My Rimrock elk hunt

[deerhuntr4885]

Well, I am going to start chronicling my hunt as time permits.  Here is he first installment:

First off!   All you guys who are celebrating this white dumping we are getting have no idea what you are in for.  I could not get to the spot I originally intended to hunt so I hit a backup.   Trailered my new horse Turbo, at 0430 and hit the road from my house in Selah.  When I reached the trail I found another truck already there and covered in snow.  It was snowing heavy. Saddled up and hit the trail at about  0545.  Two other hunters showed up as I was saddling up.  They had three more guys coming up from the bottom. 

Rode about 2000 feet higher and found it was not only snowing but high winds!  Tucked against a tree for about 30 minutes and then turned around to head back down.  Two cows were standing on the hill above me.  They turned and were gone before I could say boo. 

Turbo started getting really bad ice balls in his hooves and I had a hell of a time getting him down.  Walked the whole way and really had to force him to keep going. 

I did meet the two guys who owned the first truck I mentioned.  They are camping in a pup tent up there!  Nuts!  Stopped by their fire and made my own coffee before coming down.  Met two more hunters on the way down.  This was all on just one trail up there.  10 hunters on the one trail.   

Anyway, back at it tomorrow.  Sorry for not being all that colorful of a story.   New baby in the house.

[deerhuntr4885]

I also forgot to mention the fog. 

[huntergreg]

Good Luck! Keep us posted..

[adamR]

Keep your chin up!  Remember that while you are freezing your butt off in the deep snow and absolutely hating life, the elk WILL be moving.  Stick with it and don't get discouraged you couldn't have better weather (for the elk, not for you).

[Tegantunadog]

PM Sent to ya!

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like the wrong trail.  Keep at it

[PlateauNDN]

Keep your chin up!  Remember that while you are freezing your butt off in the deep snow and absolutely hating life, the elk WILL be moving.  Stick with it and don't get discouraged you couldn't have better weather (for the elk, not for you).

i was saying the same thing yesterday plowing through the snow watching camp after camp pull out or towing their trailers out to lower elevations.  all i could think of was all the elk on the move and trying to decide where to try and catch them at. since it appeared i was the only one still up there and trying to get further and higher, though i'm sure there were others still up there doing the same thing just in a different area.

[fillthefreezer]

what elev are you guys working at and how deep is it?

[92xj]

Goodluck!

[Kowsrule30]

I would try a different area.... You got a cow tag???

[Limhangerslayer]

First person I have ever heard of complaining about snow on the bull elk opener   leave the horse at home, drive roads til you find fresh elk tracks that have a bull in the herd, track them up and kill him.

[Wyoming08]

First person I have ever heard of complaining about snow on the bull elk opener   leave the horse at home, drive roads til you find fresh elk tracks that have a bull in the herd, track them up and kill him.

  I agree. We set up camp on Sunday off of Tieton Rd. and headed up to cut wood, loved the Snow. Every year there is lots of snow we see PLENTY of ELK!!  Keep at it buddy. Maybe we'll see you up there...

[huntandjeep]

what elev are you guys working at and how deep is it?

Pretty sure I walked up the trail today that he rode yesterday. There's maybe 3" at the gate and 5"-6" at the top. Not sure on the elevation there though.

[Craig]

When I had a tag there ( muzzleloader ) I went 3 - 4 miles back and found a good number of bulls. Just keep looking. Go back a little more them most foot hunters and in closer then most horse hunters.

[deerhuntr4885]

I guess I should not post right after I get home,cold and tired. Don't get me wrong, I love hunting in the snow but add the wind and fog and it was miserable.

Yesterday the weather was gorgeous.  The snow melted off down low. We spotted three cows and then later what looked like a good bull bedded across the valley from us about two miles away.  I got the spotter out and confirmed that it was a branch bull but could not really count points.  Looked to have a good frame though.

We went down and then up the other side. We jumped four cows on the way up but could not reach the basin we saw the bull in before it got dark.  So back down we went in the dark. 

Today and tomorrow I am at home with our baby.  The wife Is being pretty stingey about hunting time this year so I am not sure when I will be back up there.