Playing with the Elk...

[338375]

On our way home from fishing yesterday, we spotted some Elk back off the road. I pulled over and decided to test my off season stalking skills.
Well, we had been fishing, I had been smoking and eating all day long, and I had a strong wind at my back. The first two pictures were from yesterday, and this was as close as I could get...

Today, I couldn't stand it anymore, and decided to go back and see if I could find them. I did, and was able to get a lot closer
These Elk are only about 10 miles from my house

 

[mqqn]

I saw this fellow beside the road in BC a few years ago - beautiful animals

best

mqqn

 

[Mack]

Oh man I wish I'd been there. I can't wait for the rut.
Those of you that have never heard it, there is nothing on this planet that will make your nerves tingle like the first time you're close to a bugling elk.

 

[Bob W]

Oh man I wish I'd been there. I can't wait for the rut.
Those of you that have never heard it, there is nothing on this planet that will make your nerves tingle like the first time you're close to a bugling elk.

Imagine being in a forest full of elk, surrounded by bugling males. With a screaming wind, and early snow falling. And standing dead trees killed by a recent fire crashing all around with noises like explosions...
September in the Valle Vidal a few years ago.

Elk are abundant here, but they don't come into town like the deer.

 

[Mack]

Imagine being in a forest full of elk, surrounded by bugling males. With a screaming wind, and early snow falling. And standing dead trees killed by a recent fire crashing all around with noises like explosions...
September in the Valle Vidal a few years ago.

Elk are abundant here, but they don't come into town like the deer.

Sounds like heaven to me.

 

[338375]

I saw this fellow beside the road in BC a few years ago - beautiful animals

best

mqqn

They really are a beautiful and regal animal. AND, they taste really good

Oh man I wish I'd been there. I can't wait for the rut.
Those of you that have never heard it, there is nothing on this planet that will make your nerves tingle like the first time you're close to a bugling elk.

Ya, I wish you could have seen it too Mack. Its really weird, because you forget about everything else in life for a moment.
That is so true. Hearing an Elk bugle in the woods is something everyone should hear at least once. It's fun to listen to the cows and calves chirping and mewing too. When you are close enough to hear them, and smell them, you know you are living

 

[Bob W]

Sounds like heaven to me.

I didn't get much sleep that night though. Too much noise!

It wasn't yet Halloween, but I was near a ghost town sleeping on a hill overlooking an abandoned cemetery, and miles from the nearest road...

Quite an experience.

 

[338375]

Imagine being in a forest full of elk, surrounded by bugling males. With a screaming wind, and early snow falling. And standing dead trees killed by a recent fire crashing all around with noises like explosions...
September in the Valle Vidal a few years ago.

Elk are abundant here, but they don't come into town like the deer.

:thumbup: I've heard the same thing twice. Once was when I was still rifle hunting. We use to hunt in a very remote area, of a Wilderness area.
It was awesome... There were about 6 or 7 big bulls running uphill through the canyon below us. We had just walked through that area, and the trees were so close, and there were so many windfalls, it was all we could do to walk through it. These Elk had no problem running at full speed through there though. The noise they made was incredible.

The other time was a couple years ago, while bow hunting. The area we hunt is quite a ways from civilization. I was sitting in a small patch of reprod on a hill side, and I heard what I could have sworn was a train. I looked to my left and saw a string off elk running full speed around the edge of the little canyon I was in.
There were probably 30 elk in the string, including some bulls. They ran behind me, about 40 yards from me, and made a turn and headed down into the canyon.
Just seeing that, made my trip a success. I feel very fortunate to have experienced many things while hunting. Things that most people will only see on t.v.

Sounds like heaven to me.

 

[338375]

I didn't get much sleep that night though. Too much noise!

It wasn't yet Halloween, but I was near a ghost town sleeping on a hill overlooking an abandoned cemetery, and miles from the nearest road...

Quite an experience.

I'll bet. It is a memory you will never forget

 

[MyDogsHunt]

Elk are abundant here, but they don't come into town like the deer.

Most ours have been reduced to Wolf turds.

 

[Bob W]

We could use some wolves for the deer and elk!

Our town is on the edge of Vermejo Park, a private ranch with guided hunting tours. Elk hunting there would be as sporting as shooting cows at the feedlot.

 

[MyDogsHunt]

We could use some wolves for the deer and elk!
.

Careful what ya ask for.
Truthfully though,,, I wouldn't mind having the Wolves around and the opportunity to hunt them,but just like everything else the Gubment touches, the program's been poorly managed and is out of control. Now that they've dumped the debacle in the states hands they're allowing hunting (and trapping in ID) but at this point it's "to little to late" in some areas like the Lolo. Access in those areas is near impossible most of the year for trapping (which is really the best way to controll em short of poison) and unfortunatly the Elk heards in there are at about 10%.

Funny you should mention Vermego Park as I just started a book by Elliott Barker (When The Dogs Bark Treed) about that area in NM. Lots of history with the old Hound Hunters Like Ben Lilly, Willey Carroll, and even Homer Pickens (of Smokey the Bear fame) in that area.

Charlie

 

[Bob W]

Careful what ya ask for.

There are some grey wolf reintroduction programs in other parts of the state, but nothing here that I know of. I don't think they're having much success with it though.

Funny you should mention Vermego Park as I just started a book by Elliott Barker (When The Dogs Bark Treed) about that area in NM. Lots of history with the old Hound Hunters Like Ben Lilly, Willey Carroll, and even Homer Pickens (of Smokey the Bear fame) in that area.

I worked on the Vermejo Park for a couple of jobs, and some of the other large ranches in the area too. Beautiful country, and with so many elk you can't throw a rock without hitting one.

Sorry I'm not familiar with the famous hunters you've mentioned, but clearly this area has a very rich history. Folsom (home of Folsom Man) is only a few miles to the east, for example. Railroading, mining, cowboys and ranching, early explorers, Santa Fe Traill, outlaws...

If you get a chance to visit, the Elliot Barker Wildlife Area near here is a beautiful place to hike and sight-see. Not many people visit there other than Philmont hikers.
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/gain/documents/maps/Barker.pdf

If you appreciate classic wildlife / conservation writers, the Seton Memorial Library can be found at the Philmont Scout Ranch just a couple miles south of Cimarron.
http://www.philmontscoutranch.org/Museums/SetonMemorialLibrary.aspx

 

[MyDogsHunt]

If you get a chance to visit, the Elliot Barker Wildlife Area near here is a beautiful place to hike and sight-see. Not many people visit there other than Philmont hikers.
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/gain/documents/maps/Barker.pdf

Living and working in that area, you'd probably enjoy this book by Barker.
If nothing else, the old pictures are worth the price of admission.
High Lonesome Books out of Silver City did a recent printing for Barkers heirs.
http://www.high-lonesomebooks.com/cgi-bin/hlb/index.html?id=6suHjsGM
They publish many books about the history of the old west with an emphasis on NM.

To the OP,,, sorry for the hi-jack.
Good job getting the Elk pix. Getting that close with all those sets of eye's isn't easy by any means.
Charlie

 

[338375]

To the OP,,, sorry for the hi-jack.
Good job getting the Elk pix. Getting that close with all those sets of eye's isn't easy by any means.
Charlie

No worries When I was still rifle hunting, we hunted Elk in N.E Oregon, in a wilderness area. Over the years, we noticed the Elk population dropping, and found out through a state game cop, the Cougars were really hurting the deer and elk herds there.

Thanks. It truly isn't easy. One mistake and the game is over. Heck, I don't think I will even bother wearing my camo this season

 

[MyDogsHunt]

No worries When I was still rifle hunting, we hunted Elk in N.E Oregon, in a wilderness area. Over the years, we noticed the Elk population dropping, and found out through a state game cop, the Cougars were really hurting the deer and elk herds there.

Thanks. It truly isn't easy. One mistake and the game is over. Heck, I don't think I will even bother wearing my camo this season

Simple Chit, they're learning what happens with the Lion predation when ya outlaw hunting em with Hounds. Just ask California.

Over the years I've come to the conclusion that camo's more for the hunter (and those that sell it) than the critters. Motion's way more important than the color of your under britches.
Charlie

 

[338375]

Simple Chit, they're learning what happens with the Lion predation when ya outlaw hunting em with Hounds. Just ask California.

Over the years I've come to the conclusion that camo's more for the hunter (and those that sell it) than the critters. Motion's way more important than the color of your under britches.
Charlie

Yep thats true. The problem is, they usually find out to late, and then it takes forever for things to return to the levels they use to be at.

My buddy and I have had the camo conversation many times. We both use it, but when you look at pictures of the great old time bow hunters, they all wore plaid flannel shirts and blue jeans. There was no camo, and it didin't seem to hinder their success any. Of course things are a little different now. Back then there were more animals, and the hunting pressure wasn't what it is today, but still

 

[MyDogsHunt]

Yea,,, who knows? The three things I have figured out in a half century of hunting though is (1) cover your skin, (2) limit movement, and (3) wind direction trumps 1&2.
I worked for a Bear guide in Oregon years ago who's father was the best woodsman and Bear hunter I've ever had the honor to know. He was a chain smoker though and one day while setting on a ridge glassing a clear cut with him I asked if he ever worried about the smell of the cigarettes. He simply said, "yea a little, but I always know which way the wind's blowing".
That was thirty years ago and to this day that old man's never owned a piece of camo clothing that I'm aware of, and still holds the #4 spot for the largest Bear ever taken in OR.

 

[338375]

Yea,,, who knows? The three things I have figured out in a half century of hunting though is (1) cover your skin, (2) limit movement, and (3) wind direction trumps 1&2.
I worked for a Bear guide in Oregon years ago who's father was the best woodsman and Bear hunter I've ever had the honor to know. He was a chain smoker though and one day while setting on a ridge glassing a clear cut with him I asked if he ever worried about the smell of the cigarettes. He simply said, "yea a little, but I always know which way the wind's blowing".
That was thirty years ago and to this day that old man's never owned a piece of camo clothing that I'm aware of, and still holds the #4 spot for the largest Bear ever taken in OR.

I was reading an article the other, at the doctors office. IIRC it was in Outdoor Life. They did a test for scent detection.
The results were not a surprise imo. They tests ranged from people with no scent killer used, to people that had used scent killer, and charcoal activated camo clothing.
The time difference for the deer to notice the scent was very minimal. You can't kill all human scent, and with a nose as sensitive as a deer, they are still going to pick up the scent. All that stuff is great for the companies making and selling it though

 

[MyDogsHunt]

All that stuff is great for the companies making and selling it though

Amen brotha!

Course, I've wasted allot more money on allot dumber things so I won't get to sanctimonious.