nwihunter
Well-known member
Ok, so I went on my first western hunt this year. I hunted DIY archery the week after Labor Day in GMU 62. I live in Indiana and have chased white tails for 36 years and have always wanted to go try elk hunting and experience the mountains. The experience was incredible and would like to do this trip every year. I ended up going with a guy that I met on this forum. We never met before this trip. He is a good dude and put a ton of research into this area. I think we were as prepared as possible to hunt an area that we never set foot on before. Google earth. On x. Topo maps. And conversations with a local that hunts the area. We ended up coming home empty handed with basically zero encounters. I get that and don’t have a problem with that. The trip was not a waste. I had a blast, learned a lot, and basically got to live out my dream of hunting in the mountains. I question how I hunted and how I need to approach this hunt next time. Google earth is great but really did not give us an idea of how thick this area was. We went days without any sightings. Not really even a good vantage point to glass from. We resorted to sitting on water, more like white tail hunting tactics, and never saw a thing. The weather was hot and dry so we thought the water would pay off, but there ended up being more small pockets of water scattered around so elk didn’t need to come to some of these more obvious easy to get to spots. When did finally find a good glassing spot and we started finding elk on opposite hillside from us. Us, and the roads and trails were up high and the elk would move down to lower elevations for the day and to bed. We would try to drop down on these elk in the afternoon an wait for them to get out of their beds and move up. The problem was that it was so thick there was no way to drop down without blowing them out. I mean nasty thick stuff. My question is do I go back to this area again since I have an idea of where the elk are and how they move, or do I find another GMU that isn’t as thick. I don’t have an issue with putting on miles or climbing. It’s just this stuff was really almost impossible to hunt effectively. Ideally I would like to hunt the same area every year so I can learn it and have encounters regularly. I’m hunting on an either sex tag so I’m not really looking for areas with trophy potential. I’m just looking for elk in OTC areas. I’m not asking anyone where I should go, just how I should approach this. Also im thinking about jumping into the points game.im 48 years old and would like to buy points in one state until I turn 60. When I turn 60 and retire I want to treat myself to a guided hunt with good trophy potential I should have 12pts by then. I’m open to any state. Just wondering what state you guys with experience would choose In my situation. Looking forward to your responses. Also I am set up to bivy hunt which is what we did.