A Dream Realized: Mountain View

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

Hunting the Blues with a quality elk tag in my pocket.

Does it get any better than that?

I’m currently on the road down to live that dream…

I’ll hunt the opener on Monday, head back to work for a few days and then be back chasing them from the 9-23.  I’ll post updates here as things allow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CNELK]

I wish you the best of luck! Hopefully you fill your tag with a giant! I will be heading that way in October with the rifle tag in my pocket!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[pianoman9701]

Tag of a lifetime, right there. Best of luck! 

[jackelope]

Go get em!!

[huntnfmly]

Enjoy the hunt good luck

[Mfowl]

Best of luck! Enjoy your hunt!

[bracer40]

Following along. Saw some nice ones down in the holes last year!

[andersonjk4]

Best of luck. I love spending time in Mt. View. This is a dream tag of mine as well. My Buddy finally drew after 25years, so we’ll also be down there during rifle season.

Anybody heard if/when they will be opening the National Forest in Mt View and Lick Creek?

[Timberstalker]

Best of luck. How sweet it must be after all these damn fires and closures.

[nwwanderer]

Be careful, mighty dry still.  Keep us posted

[NorthFork]

You might want to check with the Forest Service in Pomeroy (509 843 1891) as well as WDFW-as far as I know most (if not all) access to Mt. View is still under a fire closure. The FS did open some areas in the Blues as of 9/2 but the area you need was not part of that revision. I do hope you can get in there but it sure doesn't look good-I know the local GW in the area is patrolling for violations of the closures-- it isn't worth a citation to ignore the closure. To date, there has been no announcement as to when things might open again. Best of luck--

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

You might want to check with the Forest Service in Pomeroy (509 843 1891) as well as WDFW-as far as I know most (if not all) access to Mt. View is still under a fire closure. The FS did open some areas in the Blues as of 9/2 but the area you need was not part of that revision. I do hope you can get in there but it sure doesn't look good-I know the local GW in the area is patrolling for violations of the closures-- it isn't worth a citation to ignore the closure. To date, there has been no announcement as to when things might open again. Best of luck--

The 4-0 is open.  Rumor has it the National Forest opens next weekend!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[teanawayslayer]

You might want to check with the Forest Service in Pomeroy (509 843 1891) as well as WDFW-as far as I know most (if not all) access to Mt. View is still under a fire closure. The FS did open some areas in the Blues as of 9/2 but the area you need was not part of that revision. I do hope you can get in there but it sure doesn't look good-I know the local GW in the area is patrolling for violations of the closures-- it isn't worth a citation to ignore the closure. To date, there has been no announcement as to when things might open again. Best of luck--

The 4-0 is open.  Rumor has it the National Forest opens next weekend!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope the rumors are true for you and the other tag holders

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

Opening Weekend of my Quality Elk Tag…

This weekend I began a journey I’ve been waiting 13 years to embark on. 

Hunting branch antlered bulls in the Blue Mountains of Washington.

The fires kept most of my unit closed until Friday, and with a Monday opener, the stress level was high.  My plan was to scout and hunt the morning (today) and then head home for a few days before returning for the rest of the season Thursday night.

For those who don’t know, as September ripens, the elk become hotter and hotter in the rut.  They become more susceptible to calling, and are generally dumber and easier to locate. 

So as the ideology goes in September:  it gets better every day.

After being unable to locate an elk on either Saturday or Sunday, I was a bit high strung heading into the opener today.

I was hiking in the dark to make it to a ridge top above my target drainage.  I let out a small bugle, and received silence as a reply.  Turning north to continue along the spine, I was rewarded with 3 separate bugles, spiking my adrenaline.

None of the bulls would respond to my cow calls, but would helpfully sound off every few minutes allowing me to inch closer.

I was finally able to put eyes on one of the bulls, and to my horror, he was a nice 6 point, with weak tops.  Probably in the 280 ish range. 

I say horror, because sometimes my blood list kicks in, and I didn’t want a bull like that to tempt my itchy trigger finger.  I have weeks to chase and find bulls, and I didn’t want to punch my tag 15 minutes into opening morning and miss out on the magic of chasing elk in the rut.

I moved to try and get into position anyways, mostly to try and get a better look, and to give it another evaluation from close range.  Moving ahead to get into an ambush position along the ridge, I came out too high and the bull pinned me at 40 yards, never giving me a shot opportunity.

For the next three hours I chased bugles around the mountain, logging 7 miles until the bulls shut down around 9am as the unseasonal heat ramped up.

As I left the mountain today, I was perfectly content with my hunt. I feel no pressure and all just enjoying the process.

I’ll be back on Thursday this week, and I’ll be hunting them until the 23.  I’ll update as I can.

Thanks for following along!

[elkrack]

Awesome! Can’t wait to see how this one turns out