September 12th

I rolled out sometime mid afternoon after having to take my mountain goat into the CPW and dropping the meat off at the processors.

Then it was a quick pack up for a three day bivy hunt. Walking in I immediately spooked out some elk. A good sign. Hopefully it’s an omen to come, the finding, not the spooking.

The bulls were talking but the wind was all over the place so I held back. No use blowing them out the first day I’m here. No rut fests yet, but a cow is bound to come into heat. As I am laying in my tent, I hear bulls advertising their wears uphill of me. Let’s see if they want to play the game in the morning.

September 13th

My first full day in was impressive. The rain is intermittent, but it doesn’t slow down the elk. I end up chasing them all day, but stay pretty timid. I call in a few small bulls, but that’s about it. Others are screaming out there that I can’t get a good look at. A great start to the trip.

September 14th

This easily goes down as the best elk hunting day of my life. Early in the morning while sitting under a tree to wait out the heavy rain and I heard a bull bugle nearby. I managed to call him in to 30 yards and passed. I have a big bull in mind for this hunt and my standards aren’t going to drop until the last few days of the trip. You rarely get to hunt a unit this hyped up so you need to stick to your guns.

Elk were all over the mountain across from me and they were screaming their heads off. I swung around them a few miles to get the wind right and by that time they were on the move. At the top of a ridge into a hellhole I was contemplating wether to jump in or not. It looked brutally steep. Fuck it. In I went. I chased a heard downhill while three bulls screamed for compliance from the cows. At one point a 5x5 came into my call at 10 feet. I was loosing ground so I rushed ahead and blew right past him. He was stunned at first but that didn’t take long to turn into terrified. The other elk didn’t noticed the spooked bull in all the chaos. I caught a glimpse of one of the two bulls going bananas, and waited for him to get to 20 yards. Good, but not great. That was the first time in my life I passed a 320” bull. By the time we were done playing the herd had moved on. They were well out of range at this point so I headed back out of the hellhole with a big shit eating grin on my face.

The evening hunt was just as good. Sat above a herd bull and his 40 cows and just watched. He got under a 80 yards but didn’t want to shoot him. He was solid and did everything a rutting elk should do, rake bushes, piss all over himself and harass the ladies. It was just fun to watch him push the cows and scream at the intruders trying to swipe away his girlfriends. Got some great pics and film as well.

A day to remember.

September 15th

I woke up to unexpected rain. Three days in a row now. Early last night I heard faint bugling but I woke to silence and the ping of rain on my tent. I caffeinated up and headed out.

No further than a hundred yards from my tent and a bull lights up a few hundred yards away. I got to within 30 or 40 yards but couldn’t reel him in. Never even saw him. I bugled then he went silent. Huge mistake. He walked away, obviously not looking for a confrontation.

By now the woods was exploding with bugles. I made my way towards the majority of them. A half mile away or so I ran into a small herd with a raspy sounding bull. I pulled my glass up and noticed a stunning bull. One that I would easily shoot, except for he was missing a fifth on one side. I let him walk.

As I headed downhill I worked my way in the middle of 6 livid bulls. I thought I was in for some action but no matter which one I tried to approach, they eluded me. The wind was terrible and hit every cardinal direction. No luck.

I packed my gear and headed out as I was out of food and it was time to try someplace new.

I returned to my side by side and notice an outfitter tent propped up no further than 10 feet away from it. A head pops out and says, I was wondering when I would meet you.

A burly looking senior comes out with his hand outstretched. Names Rick. Apparently his buddy has been waiting 20 years for this tag and was due in tomorrow. They planned on hunting this exact spot for 20 years. Hell Rick even goes on to let me know he planned his retirement to commence two weeks before the hunt!

He’s an affable fellow and goes on to tell me a story of when he hunted in this exact spot 25 years ago.

Some good old boys from Oklahoma were out here hunting the same spot as us. I’m sitting in camp taking a breather when I hear, boom! Up go my binoculars and I see one of those old boys had shot a cow. He goes over to take a look and ends up walking away. I found that awfully peculiar.

The following day another boom! I get in position to have me a look and there’s his buddy, standing over a small bull. He leaves it as it lies.

Now I’m curious what the hell is going on, so I walk over to their camp that evening and ask them how the hunting had been.

Great! Finding some decent ones but we’re after some big bulls.

Didn’t you each shoot one already? I heard two shots the past few days.

Oh yea, we shot a few. Being that we don’t have a license to be in here to begin with I guess we really don’t have a limit!

I was dumbfounded by the confession, but they seemed to think I thought it as funny as they did.

I slipped off the mountain the next day and called the local ranger. I thought I would be lucky to see them within a week but wouldn’t you know I they were up there before I made it up the mountain!

Once the dust settled I asked the ranger what happened.

They scattered the moment we showed up to their camp. So I did what any sane man would do in that situation. I let the dog loose! I found them treed with shit in their pants!

That story made my day.

September 16th

Put some serious miles in today, 19 to be exact. I started over at a spot a buddy had told me about. Total rotten egg. No fresh sign, not a turd, a rub, bedding areas or even legit game trails. Check that one of off as an elk free zone. So I pulled camp and got out of there. No use wasting time in that ghost town.

I went down to number three on the list. After a nasty road in, I hiked in about 4.5 miles and set camp. Water was tough to find, but I made due. At the end of one road I saw a small 6x6 walking ahead of me. Just looking for some ladies I suppose.

As I write this in my tent elk are bugling everywhere. Tomorrow should be a good day. Now I’m exhausted and it’s time for some sleep.

September 17th

The morning started off with a bunch of elk roaring. I couldn’t even give a count as it was tough to tell who was calling and from where. All I know is I had a lot of choices. But one in particular stood out as the herd bull. Since that’s what I’m looking for, it wasn’t a tough choice. He had a serious challenger and they went at if for a couple of hours. I had to stay out of the fray as the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, so I just sat and listened to the concert.

I waited a few hours and decided the winds were about as reliable as they were going to get, so I went in. I could hear the herd bull and his challenger as I followed them in. Before you can exhale you have to inhale and that’s what Mother Nature was doing today. The wind would switch 180 degrees before correcting itself. Just the way the elk like it. The herd bull went silent, he winded me.

The challenger carried on and I went after him to check on the head gear. At on point I was within 150 yards and he seemed stationary. I found a perfect setup and slow-played him. He got a little fired up and then I could hear his bugles getting further away. Unreal. I seems I can’t call them in for shit. I continue to follow him and stayed relatively close. I’d call and he’d move further along. Until he didn’t. I locate bugle him and as I tried to advance, he had cut back saying enough is enough. He caught me and took off. I couldn’t see his rack but I don’t think he was of the right caliber, or at least that’s what I told myself to feel better.

I listen to Paul Medel, the Elk Nut, like he was a preacher giving me the roadmap to salvation. But I feel like even the softest of mews has these bulls hightailing ass out of country. I start to wonder how well these tactics work while solo hunting. Once they get close enough you have to stop stomping around and making noise or they’ll pick you off. On the other side of the coin, when you stop making the noise you previously were for no reason, they get suspicious.

The wind picked up and started to howl. It’s like screaming in your buddies ear during a rock concert, it’s better to just sit back and enjoy the moment. I sat a trail hoping something would walk by in the rare chance they were moving during the day. They weren’t.

I started working my way to camp to see if the other side of the valley was a bit more protected. There’s always hope. I gave a little toot on the horn and what do you know one fired back less than eighty yards away! I knelt down and starting ranging some trees. I saw antlers coming my way through some bushes so I knocked an arrow and attached my release. I went to full draw before he popped out of the last bush. My eyes were on his rack judging if he was to be a shooter or not.

A little on the small side So damn close! Meanwhile he was advancing towards me and stopped at 25 yards. He just ain’t gonna cut it. I would be disappointed in myself so I held back. He split after a few more seconds of determining the bull was a hoax.

Never have I passed so many great bulls in my life. I really hope I don’t regret this one.

I continued up the mountain to some far off bugles. Before I know it I was in the middle of at least 8 different bulls bugling. I followed them for a bit and eventually bailed as the wind starting getting even more finicky than normal.

Overall a reverse Oreo cookie of a day. The middle sucked but the beginning and end was spectacular.

September 18th

9:45 am. Boy, chasing fifteen or so bulls in an absolute rutfest can be fun and frustrating. You have to move fast enough to keep up with them but also slow enough so you don’t get caught. I find myself repeating, slow is smooth, smooth is fast, fast is deadly. Hasn’t worked so far but at least I feel like a Navy Seal.

While following them I saw my first hunters in the woods. A muzzleloader fella and either a guide or his buddy. They waved to me an I pointed where I was going. No need for a full blown conversation, after all, I got elkthat need my attention.

I followed them to what should be there bedding area just in time for the wind to pick up to a dull roar. A stick of dynamite could go off ten yards from me and I wouldn’t know it. So it’s time to sit down and just wait. If you don’t know what to do next I find that doing nothing is typically be the wisest option.

While sitting I piped off a few of my finest calls. Might as well make my presence know to any potential takers. My right ass cheek was killing my so I preceded to do a little stretching. Sciatica caught up to me over the years and it was time for a little maintenance. Wouldn’t you know it, just as the eyes are tearing up from the effort a bugle sounds off less than 60 yards away. Just the reason I always keep my bow loaded and ready to rock and roll. I see pieces of antler walking towards me and prep for the shot. A small 6x6. He lives to see another day but not before I grab for my phone and get some footage of him. There’s more than one way to shoot an elk.

A few hours later I meander on and run into another set of hunters. Bow hunters this time. I feel like I’m back hunting an OTC unit. Great guys but extra stink in the woods is extra stink in the woods. Besides I got plenty to go around, don’t need to add more.

The next spot to sit right in a well used bedding area. With the carefree way the wind has been blowing, I figured maybe their stink would cover mine. I just needed a test subject. Ten minutes into the sit and I shit you not, one was ordered up on the menu. The direction he’s headed will put him upwind of me. But not if nature has something to say about it! Bam! The wind flips and he catches a face full of a weeks worth of unwashed pits and other regions. He takes off like out of the starting gate in the Kentucky derby. Elk theory # 147 is officially debunked. Your stink will always override their stink.

The rest of the day was dead quiet as far as elk go. The woods went silent. They must’ve needed a breather after all that breeding. Or the fact that I saw four hunters total today could have something to do with it. That’s a lot of scent getting kicked around.

September 19th

The slowest morning so far besides. There was a couple bugles early so I attempted to follow them. They went dead silent for a long while not responding to calls and then I could hear them a mile or so away.

Then 9:00 hits and they take a vow of silence. Some days they howl from sunrise to sunset, and those are the epic days. Most are like this. It’s like they plan it.

Pre 9:00am

Dude Dave, how sick was last night?! And how hot was Barbara looking?!

Yea she was getting around! Just flaunting those sexy legs of hers. Driving all the bulls crazy.

But what about Ron man. What a jerk! Cock blocked us all night long.

Yea just because he’s got the biggest rack on him he thinks he’s king shit. You did get the memo for today though right? Lights out at 9:00 am.

Yea I heard. What a bummer.

Better take it serious man. One peep after 9:00 am and they’re docking your pay. I don’t care if the boss is screaming in your ear, keep it zipped. Stroll around all you like. Take long multi mile walks and bed down in the south facing side of the mountain, it doesn’t have to make sense. Just no talking!

Shit, it’s 9:00am now…

After absolutely nothing going on at the new spot, I hike back to the place I hunted the original day and they’re back. There’s one that bugles like it’s singing in the opera. Really pretty compared to the savage death metal renditions I’ve been hearing as of late. A long swing around gets me in them and there’s at least five bulls close by. One by one the wind picks me off and I do everything within my power to keep my shit together. No excuses, but damn…

On the way back to camp I find a consolation prize. A nice deadhead of a 6x6 bull. Looks like he might have been wounded by a hunter the previous year. I debate whether I really want to take him all the way out with me with all my other gear. I decided to at least get him to camp and I can decide later.

September 20th

Today’s the last day in this spot. Out of food and a big storm is rolling in. Good time to head out and recharge the mental and actual batteries. But I have a half day so there’s no slacking yet. I get on some bulls and know exactly where they’re going. I’ve been to their bedding area before and they are working their way there. If the wind would cooperate I could swing around in front of them and ambush them. No luck on that account.

I try turning one as I get real close. Another bull comes in behind me and starts raking. Hired help. I’ve been needing a caller this whole time. It pulls the other bull in a little bit but after a half hour waiting game he moves on. Trying to get a bull whose headed to his bedding area to turn around is like trying to get a freight train to pull a u-turn.

I’m sitting now waiting for the thermals to become “consistent”. So I listen to the breeze and think about whether I’m going to carry and extra 25lbs of weight out of here from a deadhead I found. Guess it’s not really a debate, I’m just trying to find a way to talk myself out of carrying it out, but that just ain’t gonna happen.

The one I’m sitting on suddenly sounds off less than a hundred yards away from me. I rake a nearby dead tree that I so conveniently sat next to. I figured my calling has been doing nothing but scaring them away, even the slightest cow mew, that it’s time to try a new tactic. It pisses him off something fierce and it gets him fired up. Maybe we have a winner.

Not if the wind has anything to do with it we don’t. It flips 90 degrees and gives him a face full of me.

I decide to call it a day and get the hell out of the woods before the storm hits.

I need a physical break and more importantly a mental break for a day or two while Mother Nature pisses all over the earth.

When you start screaming at the wind, Come on! You know you did that on purpose! It’s time to walk away for a bit.