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2024 Western Hunting Thread

38,030 Views | 320 Replies | Last: 6 hrs ago by cupofjoe04
JFABNRGR
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Anybody have any experience in Idaho 62A right up against the western boundary of Yellowstone or Idaho Selway A, which consists of units 16A,17, 19, 20?

I have a deer tag for 62A. Might hit it a day or two in and out of Montana for elk and an Elk tag for Selway which I might not get a chance to use but still looking for any recommendations.

captainloush
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I will be heading out to Unit 12 in Colorado for Archery Elk from September 5th to the 15th with one other buddy. Planning to camp ~3 miles in to start and will get mobile if we don't have any luck. Hoping to get into them early before the muzzy guys get out there! If anyone else is going to be out that way, give me a shout!
Hoyt Ag
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It is a muddy mess out there. We have gotten hammered by rain the last few weeks, especially up there. I checked cameras Friday before we fished and they are still hanging around the 8500-9500 mark at the head waters. Good luck!
AG_2006
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Headed to CO, Unit 43, OTC archery. week 2. Never been…Not sure what to expect. But it'll be a new challenge.
Catag94
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Got an email unexpectedly from the CPW letting me know I was next in line for an archery bear tag another hunter returned. It's a wildlife management area that I've hunted several times but not for bears. On previous hunts, I have seen so many bears and several good ones. So, I'm stoked.
However, I have to squeeze in a day or two starting Monday the 2nd before I head for a caribou hunt in AK. If not successful, I'll go back when I get back from AK for the last week of the season. Good problems to have I suppose!
CivilEng08
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I'll be in 66 a little south of you chasing deer myself. First mulley hunt, so need to start putting together my plan. Still undecided about which part of the season, but probably the last week of rifle.
JFABNRGR
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CivilEng08 said:

I'll be in 66 a little south of you chasing deer myself. First mulley hunt, so need to start putting together my plan. Still undecided about which part of the season, but probably the last week of rifle.


Just looked at the map I thought 66 had more private farm in it than it actually does but every time I drive through from Driggs to Bozeman, the tree lines along the farms always have some big fellas. Maybe try to hunt adjacent and or try to get permission to access.

I will be up there September 18-21 and maybe October 24th & Nov 1.
ttha_aggie_09
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I leave in a week and a day to head to Colorado. I'm officially in my only watch elk hunting videos on YouTube stage and that has me even more fired up!

Any of you guys heading out into the field soon? Hoping to see some pics soon!
KALALL
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Last week my good Ag father in law managed to get us a last minute invite to a private land ranch in unit 62. We're leaving on Sunday!
ttha_aggie_09
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That's awesome! Good luck and keep us posted!
JFABNRGR
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14 days and a wake up. Until then its squats, lunges, & other forms of pain that cannot substitute hiking up the mtn under load.
“You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
harge57
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JFABNRGR said:

14 days and a wake up. Until then its squats, lunges, & other forms of pain that cannot substitute hiking up the mtn under load.


Not sure how old you are, but just a word of caution, now is not the time to push it and tweak something. Sounds like you have done the work. I would start scaling back on heavy weights and reps under duress. Not worth the risk this close to game time.

Most important thing right now is time in boots and backpack on.
DG96
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I should have put in more work this offseason. I'm struggling and the deer just seem to go higher every year. Or it's harder for me to get there. These deer think they are mountain goats. They beat me to my glassing spot. This first buck isn't as big as he looks. I wish he was. Sky lighted makes them look a lot bigger of course.


Catag94
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Nice pics.
BCO07
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Heading out Saturday morning. This is the week where I avoid doing anything stupid and bubble wrap myself. Only sleep and light cardio. Bag is packed and at 33lbs dry weight.
JFABNRGR
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harge57 said:

JFABNRGR said:

14 days and a wake up. Until then its squats, lunges, & other forms of pain that cannot substitute hiking up the mtn under load.


Not sure how old you are, but just a word of caution, now is not the time to push it and tweak something. Sounds like you have done the work. I would start scaling back on heavy weights and reps under duress. Not worth the risk this close to game time.

Most important thing right now is time in boots and backpack on.



At 54 too old to have been able to do enough work and wise enough to accept your right, but too stubborn to stop.

That said I do have a ceiling, do use the pack, boots and feet well broke in. I also have grade 4/5 degenerative cartilage in both knees so stopping Oly lifts for about 14 days invokes significant pain in both knees. Partial knee replacements has already been subscribed its just a matter of when. On the drive up I will hit crossfit gym once on the way and once in the area, to try and work the seat out of my back after 25 hours.
“You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
ttha_aggie_09
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Anyone on the board yet? Heading out here soon to chase elk. Best of luck everyone!
JeradPaul84
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I'm heading up next Friday as well. It cant get here soon enough!
arrow
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I leave for Wyoming in 8 days.
Furlock Bones
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arrow said:

I leave for Wyoming in 8 days.
what are you going after?
arrow
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Elk
JFABNRGR
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arrow said:

Elk


Where?
“You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
AG_2006
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We got skunked for CO unit 43 archery. Elk were not easy to find. Beautiful area. Steep.
harge57
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Got it done in AZ. 2nd morning called this in to 25 yards. He piled up about 30 yards away. Pack out sucked but wasn't too long.

DG96
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Very cool. Congrats.
arrow
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Congrats harge!
I'm headed northwest right now. I hope they're stupid when I get there.
lazuras_dc
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Amazing ! Congrats !
ttha_aggie_09
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Hell yeah! We need to hear the story!
cupofjoe04
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Awesome! Way to go brother!!!! Congrats on an amazing bull!!!! Can't wait to hear the story.
harge57
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The area we started in seemed perfect. Mixed burns, old timber, water, etc. but we covered a ton of ground through a full day of scouting and the first day of hunting but we didn't see, hear, smell, or spook an elk. So the 2nd morning we drove about 10 miles down the road and hiked in real early in the dark so we could listen. Started getting bugles about a mile in and then proceeded to have them start piping off in all directions. We kind of just sat tight and listened until it was light enough to shoot then picked the one with the best wind and slow played him all morning just listening to them bugle and staying close. Once he was bedded we made a move in and he half heartedly responded and then moved off a bit. We moved in closer and did it again. He responded but moved off. During this calling session we had a small satellite come in silent to about 20 yards. We played it slow and moved in one more time. This time he responded once, then got up, but he had reached the end of the dark timber so didn't really have an easy place to go. All the sudden things changed. He let out a ticked off bugle, I responded and he was in sight in about 20 seconds. I stayed back in the brush raking a tree and he came in on a rope. My brother hit him at 25 yards and we heard him crashing around immediately.

We were probably 4 miles in and about a mile back to the trail, and the trail was crappy to begin with. We decided to pack him out directly to the nearest road, then walk the road back to the truck. It was not too far, but down a steep thousand feet. First trip down we got stuck down in a creek bottom and it was a very miserable last half mile. 2nd trip out we went out one ridge over, it still sucked but was better. Amazing how much subtle differences can matter with a 100 lbs on your back.
JFABNRGR
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Great Bull. After a delayed start with truck issues and a 17 hour drive yesterday trying to catch up, which included hitting a muley, will be stepping off for deer in about 2 hours. Elk hunt starts Sunday.
“You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.”
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Catag94
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Congratulations! Sounds like an awesome hunt. Nice work.
Catag94
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Had an awesome trip with an Aggie buddy in Alaska the first week of the month, finally. We planned and booked a caribou trip. Unfortunately for our caribou hunt, federal lands were temporarily closed to Non-qualified Subsistence hunters for caribou for through the fall of 2023.

About July of this year, our air transporter (one of the best in the business) and we agreed on a plan to make the hunt happen this year. We stay flexible and awaited a call to let us know when a good spot and time was head for the North Country. On a Friday night a few weeks ago, that call came. We needed to be there on the following Sunday morning.
I'll fast forward through more drama (thanks to American Airlines). We got into the field on Wednesday afternoon. Setting up camp, we had 6 bulls within 500 yards. Pic of live bull below is the best one of those. If we could have legally, he would have been shot. Next day, saw a few cows, several Grizzlies, a Wolverine, some sheep, and lots of ptarmigan. On Friday, we spotted two bulls way up high from about 1.5 miles away and studied/videoed them. Eventually, we made our way closer and the decision was made to go after one. (Bull with the velvet hanging).
On a trip back to camp, found two kore and buddy was able to get his. (His pic was taken at 10:30pm). Got all we could to camp then finished the next morning. While leaving camp that morning to go get the rest, two Muskox walked almost into camp. Got everything back to camp in time to get picked up before weather sticks there for 2-3 more days.
It happened so fast, it hardly seems real but we are so blessed and thankful to finally have this one in our memories.

Leaving tomorrow AM for CO with an archery bear tag in hand.











Catag94
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Accidentally posted twice.
ttha_aggie_09
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Congratulations! That's awesome!
 
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