5 Day Elk Hunt in Manti La Sal National Forest

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  • din
    Warrior
    • Feb 2015
    • 122

    #16
    Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
    Off season, these animals appear domesticated to the tourist, and there are idiots who have tried to put their kids on the backs of elk in Colorado up at Estes Park, which is a beautiful place to visit if you haven't been by the way.
    I do believe I'd pay good money to see that. Did anybody in your group manage to fill their tag?

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    • LRRPF52
      Super Moderator
      • Sep 2014
      • 8569

      #17
      Originally posted by din View Post
      I do believe I'd pay good money to see that. Did anybody in your group manage to fill their tag?
      Not while I was there. We had half second exposure every time we saw elk, and many were not what we had tags for, which was spike and cows, no bulls. The herd bulls are pretty savvy at protecting their herds. We saw one troop the line on a ridge appearing to be keeping his herd in the trees so they wouldn't come out into our line of fire. They were downwind from us at higher elevation at least 800yds away, just to the right of the Field of View in this pic:

      View Through Leupold Tactical Binos with Mil Reticle
      NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

      CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

      6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

      www.AR15buildbox.com

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      • Jackem
        Bloodstained
        • Dec 2014
        • 48

        #18
        Great pics and story. Sorry you didn't fill the freezer, but I hopping you pushed the elk north so I can have a chance at them next week.

        Jack

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        • PredatorDown
          Warrior
          • Jun 2014
          • 239

          #19
          My old man would have been one of the hunters up there helping to push the elk around! He gets a spike tag every year, but it's also supposed to be one of the least successful hunts every year.

          I know exactly what you mean about only having quick opportunities hunting that area. I got my dad a Vortex Viper 2.5-10x44 last year for his .270 Win because you really do need a lower magnification more than high.

          Comment

          • LRRPF52
            Super Moderator
            • Sep 2014
            • 8569

            #20
            When we were walking up and down the mountains, I set my Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x32 on 2.5x. Once I got into position, I would crank up a little, but not too much, since I like having FOV.

            I met one hunter who filled a tag, and we saw blood trails later in the hunt, but the spikes often separate themselves from the herds and run among the thick trees. I think we saw only one.

            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

            www.AR15buildbox.com

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            • customcutter
              Warrior
              • Dec 2014
              • 452

              #21
              Thanks for posting, beautiful pics. That's one thing that's on my bucket list. An elk hunt at elevation, and riding in on horseback. I'll be 61 the end of this month, so I better make it happen soon. LOL

              Comment

              • Rickyi
                Bloodstained
                • Aug 2015
                • 52

                #22
                Great beautiful pictures and story line! Makes me feel just as if I was there with you!
                Rick

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                • Kikn
                  Warrior
                  • Nov 2011
                  • 689

                  #23
                  Sounds like a great trip. One of these days I'll have to head north for an elk hunt.

                  Comment

                  • Von Gruff
                    Chieftain
                    • Apr 2012
                    • 1078

                    #24
                    My question (after mentioning about the beautiful countryside of course) is about the amount off shots that seemed to have been taken. 7 Hunters x 50yd and x 200 yds would have been quite a bit of gunfire so would that have had a bearing on the elk keeping well into cover. If they are almost domestic in the off season and difficult to find on a hunt maybe it is the shooting that is the difference in their behaviour.
                    Respectfully
                    http://www.vongruffknives.com/

                    sigpic Von Gruff



                    Grendel-Max

                    Exodus 20:1-17
                    Acts 4:10-12

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                    • LRRPF52
                      Super Moderator
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 8569

                      #25
                      Originally posted by Von Gruff View Post
                      My question (after mentioning about the beautiful countryside of course) is about the amount off shots that seemed to have been taken. 7 Hunters x 50yd and x 200 yds would have been quite a bit of gunfire so would that have had a bearing on the elk keeping well into cover. If they are almost domestic in the off season and difficult to find on a hunt maybe it is the shooting that is the difference in their behaviour.
                      Respectfully
                      On the first Saturday, they are really active, getting pushed by hunters all over the mountains, while also migrating from feed to feed in the night through morning. They smell humans and react to that more than gunfire, so the wind direction is a huge factor as well. They can be pretty oblivious to gunfire sometimes, but they do get confused when they see one missing from their party, and I suspect they make the connection.

                      The herd bulls can be quite savvy, and are keen about threats from other lone bulls, as well as hunters. I have only seen elk come comfortably close to humans in Colorado, but not Utah for some reason, and I spend quite a bit of time hiking and camping in these mountains, although I am always with a group of others.

                      I've seen plenty of mule deer come into foothill and mountain ridge residential communities as if it was no big deal, but not elk. I have heard that the elk will push over the Manti La Sal mountains into the foothills of Fairview, and they are a pest to many farms in Utah, destroying crops and such.

                      We read in the news today that an 84 yr-old lady harvested a nice big bull this weekend.
                      NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                      CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                      6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                      www.AR15buildbox.com

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                      • leftyman
                        Bloodstained
                        • Mar 2015
                        • 25

                        #26
                        the dude in the orange boonie looks like a dufuss. haha. the grendel is a joy to carry. i used the viking tactics adjustable sling and it worked great. both hiking and on the horse. i'd love to find an ar friendly saddle scabard though lrrp was correct, the multi-position stock is a must. some days are just t-shirt weather and some are heavy coat. nice to have the same cheek placement/ eye relief no matter. love the grendel

                        Comment

                        • montana
                          Chieftain
                          • Jun 2011
                          • 3209

                          #27
                          Originally posted by Von Gruff View Post
                          My question (after mentioning about the beautiful countryside of course) is about the amount off shots that seemed to have been taken. 7 Hunters x 50yd and x 200 yds would have been quite a bit of gunfire so would that have had a bearing on the elk keeping well into cover. If they are almost domestic in the off season and difficult to find on a hunt maybe it is the shooting that is the difference in their behaviour.
                          Respectfully
                          Elk like all wild animals can sense when humans are a danger or when they are not. Back in 1978 I was skidding logs with a D-6 dozer and stopped for lunch. A Bull still in velvet walked right up to my blade and foraged on the down limbs around my cat. There were other skid cats still working all around me and he never gave them a second notice. I watched him for a good 20 minutes as I ate my lunch. This will be the same critter who will send his cows out into an opening before he will determine it is safe before he will follow during hunting season. Elk will usually keep in cover and have favorite routes when traveling between areas. A good hunter will find these areas and wait. Out smarting any game animal is what makes hunting addictive besides the freezer full of meat. If hunting pressure gets too hard by man or wolves they will leave an area all together.

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                          • Von Gruff
                            Chieftain
                            • Apr 2012
                            • 1078

                            #28
                            LRRPF52 and montana. Thank you for the excellent replies. The scenario you describe is unusual for the animal behaviour here in NZ. There would be very few instances where the huntable population would be exposed to human intrusion into their territory unless it was a hunter so any sight, sound, or smell that is foreign to the area will have them decamped right smart. Our wapiti herds are generally in the more remote areas of the country and it is only the dedicated hunters who venture into these areas. The other deer species (red, fallow, sika, white tail, rusa and sambar) all have a similar reclusive manner.
                            http://www.vongruffknives.com/

                            sigpic Von Gruff



                            Grendel-Max

                            Exodus 20:1-17
                            Acts 4:10-12

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                            • Roe
                              Warrior
                              • Dec 2014
                              • 190

                              #29
                              Nice country, thanks for sharing!

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