Elk bugling

[zimmer2]

Anyone have any luck yet?

Was down in the Big Hole last night and had an exciting time. Found a very active herd [60-70] with a 6x7 herd bull and 6 satellites. They were out in the open so could not get close but did watch the herd bull chase off a rag horn. So we got as close as we could and set up the cow decoy and used a hyper-hot call. He came trotting from 500 yards but winded us at about 70 yards so. Hard to hide 3 people behind 1 decoy. Will go back there again but out in the open is a tough challenge. Was a fun evening just to watch and hear them bugle. Try again and again and again and again.........


Have fun and good luck to all.

[GAMEDOG]

And again, and again. Thats how it works for me too

[zimmer2]

I have hunted a life time and have never scored elk with my bow. Missed a few and blew lots of chances. Have had normal success with rifle but archery kicks my butt for elk.

[GAMEDOG]

You know what they say, "Every dog has his day". Hopefully we'll both have our day this year. Next weekend I'm getting after it

[zimmer2]

Had some screamers this weekend, My buddy stuck a 300 inch 6 point at 15 yards......Man work is gettin in the way of hunting!!! Real busy for 2 weeks than I can squeeze in some vacation time, until than I'm the weekend warrior!

Congrats to your buddy! My son home today and I am taking off next two days and then the week-end so hard to stay working today. Smokey here today visibilty no good and air is the sh**s. Must be coming from fires down by Wisdom. Maybe it will help with scent control?

[FishN4Eyes]

I hit them hard last weekend SE of Great Falls.

The bulls were bugling pretty good and were responding to cow calls.

I had good luck with the hyper-hot as well.

Had two small fives in range, but a little early for that.   Going with a buddy this weekend and he's not picky at all so hopefully have a pic or two to share next week.

Good luck everyone!

[FishN4Eyes]

Easy buddy, it's still early!

[DeerReaver]

If you don't mind me asking...and please keep your responses generalized so as not to alert a lurker to your exact whereabouts...what parts of Montana do you hunt?

I ask only because 4 years ago I spent a month in Montana, bowhunting for Elk and Mulies in two different parts of the state and I was curious where most of you find your success.  I hunted Central Montana, in the Crazy Mountains...and I hunted Southwest Montana, in the BeaverHead National Forest.  I spent the majority of my hunt in the Crazy Mountains, only going for a long weekend to the BeaverHead National Forest with an aquiantence I met through a friend of my father.  It was a fantastic experience, with 5 opportunities busted at the last moment.

I have a visual in my mind of the two distinct hunting terrains and I was just curious what type of terra firma you find the most success!!

[DeerReaver]

I hear you regarding going where no one else is willing to go...I drove 16.8 miles back on a [practically] one-way road to a camp ground in the Crazies.  From there, I set up base camp and hiked between 8-12 miles a day [pedometer] looking for elk and mulies.  There where a few other locals who base camped and hunted in the general area, however, they left after halfway through the second week and I was there alone for the majority of the month.  A few fishermen came up to target bull trout in the lake, but they only stayed for the weekend.

I only brought dehydrated food with me because I thought I was going to have to backpack into the area to hunt.  I finally got so hungry for real meat, I would take an afternoon off from chasing elk/mulies and hunt grouse.  No offense, but the birds in Montana are so stupid (due to lack of pressure) that everytime I hunted them with the bow, I filled my belly with real meat. 

Anyway, good luck hunting BIG game...keep the pictures coming for us Easterners who don't get a chance to beautiful landscapes and big animals on a regular basis.

[zimmer2]

No kills but had lots of fun. Seen elk every day and had 2 days of very intense bugling. Passed on shots at cows waiting for THAT shot at the bull that never happened. But man what a wonderful time. Not over yet! Had a sixer at 15 yards in the middle of a closed road but looking right at my son and could not move. That was as close as we got to getting a bull.

[FishN4Eyes]

Got into the elk pretty good this weekend.

A buddy shot a cow Sat. night so we had some success.

We had five elk in bow range in two days, just no bruiser bulls.   A spike, small raghorn, and three cows all at separate times so it was good action, just not the type I was hoping for.

Did see two real nice sixes and quite a few smaller bulls but just couldn't make much happen.

Still too warm, the action was all in the first couple hrs in the morning and then the last hour or so at night.

Hope it improves for this weekend.

[zimmer2]

My son just called and reported about him and his buddies hunt from this morning. Had a 4x5 at 15 -20 yards but no shot. Said he came quite aways to them but walked on wrong side of tree. his buddy passed on a cow. Heard 2 other bulls about 100 yards out but never seen them. Sounded like they had fun but NO SHOTS either damn!

[FishN4Eyes]

Sounds like everyone is getting into them so hopefully one of us can drop the hammer on a bull soon.

Good luck everyone, sounds like the weather forecast is looking better so I'm going to fling arrows after work and get after them again this weekend.

[zimmer2]

Should be a good week-end. COOL and maybe rain/snow? Good luck to ALL and lets seem some pics soon.

[FishN4Eyes]

Good luck fellas, I'm heading out the door right now going elk hunting 'til Sunday.

Will report in Monday.

Kill a 'loper, Mtlion!