Special Permit Elk for Geezers

[fair-chase]

Looking for flatlander, eastern tenderfoot special permit elk hunts and honey holes...

LOL. Seriously, well kind of.....My father (for the most part) leaves me in charge of his special permit applications. As he gets older it's getting harder for him to climb hills. I've known this for some time but last year was the first time he actually told me, and I quote "Your off your freakin' rocker if you think I'm going up there. There isn't an elk in the world worth that climb!". In all fairness, we were at the bottom of the Grande Rhonde looking up. None the less, he has informed me that I need to find him a more suitable elk hunting area.    Old guys, you can't shoot them and you can't get them to climb a hill for their elk. 

I've got his antlerless hunts nailed down and these will keep him preoccupied until he can draw a good bull tag. So I'm just looking for bull and quality elk hunts that are a little more forgiving. He prefers to get away from the roads/crowds and can easily do 10 miles on flat ground. Just can't climb a hill of beans anymore. Thinking of going with Turnbull for #1 choice. Even though sign in/out monitored hunting is not his style, and draw odds are crappy at best. He's going into this year with 4 points and I'm hoping he gets something drawn before the 10 point/year mark. His last good bull came out of Montana Circa 1985. That bull was around the 260" mark. Not looking for a record breaker but I would like to put him on something that tops that. Something around the 280"-300" range would be great. I'm thinking after he draws a bull tag he is going to hang it up and only hunt cow/depridation permits. So it would be nice to get one last wall hanger.

Any help would be appreciated, I know it's a lot to ask for a limited entry, flat, preferably roadless area with mature bulls. Might just have to cough up the money and go back to MT. Again, any direction on draw areas that fit this description would be greatly appreciated. In the mean time I will be doing some scouting of my own to try and find something suitable.

[coachcw]

any of the 300 gmus

[PlateauNDN]

Maybe introduce yourself and increase your posts on here first and then you'll get some help.  

Ok, in all seriousness I think maybe getting into SOME of the 300 gmu's isn't a bad idea as there are areas in SOME of the 300's that are accessible from the road, flat and easy walking where you can find a decent bull.  Maybe the Observatory area, it's got some elk areas that are flat enough for him to walk and if he happens to locate and harvest a bull from across the canyon he can send you in to bring it out!

Keep looking, you're bound to find something for the old man.   Oh wait, there's no elk in the Observatory they're all in the Colockum!

[YoterHunter]

how old do have to be to be considered an old geezer.

[fair-chase]

how old do have to be to be considered an old geezer.

I don't think there is a set age, but you should know when you reach it. It's that point in a guys life when hitting on extremely younger women becomes cute instead of creepy. Practical jokes are your most labor intensive hobby. Lawn care becomes obsessive and insanely competitive with your like minded geezer neighbors. And most of all, you plot ways for your children to do all of the legwork for your special permits because you just can't figure out these gosh dang computers (as you watch a basketball game on your smartphone).

Maybe introduce yourself and increase your posts on here first and then you'll get some help.  

Sorry Plat, I'll try and do better next time. 


I haven't spent a whole lot time in the 300 units. I will look into them though. I know I could get him into part of the Bumping Unit but he would be restricted to only the SW corner or the area around the lake. Essentially he would only have less than 1/4 of the unit as "huntable" area. I haven't explored any of the other 300s in that area. Try and get up there this summer and check them out.

Thanks for all of the suggestions gentlemen. I will keep looking into them and do some scouting this summer.

[PlateauNDN]

Bumping?!  I'd try the Observatory due to more road access and a little more flatter than the bumping.  If anything you can glass the hills from the road or road hunt like most I've seen and they usually get something?   Either way keep us posted and good luck.

[fair-chase]

Thanks Plat.    I will definitely post it up when he gets it done. Likely to take several years though with the number of points he has.

[jrod]

Maybe introduce yourself and increase your posts on here first and then you'll get some help.  

Ok, in all seriousness I think maybe getting into SOME of the 300 gmu's isn't a bad idea as there are areas in SOME of the 300's that are accessible from the road, flat and easy walking where you can find a decent bull.  Maybe the Observatory area, it's got some elk areas that are flat enough for him to walk and if he happens to locate and harvest a bull from across the canyon he can send you in to bring it out!

Keep looking, you're bound to find something for the old man.   Oh wait, there's no elk in the Observatory they're all in the Colockum!

.


No Elk in Clockum!!  TROGS shot all Elk dare!!  Go Blue mountain!