Heading out for Elk tomorrow, w/ hunt report

[xcaliber]

Mike, that would be one heck of a good time!

[georgiaboy]

Good luck!!

[Arrowflinger]

Maybe a new aviator this year? Good luck n happy huntin

[wildcatter]

Good Luck Gene, have a safe hunt and best of luck,,,, hope ya get a muy grande,,,

[munch]

Good luck gene

[jody5252]

Best of luck...

[paulaboutform]

Best of luck Gene! I hope to see some new pics when you get back.

Paul

[tremps01]

Best of luck Gene. Hope you'll post pics.

Marcel

[sproulman]

I have 4 bulls near me here in pa some are 9x8 like 6 ft long horns ,i do not hunt them always seeing them while ruff grouse hunting.they are doing that bugling thing .

Good luck getting one ..AIM SMALL HIT SMALL....

[BrotherRon]

Wishing you the best of luck Gene..

[L. E. Carroll]

This is my report to you all after 12 days in camp by myself while trying to be successful this year.

Well the camp of 4-5 guys ( number varied while I was there ) about 100 yards down the road took 2 4x4 Bulls ( and still had 4 1/2 days remaining to hunt when I last saw them.) They were taken behind the berm where the DNR blocked off the road right where I put up camp. Season opened Sat and they took one on Sunday and followed up with another on Tuesday which was within 1/4 mile of my camp when it hit the ground. These guys have hunted that particulr area of the mountain for 18 plus years and probably had every tree in there named..

I saw 2 other large 5x5's that were taken as well as hearing of many other elk, to the point the local large commercial cooler was full and could take no more.

My origional herd of 12 cows and a very nice big 4x4 were out daily every day before opening Wed. thru Fri... They were within 100 yards of where last years bull was taken.

Then comes opening day..... Nothing in the AM, but about 4 pm I hear one hit the rwater to swim across the tidal river after a bit of Cow Call coaxing on my part, with his intentions of coming into the field as last years Bull did... BUT 1/2 across, this IDIOT about 100 yards above and to my left blows the worst bugle I have ever heard..... The Bull then turns back, gets up on the far bank and procedes to round up and push his cows "Out The Back" thru the swamp and away from me... I hunted them another 3 days with no sighting, finally to find them on a different piece of property which is heavily posted off limits to my hunting it.

The following day I head to another area where it's 3 point or better Bulls only with no either sex option. While heading over there, but still on the 2 lane Highway in my origional either sex area, 2 cows and another nice 4x4 cross the Highway about 100 yards ahead just as daylight and legal hunting hours start.

I searched out the land owner and secured hunting permision for the remainer of the season. I hunted it the next 2 mornings and one evening before shifting back to the origional herd. That evening while heading back to camp I look a short way up the road and see flashing lights... I drove up to see all of the excitement and felt sick immediately as there lay my second choice 4x4 bull being drug to the side of the road by 3 guys after commiting suicide by jumping out in front of a small 2 wheel drive Tacoma Pickup being driven home by a youg guy after school..... He came out less than 100 yards from where I entered the wods while hunting him that morning.

His truck was really totaled with the engine cover shoved back and down tight over the engine to the point that his front window was actually touching the steering wheel.... i'm sure the young guy was pleased his air bag was a good one.

Come the following Sunday, after 12 days of both excessive sunshine and heat coupled with days when heavy rain made it to where you hardly wanted to leave the shelter of the tarps in camp. I finally broke camp and returned home for a well deserved shower and shave...

I plan on returning to the woods for "Late Season Elk" upon return from my second season Mule deer hunt. I love hunting Mule deer but right now they are way to scattered and in very small family groups of does and fawns right now with the present heat wave over on the East Side.

Both deer and Elk hunting resumes right at Thanksgiving, but at that time Mulies are higher on my list then as they are both rutting and migrating to winter feeding areas where I have in the past found in numbers of over 100 animals in the various herds I have seen almost daily while hunting at that time of year.

Hopefully later seasons, cooler temps and rutting Mulies will make for better hunting conditions at that time of year.

I'll report again as the seasons progress in November, but want to thank all well wishers for there your support during this past hunt.

Thank's Gene