys--success is just around the corner.......
This evening was so close. Three nice bulls spotted. One was below us, but he was busted off beyond the 4th point. We could hear some bugling, even in this strong wind, so we moved in to see what was making the noise. It was a gamble to leave a bull that was by himself, and looked to be in a very vulnerable location. but it seemed like a chance worth taking.
We darted west toward the bugling, knowing it would again be close to the private. When we got there, two good 6 pointers were in the meadow bugling at each other, trying to sort out who owned the three cows. The cows could have cared less, as they fed without regard to the noise.
I looked at the GPS and could tell the one bull was at least 150 yards onto the private, but he was slowing coming out way. The other bull was right on the line, plus or minus a few yards.
We watched to see what they would do. The bigger bull dropped down into the draw, putting him squarely onto the public. We raced down his direction, trying not to be seen by the other bull and cows. If he kept coming down, he would be about 200 yards below and well into the public ground. It would also be a straight upwind shot, which in this very strong wind, would have been a much better deal.
Using some trees and rocks for concealment, we dropped down to cut him off, estimating his direction. When we reached the best location for an ambush, the bull emerged from the draw. Not right below like we had hoped, but for some reason, he took a hard right, putting him back close to the boundary.
This boundary is not marked with fences and I have found corner pins out here that make it appear that my GPS is off on the north/south grid by 150' at times. That kind of variation is too much, even though I think my first good shot at him was about 100 yards into the public. As he walked away and Troy and I struggled for good lanes that worked for both of us, he was just too close for me to take the chance.
Many wonder how we draw the number of tags we do. It is really pretty simple. We are accustomed to hunting the public/private interface that most hunters stay away from. It is that public/private situation that gives us ample tags and some great animals to hunt. But, it requires a lot of patience, knowing you have to error on the side of caution and pass opportunities that would be slam dunks if you were on big chunks of public.
Today, we had to pass on those bulls, as they were either on private, or too close to private - live by the sword, die by the sword. Today, we died by the sword, but tomorrow is a new day, and in spite of a terrible weather forecast, I am feeling good about our chances. We have been stomping these hills for four days, and I feel we are getting a lay of the land, even though the elk are completely unpredictable in their patterns.
After that bull moved off, Bart and I tried everything we knew to get the other bull to drag his cows down the hill and onto the public. They would have no part of it. As filming light left us, we watched as the bull stood among the three cows and bugled his brains out. Cool to watch, but sure wish he was on our side of the boundary.
Tired and weary. We have been hitting it very hard, as we knew we only had three hunting days for this episode. Tomorrow is the last full day. We might be able to sneak in a morning hunt on Tuesday before flying back out.
Looks like we will be competing with both the elk and the weather tomorrow. It is raining on the tent, as I type this. Rain and cameras do not get along very well. Rain, strong winds, and cameras are a recipe for disaster, or at best, frustration. Glad I don't have Troy's job tomorrow. Hunting will be miserable enough. Filming the hunt will be more than I would care to deal with. But if anyone can pull it off, Troy would be that guy.
A few random pics.
Bart smiling yesterday afternoon, about fifteen miles ago. He will still be smiling fifteen miles from now.
Some sunrises are hard to do justice with a camera. This was one of them. Troy got the goods with his professional set up and given the excitement in his voice, he must have liked what he shot.
A sunrise, looking south at the prairie grounds.
Mid-day snack at Camp OYOA. No one is getting fat around here.
We darted west toward the bugling, knowing it would again be close to the private. When we got there, two good 6 pointers were in the meadow bugling at each other, trying to sort out who owned the three cows. The cows could have cared less, as they fed without regard to the noise.
I looked at the GPS and could tell the one bull was at least 150 yards onto the private, but he was slowing coming out way. The other bull was right on the line, plus or minus a few yards.
We watched to see what they would do. The bigger bull dropped down into the draw, putting him squarely onto the public. We raced down his direction, trying not to be seen by the other bull and cows. If he kept coming down, he would be about 200 yards below and well into the public ground. It would also be a straight upwind shot, which in this very strong wind, would have been a much better deal.
Using some trees and rocks for concealment, we dropped down to cut him off, estimating his direction. When we reached the best location for an ambush, the bull emerged from the draw. Not right below like we had hoped, but for some reason, he took a hard right, putting him back close to the boundary.
This boundary is not marked with fences and I have found corner pins out here that make it appear that my GPS is off on the north/south grid by 150' at times. That kind of variation is too much, even though I think my first good shot at him was about 100 yards into the public. As he walked away and Troy and I struggled for good lanes that worked for both of us, he was just too close for me to take the chance.
Many wonder how we draw the number of tags we do. It is really pretty simple. We are accustomed to hunting the public/private interface that most hunters stay away from. It is that public/private situation that gives us ample tags and some great animals to hunt. But, it requires a lot of patience, knowing you have to error on the side of caution and pass opportunities that would be slam dunks if you were on big chunks of public.
Today, we had to pass on those bulls, as they were either on private, or too close to private - live by the sword, die by the sword. Today, we died by the sword, but tomorrow is a new day, and in spite of a terrible weather forecast, I am feeling good about our chances. We have been stomping these hills for four days, and I feel we are getting a lay of the land, even though the elk are completely unpredictable in their patterns.
After that bull moved off, Bart and I tried everything we knew to get the other bull to drag his cows down the hill and onto the public. They would have no part of it. As filming light left us, we watched as the bull stood among the three cows and bugled his brains out. Cool to watch, but sure wish he was on our side of the boundary.
Tired and weary. We have been hitting it very hard, as we knew we only had three hunting days for this episode. Tomorrow is the last full day. We might be able to sneak in a morning hunt on Tuesday before flying back out.
Looks like we will be competing with both the elk and the weather tomorrow. It is raining on the tent, as I type this. Rain and cameras do not get along very well. Rain, strong winds, and cameras are a recipe for disaster, or at best, frustration. Glad I don't have Troy's job tomorrow. Hunting will be miserable enough. Filming the hunt will be more than I would care to deal with. But if anyone can pull it off, Troy would be that guy.
A few random pics.
Bart smiling yesterday afternoon, about fifteen miles ago. He will still be smiling fifteen miles from now.
Some sunrises are hard to do justice with a camera. This was one of them. Troy got the goods with his professional set up and given the excitement in his voice, he must have liked what he shot.
A sunrise, looking south at the prairie grounds.
Mid-day snack at Camp OYOA. No one is getting fat around here.
elk_hunter
Active member
Dang I love this! Keep up the good work and stay with it!
sweetnectar
New member
Holy smokes. I hadn't checked up on your progress thinking you would be done on the opener. I'm thinking that with those two other do it yourselfers out of the way of stinking up the place things will get better. I have to wonder if one of their friends is responsable for the gut pile off the county road sitting in my field...but never mind crappy hunters.
Focus MAN! You are in a sweet spot, lots of elk, you've got the lay of the land, the elk are announcing where they are, you are sitting good. Now blast one of them so the rest of us can drool on our keyboards.
Focus MAN! You are in a sweet spot, lots of elk, you've got the lay of the land, the elk are announcing where they are, you are sitting good. Now blast one of them so the rest of us can drool on our keyboards.
NVLongbow
Active member
Thanks for taking us along Randy. The pics and the text are great!
Laying here trying to figure out a strategy for today. Packed and ready to roll. Shooting light is in about an hour and a half.
The wind is blowing so hard up here, I really don't know what plan to implement today. Hard to sleep when you think you might get blown away at any minute. And it is supposed to blow harder later today.
Oh well, if the elk have to deal with the wind, I guess I will deal with it.
Gonna climb the ridge and make a plan from there.
The wind is blowing so hard up here, I really don't know what plan to implement today. Hard to sleep when you think you might get blown away at any minute. And it is supposed to blow harder later today.
Oh well, if the elk have to deal with the wind, I guess I will deal with it.
Gonna climb the ridge and make a plan from there.
vander34
Member
Keep up the work, you guys will get it done good luck today to you and the crew!
Horn Seeker
New member
Great Read Randy... .Keep it up. You've got all the info, but damm....looks like you better be picky with any longer range shots today!
"Windy, with a west northwest wind between 25 and 31 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected."
I'd be interested in knowing if those guys are putting the plane down on a road or on a grassy park, off road. There is NO motorized travel allowed "off road" on BLM lands in Montana.
"Windy, with a west northwest wind between 25 and 31 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected."
I'd be interested in knowing if those guys are putting the plane down on a road or on a grassy park, off road. There is NO motorized travel allowed "off road" on BLM lands in Montana.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
I've been waiting to catch up on this hunt.. I hope you pulled it off this AM! I'm more than a little positive if you had the keys to the castle, you'd have a GIANT bull. Being restricted to a limited piece of public within, does appear to have its challenges. Although frustrating, it sounds like a pretty cool effort and experience..
wingman1
New member
Good luck guys. I hope the best for you in there. It is going to get real ugly in terms of weather by tonight. Packed my elk out and got the heck out before the weather got bad. Not going to be fun flying a helicopter in that wind on tuesday.
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