This weekend we did a dual hunt for blacktail and elk. Both times I heard elk calling (cow), I didn't have my calls with me, having deer call instead since that was the primary hunt.
However, yesterday morning, after stalking through woods for BT I came into a clearcut. I got a whiff of doe urine, so I followed this and about to turn back into the woods. Then I heard the cow calling again not more than a hundred yards away downhill in the thick timber. I assume I was closer to the doe, but I wanted the challenge of the elk.. Not having my call, I couldn't respond. However, I tried my best to quietly come down the clearcut side, following tracks, fresher and fresher poop, and bedded area (they were clearly on this hillside last night or early that morning). Then it got into the thick forest. As quiet as I could be, I was noisy as hell. Ferns dragged across my clothes and made more noise than my footsteps. A few broken mossy logs and after finding out my GPS died, I decided to turn back since Monday was the day I was to return home anyways.
I could SMELL them I was so close. However, I did a mental risk-benefit analysis and decided to go back. I'll come back for them during late season.
On my way back to the car through the woods again, I found another part of their game trail. In hindsight, I thought it would have been better to follow that instead.
Questions:
1) should I have followed their tracks or tried surrounding them from the other side instead?
2) how likely is it they'll be there in a month?
3) what would you have done?
