barel74
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2004
- Messages
- 1,398
- Reaction score
- 5
First off, my hats off to Randy Baugh, with Valley Ranch Outfitters. He is a class act, and runs a great set-up. We did a 7 day drop camp. Got in a day before season opened, did some scouting, but saw that the weather was going to make this tough from the beginning. A full moon and clear nights, with snow flurries during the day, had most of the game pretty nocturnal.
Opening day, out before sun up, light snow falling, nothing seems to be moving. After a while, I decide I'm going to have to go in to the thick stuff, see if I can't put the sneak on something. At about noon, starting to work my way back to camp, I jump a bull at 30 yds. Only saw a quick flash of brown and horn, and the loud crashing of a bull running off. I was a little upset, he almost let me walk right past him, but I broke a stick, and off he went(lots of deadfall). My buddy said he heard a couple bugles, but saw nothing but 2 does.
For the next 3 days, things got pretty slow. Lots of weather, and not much game. Lots of sign, from stuff moving at night, but nothing moving during the day. 5th day, I find a nice 6pt winter kill. Nice bull, wish it were barels kill, but nope, winter kill.
On the night before the last day, we finally got some weather(All other weather was during the day, with clear nights). Afresh half inch of snow made it easy to see the fresh sign, but still nothing moving in the daylight hours. Decided to follow some of the bigger, fresh tracks into the thick stuff. After about a mile of zig zagging, up and down, back and forth, he turned downhill, and downwind. About the same time I figured out what he was doing(moving to where he could wind something coming up behind him), he blew out. Never even got a look. He just missed an opening where I could've seen him and maybe get a shot, but all I saw was brush move. Picked up his tracks again, followed for about another half mile, but he moved through a big open area, and the snow had already melted, and I lost his tracks. I didn't really think I'd be able to catch up to him, but thought maybe I could catch him on an opposite hillside, but no.
All in all, a great trip. As the snow melted, you could see that the area is loaded with elk, I think the weather and the full moon just screwed us. I'll definitely be going back, and using Valley Ranch Outfitters again.
My view for the ride in
[attachment=55864:100_0344.jpg]
A look at the tent we stayed in
[attachment=55865:100_0345.jpg]
Opening day, out before sun up, light snow falling, nothing seems to be moving. After a while, I decide I'm going to have to go in to the thick stuff, see if I can't put the sneak on something. At about noon, starting to work my way back to camp, I jump a bull at 30 yds. Only saw a quick flash of brown and horn, and the loud crashing of a bull running off. I was a little upset, he almost let me walk right past him, but I broke a stick, and off he went(lots of deadfall). My buddy said he heard a couple bugles, but saw nothing but 2 does.
For the next 3 days, things got pretty slow. Lots of weather, and not much game. Lots of sign, from stuff moving at night, but nothing moving during the day. 5th day, I find a nice 6pt winter kill. Nice bull, wish it were barels kill, but nope, winter kill.
On the night before the last day, we finally got some weather(All other weather was during the day, with clear nights). Afresh half inch of snow made it easy to see the fresh sign, but still nothing moving in the daylight hours. Decided to follow some of the bigger, fresh tracks into the thick stuff. After about a mile of zig zagging, up and down, back and forth, he turned downhill, and downwind. About the same time I figured out what he was doing(moving to where he could wind something coming up behind him), he blew out. Never even got a look. He just missed an opening where I could've seen him and maybe get a shot, but all I saw was brush move. Picked up his tracks again, followed for about another half mile, but he moved through a big open area, and the snow had already melted, and I lost his tracks. I didn't really think I'd be able to catch up to him, but thought maybe I could catch him on an opposite hillside, but no.
All in all, a great trip. As the snow melted, you could see that the area is loaded with elk, I think the weather and the full moon just screwed us. I'll definitely be going back, and using Valley Ranch Outfitters again.
My view for the ride in
[attachment=55864:100_0344.jpg]
A look at the tent we stayed in
[attachment=55865:100_0345.jpg]
