Archery Talk

Ah! That's what we were looking at for Idaho was OTC units, but also for rifle (apparently there is more available for rifle). Keep us updated, i'd be interested in how your hunt goes!

 

Will do! Have a lot of homework to do over the next year. Also considering outting in for KY tags, heck if a lot closer to me but well see what happens.

 

I'm closer to KY than CO, what tags you going for in KY?

 

Round 2! Going for any elk I just need some meat in the freezer.

 

Good luck! Post up some pictures.

 

second season bow hunting deer. This was the first weekend I went out. First deer ive ever shot!



(bacon wrapped backstrap with onion and mushroom)

 

Congrats and thanks for your service!

 

Thank you (and thanks for the support)

 

Hope one of these come by while my 14 year old is in the stand with his bow.

 

Headed home from Colorado now. No elk in the truck but had a blast! They were just starting to respond to calls when we left. Got really close a few times but the shot just wasn't there and I wouldn't risk an iffy shot on a nice bull. I killed the last two years in a row and was sort of "guiding" a friend on his first hunt this year. We had a blast. Very jealous of Colorado residents. That's a beautiful state with lots of outdoor activities and abundant public land!
My new TRD OR 4x4 performed great in the mountain trails. Even pulled a Chevy 2x4 up a steep hill he had no business going down.

 

What an amazing and depressing weekend. My plans changed fast Friday morning when my fathers atv couldn't get me to the area I wanted and walking the last 12 miles wouldn't have gone over well since my girlfriend tagged along for the hunt. We book it to the spot I haven't had much luck with the past few weekends. A good few inches of snow on the ground made me nervous. I decided to book it down the mountain a bit and get deep into a trail and walk out a bit. Snow was still present but not much. We didn't get much hunting done on Friday. Mostly setting up camp and getting fire wood for the stove.

Saturday morning we got up at day break and started up the mountain. After an hour of climbing we were pretty exhausted. I decided to sit and let my girlfriend catch her breath. I gave her one of those basic cow calls you squeeze. Told her to do a few while we wait. Almost immediately we here a bugle in the distance. Not far, but not close. I grab my bugle and send one back, immediate response.

I drop my pack, take a way point and start treading ground towards the bull. We bugled back and forth for about five minutes, both heading towards each other. Finally I see I depression in cover with open areas on each side and pull out my cow call reed. Did a few mews and he came in 15 yards. He came behind me were I had a small firing window. Walked in broad side, gave a mew, he stopped, I could see he was young (no throat patch) and probably 4 points but couldn't see the full rack. I quickly put my whole sight on what little vitals I could see and released.

sadly, I think I got his shoulder. The blood trail was small and he was gone. We walked to mountains for a day and a half in survey mode looking for any sign. No, luck. My girlfriend had to give me the "it happens talk".

The worse part was Sunday afternoon, on the walk back to camp to pack up we stumbled across a downed elk! I was so ecstatic. I ran with joy and sat in amazement until I realized this bull was huge. 8 point plus probably. I have a pic to upload later. Pretty sure he was hit last night but man, what a downer. I took a GPS point incase he was also a lost elk. I'll check him out next week, if so I will head back next season and see if his rack is still there.

 

deer shot with a bow taste better well at least I think they do Congrats on the tasty looking doe...

 

it didnt last long haha

thanks!

 

New string, new sight and new stabilizer. Them elk better watch out

 

no elk tags drawn. i'm cool with it. money is tight this year with the house thing.

got my archery only tag ready for CA deer. then there are the local hogs..that starts november. i NEED to start shooting again. gave my shoulder a break. got a cortisone shot to bring down inflammation. doing my PT exercises and almost pain free.

i hunted ID OTC and it was a blast. what a spot to run around in. took 10 solid days but was got one bull elk. this was a couple years ago. the drive is a bitch. it's very far. and there is nevada to go thru for me...wow.

 

Has anyone here ever hunted elk in unit 34 in New Mexico? I drew a once in a lifetime tag for either sex elk (Archery) Lucky enough that my brother has land there and he can get a landowner mule deer tag. He only has 10 acres, but it borders National Forest land. Season is from Sep 15-24th. He wants to hunt a couple of waterholes on the property, and I have never been there before. I have hunted whitetail in Texas all my life, and killed a nice 5x5 elk (rifle) 25 years ago in Colorado but this is my first archery hunt for elk. Been practicing out to 40 yards, because that has always been my range limit, and would not take a shot beyond that.
So here is my question, walk and stalk and call? Or sit on a waterhole?

 

wow. good luck. i know that unit, but have never hunted it. i used to mtn bike it regularly. there were tons of elk on the rim trail. i would be practicing with calls. like now. cow call and some bugles..i do know my friends say NM elk, especially on public land have gotten used to the bugle, so use sparingly.

 

I've been seeing lots of velvet headed bucks in the last week or so. Usually in pairs or 3's. Seems like archery season is far off in the future but it's really not.

 

I like we get an basically a month before rifle season opens

 

EXACTLY.
I'm behind on prepping for whitetail this year....was going to do spring clover plots, but a project at home tied me up for like 4 weekends. Looks like minerals and corn feeders out until i plant fall plots. Ill post any trail cam pics if some big bucks come through in velvet.