Post by: shredder4286 on March 12, 2013, 10:11:39 PM
Do these herds go through the same migration patterns throughout the year that elk in say, Montana or Colorado do?
Does their rut affect them the same way it would in a bigger herd of several hundred?
Just wondering about those few things as I look forward to this fall. To anybody who lives/hunts the area that knows about the elk behavior up here- I'd be interested to hear your comments.
Post by: huntnnw on March 12, 2013, 10:32:38 PM
Post by: ghosthunter on March 12, 2013, 11:14:49 PM
(You can thank me later KFhunter) :tup:
Post by: Hangfire on March 13, 2013, 07:15:13 AM
Near where I live two cows showed up last May. The land owner said he had lived there since 1938 and that was the first elk he had seen. In June it was two cows and two calves. In the early archery season one cow was shot and not found. I found the cow carcass in late buck. One calf was hit by a car. The elk haven't been seen since.
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on March 13, 2013, 07:21:39 AM
They are scattered all over the area. When you find elk, if you keep from spooking them, you can dog them in a fairly small area during a hunt.
Post by: Austrian Hunter on March 13, 2013, 09:22:37 AM
Post by: KFhunter on March 13, 2013, 10:08:38 AM
This winter every elk track I came across had wolf tracks following them or parallelling them 100 yards away.
Post by: smartazz171 on March 13, 2013, 02:23:48 PM
Post by: dromero on March 14, 2013, 10:08:52 AM
Post by: NWBREW on March 14, 2013, 10:16:19 AM
Also if you think you can out hike/ride/walk other hunters the units aren't big enough, you will see other hunters no matter what season.
There are a lot of other hunters but more times then not I see no other hunters where I go. Boot time CAN help in getting to areas to hunt by yourself. I know this to be a fact. Typically see only small herds of 4-10 elk though. They are spread thin. I've been doing the NE elk hunt for 20+ years.
Post by: dromero on March 14, 2013, 10:17:20 AM
Post by: dromero on March 14, 2013, 10:20:45 AM
Post by: NWBREW on March 14, 2013, 10:25:53 AM
Post by: dromero on March 14, 2013, 10:27:15 AM
Post by: shredder4286 on March 15, 2013, 09:37:38 AM
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There are no elk in the NE.
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The elk haven't been seen since.
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The wolves chased them out the country or ate them.
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everyone is tight lipped
That's about what I expected to hear. I'm not easily discouraged, though.
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Bugling has only gotten me other hunters
Well, that's the thing. If the elk aren't used to bugling back and forth between bulls, and a hunter goes out there and starts bugling, it'll more likely scare them off than attract them.
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Also if you think you can out hike/ride/walk other hunters the units aren't big enough, you will see other hunters no matter what season.
Yeah, but what's the difference between cramming in with other hunters in small units here, or going down to the blue mountains and cramming in there? More elk, of course. Just a longer drive...
(and here come the urges to hunt walla walla and yakima) :chuckle:
Post by: huntnnw on March 16, 2013, 05:02:47 AM
Post by: Austrian Hunter on March 17, 2013, 10:35:01 AM
Post by: pendoreilleadventures on March 17, 2013, 11:01:33 AM
Post by: shredder4286 on March 18, 2013, 09:28:13 PM
We ought to write letters to both the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and our state reps about the situation. It can't hurt.
Post by: huntnnw on March 18, 2013, 10:12:43 PM
Post by: KFhunter on March 18, 2013, 10:17:20 PM
Honestly, the best thing we could all do for the elk herds up here would be to just leave them alone for a few years and kill a bunch of the wolves. Too bad the commies won't let us hunt the boogers here.
We ought to write letters to both the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and our state reps about the situation. It can't hurt.
:yeah:
I'd love to see some proper management with emphasis on herd building. That would require some work on winter holding areas though.
Post by: huntnnw on March 18, 2013, 11:16:10 PM
Post by: KFhunter on March 18, 2013, 11:43:43 PM
I had a cow in my sights that would have just been too easy, stood there looking at me 30 yards away broadside. I passed. She had a young one in tow and was probably still wet.
Went without elk meat that year. (few years back)
Post by: buck man on March 18, 2013, 11:58:12 PM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
Post by: pendoreilleadventures on March 19, 2013, 01:36:11 AM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
Exactly just another way to screw over archery guys to get more money from special draws
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Post by: NWBREW on March 19, 2013, 01:52:54 AM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
MF used to be any elk but is now any bull. Please explain how this "only screws over the archery guys" when this ruling affects archery, muzzy and MF. Just curious how you come up with that. I have been hunting elk up there for more then 20+ years with different methods and I don't see it as "screwing anyone over". I see it as all user groups paying a price to help the herds. :twocents:
Post by: pendoreilleadventures on March 19, 2013, 02:09:38 AM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
MF used to be any elk but is now any bull. Please explain how this "only screws over the archery guys" when this ruling affects archery, muzzy and MF. Just curious how you come up with that. I have been hunting elk up there for more then 20+ years with different methods and I don't see it as "screwing anyone over". I see it as all user groups paying a price to help the herds. :twocents:
Sorry misspoke it late up with a teething two year old. Forgot about muzzy. I am in my late 20's I don't recall an Mf cow tag except in mount Spokane? As for helping the herd id be all for if they took it away for everyone. But to take cows from smokepole and archery but give them to rifle hunters makes no since.
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Post by: alwinearcher on March 19, 2013, 02:12:04 AM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
MF used to be any elk but is now any bull. Please explain how this "only screws over the archery guys" when this ruling affects archery, muzzy and MF. Just curious how you come up with that. I have been hunting elk up there for more then 20+ years with different methods and I don't see it as "screwing anyone over". I see it as all user groups paying a price to help the herds. :twocents:
Sorry misspoke it late up with a teething two year old. Forgot about muzzy. I am in my late 20's I don't recall an Mf cow tag except in mount Spokane? As for helping the herd id be all for if they took it away for everyone. But to take cows from smokepole and archery but give them to rifle hunters makes no since.
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Huckleberry was "any elk" for MF for as long as I can remember before the recent change :dunno:
Post by: NWBREW on March 19, 2013, 02:19:48 AM
It's all a give and take. (mostly take)
Post by: huntnnw on March 19, 2013, 02:40:15 AM
Post by: boneaddict on March 19, 2013, 04:40:40 AM
Post by: Slenk on March 19, 2013, 06:14:50 AM
Post by: TommyH on March 19, 2013, 07:25:44 AM
Post by: buck man on March 19, 2013, 09:41:46 PM
That started last year with no cow harvest
That was only for the bow hunters and only in the late season. The dfw still gave out just as many late rifle cow tags for the hunt after late archery. They only took our cow opportunities away.
MF used to be any elk but is now any bull. Please explain how this "only screws over the archery guys" when this ruling affects archery, muzzy and MF. Just curious how you come up with that. I have been hunting elk up there for more then 20+ years with different methods and I don't see it as "screwing anyone over". I see it as all user groups paying a price to help the herds. :twocents:
I guess I was referring to the unit I have hunted for the last 15 years. 117. They took all late season cow opportunities away and actually increased MF late cow tags. I am sure it was no fun for you too in 121 to lose your cow opportunities.
The way I see it we better try to kill as many as we can or the wolves will. Lots of dead critters in 121 now because of them. :twocents:
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on March 20, 2013, 07:06:14 AM
Post by: Elkslayer on March 20, 2013, 07:10:14 AM
I wish they would get rid of the late cow archery hunt in 117... nothing like seeing 500 tons of hay packed into the woods to keep the elk high late into the winter... :bash: :bash:
They already did away with that last year.
Post by: shredder4286 on March 20, 2013, 12:59:54 PM
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"HOYT" why would you even consider shooting something else?
Because I don't have $1500 to spend on a bow.
Sounds like what we need to do here is get the WDFW/Satan to do something about the wolf problem here. All the other details just take our focus off the big picture.