Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: USAFpj on December 07, 2009, 08:51:25 PM
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I had a few questions on late season tactics this past season, and sure could have used some guidance. The problem I had to solve one morning was that I had timed it a bit too late (by about 5 seconds to be exact), and happened to meet up with the herd of (5) as they were crossing a road and heading into the reprod. I literally was sneaking so slow around a huge fir, that I missed the connection because of it. For those that work the reprod, I wonder how successful I would have been if I would have just 'fallen in line' and followed them literally a few feet behind? It was an awful feeling literally watching the rear end of a cow disappear a mere few feet in front of me. I dropped my pack and tried to circle around, but they were G-O-N-E. Sometimes the longbow kills me in that stuff as well. The late season is a rough one- I like to think I can sneak on one, maybe two at the same time, but I can't sneak on five, and boy is it frustrating.
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All you can do is stay on them and hope you catch up to them with a shot opportunity. If you manage to find a somewhat open spot in the reprod you might be able to throw out a calf call and get a cow to come check on you, thinking a calf got seperated from the herd in the mayhem.
Hunting the reprod is tough period. Especially with a bow.
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Thanks Alan, I had a detailed list of items that I wanted to take out to the field; the last item not to make the cut was my tried and true Carlton cow call. I had used it last year to pull some cows back to me; they just stared at me, then looked at each other, then back at me, then kept feeding. Assumed that in the late season, they don't talk, but I heard them talking this year :DOH:
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I got into a small herd Sunday morn. in some reprod. I could hear them breathing and running around, but never got a look at them :bash: :bash: I never caught back up with them.
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When I was younger I would just get on the trail and keep on them until I got a shot (Roseys). Now that I'm older and slower I try to get in close and cow talk, like someone said above. I just cant keep up to elk for 3 or 4 miles anymore. That being said reprod can be hell to hunt in. Close enough to smell em but no shot.
Shootmoore
