Post by: Fireant11 on June 12, 2009, 10:03:06 PM
I've been following this forum for about 2 years but just now created an account. I've been hunting 8 years and have not taken an elk yet (although my partners have). I was selected for the Goose Prarie hunt and am pretty excited! I know people's honey holes are private and not to be shared, so I won't ask specifics. What I would like to know though, is which GMU would be better to concentrate on ... Bumping or Nile? Would bugling or cow calling be a better tactic? I still have a lot to learn and really don't want to screw up this opportunity! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Mike
Post by: NWWABOWHNTR on June 12, 2009, 10:14:42 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on June 12, 2009, 10:36:37 PM
I know a lot about the unit but one thing I will say is don't bugle much and cow call more frequently. Knowing how to use a mouth reed is best and keep the wind in your face. Good luck with the scouting as well. The bugs will be thick in the summer.
Post by: PA BEN on June 13, 2009, 06:56:48 AM
Hey all,
I've been following this forum for about 2 years but just now created an account. I've been hunting 8 years and have not taken an elk yet (although my partners have). I was selected for the Goose Prarie hunt and am pretty excited! I know people's honey holes are private and not to be shared, so I won't ask specifics. What I would like to know though, is which GMU would be better to concentrate on ... Bumping or Nile? Would bugling or cow calling be a better tactic? I still have a lot to learn and really don't want to screw up this opportunity! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Do you have pack horses?
Mike
Post by: Fireant11 on June 13, 2009, 10:50:16 AM
Post by: PA BEN on June 13, 2009, 12:31:39 PM
Post by: deerslyr on June 13, 2009, 12:35:35 PM
Post by: elkspert on June 13, 2009, 05:46:55 PM
Post by: gasman on June 14, 2009, 09:28:49 AM
The nile is loaded with people and low lands, so it prety warm durring the early season. Clover Spings is about the highest you can get in the Nile but there is aload of people hunting also. if you do want to hunt the Nile (i wouldn't) hike down to Flat Iron lake.
Bumping is very brushy, most guys have there success in the back country, so head out on the ridge tops and start looking for meadows and watering holes.
I quit calling in the unit, for they shut up when the archery season starts. Just keep your ears open.
Post by: deerslyr on June 14, 2009, 01:04:30 PM
Post by: boneaddict on June 14, 2009, 01:06:08 PM
Post by: bowhuntin on June 14, 2009, 01:37:08 PM
Post by: vfilbert on June 14, 2009, 05:40:47 PM
Post by: Fireant11 on June 14, 2009, 09:00:20 PM
Post by: finnman on June 15, 2009, 11:11:16 AM
Post by: WWSR on June 15, 2009, 11:26:54 AM
I've been keeping track of a decent bull in Bumping for a couple years now because of the number of cows he keeps and in hopes of getting the Goose Prairie tag. He was a 6x7 last year with gnarliest sounding bugle I've ever heard, much more growl and chuckle than bugle.
Post by: finnman on June 15, 2009, 02:57:55 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on June 15, 2009, 09:27:19 PM
Post by: NWWABOWHNTR on June 15, 2009, 09:29:16 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on June 15, 2009, 09:37:21 PM
Post by: WWSR on June 16, 2009, 08:40:35 AM
My group drew that tag and we are familiar with that bulll.... we call him chuckles. Hopefully I can stick my 30 yard pin on him this year.... :IBCOOL: of course I doubt this bull is the same.... I think there are more than one that does that. :dunno:
We call him "Growler". If he's still around I want to record his bugle and send the clip off to some of the Bigfoot hunters with a note that Sasquatch is alive and kickin' in ______ _______.
In full rut you won't even need your 30 yd pin with that guy but 30 yds is probably as close as I ever want to get again. He disregards his own safety for that of the herd...or maybe I was disregarding my own just to see how close I could get him. :dunno: Either way he got me running for cover.
Two days after he chased me out of one of his wallows, one of my buddies got close and personal with him right after dusk. I had already backed out of the meadow and was waiting for my friends at our meeting spot so we could watch the Growler at sunset. Growler came up out of the canyon like clockwork to see if the coast was clear for the herd to get some water but my friends still hadn't shown up yet. Instead of standing in his favorite spot at the NW corner of the meadow, Growler took off back into the woods towards the east right as the winds shifted. I figured that either he had gotten a whiff of myself or my friends, one who was walking towards me and another who was still unaccounted for, and decided to retreat. I sounded off with a couple of chirps followed by a spike bugle in an effort to bring him back into view. He responded immediately to the bugle with his own and then came charging out of the treeline 150 yds away from us straight towards the large ground blind I had been in earlier in the day. He sniffed and snorted a couple of times, bugled once more and then started ripping the blind to shreds. Our missing friend bolted out of the backside of the blind running with his bow in one hand and backpack in the other. I asked my buddy what he did to make him so mad. Apparently he had found the estrus elk scent I was testing and had unknowingly dropped in the ground blind earlier in the day. He decided that since it was "free" he should use an excessive amount as a cover spray right before taking a nap.
:bdid:
I think he learned a couple of lessons that day...
1. Don't take a nap during prime time.
2. Don't spray any scent excessively especially if it's labeled "Test" and smells like $ex. :chuckle:
NWWABOWHNTR and Fireant11...let me know if you haven't filled your tags by 9/16 and I'll see what I can do to help.
Post by: Fireant11 on June 21, 2009, 11:30:09 AM
Thanks for the help! I'll keep you posted.
Post by: NWWABOWHNTR on June 21, 2009, 08:38:16 PM
Post by: D-Rock425 on June 22, 2009, 12:05:56 PM
Post by: boneaddict on June 22, 2009, 12:24:41 PM
Thats FUNNY!