Wyoming Elk Bust

[Flatrock]

Does anyone else here suck at elk hunting? Burned 7 points this year on a damn good elk tag in WY and did not fill after hunting about 12 days even though we had some phenomenal information and help from previous tag holders. Also ran into the game warden during a summer scouting trip who was awesome in helping out. All together, we had X's all over the map of where big bulls have been shot in the past couple years but I still wasn't able to get it done. A huge herd of 1,000+ on private and November temps in the 60's until the last few days didn't help but I'm not going to blame it on that. A guy either gets it done or he doesn't and the good hunters adjust to conditions and usually get it done.

Awfully disappointed with the outcome but I guess that's public land elk hunting. My first elk tag was in New Mexico and I hunted a grand total of about 8 hours. Got stupid lucky on a nice bull and was in the right spot at the right time. I've since had 3 more tags, hunted about 23 days, put on maybe 150 miles or so and have punched 0 tags. Instead of carrying Vaseline cotton balls in my pack for fire tinder, I'll just start using my unfilled elk tags.

I think my biggest takeaway from this hunt is being able to adjust to conditions and adapt. We did plenty of long hikes in the dark and glassed from high points but I think we should have realized quicker that we were looking at the wrong country. This was not a normal year for weather and the elk just weren't where they typically should have been. If I could do it over, I would have relocated and gone into some higher and thicker country and at least tried it. When you're looking at your map though and all the X's, it's hard to not hunt by the X's... My buddy was able to get a nice bull at the end of the hunt though so that was good. Haven't seen a thread from him on here about it yet though.

Is there any hunting that's tougher than public land elk hunting? If there is, I sure haven't done it. Guess it's time now to start looking at next year...

We've all seen a million scenery pics so I'll just a show a few of the more random ones.




These were 2 dead bulls that we assumed died in a fight. Somebody else had found them before us and hung them in a tree.




Something's missing on this one.......





Not a big Hillary supporter.







Isn't it supposed to be cold in November?

 

[sbhooper]

That "elk on private land" is a pretty common theme for public hunting. I did the same last year on a cow hunt in northern Wyoming. The previous year, it took me half a day to fill a tag. Last year, I put in 8-12 miles a day, every other day for 10 days and never had an opportunity. I saw probably 500 on a high saddle that was inaccessible to me and I believe on private to boot.

It looks to me like you did everything that you could do and that is as far as it goes. Elk are elk and can be impossible at times. Living in NM, I hunted for five years with a muzzle loader before I killed an elk. It was a unit that was easy to draw (at that time) but not lots of elk. I found elk every year, but seemed to have a black cloud following me around. When I finally shot one, I quit that unit for good! We had glorious times hunting there, though, with lots of good memories and campfire tales.

If you feel like you did all that you physically/mentally could do to find an elk, then you have to leave with that satisfaction. Eating tags sucks, though and I have never gotten use to it. That is one reason I hunt cows and primarily late season. I don't eat them QUITE as often!

Even private, guided hunts come up empty at times.

 

[NoWiser]

I feel your pain. My first time ever applying to NM I drew one of the best archery tags in the state. Some would say the very best. I got down there 3 days early to scout, located a ton of elk that I had all to myself, and hunted my arse off every single day of the entire season. I missed a humungous bull opening morning due to a twig. I drew back on a few more bulls that just couldn't make a shot happen. The last day I was at full draw on THE bull. The one I wanted from day #1. I'd heard him every day and finally had him broadside at 34 yards. He had to take 1/2 step forward and he was mine. Instead, he took a step back, and my season ended. I'll never draw that tag again and still feel sick to my stomach when I think about it too much. The pain of eating that tag has now mostly faded but the awesome memories I have of the hunt are just as vivid as the day they happened.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Sounds like you guys did everything humanly possible to score. Sometimes the Elk Gods smile upon you....other times they give you the finger!

 

[Trigger50]

8 days of archery for me last yr, 2 opportunities on cows. 6 days of rifle and I shot a lone calf elk on the last day of the season. Thank goodness I have easier hunts to fill the freezer.

 

[cowboy]

Flatrock: If it's any consolation to you, this hunting season was "different" than the previous 40 plus years I've played this game. Not once this year did I pull any hand warmers out of my pack or hunt in any snow, and that was at 8000' for elk or late Nov. deer in NE Montana. I hunted antelope in a t-shirt in late Oct.

We've got winter now - going to be -25F tomorrow night, been snowing last 24 hrs and they say it'll keep falling for next 24 hrs.

 

[Surf-N-Turf]

Flatrock, I've been at it on/off since 1985, Archery, DIY & Guided. I still haven't put one on the ground for keeps. Currently have 18 Elk PP's for CO that I'm going to have to use soon, maybe 2017. Any one have GMU suggestion? Thanks in Advance, Gregory

 

[HighDesertSage]

That's just hunting man..If the outcome of my adventures were consistent I would probably find something else to do. Looks like a great trip though.

 

[nrpate05]

I wouldn't sweat it. I started hunting in Wyoming and took elk my first 2 years. Three seasons later and I haven't killed another. In fact, this was my first season in 5 seasons of hunting that I haven't taken anything. Keep doing your research and putting on the miles, it'll payoff. At least thats what I tell myself. I definitely agree with your point of adjusting to the conditions and being willing to change locations. Its easy to hunt areas that you're sure there are elk in, even if you aren't seeing any. Its tough to give up on those places, but a lot of the time it will be worth it to check out a different area on the map. Good luck with the elusive wapiti.

 

[Jon Boy]

Sounds like you put it in a solid effort! A thing I would suggest for guys that are applying for hard to draw tags, do as many OTC hunts as you can before you draw them. You will learn a lot about elk and elk country in that time, so when you do finally draw the dream tag you have lots of experience. Good luck on your next hunt and keep at it!

 

[Flatrock]

Sounds like you guys did everything humanly possible to score. Sometimes the Elk Gods smile upon you....other times they give you the finger!

Ha, I like that!

 

[Straight Arrow]

The first several years of public land elk hunting I thought elk were some mystical creature dreamt up by hunting clothing and equipment retail outlets to market their products.

Finally ... after "paying my dues" by scouting, hiking miles & miles, and studying the habitat and behavior ... I was able to consistently "get lucky" at finding elk and filling my tags. But really, whether punched tag or tag soup, it's all good!

 

[old man]

I made the same mistake this year. I continued to hunt the east side of the unit without seeing a thing and sid hunted the west side and killed his elk in two days.

 

[Irrelevant]

Keep yer chin up, hard work pays.

 

[HalfAce]

If it were easy it wouldn't be great.

Eating a Limited Entry tag sucks, but don't be too hard on yourself. I learn more on the hunts when I'm unsuccessful than when I am. You will get more chances.

Tag soup don't taste so bad once you start eating it every year.

 

[Flatrock]

The first several years of public land elk hunting I thought elk were some mystical creature dreamt up by hunting clothing and equipment retail outlets to market their products.

Ha, isn't that the truth!!!!

Tag soup don't taste so bad once you start eating it every year.

Man, you guys are just full of good advice!

At least nobody told me to Keep Hammering.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I'm wondering if there was any fresh elk sign in the area you were hunting? Just because there have been bulls taken there in the past does not mean they are going to be there today. Different year different conditions.
If there was no fresh sign of animals after a day or two it was time to relocate, but like the saying goes "elk are where you find them". Many time we just don't find them.

 

[mtmander]

Enjoy the hunt , as it is happening and after it is over. To me that is what is important, getting a animal is nice, real nice b ut the hunt is what I remember from years past.

 

[zadvorney]

I've been out six or seven times and have yet to bring one home. I stopped bringing coolers "for the meat" a long time ago. I had to change my hunting location due to habitat change and where the elk are (no longer) located. It's all good. If I believed all the crap I saw on TV about how easy they make it look, I'd be a sucker for sure. Keep on swinging.

 

[Flatrock]

I'm wondering if there was any fresh elk sign in the area you were hunting? Just because there have been bulls taken there in the past does not mean they are going to be there today. Different year different conditions.
If there was no fresh sign of animals after a day or two it was time to relocate, but like the saying goes "elk are where you find them". Many time we just don't find them.

Yea there was tons of sign. Shit everywhere. Fairly fresh but hard to say if some of it was 2 days old or 7. Didn't see much that was obviously less than 24 hours old. Didn't have snow til the last 3 days of the hunt. That was a game changer. Had the season lasted another 2 days, I think I could have shot one.