Creek Bottom Blues.

[MarkyMark]

I've been out muzzy elk hunting in nasty creek bottoms. Thick ugly dens of thorny, prickly,itchy plants. I'm told I will find elk down there. I know whoever told me elk hide in this hole is getting a good laugh at my expense. I also know that I'll be coming home with more welts on my legs. But back in the morning I go.

[csaaphill]

gl they can and do especially in the heat.
might try to get above them and hunt down into maybe?

[bobcat]

I think it's the elk that are laughing.   

Good luck tomorrow, maybe wear some leather chaps and leather gloves.   

[longstevo]

Right?

I was hunting the top of a ridge on Saturday, and some old duffers hauling firewood said "there's no elk up here.  They're down there!"  They pointed down in the bottom.

I didn't go to where they pointed, but I did focus on some low lying creeks, with no result. 

[MADMAX]

steep and deep baby

[Damnimissed]

I jumped a bull in a nasty creek bottom yesterday. I chased him at full speed through the reprod, but lost him. Pretty sure he had hoof "rot" because I found some blood a few places while tracking him, and he'd been living in one area by himself for a while.

[MarkyMark]

I've covered every darn creek bottom in the Minot unit almost. A couple of them two or three times where we saw what looked to be the freshest of the dried out tracks. At least we got some grouse traveling between areas.
The temps are hot in the creek bottoms too.
I only saw two four- legged animals and they were does feeding along hwy 8.
Back at it tomorrow.
At least it's not crowded!!!

[MarkyMark]

...and I fell flat on my face and jambed 2" of mud in the end of my barrel.
I did see an old gut pile way up high.

[MarkyMark]

Today I did not see any elk in the creek bottom but I did fall into a beaver dam that grass had  grown over. Thankfully a log stopped my fall by wedging itself in my privates. Can't wait for elk season to be over. More Advil please.

[bobcat]

At least you post about your lack of success. That's rare, most people only post when they're successful! I hope your luck is better tomorrow.

[elkfins]

Think of it this way...

you could be at work instead of elk hunting.

[MarkyMark]

I'm not ashamed to say I wasn't successful. I would be ashamed if I didn't try. I tried and got beat. I also learned a lot. Which will eventually lead to success.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me out along the way.

[Watimberghost]

  keep at it! Experience is the best teacher

[Damnimissed]

I'm not ashamed that I wasn't successful either. I am however, devastated about the really nice 5pt Rosie I missed TWICE at daylight this morning. Finally caught them in a small clearcut this morning after tracking them through reprod and creek bottoms for the last 3 days. I thought I had a good feel for my new musket, but I mis judged the range and shot underneath his chest. Unbelievable.

[MarkyMark]

That happened to me on a nice broadside shot on a mulie last week.
Those creek bottoms tore up everything. Clothes, skin, pride... You name it. Where were you at? I heard a couple shots this morning in the little north river area.

[bobcat]

Damnimissed- sorry you missed but with a user name like yours it's bound to happen once in a while.

[Damnimissed]

Damnimissed- sorry you missed but with a user name like yours it's bound to happen once in a while.

That is a fact. I didn't even think of that lol

[Damnimissed]

That happened to me on a nice broadside shot on a mulie last week.
Those creek bottoms tore up everything. Clothes, skin, pride... You name it. Where were you at? I heard a couple shots this morning in the little north river area.

501

[kerrdog]

This is one of the more entertaining threads I've read on here in awhile. I too had my butt kicked trying to find the elk.  There's always late season.

[MarkyMark]

I can't find a late west muzzy season in the regs that doesn't require a $200 Weyco permit that are no longer available. Unless I'm missing something.
But back to more entertainment. Washed my gear and found thorns and seed pods in the dryer lint trap. lol.

[Damnimissed]

I got us into a bad mess trying to cross from one creek bottom to another by heading up and over the end of a ridge through, what I thought was a little brush. Ended up getting too far in to turn around, so an hour later we emerged from the mess of wild rose and blackberries, after whiddling a bushwalking stick

[MarkyMark]

I got me a stick too. I forgot to mention all the spider webs.

[bobcat]

Sounds like what you guys really need is a machete.

[MarkyMark]

Yes! Or a gas powered hedge trimmer.

[Damnimissed]

Or just go home and take a nap After the morning hunt and come back out in the evening, instead of climbing around in nonsense $&@# holes all day. I can't get myself out of the woods though.

[MarkyMark]

I may have taken an afternoon nap or two at the end of the spur line.

[RadSav]

Go deeper into the woods.  Find Devil's Club and find elk.  Real elk hunters hunt at least two miles from a road.  ...the things we tell elk hunting newbies just for the entertainment value   Usually advise spoken by an old logger with a 500' spool of crab line in the back of his truck.

I tried to get an old girlfriend's father to shoot an elk 450 yards away on an opposite hillside.  After the elk was gone I asked him why he didn't shoot it.  His answer, "I don't have that much crab line in the truck." 

Seriously though, try Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants!!  If you can find some good oil/wax Tins that have not been destroyed by the new yuppie urban logger wear design - those are good too.  There is a reason loggers have been wearing them since the stone ages! 

[Damnimissed]

Go deeper into the woods.  Find Devil's Club and find elk.  Real elk hunters hunt at least two miles from a road.  ...the things we tell elk hunting newbies just for the entertainment value   Usually advise spoken by an old logger with a 500' spool of crab line in the back of his truck.

I tried to get an old girlfriend's father to shoot an elk 450 yards away on an opposite hillside.  After the elk was gone I asked him why he didn't shoot it.  His answer, "I don't have that much crab line in the truck." 

Seriously though, try Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants!!  If you can find some good oil/wax Tins that have not been destroyed by the new yuppie urban logger wear design - those are good too.  There is a reason loggers have been wearing them since the stone ages!

I normally always wear Filson double hunting pants, which are a mix of shelter and tin cloth. With this years weather I decided to snag the heck out of a pair of Sitka ascents

[MarkyMark]

75* almost everyday. I ruined my lightweight gear too. I will have the right gear for next season.
We had an 1800' spool of line if it was needed.