chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 1, 2013 20:57:38 GMT -8
I spent three days (Tuesday night through Friday) scouting unit 18 for the Deer tag I drew in the second round. I love that country, but had never hiked or scouted it... much less hunted in there. We saw LOTS of elk in the three days, and a few deer. Nothing big, lots of does and fawns and some smaller bucks. Two bucks that would probably go 160 (maybe... they need to lose their velvet before I can tell how they will finish... right now, probably low 160's). It was hot and dry, a little smoke in the air that made glassing a challenge. Elk are much easier to see than a single buck in a hole somewhere, but none the less I found some great looking spots, and have kind of a tentative plan for how to proceed. I plan on going back to scout again around the 15th... if anyone is up for a trip let me know. Also, if anyone is familiar with this unit, I would love to run my plan by you and see what you think. Anyone with the ELk tag that wants to hear where we were seeing bulls, just give a holler.... In the meantime here are some pics we took....
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 1, 2013 20:58:53 GMT -8
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 1, 2013 20:59:34 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Sept 5, 2013 15:43:50 GMT -8
Great posts, thanks for sharing, Chad! Pretty tempting to join you on the 15th!
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Sept 21, 2013 20:11:34 GMT -8
Chad, did you head back up there to scout some more?
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 22, 2013 17:04:27 GMT -8
Actually I checked the weather, and it was still hot. With archery elk season going, and a busy week ahead, I decided to wait until the 29th to head over. Elk will be almost over, and things should calm back down....plus if I am lucky it will be cooler temps and the deer might move a bit better. Want to go??? You'd be welcome.
|
|
mln02
New Member
Posts: 3
|
Post by mln02 on Sept 23, 2013 7:13:17 GMT -8
That sure is an awesome unit! I drew that tag this year too. I've spent about 10 days there this summer. Seen a lot of deer but no big ones yet. Found a group of seven 2 and 3 point bucks last week. Good luck to you.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Sept 23, 2013 7:58:21 GMT -8
mln02, welcome to the forum, and thanks for chiming in! Glad you drew that tag - it's some beautiful country.
Would love to come Chad, but I better be busy filling a turkey tag.
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 23, 2013 8:35:35 GMT -8
mln02, welcome to the forum, and thanks for chiming in! Glad you drew that tag - it's some beautiful country. Would love to come Chad, but I better be busy filling a turkey tag. Yes, you must get that bird killed! Thanksgiving approaches. I saw turkey's over in 18 the last time. Way up high, and one hen was a "Silver Lace" (at least that is what we call them in Missouri, where I grew up). She was chasing all the others around so much, and zig zagging through the trees so fast, I couldn't get a picture. Anyway, you are right, it is beautiful over there. I am kind of falling in love!
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Sept 23, 2013 8:37:40 GMT -8
That sure is an awesome unit! I drew that tag this year too. I've spent about 10 days there this summer. Seen a lot of deer but no big ones yet. Found a group of seven 2 and 3 point bucks last week. Good luck to you. Good luck to you as well, min02! I'll be over there a lot (or hopefully for a short time ). Perhaps we will run into eah other. PM me what kind of vehicle you drive, maybe we will run in to each other.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Oct 25, 2013 20:10:04 GMT -8
Any reports?!?
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Oct 26, 2013 16:01:35 GMT -8
Got back on Wednesday. I backpacked in about 4 miles and spiked out. Had a great hunt and saw a LOT of does and 1.5 year old bucks, just nothing big enough to shoot.... yet... The weather is just to nice in there right now. I think the big boys are holed up waiting for some weather or the rut. The good news is, I know exactly where the girls are... so I am pretty sure the bucks will be there eventually. Don't think the does will be leaving this habitat. Lots of food. I plan on heading back for the last 4 days of the season. Wish I would have had an Elk tag. I don't think there was ever a time when I couldn't see elk somewhere. And some were decent bulls. Lots of bugling still… but no breeding activity. It seemed like there was just a lot of bulls wanting to let each other know who was “boss”. On my pack out I ran in to a couple guys near the road that had cow tags. They asked me if I had seen any elk. I told them I sure had, and walked over to the edge and showed them a herd in my spotting scope.... not far from where I had camped when I packed in. They looked at me like I was crazy and said, "That's ok, we'll pass on those..." I guess it was a little steep for them. It definitely paid off to be in shape. I ran in to mln002 one day, back at my base camp, he hadn't shot anything yet either. Having the same luck as me. Lots of does and elk.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Oct 29, 2013 21:30:16 GMT -8
Those bucks hide well. Thanks for the report, and good luck finishing up. I just posted a pic of a 31" buck on the IdahoMan Facebook page that I think was taken out of Unit 18. Was hoping it was you or mln002! They grow 'em big there.
Unit 18 is a great place to elk hunt... IF you are in shape, just as you say. And it just goes to show that bugling after the rut is a great way to locate bulls, even after most of the real action has died down.
Looking forward to that next report with pictures!
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Oct 30, 2013 20:36:48 GMT -8
Here's that buck I was talking about. I expect to see something just as spectacular! Seriously though - good luck, and just make sure that you don't come home empty handed!
|
|
chadh
New Member
Posts: 21
|
Post by chadh on Feb 12, 2014 23:15:04 GMT -8
Here's that buck I was talking about. I expect to see something just as spectacular! Seriously though - good luck, and just make sure that you don't come home empty handed! Sorry it took me so long to catch up around here. The holidays and winter time and .... well you know the drill. It is SLOW around here though! I saw that picture too. Sadly it wasn't mine. I opportunites at bucks that were just a little small for me to want to pack them out of where I was at... IN THERE A BIT, if you know what I mean. The last day I could hunt I finally found a shooter, the problem was he was another mile the opposite way from the truck and deeper in, and it was 2 pm... I had to be at work the next day and it was a 7 hour drive home... so he is still running aorund down there Honestly, I fell in love with that place. Deer or no deer, it is just stunning. If any of the regulars here draw a tag I'll be happy to share what I learned... such as it is.
|
|