Muleyfanatic
Active member
My uncle and I went on our first elk hunt. We hunted this area previously for deer; so we had and idea of where to look for elk. This hunt was a oyoa hunt on public land. We arrived 3 days early and scouted the areas where we thought the elk would be. We found very little sign there and it looked atleast a week or two old. We then moved a couple of miles away to an area that I had looked at on google earth and found lots of elk sign and even saw a couple. The scouting was made easier by a little sciff of snow that let you know how old the sign was.
Day 1 We decided to hunt this area the first day; my uncle got very sick on the ride up to where we were going to hunt stopping at every pull off he could find to go to the bathroom. Upon arriving at our parking location he stayed at the truck and I went on. The first morning I saw 1 bull at roughly 1100 yards (a little out of range), about 40 deer including a couple decent 4x4's (couldn't hardly find a buck 2 years ago, and a couple coyotes. I decided to cross two canyons and set up about 400 yards from where I had seen the bull go into to the timber. I sat all day in the wonderful Wyoming wind ( never knew 45 degrees could feel so cold). The bull never did appear again. I hiked out well after dark to the truck where my uncle was waiting (he never ended up hunting the first day).
Day 2
The alarm went off at 4 and the uncle still wasn't feeling well; so I shut it off and let him sleep feeling bad for him. We got up late and got something to eat; by this time he felt a little better and we decided to hunt the afternoon. He did a little better on the drive in and decided to hunt close to the truck. I hiked back in to where I had seen elk while scouting since it was little closer. I set up on a small meadow and watched it for a couple hours then a thunderstorm blew in and was raining so hard that I could not see across the canyon. At this point I decided I would hunt the timber back to the truck since there was only 45 min of light left. I wasn't 400 yards from where I was sitting when I spotted a bull at about 100 yards. I made a quick shot and the bull dropped. The bull is an average 5x4 (trophy in my eyes; esspecially being my first elk). I took a couple pics with my and field dressed him proping him open. By the time I got back to the truck the rain had changed to snow and there was about 2 inches accumulated.
Day 3
We got up early made the drive up in clearing trees off the road from the storm. We decided that I would go in and quarter the bull and my uncle would hunt in the morning and catch up with me later. I quartered the bull and got him up the steepest hill leaving the quarters where I was to meet up with my uncle. I had just made with the last quarter leaving just the head to get up; when I ran into my uncle. He said that he would go get the head and pack it out. I packed the first load to the truck and was on my back in when I passed him not carrying anything. He stated that he was too sick and I was on my own (his face had dissapointment wrote all over it; so need to say anything). I finished packing him out by 6. I put a total of 15 miles on; also found out that you do not sit on a log with a very overloaded pack. If you do there is a very good possibility you will over ass backward (why is it when your in the middle of the woods you still get and look around to see if anyone has seen you).
Day 4
Recoup for everyone.
Day 5
My uncle was finally feeling pretty good and we went back into to the are I killed my bull in; by 7:30 he shot a small 4x4. The pack was much easier and we were back at the truck by noon.
All in all a great trip. Now I have to start planning on where to go next year; so if you have any suggestions. I am open to any state and species.
SORRY no pics; but they were taken with phone and like an idiot I had the location on so I will not be posting any for the honey hole robbers to take.
Day 1 We decided to hunt this area the first day; my uncle got very sick on the ride up to where we were going to hunt stopping at every pull off he could find to go to the bathroom. Upon arriving at our parking location he stayed at the truck and I went on. The first morning I saw 1 bull at roughly 1100 yards (a little out of range), about 40 deer including a couple decent 4x4's (couldn't hardly find a buck 2 years ago, and a couple coyotes. I decided to cross two canyons and set up about 400 yards from where I had seen the bull go into to the timber. I sat all day in the wonderful Wyoming wind ( never knew 45 degrees could feel so cold). The bull never did appear again. I hiked out well after dark to the truck where my uncle was waiting (he never ended up hunting the first day).
Day 2
The alarm went off at 4 and the uncle still wasn't feeling well; so I shut it off and let him sleep feeling bad for him. We got up late and got something to eat; by this time he felt a little better and we decided to hunt the afternoon. He did a little better on the drive in and decided to hunt close to the truck. I hiked back in to where I had seen elk while scouting since it was little closer. I set up on a small meadow and watched it for a couple hours then a thunderstorm blew in and was raining so hard that I could not see across the canyon. At this point I decided I would hunt the timber back to the truck since there was only 45 min of light left. I wasn't 400 yards from where I was sitting when I spotted a bull at about 100 yards. I made a quick shot and the bull dropped. The bull is an average 5x4 (trophy in my eyes; esspecially being my first elk). I took a couple pics with my and field dressed him proping him open. By the time I got back to the truck the rain had changed to snow and there was about 2 inches accumulated.
Day 3
We got up early made the drive up in clearing trees off the road from the storm. We decided that I would go in and quarter the bull and my uncle would hunt in the morning and catch up with me later. I quartered the bull and got him up the steepest hill leaving the quarters where I was to meet up with my uncle. I had just made with the last quarter leaving just the head to get up; when I ran into my uncle. He said that he would go get the head and pack it out. I packed the first load to the truck and was on my back in when I passed him not carrying anything. He stated that he was too sick and I was on my own (his face had dissapointment wrote all over it; so need to say anything). I finished packing him out by 6. I put a total of 15 miles on; also found out that you do not sit on a log with a very overloaded pack. If you do there is a very good possibility you will over ass backward (why is it when your in the middle of the woods you still get and look around to see if anyone has seen you).
Day 4
Recoup for everyone.
Day 5
My uncle was finally feeling pretty good and we went back into to the are I killed my bull in; by 7:30 he shot a small 4x4. The pack was much easier and we were back at the truck by noon.
All in all a great trip. Now I have to start planning on where to go next year; so if you have any suggestions. I am open to any state and species.
SORRY no pics; but they were taken with phone and like an idiot I had the location on so I will not be posting any for the honey hole robbers to take.
. Congrats
