Me 'n Zach's Elk huntin'

[recoil junky]

Day 6 Nov 3. Arrived at my spot 1/2 hour earlier this morning. The hike in the moon light was a bit eerie with the coyotes yammering all around me. It was very still and the sounds of the mining equipment a good mile to the south seemed like it was right behind me. I could see the lights of the 830E Komatsus, the L2350 loader and a couple D10R's on the ridge where they were working to uncover some more coal. It's amazing how well sound carries on a still morning. I got settled under my oakbrush "stand" and started glassing and spotted about 25 head of elk about 600 yards away (across the fence of course) Still to dark to see antlers at this point, but at least I've got a chance. I'd have to hit everything just right because these elk were very skittish. A couple toots on my Skeery cowtalk and I was rewarded with an answer.



Of course they didn't cooperate and headed east into the oakbrush and sage. I was sure there was a legal bull in the bunch but it still wasn't light enough to see yet, so I bided my time in hopes they would circle back to the west (left of frame) and cross the fence.



About half of the bunch separated and went east so I continued to cowtalk in hopes they would head my way, but the lead cow was either deaf or had a mission of her own.



And the other half went below me to the west and headed for the fence. I hurried to another vantage point that overlooked the big draw we call Hansen's Hole, but I never did see the rest of the elk. They simply vanished into this mess.



I sat there for another hour to give them time to settle down, but no more elk showed themselves.

Day 7 Nov 4. I've got the drill down now. I can find my way into my spot pretty easily now, even in the dark. I only had to backtrack once to avoid a really dense tangle of oakbrusk. Now if the elk will just cooperate. I started glassing the meadow but didn't see anything but a few deer and they were headed for the brush already. I saw a vehicle on the ridge opposite me and farther north and figgered that was why the deer were bugging out. My hopes to see elk went down as well, knowing that they had heard the vehicle as well. Also on the Trapper side of the fence I saw and HEARD an old beater Chevy pickup rattle his way around the grassy knob in the right /center of the picture above. There's a road that comes down in there, so I wasn't all that surprised to see some one come in there, just a bit perturbed that they didn't come in in the dark. It would have made more sense.

I did get to see about 12 head head east right where they had gone the previous day only this time at a dead run. Well, there was nothing to do but sit there and enjoy the sunrise and feed the chickadees and the chipmunk who's residence I evidently am sitting on Every time I get the camera out to get a shot of the little feller, he zips back into the bushes, so I'm content to just watch.

Day 8, Nov 5. Well, no elk at all today. That (what looks to be a Ford Explorer) truck was back over on the next ridge again, just sitting there with his engine running. Even at a good 1000 yards I could see the steam from his exhaust. Bunch of wieners anyway, it's only 20* this morning. I've found that you can pretty much make all kinds of noise (vehicular) in the dark and the elk don't pay that much attention to you, but as soon as it starts to get light it's a different story. If you're not moving and the engine is shut off they don't seem to "see" you either. The local deer population on the other hand could care less until you stop and get out, then they're off in a big hurry.These guys must not be "from here" because I've seen them drive right past a couple really smart and really nice muley bucks. They almost disappear in the sage when some one drives by. Plus when they do get out and "walk", they alway have the wind wrong and the deer bug out before the hunters even get to where they can see them.

I did take a little drive to the "top" of Trapper's property. After a good bit of hiking I didn't cut any fresh sign. Loads of deer tracks but no fresh elk tracks anywhere. I did quite a bit of glassing, but didn't see anything, not even any orange over in Hammil's and Jake usually has hunters on his place.

Tomorrow is the last day, so that means I'll be back in my spot once more.

RJ