ML elk camp 2014

[washelkhunter]

Well we didn't score out of GMU 352 out of 4 guns. Spike only hunt and my partner was chasing muley bucks as well. He never saw an elk nor a buck. I drew down on 3; 2 cows and a calf and busted up another small group , maybe 4-5. Got on a raghorn just for fun. We couldn't help but note that there were bulls around but very few cows. The toll of the last 2 years of the archers now being able to take antlerless along with spikes has imo been devastating. Keep shooting all the cows and in short order there wont be a hunt in there. Pity. I've seen the results of this poor decision of WDFW and Ware and have decided to no longer general ML hunt elk. I will no longer spend my time nor my fortune unless I draw a special permit or the MS elk tag; its just not worth my time any longer. All it has become is a nice campout. Anyhoo here are some pics from the ML hunt(?) camp this year. Enjoy.

[washelkhunter]

More kitchen and camp pics and a grouse dinner that wandered into camp on the 2nd of Oct.

[washelkhunter]

More. Some things found in the unit.

[washelkhunter]

More.

[washelkhunter]

More. My pard and the last supper. Margi's with seasoned tamals, yellow rice, refritos with jalepenos  and onions and avocados. Last night fire with good drink and a couple of Kuba Kuba's. A morning pic of guns going in. And pics of a beautiful sight to an elk hunter.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Good looking camp! Yep the elk are there just as Naches stated.

[washelkhunter]

These 'shrooms were delicious. Called honeys. You peel the outer layer and trim the caps away. The inner part of the stem is 'pithy', and its the best part. Sautéed in olive oil and fresh cracked pepper they tasted like pan fried clam strips. I also cooked some up in bacon grease and they tasted like bacon strips! Yummy!   

[BOWHUNTER45]

looks like you guys ate well ..that's the most important think 

[huntnnw]

funny thing all the years I have chased elk with a bow or smokepole I have rarely had shots at cows its always bulls. Just this year during muzzy had shots at 4 bulls 0 cows and archery was 5 bulls to 1 cow.

[washelkhunter]

funny thing all the years I have chased elk with a bow or smokepole I have rarely had shots at cows its always bulls. Just this year during muzzy had shots at 4 bulls 0 cows and archery was 5 bulls to 1 cow.

and you hunted where this year?

[huntnnw]

 

[washelkhunter]

 

[deerslyr]

Our camp saw as many elk as usual in the bumping. I tend to agree with huntnw that shots at cows are rare with a bow. I never have had one with a bow. I drive every year from central MT to the bumping just to call in bulls and film them. It is my favorite unit of any unit ive hunted in MT, ID, and WA believe it or not. Don't give up they're still in there!
Heres a few bulls Ive called in over the last two seasons there.

[pianoman9701]

Thanks for the pics and story since you didn't respond to my text! Doof! We'll have to find a new place to hunt next year. Have RV will travel.

[WSU]

I hunted up there for a couple days with a friend.  I drove by just as you were shooting the quail.  I'm pretty sure you had to hold your fire because of me. 

We got into elk (lots) all around your camp.  Bummer that they were scarce once general started.

[washelkhunter]

I hunted up there for a couple days with a friend.  I drove by just as you were shooting the quail.  I'm pretty sure you had to hold your fire because of me. 

We got into elk (lots) all around your camp.  Bummer that they were scarce once general started.

I remember you going by. I was thinking you guys probably thought I was deranged standing there holding my shotgun.   

[WSU]

I hunted up there for a couple days with a friend.  I drove by just as you were shooting the quail.  I'm pretty sure you had to hold your fire because of me. 

We got into elk (lots) all around your camp.  Bummer that they were scarce once general started.

I remember you going by. I was thinking you guys probably thought I was deranged standing there holding my shotgun.   

I was actually getting ready to shoot the quail until I realized they were in your camp!

[tarbabyone]

Only problem with saying you well not go unless you have a cow tag is that you have to buy the license and put in for the draw.  The game department gets the money and that is all they care about.  People need to stop buying the licenses.

[hughjorgan]

Well we didn't score out of GMU 352 out of 4 guns. Spike only hunt and my partner was chasing muley bucks as well. He never saw an elk nor a buck. I drew down on 3; 2 cows and a calf and busted up another small group , maybe 4-5. Got on a raghorn just for fun. We couldn't help but note that there were bulls around but very few cows. The toll of the last 2 years of the archers now being able to take antlerless along with spikes has imo been devastating. Keep shooting all the cows and in short order there wont be a hunt in there. Pity. I've seen the results of this poor decision of WDFW and Ware and have decided to no longer general ML hunt elk. I will no longer spend my time nor my fortune unless I draw a special permit or the MS elk tag; its just not worth my time any longer. All it has become is a nice campout. Anyhoo here are some pics from the ML hunt(?) camp this year. Enjoy.

There are plenty of cows behind the gate you were hunting. There were lots of cows in there in September, they didn't just evaporate into thin air, there still in there some where. Typical that you want to blame another user group for lack of elk. How many elk were you seeing in the three years they restricted archery to spike only? Did you guys manage to kill anything in those years when cow tags were restricted for all user groups?

[Payne]

Nice looking camp! Glad to see you got room for me next year! 

[washelkhunter]

Well a hat when we were in there 3 years ago before the ar cow allowance there were 2 large herds with big bulls that I was personally on several times with numerous satellite bulls running around and even then we never had shots at a spike. I believe my ascertion is valid. The only thing to have changed since then is the new ar cow take in those once bountiful units.  And there weren't plenty of cows in there in oct but there should have been. So stuff it. I'm not blaming AR, that lies with wdfw.

[hughjorgan]

Well a hat when we were in there 3 years ago before the ar cow allowance there were 2 large herds with big bulls that I was personally on several times with numerous satellite bulls running around and even then we never had shots at a spike. I believe my ascertion is valid. The only thing to have changed since then is the new ar cow take in those once bountiful units.  And there weren't plenty of cows in there in oct but there should have been. So stuff it.

There are still large herds of cows in there, though they are heavily hunted by archery hunters in September, not many cows are taken from what I have seen. I run cameras in there during the summer and always have lots of cows on camera. Hunting pressure can change how the herds use that area, but they are in the nile some where.