Despite being a successful hunter when it came to whitetail, mule deer, and antelope, I had always dreamed of chasing bugles in thick timber and mountain meadows, but I was consistently left without the opportunity to do so in my home state of South Dakota, where 15-25 years of preference points are required to pull a tag. I knew I either needed to bury that desire for several more years, or start looking at the variety of non-resident elk hunting options in other states.
My brother Cody and I agreed to venture into the world of DIY elk hunting together, and both applied for the same western state. We were fortunate enough to both draw general elk tags that year. Call it beginner's luck, but he notched his tag on a bull during the archery season, and I was able to get a cow later on with my rifle. We were hooked.
The obsession quickly turned from "How can I get myself on an elk hunt?" to "How do I hunt elk every year?" Cody and I drew tags to the same state the following year, this time going into it with a little bit of real-world experience and know-how. The season started out hot, with large fires raging throughout the American West. Needless to say, the bulls weren't vocal for the first half of our trip. We quickly turned to sitting water and wallows, knowing the weather would soon break, and daily temps would be dropping twenty degrees.
We devised a plan for the first day of cooler weather, but the elk didn't show at sunrise, and we quickly pivoted to a different location for the mid morning hunt. There was a ridge within a few miles of camp where we could cover some ground quickly, calling periodically and hoping to catch a bull in its first bed of the day.
Denne historien er fra Fall - Winter 2022 - Issue 03-utgaven av Harvesting Nature Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra Fall - Winter 2022 - Issue 03-utgaven av Harvesting Nature Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
They Rise Up From the Ground
first took up mule deer hunting back in 2020 when A.J., his dad (Art), and I all drew tags for east central Wyoming.
Pennsylvania Flintlock Basics
While many are still tucked away, enjoying the warmth of their beds, sleeping off their holiday hangovers, flintlock hunters take to the hills, fields, and forests of Pennsylvania for one last attempt to harvest the elusive whitetail deer, mountain man style.
The Tradition of a Southern Gentleman
A few years back, I moved to northern Florida, specifically, the Red Hills of Florida, for a new job.
FEATURE: DIY Elk: The Tale of Two Bulls
No matter how great your success, certain things can haunt your mind, sowing the seeds of unrest. For me that thing was elk.
FALL FORGEABLES: Pinon Nuts
first learned of pinon nuts by drinking pinon coffee from New Mexico.
How to Butcher a Goose
You've gone out and gotten yourself a Canada goose. Congratulations! You've plucked it, gutted it, and now you're looking at a nice whole goose.
Be a Gentleman in the Field.
BIRD HUNTING ETIQUETTE:
Time Well Spent.
A REFLECTION ON MY FIRST ARCHERY SEASON
Continuing the Collared Dove Tradition
I pulled the stock and barrels of the sleek Ruger \"Red Label\" twelve-gauge over/under from the green, leather-lined canvas case.
