Calling in from Montana
09-25-2002, 07:17 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 1,665
Calling in from Montana
Hey guys, Don K. and I are at the Holiday Inn in Butte right now, just got done with nearly 2 weeks in the mountains chasing elk. We came close, real close, but didn't connect. Tuesday morning was the closest we came when Don called a 330 class 6 point to within 12 yards of me. Him and the bull went back and forth at least 20 bugles and grunts a piece, and the bull was getting more and more enraged every time Don would scream at him. The bull was no further than 15 yards from me for 10 minutes, but because he came in so fast and furious, we didn't have much time to set up and I ended up in a pretty thick mess with a lot of pine around me. I had 4 close calls to being able to release, and actually came to full draw on him twice. I could of had a moving shot on him, but waited for a better broadside shot, then Don grunted at the bull and stopped him right in an opening for me, but there were two small pine trees and their branches were covering his vitals. I could see the bulls belly, but that was it, he would grunt and his belly looked like it came up to his spine each time. Everything Don did the bull did back louder and more aggressive. After about 10 minutes of trying to get a shot on the bull, the rest of the herd had worked their way down, and a small spike saw my movement from about 40 yards away. He bolted and the rest of the herd took off as well. In that time the bull started to walk off twice, but Don called him back in a total of 3 times! He was fired up to say the least. What a rush getting that close, I just wish I could of gotten the shot off.
Robert Scott invited Don and I down on the hunt. We met up at the Butte airport on Friday the 13th, and headed to an already set up camp. Don drove over from Illinois, so both of them were already out hunting that night, and had spotted a cow and calf, and another large lone cow in a meadow about a mile and a half from camp. We walked that entire side of the mountain for 2 days in 80-85 degree heat, and covered over 20 miles in that time. We found a ton of sign including wallows, fresh rubs, real fresh sign, tracks, bedding areas and so on, but the elk just weren't talking. They didn't talk much at all for the entire time we were there. Robert said it was real odd that even the cows weren't vocal. We saw a total of 100 elk, about 40 being on private land, and 8 bulls that we either called in, or stumbled upon. 3 bulls were easy 300 plus class, with the smallest of those being the 330 or so that Don had gotten into a bugling argument with. Robert saw a 350+ class bull from 40 yards when we were ambushing a herd of nearly 20, and Don called in another huge bull but couldn't see his full rack. The bull came into about 65 yards, but held up and wouldn't come any closer. He made an incredible amount of noise thrashing trees, but never bugled, chuckled or made any other noises. I was set up at the time about 30 yards behind Don, so I couldn't get in on him. He called in a smaller 5 pointer earlier that night, but I wasn't set up in the right spot, isn't that how it always goes?
We had a great time though, and learned alot and made some good friends along the way. Don starts his 2 day drive back to Illinois after dropping me off at the airport at 4:30 tommorrow morning, and Robert had to bust out of camp a day early for some family stuff. Robert was a great host and went way out of his way to make sure we had a great hunt. He put us on a great area, and hopefully we will get the chance to sit over the meadows and wallows with him another day.
All in all I would call the hunt a success, Don and I were both within range of elk, and like every hunt, we learned a ton. Don aggressively bugled at a bull for the first time with great success, I came close to a dreamer bull on my first ever elk hunt. Next time we'll have pictures of us next to critters! I'll post some photo's in a week or so of some of the areas, wallows, huge rubs and so on.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's
Robert Scott invited Don and I down on the hunt. We met up at the Butte airport on Friday the 13th, and headed to an already set up camp. Don drove over from Illinois, so both of them were already out hunting that night, and had spotted a cow and calf, and another large lone cow in a meadow about a mile and a half from camp. We walked that entire side of the mountain for 2 days in 80-85 degree heat, and covered over 20 miles in that time. We found a ton of sign including wallows, fresh rubs, real fresh sign, tracks, bedding areas and so on, but the elk just weren't talking. They didn't talk much at all for the entire time we were there. Robert said it was real odd that even the cows weren't vocal. We saw a total of 100 elk, about 40 being on private land, and 8 bulls that we either called in, or stumbled upon. 3 bulls were easy 300 plus class, with the smallest of those being the 330 or so that Don had gotten into a bugling argument with. Robert saw a 350+ class bull from 40 yards when we were ambushing a herd of nearly 20, and Don called in another huge bull but couldn't see his full rack. The bull came into about 65 yards, but held up and wouldn't come any closer. He made an incredible amount of noise thrashing trees, but never bugled, chuckled or made any other noises. I was set up at the time about 30 yards behind Don, so I couldn't get in on him. He called in a smaller 5 pointer earlier that night, but I wasn't set up in the right spot, isn't that how it always goes?
We had a great time though, and learned alot and made some good friends along the way. Don starts his 2 day drive back to Illinois after dropping me off at the airport at 4:30 tommorrow morning, and Robert had to bust out of camp a day early for some family stuff. Robert was a great host and went way out of his way to make sure we had a great hunt. He put us on a great area, and hopefully we will get the chance to sit over the meadows and wallows with him another day.
All in all I would call the hunt a success, Don and I were both within range of elk, and like every hunt, we learned a ton. Don aggressively bugled at a bull for the first time with great success, I came close to a dreamer bull on my first ever elk hunt. Next time we'll have pictures of us next to critters! I'll post some photo's in a week or so of some of the areas, wallows, huge rubs and so on.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's
09-27-2002, 01:42 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 612
RE: Calling in from Montana
Ahhhhhhh What a drive........ Took off yesterday in the A.M., drove 17 hours, slept in the truck for 6, then finished the last leg of the 22 hour drive home today. Now what in the world would someone do that for??? ELK HUNTING!!!!!! And i would do it again in a heartbeat.
First i would like to say thanks to Robert for inviting us out there. Jerry and I had been chatting about going Elk hunting and the invite was tossed out and we took up the offer. Robert had taken some scouting trips to this location, and walked alot of miles to help us get a general idea of the sign before we arrived. From there the 3 of us pulled out the maps and kept on scouting and trying to find where the Elk where hiding. Some days we humped 10 miles up and down the mountains and over deadfalls. Oh yea did i mention deadfalls???? In one area we ended up walking over trees laying on the ground because there was 4 layers of them and you couldnt see the ground.
Every time i go Elk hunting i learn more. Being a flatlander here in Illinois i dont get the chance to get out there much. This was my 2nd time i was hunting on a do-it-yourself hunt with 2 others being fully guided. I will say Elk hunting is a Roller Coaster ride. One day your high, next day (or minute) your bumming low. Have to keep the attitude strong and keep on hunting.
My first real "kick" was when a Bull responded to my bugle one morning about 4 days into the hunt. ( This was my first trip to mess with the calls.) My second "trip" was when i called in 2 bulls one night to a ground blind i made by a meadow. The first was a decent 5X5 that picked up on us and didnt quite make it to me. The second was a HUGE bull that hung up at 60-65 yards and just kept raking and pushing trees around. Jerry and I thought someone was driving through the woods in a Bulldozer this thing was making so much noise. Then he just walked off. The biggest "rush" i had came this last Tues morning when i got into the bugling match with the 6X6. This made the hunt when we where able to fool this big mature bull into bow range 3 times in 10 minutes. The louder i would scream with my bugle, the more this guy would get pissed and scream back. I would chuckle, and this bull would do it right back. I was able to move him around by pointing my tube in a direction and making the bull think i was over there. The only draw back to the whole thing was we where located in thick cover, and didnt have any time to really set up. But to sit back 15 yards behind Jerry and watch this show develop in front of me was something i will never forget. Those 10 minutes of Jerry trying to get a shot off and the bull going crazy would have made great video footage.
I know Jerry was bummed just a bit that he didnt get to release his arrow on that Bull the 2 times he drew. But, after watching the show im very proud what he did there. Anyone could have just shot, and they would have hit that bull at that close of a range. But, it takes a real "bowhunter" to know his/her limitations and to hold back if they cant get the shot they want, or need. When one lets that arrow go they want it to be a killing shot no matter what kind of animal it is. It may be some time before he gets a chance to get that caliber of a bull that close to him. (but then again maybe not with his luck)
Food...... Man was i spoiled. I had Antelope, Caribou, Elk, Deer, Grouse, Salmon, Moose, and im sure i missed something!!!!!!
The grouse we ate where 3 that jerry shot when we where on the other side of the mountain. He almost got away with me packing them back to camp in my pack after he slid them in there when i wasnt looking. But that smirk on his face told me something was up.
After spending close to 2 weeks with Robert and Jerry, i must say they are great guys and great bowhunters. I would hunt with them again in a heardbeat.
Thanks you 2 for the great stories and memories!!!!!!!!
<font color=blue></font id=blue>
Im not a guide........But i did stay at the Holiday Inn Express the other night..........
First i would like to say thanks to Robert for inviting us out there. Jerry and I had been chatting about going Elk hunting and the invite was tossed out and we took up the offer. Robert had taken some scouting trips to this location, and walked alot of miles to help us get a general idea of the sign before we arrived. From there the 3 of us pulled out the maps and kept on scouting and trying to find where the Elk where hiding. Some days we humped 10 miles up and down the mountains and over deadfalls. Oh yea did i mention deadfalls???? In one area we ended up walking over trees laying on the ground because there was 4 layers of them and you couldnt see the ground.
Every time i go Elk hunting i learn more. Being a flatlander here in Illinois i dont get the chance to get out there much. This was my 2nd time i was hunting on a do-it-yourself hunt with 2 others being fully guided. I will say Elk hunting is a Roller Coaster ride. One day your high, next day (or minute) your bumming low. Have to keep the attitude strong and keep on hunting.
My first real "kick" was when a Bull responded to my bugle one morning about 4 days into the hunt. ( This was my first trip to mess with the calls.) My second "trip" was when i called in 2 bulls one night to a ground blind i made by a meadow. The first was a decent 5X5 that picked up on us and didnt quite make it to me. The second was a HUGE bull that hung up at 60-65 yards and just kept raking and pushing trees around. Jerry and I thought someone was driving through the woods in a Bulldozer this thing was making so much noise. Then he just walked off. The biggest "rush" i had came this last Tues morning when i got into the bugling match with the 6X6. This made the hunt when we where able to fool this big mature bull into bow range 3 times in 10 minutes. The louder i would scream with my bugle, the more this guy would get pissed and scream back. I would chuckle, and this bull would do it right back. I was able to move him around by pointing my tube in a direction and making the bull think i was over there. The only draw back to the whole thing was we where located in thick cover, and didnt have any time to really set up. But to sit back 15 yards behind Jerry and watch this show develop in front of me was something i will never forget. Those 10 minutes of Jerry trying to get a shot off and the bull going crazy would have made great video footage.
I know Jerry was bummed just a bit that he didnt get to release his arrow on that Bull the 2 times he drew. But, after watching the show im very proud what he did there. Anyone could have just shot, and they would have hit that bull at that close of a range. But, it takes a real "bowhunter" to know his/her limitations and to hold back if they cant get the shot they want, or need. When one lets that arrow go they want it to be a killing shot no matter what kind of animal it is. It may be some time before he gets a chance to get that caliber of a bull that close to him. (but then again maybe not with his luck)
Food...... Man was i spoiled. I had Antelope, Caribou, Elk, Deer, Grouse, Salmon, Moose, and im sure i missed something!!!!!!
The grouse we ate where 3 that jerry shot when we where on the other side of the mountain. He almost got away with me packing them back to camp in my pack after he slid them in there when i wasnt looking. But that smirk on his face told me something was up.
After spending close to 2 weeks with Robert and Jerry, i must say they are great guys and great bowhunters. I would hunt with them again in a heardbeat.
Thanks you 2 for the great stories and memories!!!!!!!!
<font color=blue></font id=blue>
Im not a guide........But i did stay at the Holiday Inn Express the other night..........
09-27-2002, 10:53 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NW Montana / SW Alberta Rockies
Posts: 3,258
RE: Calling in from Montana
If that don't get the blood a pumpin, for two weeks now I been in and out of them and some times right behind me and can't get a shot off. Soon though. Later on, Bobby