Elk

Looks like an everything Elk thread is needed round here. Pics, exploits, rifles, bows, muzzle loaders, pack outs, success/disappointments, questions/tips....whatever.

God finally granted me some time off so I'll be heading up for 10 days starting tomorrow. With no good storms in the forecast, clear skies and a full nightlight, could be a challenge this year. I accept

 

Decided to cut the Elk hunt short. We were camped at 10,000' and it was hitting 60° in the afternoon and barely getting below freezing at night. With no big changes in the weather forecast, I decided to head out and get some work done on the truck while I have time off. We found Elk but there was no chance getting at them.

This is sunset looking West at Kings Peak.

 

My elk tag is right now. Unfortunately work changed up our schedule and I am working and not hunting. Pretty awesome.

 

Yeah work scratched out my bow hunt which I pretty much live for. Had to go see a therapist to rectify the injustice.

 

1st Season Rifle CO success - hard hunt with the weather and terrain. 4 days, 14,000’ of elevation gain/loss, 64.5 miles of hiking, 5.6 mile pack out (x4)

 

You all need to put in for Elk in New Mexico, Unit 34. If you Draw, Let me know and I will take you. Elevation is around 9000 feet. Big Bulls. Cows are for residents only.

 

late season muzzleloader just now in the rainforest. It’s been clear and cold so far. Looking forward to getting the rain back this weekend so I can get closer to them!

now the trick is having the gun go off if I do get a shot!?

 

Not the best pic, but here are some Oklahoma Elk from earlier this year.

 

Combined tribal/state historic harvest data shows a lot of interesting trends over the years in Washington.

https://nwifc.org/publications/big-game-harvest-reports/

Elk tags are down 25% in the last ten years here but elk harvests are up. Tribal pressure (as described) has been steady over the same period if not decreasing slightly. I am taking away that there are more bulls now then there were when I left here 10 years ago where i hunt. Apparently not true everywhere in Washington;

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/12-20230128-elk-status-and-trend-summaryv2.pdf

 

This is gonna be hard not to get a time out for this, but this issue along with wildlife management in other states is no longer a function of the appropriate wildlife agencies, but of the ballot box. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee has appointed anti-hunters to the state Fish & Wildlife Commission. The governor of Colorado is on record as stating he wants to shift away from CDW from managing wildlife to "wildlife managing wildlife". Hence Colorado's Prop 114 which was nothing but ballot box biology whereby the voters (not biologists) voted for a re-intro of wolves. Ironic because wolves had natutally migrated from Wyoming south, several years before. Please note that Prop 114 was funded almost in its entirity from west coast money. Once it was on the ballot CDW was prevented by law from speaking out aginst the re-intro.

 

Headed out in the morning to hopefully find me a Cow to fill the freezer.

 

good luck!



I'm thinking of making a "hail Mary" play between waves of crap this morning!

edit: rain off and on. results: got wet and saw zero elk all day

 

Thanks!!! I got my Cow the second evening, My partner got his cow this morning (3rd morning). Nothing moved much on the first day we had snow, wind and the temps changed big time. By the afternoon and evening on the second day things were looking better.

 

Recent......

 

a week chasing Roosevelt (Rosie’s) during this atmospheric river in Washington has netted a handful of phone pics, of cows. There was one spike bull but I can only harvest 3pts or better. Usually jump bulls along rivers but they were all raging floods. I think I’m going to dry off my gear and call it a year…

 

their trails are well defined in the rainforest but sometimes they lead into places you can’t follow….

 

young 'en

 

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/elk-hoof

Quite a lot of this going on just south and east of me.

Life totally in the way for effective scouting purposes. I know that they aren’t where I’ve been hunting for black tailed deer! I will take the rifle out in my old spots up north this weekend and see what I can….

 

After a good soaking every time I went out for deer, I got the same treatment chasing elk! At least getting smarter and bring a change of clothes for the hour drive home. I tare the gun apart every evening to dry and re oil it. I’m lightly oiling my ammunition too.
I have to choose a weapon when I buy a license here. I chose modern and thought my spot would be jammed up with folks walking around, essentially pushing the elk into moving… um no! About 10 folks just drive around the roads all day. ???

 

Rifle season for deer and elk was a tough row to hoe this year! I hunt both between these two weather stations….


deer opened in the middle of October, then elk (right about prime rut week for deer btw) early November and late deer through middle of November. So it looks like the southern rain gauge recorded 16 inches of rain. But I hunt on the west side about an hour and a half north of there.

this gauge is about an hour farther north. That’s like 25” of rain in the same period. It was miserable but it also did amazing things to even the smallest drainage in the hills!

Additionally I learned that salal pickers had been all over my elk spot just before the season opened. Insult to injury. I’m gonna practice with my bow this summer!