Well, today's the opener. I unloaded the bike at 0510 and headed up the logging roads. I was 1.3 miles in and my dang chain broke trying to change gears on a steep hill. I coasted back down the hill and tried to fix it and it started raining, lol. I parked at one of my spots and hiked in at daylight and set up my Montana elk decoy and settled in. I wasn't too keen on sitting there because I was on the hill last night and there were NO ELK in the clear-cut. Well after a couple of calling sequences and nothing showing, I decided to do some cow calls and a couple bull chuckles. After about 5 minutes I stood up to glass the side of the big hill and hear one bust and run. It's amazing that a 700-900lb animal can make ZERO noise walking when it wants to (guessing he was 35-40yds away). I stopped him about 75yds and threw the binos on him real quick, looked like a nice 5x5. After that I gathered up, went to the bike and pushed and coasted back to the truck. Waiting on the bike shop to open at 1000 to go get a chain. Guess I'll watch the BAMA game and go out again later...

Tough luck man! Sounds like you're in the right place! Good luck and RTR!

Lemme know if you ever need a hunting buddy.

Yesterday afternoon was a bust, didn't like the wind and did some scouting. Today I took a buddies son and went to a new area. Saw some deer and greats views but, no elk. Tonight I went into a new area to check it out solo and saw some good sign, really steep though. Here's one of the views from today and my 2 legged drive vehicle.

Incredible. What one of those electric bike backup motors help you cover alot more ground? Seems like it may be a worthy investment?

That's my kind of hunting right there!

What's the temps running in Oregon kodiak06?
I'm afraid it's gonna be really hot in Colorado next week. Lows in the 50's, highs in the 80's? That's pretty hot for bowhunting.

Hope you get a giant.

Good luck! I saw some giants when I was there this summer!

Hi 60's to mid 70's

Took my son out Monday nite. We saw some cows and just before dark a 4x4 that was too far to make a play on. The bulls aren't rutting yet but, some have cows with them. Last night I was glassing and noticed some cows and one bull and I thought crap, he must be huge to see horns from this distance. Google earth says I was .72 miles away. He's in a heavily hunted area and hoping it's his lil safe haven. Went in there this morning at first light and he and his 4 or 5 cows were feeding into some private timber. Thought about staying quiet and letting them feed and going back tonight and decided he may come to the cow call if he's thinking with his weenie. Well, as usual, the cows being pressured bailed and so did he. Tonight I'm sitting for 4 1/2 hours on my rear end, stealth mode like whitetail hunting and hoping he works down that timber line like he did last night. He's got chocolate colored horns with ivory tips, a true MONSTER... Prolly won't come out but, if he does I hope he's less than 50yds.

On a side note. My son hunted Monday so we switched packs. After that hunt I transferred my junk back into the tenzing pack that I was using, ALL except the TP, lol. I left the house this morning with boxer briefs and came home with some Tarzan looking undies

Awesome thread, keep it coming. Id love to hunt like that.

Good luck and keep us updated.

The signs read "no motorized vehicles"...

Keep at it brother! I enjoyed the challenge of hunting the Mountains. Some times they whip you but that makes it that much better when you harvest a trophy.

No dice tonight. Saw about 50 ring neck doves, they drove me nuts constantly flying around making noise. Had a deer blow at me downwind as well. I knew the place was pressured but, across the street from me was busy with hunters. Slim chances for a stalk where the biggun was hanging. It's so dry it's like walking on tater chips. Gonna sneak in there in the morning and sit one last time. If I don't see him I'm back to my normal stomping grounds.

X2

Decided to give the "BIGGUN" one more try this morning since he was hanging close to the road and I don't have to ride a bike 3 or 4 miles. Going in, I hear some cow calls and bugles and decided to jump in and play with them. I could hear the bull rubbing some trees off and on as I was moving in. It was foggy so, since they were close to an old road I hit it. Got in and had a cow bust me and run, looked to my left and saw horns move. It was a 16 inch spike staring at me. He ended up barking at me 3 times so I hit him with a cow call hoping the herd wouldn't bust. He wondered off and I moved closer and spotted 4 cows on the go and jumped behind them breaking some limbs on the way so I sounded like an elk. Spotted them on the go again and right behind them about 50yds was the "BIGGUN", a monster 5x5! Played cat and mouse with them for about 3/4 of a mile. Saw the cows once more as well as got the spike about 40yds one more time and then I broke off. They were getting ahead of me too far. I tried a few more cow calls and some chuckles with no joy. Now that I pushed them pretty hard and the area gets hunted a lot, I 'm done with them. Gonna eat breakfast and take a nap, then It's back to my normal spots.

I hunted with my buddy Russ last night. He's my long time Coastie buddy of 24yrs. He retired here in Astoria. The area we hunt is 3pt bull or better OR cow. Lucky for one ole gal we weren't meat hunting. We were high in the timber at 5:15pm when she came strolling by at 12yds. Anyway, he and I are off to our shortcut trail this morning. We take a shortcut through some timber and come out at the 7 mile marker on a logging road. Always fun when you see another hunter there and know he rode his bike 7 miles and you rode one, haha. On a side note we're under attack from the heat, forecast 82 today and 85 tomorrow. If we kill one we'll have to bust ass to get it out before it spoils.

Russ had an infected toe so, I went to one of my honey holes... Walking in I figured I better get my bow off the pack, just in case. Sure enough, 2 turns later there's 2 dinky bulls in the road about 50yds away. I let them go into the timber and headed on down to here


As soon as I got here< I heard some limbs break and spotted a big spike at 115yds, followed by another spike. Stood there watching and heard a limb break to my right, it was a 4x3, not much to him so, instead of making a play on him, I shot him with the camera. I found out this cam don't focus well. His head is just above the arrows to the right of the big tree.


Out of the woods now, getting into the 80's today and didn't want to have to hustle to keep any meat from spoiling if I got lucky.

Man that is some beautiful country. Thanks for the updates. Hopefully you will get a shot. Keep the pics coming

Enjoyed reading it. Keep the stories coming. Good luck!

Last couple days I just hunted some easy to get to spots while the weekend warriors were out. Had a coastie buddy changing pants when 3 bears walked out on him. I've just been seeing deer. The Campbell Group sponsors a make a wish hunt every year and those guys ride around in trucks so, I think the elk are a little spooked. Hoping the kid kills a biggun soon and things get back to normal. Last years hunter was a girl from South Cakalacki and she killed a stud.

Things are SLOW... Everyone I've spoken with is in the same boat. Hopefully the rut kicks into full swing during the next week. Been dealing with misty rain and fog. Here's a pic I took today, they just clear-cut this place in the spring. I guess one of the guys got bored.

GOOD SHELTER FROM A DOWN POUR

Me and my buddy decided to bike in to one of our honey holes and hang out all day on Wednesday. We have a lil dim road we bike through the timber on and we pop out at the 7.5 mile marker on another road. As soon as we cleared the timber there were elk tracks everywhere. We snooped around and then headed in 4 or 5 more miles. We did some set-ups and calling with no joy. I traveled light as far as water goes knowing I could get water while back there in a few places if needed. Well, here's the filter installed on my camel-bak gravity feeding the bottle from my bike. It's nice knowing you can use this and prevent the miserable feeling giardia can give you.


At 6pm we headed back down to this spot with a view of saddle mountain to get out last ditch game plan together


While talking, we were glassing distant cuts hoping to at least find one elk for the day. I glassed the clear cut centered in the photo below and found a bull just inside the shadows.

We talked, jumped on the bikes and hauled butt. After getting there, we took the worst possible route to where we saw the bull due to darkness coming in an hour. We had to sneak up a hill which put us below the bulls and couldn't see anything. After a couple minutes, I noticed the very tips of a bulls horns poking up from behind a stump. Looked around a bit more and noticed the right side of a bulls rack poking out from behind another stump. Russ grabbed the decoy and set up below me about 35yds and began calling. It took about 20 minutes to get these bulls to just stand up from there beds. The one on the left, a 3x3, on the right, a descent 5x5. The %x5 decided to sneak around to the timber so, I hit him with some calls as well. He went around trying to wind us I think. The 3x3 on the other hand, decided to step towards us. He was a really young bull and pretty much a dink. He eventually covered a couple hundred yards and had an angle down the hill to see the decoy. He stood 30yds from me quartering towards. He stared the deek down long enough for my buddy to video him for 6 minutes. The lil dude then walked past me at 20yds and over to the timber. We never saw the 5x5 again. Got out of the woods to discover that the timber company had CLOSED ALL TIMBER LANDS TO PUBLIC ENTRY, smh... Anyway, gotta couple dinky private sections I can hunt, so, I hope one of them can pay off. I will be in meat hunting mode when I hunt again!

Good hunt, that old bull sounds like a smart one! Good luck and keep the posts coming!

Well, with the timber lands shut down to fire danger, hunting is sucking. Traveled over to some state land y'day to scout a little and do an evening hunt. First area I get to there's a camp set up right where you would not want to camp. Right on top of where the elk would be. I decided to sneak a dead end road in a clear cut the last hour of daylight. The plan was get to the timber by 7pm, jump in and call. I eased up the road (all uphill) and get to the timber line, another camp, smdh! Oh well, gotta get another plan. The forecasted rain has diminished and without that, the land will stay closed. Next week shows some rain so, hoping for the last weekend to open up. If so, I'll be sleeping in there even though it's a no-no. I'm about to go meat hunting mode instead of bull mode, need the freezer full and if a cow gets too close, I may put it on her.

Only a couple quick hitter hunts this week since the land I prefer is still shut down. Me and by buddy hiked up to the 1500ft mark and instantly had a young bull and 5 cows on us. Played around with them and made him bugle one time. Went to head out and I spotted a lone cow in a clear cut. We watched her feed up the hill into the reprod without seeing another elk. Gonna get in there tomorrow and give it a go. Rains coming in Tuesday so, hopefully the land opens up Wednesday afternoon and I can pound it until Sunday (the last day)
Here’s a rub that’s not on a huge tree but, goes up to at least the 8 ½ ft mark off the ground


Found a bear's little spot, guess he don't like trees

cool, hope your area opens up and you kill a biggun

I don't think I have posted in your thread yet, but I have enjoyed reading it all and look forward to your updates.

Same here, I enjoy reading and seeing your hunts.

Well, we humped into some steep stuff y'day. Busted through the top of the timber and hit some blocked off logging roads to glass. Great views. Right off the bat we spotted a cow. Too thick to see any other elk and it was early so, I left Russ and crept around the corner to see an elk butt. Ended up 2 cows and a spike. We piddled around up top all day not wanting to drop off to where we saw the cow until late. Here's some of the views






At 2pm Russ spotted the bull where we had seen the 1st cow. He was a raghorn 5pt and the wind was swirling pretty bad. Goin after him would pull us off the tops and pretty much end our hunt up high so, we decided to stay put since we had found this


an we knew he didn't do it. We were hoping the guy that tore this tree up would slip up and bugle one time but, he stayed quiet. A little later we spotted a cow down there with the 5x5. She's in the clearing here kinda in the middle


We decided that the wind was killer and that the tree line they were on was our way to the bottom so, we would hit them on the way out. Well, after the elk had stayed there ALL day, we were starting to gather our stuff and head that way and noticed them leaving in the WRONG direction. We eventually hit the timber and did some calling but, we didn't want to push them out so, we crept on down the hill to the truck and called it a day. My bad knee is feeling it today lol but, I'll push until it's over. Pretty fun day with my long time friend though.

WHOO-HOO, rained this morning and more coming. The timber land opens back up tomorrow. I'll have 5 days in familiar territory to try to make it happen. No biggie if I don't get one as long as I'm seeing a few and getting to chase them.

Took a physical beating y'day. I saw 17 elk on a far hill and made my way across to watch them leave a cut for the timber. I went on and hunted my normal spots and saw nothing. After that I went to the very top of the hill above where the elk had entered the timber. The winds went from probably 10mph to about 40mph once on top. I started thinking the elk would prolly leave the timber and enter the old growth clear cut below. Sure enough, at 2pm I spotted them, I knew a big 5x5 was in the group but also found a satellite bull off to the side, a small 4x4. While thinking of how to make the play, I spotted another bull, a descent 5x4. The winds were wrong to make a play from the top so I make a 4 mile loop on the bike to get below them. Once I made my way uphill to where the elk were I spotted the 5x5 out in front of me about 45-50yds with no shot. He bugled a few times and walked right, I came to the clearing and saw nothing. I cow called, the herd busted and I called some more. The bull was now down and right with a cow from the sounds but, I never saw him again. I ended the day with right at 17 miles on my legs between hiking/biking so, today I'm sore and just did a quick hitter today with nothing seen. Poppin the motrin, napping and getting ready for next time. Only 3 days left.

Stay after 'em! Hope you can put it all together.

X2

I haven't posted recently on here but if youre still writing Im still reading.


Thats some serious hunting mentally and physically. Awesome!

This mornings a wash, literally... Raining pretty good and the elk can be hit really good and still not bleed much so, not wanting to risk losing one. Gonna head out at lunch time I guess if it breaks.

You're right. I pounded it pretty hard at times and the mind and body both get strained. I did release an arrow earlier this year. I was in a clear cut that was strictly waist high weeds with a young bull. Only one stump to use for yardage... The bull was by a stump at one point (32yds) quartering and then he angles through at such a slight angle I didn't realize the yardage had changed as much as it had. Peeking through I saw his head turn and raised to a squatting position and let it fly for 30yds. TWACK!!! He ran, I called and stopped him to see a high spine shot. He broke the arrow off, walked away, and disappeared. Came in next day and scoured the place with 2 other guys. Tiny drops of blood for about a 100yds and the nothing. We checked weekly for buzzards and ravens and never saw any so, I know he lived and was just sore for a few days.

Well, it was an exciting season at times and at other times it was just sucking. The timber company shutting the land down for fire danger at the exact time the bulls were raising cain and rounding up cows was the worst. At 49 years old and day after day of 4-15 mile adventures, my two bad knees were not happy with me. Yesterday was the last day and after hiking up the steep stuff to a good lil hole, I was ready for anything except the moron bee-bopping up the logging roads at 0830 making all kind of racket. I decided watching football would be more fun and headed home. While sitting there I knew I would regret not going out the last night of the season and headed for an area I knew probably didn’t have any pressure on it. Pre-season I had seen a 5x5 and a 3x3 while glassing the place. I stopped at one cut and called and then proceeded to the final hunt area. As soon as I peeped around a corner I spotted an elk, not good. My plan was get in the middle of the cut and make my moves from there but, with the elk already there and no cover to make my move, I had to just sit and watch.

It was 4 cows 2 calves, and the 3x3. At 7:15 I knew I had to do something so, I let out a cow call. As expected, they went on full alert. I managed to cut the distance from 113yds to 75yds but, walking the gravel road just had me at a disadvantage. I watched the dark swallow them and then made my way back to my bike.

A great last night of hunting to leave me waiting for next year. In reality, it may have been my last elk hunt. If my wife and I don’t find the right jobs to keep us here, we’ll be moving back home. Oh well, time will tell.

Sounds like u had a good season, but it also sounds physically demanding. Hate u didn't get one, but that's bow hunting. We all know how tuff it can be, RH

GOOD NEWS... Glad I didn't shoot a dink. I just counted the packs of elk meat in the freezer from last year and I've got over 40 packs left. I also found a few containers of razor clams I dug last spring. Chowda time!!!

Cool updates. Thanks very much for posting. Sounds like a great time.

What kind of bike do you have and any pros/cons, etc.?

What kind of Tenzing pack and do you like it? They look to be designed well.

Hey Clem, I've got a Felt 7Eighty. It has 27.5 inch tires instead of 26in so it seems a little better over bigger rocks and tree roots. It also has disc-brakes. No complaints on the bike at all. I added a rear rack and the small yellow Fire Service bags you can get online for like $8 as saddle bags. That's cheaper than saddle bags and they last. I've had the bags for several years with no damage from weather. I do think a lower end Trek mountain bike like a buddy got is a good one as well.

The pack is a Tenzing 2220. No complaints on it at all. It's designed for day use but, it holds a lot of stuff, easy adjustments too. I love the zipper being smooth side out because I don't have to worry about it rubbing my bow string like I did my previous pack. It a little heavy but, it's all good. I got that pack off Amazon for $107 a while back, everyone else sold them for $189-$209. My friend purchased an Alps Outdoors pack that wasn't bad but, I do prefer the Tenzing. I think I like it more than the Badlands pack I looked at.

oops, I forgot to add that the pack is built to accept a hydration system but, does not come with one. I took a 2 liter bladder out of one of my Camelback's and put it in there.

Man that is some beautiful country! Thanks for posting all the pics.

The logging roads are open to motorized vehicles now so, I went and pulled my last camera today. Here's a few pics. I wondered why the spike in the 1st pic was running but, the next set of pics told me why.
Spike running


Here's why!!!


Sow and 2 cubs


Few more elk

Doing a 'lil deer hunting since the gates are opened for gun season. Using this time to scout for elk spots for next year if I'm still here. I may shoot one, not sure. It's fork horn or bigger and not a lot of deer. It's actually harder to find a good buck here with all the clearcuts than to find one down home. I'll post any cool pics as I get them instead of creating another thread.

Those elk are beautiful animals.

Cool pics....