Archery Talk

Did my first solo string/cable change and full setup on my new (to me) target bow. Took a couple hours, but learning to do shit yourself is so much more rewarding, especially if you don't have a good bow shop nearby

 

Put another ground blind up today, the good news is I didn’t find or smell any more dead deer.

 

Finally got around to putting one of my new arrow wraps on.

Yay or Nay?

 

Looks good

 

Yay

 

Yep

 

Yay!!

 

Thanks for the feedback!! 'Preciate it.

Here's a pic in the daylight. I like them. I did notice at 25 yards they seem to be drifting about 3/4" to the left. I'm guessing the additional weight is affecting the spine of the arrow. Still need to play a little and try it with broadheads. That's where it matters.

 

Adding weight to the back stiffens the dynamic spine. If your bow isn't maxed out you could try adding a pound or two and see how that does.

 

Yea, I get that....bow's already maxed out. Thing is, typically stiffer spine, either dynamic or static will typically move POI to the right.

 

Just did the vane end ?

 

Wish my grass was still green.

 

No. It's like the whole POI moved slightly.

We've been getting a decent amount of rain every week, since forever, it seems. This past week was the first week without precipitation. Definitely a good year for mast. Paw Paws are dropping as well. Seems to be a banner year. They say deer don't eat them, but I'e watched them feed on the ones that are freshly dropped.

 

Just got back from 7 days of elk hunting the Idaho panhandle. They were quiet for the first couple of days, but we got them to start talking back later in the week. Called 2 bulls in within 100 yards on 2 different days. First one winded us and second one refused to come up a near vertical slope that we couldn't make it down. Great experience for my first time elk hunting. There's nothing like talking to bugling bulls for over an hour while having them bash trees and scrape up the ground all around you. I'm afraid deer hunting is going to be boring now...

 

No dice fellas. Hell of a trip though! Covered a lot of ground, noted of a bunch of trails, bedding and feeding sites but sadly the herd just wasn’t there this go around. A few bulls were in the area and I chased them around. Called in a nice 5x5 to about 60 yards but couldn’t tease him into shooting range.

My best experience was ruined by other hunters. I had three ridges scouted and found fresh scat for a few elk (most likely lone medium bulls). Hunted them for a bit until I called in the 5x5 and just had no luck after. I jumped to another ridge one afternoon after hearing a faint bugle that way.

Got up there and found fresh bull scat again. Thermals were bad so I sat down and did a few light cow calls to pass the time. Around 4 pm a bull bugled about 100 yards behind me. A lazy bugle and it was probably bedded there. I waited a few minutes to try and hear movement. Few more cow calls, followed by another lazy bugle. I cow called back to show interest and silence. There was no sneaking in on this bull so I tried again in a few minutes. Silence. Tried again but this time introduced light raking. Did this for a few times then increased raking, added some panting and eventually chuckles. Then the bull showed interest and bugled a little harder. You could hear 4wheelers in the distance fire up and drive the main road near my position. Working quick, I cow called, raked, panted and cow called again. He bugled and I cut him off with an easy challenge bugle. You could hear rustling and I knew it was time to get ready for this bull to come in hot. Thermals were still crazy but you gotta roll the dice some times. That’s when the mountain side lit up with garbage bugles (you know, cheaper sounding than the typical primos kit). Those atv’s/utv had three hunters and apparently their tactic was to surround the bull and hope for the best?

I tried to keep it going but that was it. The bull was long gone. Silently left and finally let one final bugle off in the distance on his way to his next destination (probably a ridge over).

A real bummer of a situation. I gave a challenge bugle, raked some trees and slipped off into the woods. I didn’t want to even speak to these guys. Hell, with the way they hunt I am surprised I didn’t have a few arrows shot in my direction.

Guess this is what you get when you hunt a unit that has absurd road access. I put a 2 mile buffer on every open road and the only area open was wilderness (which I am guessing is packed with horse folk and backpack hunters). Hell, it’s the same with a 1 mile buffer (aside from two small areas). I had the other area to myself so hopefully the elk are back next weekend and I can capitalize on my efforts this trip.

Just happy to have got into elk and exchange a few calls with them. Nothing quite like that adrenaline rush!

 

That one to two mile buffer that everyone walks past...

 

Went out to brush-in one of my ground blinds, then pulled camera cards. My nice 8 is still alive and hanging around, hope the Blue Tongue don’t get him!

 

Tough to find but the other 3 ridges I hunt are that way. It’s far enough off the road that you can’t hear easily hear bugles and the other side may as well be inaccessible to hunters (cliffs). I’ll be doing some heavy scouting this next summer. Rather satisfied with my results with how little time I had to plan a hunt in a new unit. I have a few places in mind that I think will be super difficult for ATV hunters to get to.

It doesn’t help that elk populations are not meeting targets in these units. I’m from Wyoming and they have some awesome populations out there!

As a bonus, I will be working with the Forest service next year. Being able to scout while working doesn’t suck!

 

Were you hunting Colorado?

 

I use my atv to get where Im going, Usually to the top then walk some trails and skid trails. I dont however bugle or call till a good 20-30 minutes after Ive got off the atv...may not be the best situation but more of a locator. Then I'll get off and walk down towards them, up seems to be the way to go but not for me I havent really heard much here but we've been hunting bear mostly, I did get a couple doe in about 64yds the other day. that was neat.