KaibabHunter

6 bucks in 3 days is not bad at all! I wish I had more scouting opportunities for this hunt but only got in 2 trips this summer but in areas I spent a good chunk of time in last year so I'm not goin in completely blind. Its a rough as heck area and getting around is not easy and mostly by foot - no quad for me... I used a couple tanks as a guage. The other spot I've been watchin is on fire right now and I couldn't get into check my setup last week. Initially it was pretty dry at the time, had a lot of sign, and fairly isolated. I have 10 days for this hunt so I should have plenty of time to find a good trail or something with potential other than a tank. I love glassin so there's always that. I bought a blind this year and figured I'd put it to use, just need to dial it in on a higher traffic area. Head up tomorrow so we'll see what ends up workin in the end.

I decided to try sittin water this year in a blind rather than spot/stalk as my primary method....do u keep sittin water when it has rained? Or do u bail and start glassin? Just curious. I head up Wed and looks like mostly coues hitting tanks. My cam shows them comin in all hours...then it rained and activity dropped way off.

I would probably stay away from any of the obvious places on the map that are easily accessible just because I don't like competing with a bunch of other guys. I didn't see another hunter in 4.5 days in the Pinyons, but there were less elk and the rut was weaker. Glassed alot and found em every day but sitting water turned out the best way to get close since they weren't bugling much. I took my bull after shifting to the pines on the evening of day 5 where they were bugling and I was chasing. FYI roads in the southern part of the unit are NASTY! Make sure your prepared. Also if you don't find em before 10 am after the shot they'll be spoiling or close - it gets hot by 10...

I've had tags in 5BS and 6AS - like them both. Think I like 6A cause its closer and has a wide range of animals. 5BS had a lot of elk and was a lot fun though and I'd take that tag again in a heart beat.

I had the 6as tag last year, but this year its the whole combined unit for 695 hunters. It'll be interesting to see where all those hunters concentrate...some areas may get overrun and some you may have all to your self - hard to say. I had spots scouted in the pinyons and in the pines and saw good bulls in both. Like any hunt, but especially this one, I would recommend scouting a few different spots, and finalize your plan in the last week or two before the opener. Your scouting time now is more just getting to know areas you hope/think/sign says will hold elk when your hunt comes around - and to get excited by seeing some on the hoof. Go hunt deer OTC with your bow right up to the start of the elk season and use that as your final scouting trip. That said you may show up with 10 other guys in your spot so be ready to displace to plan b, c, d etc. There's a lot of elk in 6A north, south, west - find the bugles and you guys should be fine.

I found someones salt (trophy rock) last year on my archery bull hunt and it was getting hammered. At least 4 trails coming into it. I decided to sit it after chasing bugles in the morning and spooked a nice 6pt that was comin in at the same time at about noon (wind was swirlin). Later had a cow hit it and feed to 10 yards of me (around last light). Like Lark says they're too fun to chase and once they're buglin you mine as well chase em but its an option for midday, the rut is slow, or if your just wore out. I got up for my first trip last week and checked it. The rock is gone but a good amount of relatively fresh sign in the area so I put my own trophy rock in the same place. I don't have a tag this year but its part of the backup plan for my boy's jr cow hunt.

MT was a 100% draw this year on the Deer/Elk combo tag but the tag jumped up to $912. Allegiant Air flies from Mesa to Missoula and Billings straight shot for dirt cheap. That's where I'm goin this year. Ryan

Wide World of Maps if you are in the valley. They have 1:24K hunt unit maps. Some of the larger units require multiple maps but the scale is sweet for really seeing the topography that you cant see on a forest service map. 7E may be all on one map.

Read these posts (a lot of good info): Elk in Pinyons/Junipers: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20542 Tough Hunt: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20839&st=0&p=220129&hl=tough&fromsearch=1entry220129 Do a forum search for 6a. A lot of good info came out last year on the unit. Pines and pinyon country in the unit and both hold elk. I had the 6AS tag last year and saw elk in both types of terrain but ended up having better action in the pines but that could vary from year to year. I think with your tag it will be interesting to see where 595 archers focus in the unit. You may find your spot overrun with hunters and other areas left alone - not sure what will happen but interested to see the results without the 3 sub units. I would definately scout some plan A-D spots cause who knows how much pressure you might have with the tag allotment. Using a locator bugle and chasin em worked the best for me. You might go a mile but you can catch up. I prefer to stay mostly silent and then when real close, challenge by a bugle or tree rake, lost cow call...or stay silent and keep workin in on em. You can sit water but so do a lot of other guys. I found somebody's trophy rock that had 5-6 trails coming into and was getting absolutely hammered by elk. I set up on it once and bumped a 6pt bull on my in as he was on his way in and had a cow at 10 yards later. After the shot, stick to the blood and find em quick. It gets real hot by 10 am. I too wouldn't worry too much about roads - the elk didn't seem to last year. Keep us posted cause I really want that tag again!

Nothin for me or my dad. My boy drew the 6A youth. Plan on OTC deer/bear and scouting 6A for his hunt.

Wow that's awesome! That's the type of hunt that should hook a kid for life. Congrats.

Best of luck the Jr hunters. We'll be out starting Sunday.

My boy drew the 42 Jr hunt and I would like to get him one, or at least let him see enough each day to stay excited. I'm torn between if my boy would do best the up on a hill glassing then spot/stalking and potentially see more deer (with a lot more walking/climbing) versus would he have the patience to sit in a blind ALL DAY, limiting ourselves to one little spot probably seeing less deer but any buck that does show up would be within shooting range. Even I wonder if I can sit that long. Personally I glass but know that if I just sat a tank/guzzler I'd probably eventually, many boring hours later get my shot. I just got back from a 1.5 day trip in some new areas and it wasn't promising. I'm leaning on focusing on my usual spots even though the deer numbers are low and have been tough to find or stalk during season. I recognize that we won't be hunting like I hunt when by myself - walking anywhere and climbing any hill, I have to keep it at his capability. This Jr hunt is a first for him and me and I think if he can fill his tag (not picky) he'll be hooked. If he ends up being miserable and not seeing anything he may not be so pumped to go next time. I want him to enjoy the experience even if he doesn't knock one down. We have 4 days to hunt. What works for you guys with your kids?

That's awesome! And a nice buck.

That's good to hear. A forky under 250 yards would do my boy just fine.

I did buy him a cheaper set of 10x42 binos so he can actually glass with me. He will have my phone and a PSP to play games and a dvd player back at the truck. Last time he tagged along I packed a couple books for him and that helped too. He's been running or walking on the treadmill and is getting excited. I think he'll be fine.

Just curious how everyone's scouting is coming. I've found good fresh sign in some of my old spots but haven't turned up any on the hoof in my last 2 outings. I'll be out again glassing next week. Any success on the general tags?

Thanks guys, I wanted to make it to the jr camp to try and learn from guys first hand but we can't head up till the 21st so we may miss it. My normal spots are pretty far from the Jr camp area. The deer are spread out right now and a lot of dirt tanks and wells are dry. I didn't see much sign and didn't pick anything up glassing. We may end up hitting my normal spots just cause I know the area and some of their general habits better than a brand new area. I think we'll mix it up a little, with glassing primary and if we can find some heavy sign near tanks then maybe sit one off and on. Going in thinking we'll hunt the first and last 3-4 hours of the day and hit the truck for a movie, phone game recharge etc mid day. These desert deer are tough and frustrating. Last year I had 2 groups patterned pretty good hitting a couple different tanks, then it rained and poof they were gone when the hunt came around. 6 days and 2 deer seen - too far away to even justify climbing off the hills i climbed. Its hard to have fun with those results. Right place right time is never more applicable than in the desert IMO.

Great job and way to stick with it. Nice buck.

nice job on a great bull! Ryan

Nice. Congrats on a great bull.

I got lucky and didn't bump into many hunters chasing the same elk i was but talked to a couple that said the same as you - guys just squeezin away on it and screwin up stalks.

Seein elk and a couple good bulls - all through the binos mostly. Chased 3 buglin bulls opening morning. I've heard 2 since. Seen bulls nosin cows a little but the rut seems farther off in my unit than hoped. Based on some other posts seems like the rut is red hot in some areas but dead where I'm at. Anybody else seeing this? (posting from camp)

Thanks guys for all the comments, help and support. Not once did this post go negative and I'm very appreciative of too. The guys who spared time to help look thanks to you to. Looks like I have a DIY euro mount to work on now. He was a hard fought trophy! Lesson's learned: When you think you've looked everywhere there's something you missed so look again. Don't be afraid to ask for help, you'd be suprised who wants to jump in your truck and go! There's a lot of good guys out there. I offered all guys $ to help and they all turned it down and came out anyway! Another good story came from my new buddy mike yesterday. His friend has been holding out for something big since opening day passing on bulls I think many of us would shoot. In appreciation for their help I gave them some info on the area I hunted and they were planning to hunt a couple sweet spots today. On my way out yesterday, mike texted me saying that his friend had a bull down - a spike. He said the spike had an arrow in him in a bad less lethal spot and he was hurtin so he took him out. Thanks again and thanks to OZ31P for posting the pics. I think I can finally put this post to bed. I hope more of you do play by play hunts for us at home. Best of luck to the rest of you! If anybody gets in a tough spot ask for help on cw.com - I had at least 5 offer or try to come up!

Nicely done. Congrats on a great bull!