Three strikes and you're out!!!

[BrentLaBere]

3 strikes and you’re out….
2013 Western Montana Archery elk
The trip started with entertainment all the way around. Troubles getting the trailer lights to work as we were leaving town. Problem fixed. One hunting partner teaching a class until 10 pm, we waited and finally at 1030 we were on interstate heading west to Montana. After one more stop in Glendive (to pick up another hunter) we were set for a few more hours until we got to the mountains. We planned a day early to back pack in and set camp with a day to relax and adjust to the elevation in hopes of finding elk. Arriving at 7 am the rain had quite and smelling the crisp cool air of the mountains was all we could take to jump out and get the rest of our packs ready! In the process we could hear coyotes yipping and young bulls squealing. Finally ready to pack in and we decided it would be best to situate the truck and trailer better because we were the first to arrive….tick tick tick tick….in all of the excitement the driver forgot to turn the head lights off. (Face Palm)
After a few mile hikes we ran across a very nice couple out getting ready for opening weekend that offered to help. Tons of thanks go out to them again for the jump! Not sure what we would have done without it! Ok now back to the hike in. (@1 pm) moving on…..
After a long hike in the rain and hail we arrived in a general area where we wanted our camp to be. After some give and take on where we should setup we had prepped and leveled ground as well as bear proof the perimeter (at least to our standards). Being green horns out west none of us argued with ones idea of surrounding our tents with some downfall. Camp is set and now it’s time to find cooking quarters so we headed to the nearest creek bottom to get water and hang food. This will do.
As the afternoon progressed we all got excited for the hunt and where we would scout that evening so we split up. At night fall, right nearing the witching hour, I let a location out and we had two responses right away! Both of us were heading back to camp with smiles.

Day 1,
We went in a different direction of where we heard the bugled (not sure why) to sit on a wallow we had found prior to our hunt. No elk so we decided to do some calling. No elk again, it’s time to move. Traversing the trees in the north slopes kept us cool all day discovering new terrain with no elk encounters. We arrived in a dark timber spot with a nice bench. High mountains streams on each side so we investigated further looking for a seep. We found it! Looked like a beautiful spot to hang out for the evening hunt. @ pm thermals all going up with what looked like a bedding area below. No elk, bad thermals all afternoon……disappointing day.
At camp we were able to discuss what happened with the other two. They got into a couple elk with calling setups! First one in fact, they called in a young cow to 15 yards on their very first try. Tomorrow we would try this area together.

Day 2,
4 man setup? I guess we would try it…..
No elk all morning with us nearing the ridge. Few made contact with small squeaky bugles but no close encounters anyway. Beyond, in the far drainage, elk are going nuts! We hear at least 4 different elk sounding off. Decide to sit and glass. We found two nice ones a long ways out. After some debate (not to my liking) most people said the winds could be bad so we need to wait and not pressure the elk. Ok we wait and glass tonight and go in on them tomorrow morning. Head back to camp and get some food. Now back to that drainage. After sitting and glassing for a while we hear them start to sound off again. Oh man this is killing me. While sitting and listening….and waiting….another hunter drops in on a trail below us going for the elk! Screw this it’s time to move. We move parallel with the hunter with the bulls bugling and cows chirping for the next 45 min. All of a sudden the woods erupt and I think this bull is taken by the other hunter. …. All of a sudden cow after cow start filtering out the side hill 100 yards up wind. Time to make a plan and all of a sudden I see white antlers crashing out after these cows roaring trying to call them back. Big Bull!!! Big Friken Bull!! I repeated with drool coming out of my hanging jaw. Time to act quick. Cutting the distance down to 40 yards we were below the cows and all of a sudden they were gone. With two cows spotting us taking the biggest bull I have ever seen over the ridge. Hard to be disappointed with an encounter like that but didn’t turn out how I wanted it….

Day 3,
Back to the far drainage of bugling bulls. Watched the same nice bull cross the high country timber to a secluded bowl we figured he was bedding in. So we played a game with the thermals and headed up an old creek bed that helped our scent stay and get pushed down the mountains side. Arriving in that we thought was the bed room we pointed and set up. Wind was perfect from where we though he might come. I started a call cowing sequence and when I hit the buzz a loud growl came and smacked me on the back! Wind is not perfect! Bull is coming in! he called me (the cow to him twice now). Run at him and get down wind. Set up in a thick area just passed the meadow I called and called again. Antlers smacking the thick pines 25 yards away, no shot! Hes going back in and not to me? I adjust and go after him only to get busted (seen not smelled) and he was gone. After regrouping with another hunting partner the bull had trotted out into the meadow and stood straight on with him at 30 yards! The bull could hear my calling but got nervous after I didn’t show. No shot presented as the bull spun on a dime and re entered his bedroom. That’s when he crossed me at 25 yards. Oh man the excitement and we were so dang close! More encounters at a distance but no dice….the day had expired with tags still in our pockets.

Day 4,
Split off in a different direction looking for different elk. A long morning hike at 3 am and a very cold glassing from the ridge top resulted in us hearing two bulls and watching a cow leave one to go to the other. Ok the game and rules are set with players in the ready position………only for us to drop into a nasty canyon with no elk and only to find the wallow he was at. Crap, now the long hike out. Well we get to the top and my partner says go ahead without me…..moving on down the ridge I drop in above where the bull had last sounded off with the thermals in my face. The cool temps were nice in the timber and I eased my way down. This looks like a good spot I said to myself…..nah Ill press a little further and suddenly I hear the sound of an elk busting out! Oh man I am sick at this point and right away sound like a lost cow looking for a companion. I sit down in the shade from being hot and decided I needed a break before hiking out. Well my emotions must have gone through on my calling because this bull turned around to seek this cow out. Snap! To my left in a perfect shooting lane this 5 point is broadside to me. I freeze not to give anything to much away he scans uphill so I draw. Busted! Settle my 30 yard pin in the high < slot and let it go. Smack……that was loud!? The bull turned and ran off with my fumbling around trying to figure out what the heck happened. Range it. 20 yards!? Ugh I get sick….
Heading out of the woods I am excited and sick all at the same time letting my hunting partner know what just took place. We waited an hour and a half to retrieve and went down to the site with now blood no arrow…..no elk. Searched all afternoon and nothing and still being sick we arrived back the next day to have wolves howling in the timber next to us…..only time of the trip we heard those dirty buggers (coincidence?) I am still sick to my stomach thinking about what happened. Not sure how to come back from it.

More encounters with bugling bulls and feeding cows. A few grouse on the dinner plate with bears huffing at us in the morning walks. A lot of experiences this trip but the main thing was the main thing and it turned out to be an unused tag this trip. I can’t wait to go more into detail with encounters and lessons learned from this trip to plan better for the next. I would still like to get out and try a late season archery hunt and or early rifle because it will be hard without that great tasting meat.


Like I said, more later on with back country equipment and elk hunting approaches. Good luck everyone else!!! Ill be bumping the skunked thread for now!
Enjoy the pictures
Brent

[BrentLaBere]

Adding the extra pictures.....
Didn't realize you could only have 3 attachments
A few more pictures added to the contest too.

[BrentLaBere]

A few extra. I will post more with more time.

[flystrait]

Sounds like a memorable trip for sure. I can’t wait to hear more.