How did your archery elk opener go?

[nw_bowhunter]

I hunted opening weekend and saw 3 elk, all cows. I was in a spike only unit... Wind was blowing crazy all day Saturday. The bulls sure were screaming all night long. That was awesome! I  wish I had more time to hunt but looks like weekend hunts for me for the early season.

[finnman]

It was good thanks! 7 hunters in our camp this year, opening day  one friend took a 4x5 at 45 yards, and my cousin took his first elk with his bow, a cow at 40 yards, everyone else saw elk except one guy. I saw a small herd of 7, pulled back on a cow at 25 yards, put my finger on the release and she stepped behind a tree, no shot and could not catch up to them. Busted a small group later, twice, never saw them. Jumped a rag horn bull on the way back to the truck, FREIGHT TRAIN!! no stopping him. Pics soon to come!

Jason

[Bearhunter]

 Leaving on Friday for 17days for Idaho, cant hardly wait.

[rewent12003]

went to the nile, didnt see a dam thing , saw some tracks that were a day old or so but no animals, that makes 2 years in a row, cant find a good hunting area, , anyone got anyideas?

[nw_bowhunter]

Finnman sounds like your group had pretty good success. Since the cows were taken out of 328 our group has really gotten small.

Rewent- I have the same issue, looking for better spots. I'm going to try the Tanuem 336 maybe this weekend. I know I want to be in a cow or spike unit. Hunting in spike only is sure tuff.

[finnman]

My brother got back from our elk camp yesterday, on their way back through Woodland the temp. read 98 degrees, not the hunting conditions you like to see. He only saw a cow in 3 days of hunting. So he goes home, he lives out side Eatonville a few miles on 5 acres, about an hour before dark to his back property line sits down and lets out a few light cow calls, about 20 minutes later he hears a faint chuckle, hunter or elk? He cow calls, it bugles back, coming closer now, its moving past him to an old skid trail, he moves also, as he moves down the trail, he catches a glimps of a giant 6x6 rack tearing the tar out of a tree, he stops, faces the elk and cow calls, it rips out one those gnarly hoarse chuckle bugles and strutts up the small rise to with in 40 yards, facing him staring forward, then left, then right, then forward, no ladys in sight, no shot, it turns and heads into the dark jungle from where it came. My brothers in pieces............

We will give it a rest and try again later this week.

[Crunchy]

My season lasted an hour and 45 minutes into opening day.  Sat on my favorite game trail when I could hear the elk coming.  Got the bow ready.  Out pops 4-5 elk at least 4 were cows.  Drew back and the lead cow stops at 25 yards broadside.  I let on go and she ran off.  I waited about 30 minutes and tracked her for about 150 yards and there she was.  Got busy.  Me and a friend packed her out in two trips about 4.5 miles from camp.  Three of miles were on moutain bikes.  Had her on ice by 3:30pm.

[jackelope]

sweet...way to go.

[nw_bowhunter]

Nice pictures. Good job guys. I'm hoping to find some elk this weekend

[boneaddict]

Congrats.  We are headed out at 3 am in the morn.  Getting pretty excited.  Kind of hard to wrok today.

[WAcoueshunter]

Well done all.  I hunted roosies for the first time over the weekend, and in an area I've never been in to boot.  Not surprising I suppose that we didn't see much.  More of an exploratory mission that will hopefully pay off down the road. 

Good luck in NM Bone...looks like the monsoons have stopped, so you should be in good shape.  I'm leaving tomorrow as well to tag along on my cousin's unit 8 AZ hunt.  Should be fun to be the cameraman/caller and not have the stress of a once in 10 years tag.   Not that I don't wish I had the tag...just trying to focus on the bright side.   

[funkster]

Are trip went pretty good! We didn't harvest an elk but we got on them every day. Are crew traveled 78 miles on foot and bikes. We had 8 bulls come in on us with in 50 yards. We set up on a nice 5x6 and he he was coming in quick and the wind was perfect. I think we found his house because he raked almost every tree raw. He came in to 50 yards and let out a chuckle so I answered back and he screamed at me. I had my dad set up about 85 yards behind me and he let out a chuckle then the elk got pissed. He started taking out his aggression out a a bush. Then the wind changed and he took off just as fast as he came in,this went on for about an hour and a half. We had about 8 good set up like this were some little thing just went wrong and we got them all on film. On the last day of the hunt, a deer walked in on me at 17 yards so I took it to get some meat in the freezer. The body is alittle sore but we are heading back down tomorrow to try to fill my dad's toulte any bull tag.

[6 Point]

Went up to scout for Muzzleloader opener, and didn't see any hunters with a bow  Saw many elk and about 15 branched whitetail bucks.  One with about 23 points.  Come on oct 6th

[Little Fish]

Mine was great athough I didn't get an elk. I started out with plans to hunt 9 days. This got widdled down to 5 days and then ultimately became 4 days. Temperatures were smoking hot most of the time (90+), which I can't imagine is very good for hunting. The amount of wildlife I saw was impressive....4 cows, 2 calves, 6 deer, 5 grouse, 3 gardner snakes and 1 porcupine. I didn't have an archery deer tag so couldn't take a deer, but had several close encounters with elk. The first two days of the season the elk were fairly vocal with several bulls bugling at us and cows responding to our bugles. One opportunity I missed was when a cow came into one of my bugles, but I had started moving before I noticed the cow coming at us and got busted out in the open. The second opportunity I missed was when I spent too much time ranging a cow as she crossed the road in front of me (I had a pretty good idea on the shot distance already) rather than making an estimate and taking a shot. I sure wished I could have hunted the extra 5 days since it seemed like only a matter of time before everyting would come together at the right time/right place etc.

BTW....congrats to everyone who gotten an animal this year

[bobcat]

You had cows coming in to a bugle?  Hmm...never heard of that happening. I will have to try that on my muzzleloader season Toutle cow hunt.