As some of you know our ML elk season started today. We have seven days to get the deed done.

We have been keeping track of a group of elk on a 40 acre block most of the fall waiting for the season to get here... It a heavily logged area with a lot of red-stem on the south east slopes and running water in the bottom draw on the far east side of the picture - up against the standing USFS timber.



Ok... and now the problem(s) - we have run into a couple of problems... a darn big full and bright moon shining on the snow, and it is up all night. The snow in the area.... it has melted then re-froze - it is like stepping on pop-corn with a microphone and amp in your boots. oh and just to mention the brush and old logging debris pops very easily.

Even with all of that both my hunting partner and I bumped elk today, but neither of us could get a shot. I got really close to a cow and a calf but just could not get to a point for a clear shot... after feeding all night - they were not moving very much at all and I could not move, but I tried just a little. I had them in front of me for most of 30 minutes but ultimately they moved directly away from me and dropped over the ridge top. I bumped another bunch later that morning and I was hoping they would drop down to Larry - no such luck... We are headed back in the morning - see if we can get lucky...

Well at least you seen elk. Better luck next time out. Send a big conical to one of them and then we can share the hunt through your story... Good luck there.

cayugad

It isn't big in your world - i know you like those 500's but I am gonna git it down with a Bull Shop .503/460 from a GM-LRH...

I hate seeing and not getting to shoot..

Good luck with those tiny little 460s Sabotloader. How far off were those ones that you got close to?

Maybe you need a sling-shot to lob some marbles to the far side of them to get them to move your way.

Semi

The cow and calf were probably 60 yards across the draw and I could see parts of them all the time - until they walked off - I couldn't believe they went staight away and over the ridge.

The second group was really close - probably 20 yards... they were just over the ridge from me. I could smell them - if you have hunted elk you knowwhat I mean. The breeze was coming right at me - so I know they did wind me. Think they were probably laying down and I am sure I popped some thing trying to get through the junk... but when they moved - they were not walking...

In fact that is the second time I have kicked elk off that knob this season... I am goingto take a different approach in the morning... wings would really help!

Well good luck with them tomorrow, hopefully you can put a tag on one tomorrow.

Maybe a hot air baloon. You could tap the hot air from the forum.

WE had a full moon when we hunted elk the first week of November also . The elk would be out for the first hour at sunrise but did not come back out until the last few minute before dark( after legal shooting hours ) each day . The first few days it was cloudy and we had a snow storm come through and we saw more elk moving around , then it cleared and with that large moon was so bright and with snow on the ground you could see almost perfect all night long .