That's what happens at my cousins place in ID.

Just had two good friends return from Colorado... one week, two cows seen. 1 bugle. Sounds like a rough year to me..

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Sorry, buddy. I wasn't trying to drag you down any further than you already were. Just trying to let you know that there is no need to give up after one unsuccessful hunt. Sorry it didn't come across that way.

My buddy tells me that he still loves going to the mountains each year. After a few years of no elk, he decided the journey was worth it regardless. He began his elk hunting when he was about your age and he wouldn't give up the annual trek for the world.

Of course, not everyone is as committed (careful word selection here) as he is. I went on a DIY elk hunt with a neighbor about 20 years ago and had an experience similar to yours. I never went back.

Elk hunting might just not be your thing. You'll have to make that choice on your own. But as others have said, when you finally harvest one, you'll tell everyone it was worth all the trouble. And unless you go back, odds are that there will never be an elk mount hanging on your wall.

I hope it all works out for you.

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Your buddy isn't hunting up on Brokeback Mountain is he?

Sorry to hear your elk hunt was a diapointment. Welcome to elk hunting. I love hunting elk with a bow during the rut. I don't mind crawling into some bad places to get to elk. I haven't hunted elk with a bow for several years because I got tired of running into other people that I crawled into that nasty hole to avoid. They were there too.

2016 was a tough/strange year all the way around. Especially for elk. If I figure it out, look for the book in hardcover.

I didn't read every comment, but it looks like you hunted 67? Good unit. Big country. If you decide to do something like that again, my advice is free, and I guarantee it is worth every penny.

This is a good reminder that I still need to get my photos from the trip organized.

I appreciate the offer to help Brad. Still not sure I'll do it again although I've considered going and just trying to put an arrow in a cow elk in the next couple of years. Just difficult for me to prioritize the time, money, energy, and the other hunting opportunities I lose by dedicating 2 weeks to elk.