I was up there last Saturday. Hunted Teanaway in the morning, hoping my spot would hold the 5 cows I had seen during the early season that I couldn't get a shot on. Sat, waited, called, nothing. Walked the whole area and only cut some fresh deer tracks, followed for about half a mile, then decided to give up since I can't shoot one. But figured it might lead me to more animals or help lead me to other hidden animal trails. Saw one coyote in the area as well. Other then that the spot was DEAD
everything seemed to have moved out before the snow. Then moved to my spot in the lowlands close to I-90 in the Taneum. Same deal, not even a set of deer tracks. Found someones bait spot w/alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. Not even a nibble was taken out of them, no old tracks. Animals seemed to have moved out days or weeks before. Again I called, walked, beat brush, nothing. Decided to go for broke and head up high
On the drive up Woods & Steele didn't see any tracks in the road, on the hillsides, I was getting worried that everything was gone. Found a lone 2x2 muley buck at the shooting pit, he was asking to be shot just standing there looking at me, wish he had more points and wish it was a couple months earlier. I took it as a good sign, even though there was 4 inches of snow on the ground around there. Kept going, scoped out the timber on the top of the ridge, nothing, creeped along the ridge looking and glassing into the burned out timber thinking might be something feeding on fresh growth after the fire. First time I've been able to get up there to see the damage, not as bad as I had thought. It should bode well for fresh growth of forage and open spaces for the animals in the coming years. Wonder if they are going to cut those freestanding trunks that look to be dead, maybe open up some of those hillsides and little ridges? Still nothing, so decided to move even higher. Made it to a locked gate. Got out and saw some tracks leading from the gate along the road in the 6 inch deep snow, two pairs of tracks wandering up the road. On closer inspection they were ELK!!!!!
So glad I actually found what I was looking for, and it was in the snow from the last 24 hours and they looked to be within the last couple! Started following, after a 1/4 mi one veered off into the reprod and UP the hill. Another 30yrds and the other set of tracks did the same. I decided to follow the road that loops back around and up the same hill, figuring its better to not bust them out of there, and try to keep the wind in my favor. Finally managed to get up the road that came back around further up the hill (kind of like a switchback of logging roads) and cut the tracks again of the pair. It was the only sign of life up there, but a good sign. Followed for another couple hundred yards and the tracks did the same thing, into the reprod, back out. Then they seemed to just vanish. No real sign of continuing on, or diving into the reprod. Like they just flew away from where they were standing on the road (I know these aren't Santa's Reindeer
) Decided to go another few hundred yards and then turn around. Didn't cut any more tracks, so back down. On the way back down, I went maybe 400-500 yrds and my eyes picked up movement down the road, it was the antlers of a Raghorn bull shaking his head back and forth. He had 2 cows with him.
Long story short, got within 50-60yrds, no shot, Cow winded me and they were gone, back UP the hill.
Decided not to follow them into the reprod, wasn't sure if I would come back to hunt them or what, so decided not to bump them out if I could keep from doing that. Ultimately I didnt go back, was way to cold up there (13 degrees, not factoring windchill) and it was only going to get colder for Sunday). Driving along the ridge I bumped a huge bodied bull who was in the middle of the road eating some low lying branches. His antlers were in the trees so I couldn't even see how big he was. Anyway I saw 4 Elk (2 bulls, 2 cows) and one deer. Not bad for half a day up on the ridge. Never seen that many animals in a full day during modern rifle, so its an improvement.
Any tips from people familiar with the area or just the animals in general, especially during late season? Like, should I have just followed the elk and tried to chase em down in the reprod, since they could be long gone by the next day if they are stragglers and are heading for the feeding stations?
