2018 Elk Hunt?

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  • Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    it's like 99% private on both sides and where it does have public access, mostly straight up and down mtns on both sides.

    This type of info is so hard to figure out before you go there. Not so much the public/private part, which has largley been absolved with tools like Onx maps, but the terrain topography/accces. You can only derive so much from a topo and sat imagery. Good plan to spend a week scouting prior to opening day.

    Anxious to hear how it went for you when you get back. Am working to do the same next year. I'll probably be DIY, solo hunting, may have family in tow (Hard to justify burning so much of my vacation time with out having them with me), all of which may conspire to make it more of a road trip than a hunting trip..
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    Have you been to Shooter's Grill in Rifle yet?

    not yet, guess you're recommending it?

    had a much better day scouting today. went into one canyon/draw and saw a shi!load (literally) of fresh elk poop and tons of tracks. not going to go back there (until opening day) so as to not scare them away. sure hope i don't get there at o-dark-thirty sat morning and find a bunch of trucks parked there!?

    did see another group of 5 bull elk on private land, and a huge muley while hiking up another canyon/draw.
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    where are you hunting muley? i saw a huge one yesterday while elk scouting. we stared each other down for about 5 minutes.

    my units just go from 5 - 9k. and other than driving i haven't been out hiking above 8k. zero issues with elevation, other than huffing and puffing up several of the canyon climbs, but no worse than in similar terrain back home. i do spend most of summers at canaan valley at 3k+ feet so that prob helps a little. i'm sure at 10-14k it's a bit different...
     

    CrazySanMan

    2013'er
    Mar 4, 2013
    11,390
    Colorful Colorado
    where are you hunting muley? i saw a huge one yesterday while elk scouting. we stared each other down for about 5 minutes.

    my units just go from 5 - 9k. and other than driving i haven't been out hiking above 8k. zero issues with elevation, other than huffing and puffing up several of the canyon climbs, but no worse than in similar terrain back home. i do spend most of summers at canaan valley at 3k+ feet so that prob helps a little. i'm sure at 10-14k it's a bit different...

    10k is where I start to get winded easier and at 13-14k I get lightheaded, head aches, and if I'm exerting myself I get muscle cramps. Water boils at lower temperatures at higher elevations so if you plan to boil water for drinking, let it boil for several minutes to ensure all the nasties are killed. At 5k water boils at 202 and at 9.5k it boils at 194.
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    well unfortunately, i struck out. just saw the two cow elk the first morning, and that was it for elk sightings. between scouting and hunting, prob logged 30-40 miles on my boots, and 100s and 100s (and 100s) of miles on the truck checking out different spots. i focused on the north half of the five game mgmt units on my tag. probably should have also checked out the southern half after not seeing a lot of fresh sign. also, despite new tires on my f250, when it rained here the couple of days, a lot of the roads went to complete crap, including foot-deep ruts. especially the roads to higher elevations, so we didn't hit anything in the 8 - 9000' range. next time, either really aggressive treads and/or chains. some of the roads are pretty narrow, and after almost being sucked over the side on day one out here, i just didn't want to risk anything.

    with the six days scouting, five hunting, three driving out, two sick during scouting, and surely after our three+ days driving back home, that is a long time being out and about.

    despite hearing about the orange army, some places i hunted i had no one anywhere near me and worst case i saw 2-3 trucks driving around. near one place i hunted, there were prob 20+ vehicles camping but they all went other places to hunt. three days i hiked into canyons 1-2 miles, several i posted on huge fields near a creek and river, one i hiked 6 miles with overlooks where it was easy to see out 1+ miles (plus snow that morning helped). super disappointed to only see the two cow elk. did see lots of muley's though. also didn't see lots of atv's running amok, though there was no way they were getting into the canyons i did.
     

    CrazySanMan

    2013'er
    Mar 4, 2013
    11,390
    Colorful Colorado
    well unfortunately, i struck out. just saw the two cow elk the first morning, and that was it for elk sightings. between scouting and hunting, prob logged 30-40 miles on my boots, and 100s and 100s (and 100s) of miles on the truck checking out different spots. i focused on the north half of the five game mgmt units on my tag. probably should have also checked out the southern half after not seeing a lot of fresh sign. also, despite new tires on my f250, when it rained here the couple of days, a lot of the roads went to complete crap, including foot-deep ruts. especially the roads to higher elevations, so we didn't hit anything in the 8 - 9000' range. next time, either really aggressive treads and/or chains. some of the roads are pretty narrow, and after almost being sucked over the side on day one out here, i just didn't want to risk anything.

    with the six days scouting, five hunting, three driving out, two sick during scouting, and surely after our three+ days driving back home, that is a long time being out and about.

    despite hearing about the orange army, some places i hunted i had no one anywhere near me and worst case i saw 2-3 trucks driving around. near one place i hunted, there were prob 20+ vehicles camping but they all went other places to hunt. three days i hiked into canyons 1-2 miles, several i posted on huge fields near a creek and river, one i hiked 6 miles with overlooks where it was easy to see out 1+ miles (plus snow that morning helped). super disappointed to only see the two cow elk. did see lots of muley's though. also didn't see lots of atv's running amok, though there was no way they were getting into the canyons i did.

    Sorry you struck out. You got to spend a lot of time in beautiful country though, so there's that.
     

    MDHunter

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 12, 2007
    1,207
    Free America
    I wouldn't call that striking out. If this was your first elk hunt, you saw a lot of beautiful country, learned a ton, and found out some things about your hunt approach that worked, and some things you are thinking about changing. You had a great extended adventure with a friend, that you can talk about and remember for years. You saw a lot of wildlife, even if it wasn't the bull elk you were looking for.

    I think if we changed our definition of success from bagging an animal to spending time in the wilderness we love and don't see enough of, we would likely relax and enjoy the process even more than we already do.

    Thanks for sharing your story, and keep after it!
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    the topography here is just unbelievable. you have a mtn in front of you. you look up and there is a mtn above and beyond that. then you look up further and there is a mtn above and beyond that. and then all the various mesas. blue, blue, blue skies. going from grand junction to rifle is spectacular, mesa after mesa after mesa.

    yesterday afternoon we did head up to rangely, then south to grand junction, then ne to debuq and nw from there, past mesas that went to the sky, up into the moutains. we saw WAY over 100 muleys, some with incredible racks.

    having both my coolers full of elk backstrap and tenderloin would make all that a step better though...
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    I agree with MDHunter -

    No way is that a strike out. I had a strikeout being at home and going to my cube at work each day (trying to change that for next year). You probably learned a ton and significantly upped your chances of success next year or next time. And you learned about google earth and got some good old fashioned ribbing!! (just giving you hell - I saw your post on rokslide and before anyone even responded, thought - 'oh boy - hold on for a ride man!')

    The info you've posted here has already proved valuable to me - especially the truck incident, which has made me put chains high on my list of must haves.

    I'm sure you'll want to decompress, rest, and think about it a bit, but do you think you'll be inclined to hunt the same area next year? I recall you were up in the northwest, an area I've always discounted in my research, mostly because I've been more focused on the San Juans/Uncompahgre areas for the stunning scenery. When I think of Grand Junction, I associate that with more flat, desert like terrain, but its been a long time since I've been out there.

    Thanks again for the followup...
     

    CrazySanMan

    2013'er
    Mar 4, 2013
    11,390
    Colorful Colorado
    the topography here is just unbelievable. you have a mtn in front of you. you look up and there is a mtn above and beyond that. then you look up further and there is a mtn above and beyond that.

    Try hiking them. The false summits are a killer. I did a hike once where I was heading to the top of a local mountain. I got to the summit, but nope, there was a saddle that dipped down then went up to another summit that was hidden from view when on the ground. I hiked to that second summit and guess what? A third one beyond that. Looking at my GPS profile from that day there were 7 false summits that I went up before finally reaching the top of the mountain. They are all hidden behind each other so you only see the first one and not the rest of them. They take a lot out of you psychologically because each time you think you are finished and then find out you have more further to go. Here's a picture of one of the false summits form that day.

     

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