Every bull in the Holy Cross Wilderness area would be moving to New Mexico if it heard us sounding like a bachelor group of 30 bulls bugling slightly sauced
I also have a downloaded Elk bugle ringtone on my phone...that we have also used as our morning alarm the last couple camps...acts as a little bit of motivation to get out of that nice, warm, comfortable sleeping bag on a cold morning... ...yeah, it gets harder to climb out of bed each day
That's a good idea, I was just going to drink whiskey and text, but maybe the bugle call would keep me awake better.
Its almost time fellas. We arived to 68 degree temps at my dads house a few hours ago. Saturday morning can't get here soon enough. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
Camp is at 9200 I believe...Most times hunting is from there up to 11,700 in my experience. My GPS has read 12,000 once but I was going high above timberline to cross into another drainage. Timberline seems to be anywhere from 11,500 to 11,700.
Since we are getting down to the wire on the hunt, does anyone have some actual hunting tips for us newbs hitting the mountains for the first time? I've been reading books, researching several forums, watched numerous videos, etc. Most talk about gear, conditioning, what units to hunt, and how to pack out meat. Not exactly ground breaking info, even for new hunters. It's day one, we leave the vehicle with high hopes, a pack on our back and bow in hand. Whats your advice? Do you walk in a couple miles and listen for bulls? Walk in and find a vantage point and glass? Just walk and look for fresh sign? This is an area that I feel is often neglected in articles/blogs, and without a doubt, the most concerning area for me.
Button, This is my approach you can use all, part, or none of what I do. I like to get above where I think the elk are as they will be coming up from feeding (most likley). I glass the meadows or openings, looking for PARTS of elk. Not whole elk as you may only see antlers, a butt, the mid section etc. as most of there body is hidden by trees. Onceyou train your eyes to find the golden/yellow color it gets much easier. Listen for bugles as they usually talk a little early morning gathering up their cows. I'll throw out a bugle or cow call trying to get one to answer. They will usually answer once or twice but then they shut up after that. If one answers I bee line (taking into consideration where the wind is) to about 100-50 yards to where the bugle came from set up and try to get them to come in.
Sounds like turkey hunting Thanks for the tips Colby, I'm sure I will have a ton of questions after a 15 hr drive discussing everything with frenchbritt lol
Mid morning, noon, early afternoon when its warm and you know the elk aren't talking or moving. Try to glass some in thier beds, they will usually stand up once in while to stretch, pee, etc. Find some and figure out a way to work in on them or predict where you think they will go once it cools off and they are going to go back to food. Also if its warm like it usually is find water and sit on it or find a wallow and sit on it and wait for a bull to come in. Evenings, I try to find some that were in their beds that afternoon and cut them off or set up an ambush for where they are headed to feed for the evening. You can try to have a game plan or how its going to play out in your head but until your up there its hard to explain or imagine. Just know when one screams 20 yards away from you, you will crap your pants and you will understand that even at 20 yards or five yards even you may not have a shot. And the worst of it is none of that will get you an elk. You will see an elk when you arent paying attention or taking a crap your bows ten yards away or you walk right up on one not knowing it and blow him out of the country.
Frenchbritt, I will rely heavily on my GPS this year as I plan to go much deeper and into places I haven't been to yet. I plan to mark points along the way in order to get back to the truck at night. In 2012 it was nothing for us to get back to camp until 11:00 at night.
I'm not going to lie. Other than shooting, a couple walks with my pack on, and Judo and Aikido that I do twice a week I'm not doing anything to get in shape. I learned in high school when I was in the best shape of my life the mountains will still kick my butt no matter what. What discovered is that you don't have to be in great shape (although it helps) is just take your time move a comfortable pace and you can go a long ways with out getting to winded. Stop often glass, take a drink of water, enjoy the scenery. Now where you will get worn out no matter what is packing one out and for some reason they are always heavier when they aren't your own.
