071 E. Archery Bull Advice, Info.

[dancermatt]

First I want to say how blessed I was drawing an Archery Elk and Mule Deer tag the first time out. Thanks to some of you for the info so far. I'm excited and nervous. I hope I will be able to give back some day. I'm doing all the thing we all do to prepare but not sure if I'm going to back pack in to an area I'm focusing on so I can wake up and start spotting,stalking. Or set up the larger base camp and hike 1 to 2 miles up and around. I understand that it might not be "worth" it to pack in since there's so many roads and it would be nice to set up base camp near water, larger tent, @ truck. Here':
what's the weather going to be like mid to late Aug?
What will the Bulls be doing then?
When is the rut usually?
Spot & Stalk seems the best tech. since there is so much water?
Best spot to eat in Elko?
What are some good fishing creeks in 071?
GPS Coordinates for Trophy Elk? LOL
Should I make time to visit Jarbidge?
Is there a place or person you know that would rent me an ATV? I have a Dual Sport XR600 but not sure if that would be smart.
Any info to help plan this hunt would be appreciated. I hope to come back with some great pics and story. Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[dwalton]

Best place to eat in Elko: the Star Hotel.

 

[dancermatt]

The Star Hotel...thanks...Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[NVGAT]

Weather will likely be hot and dry.

Aug 16-31, probably won't see much if any rutting activity. Bulls will be fattening up for the rut and trying to stay cool, they will be mostly nocturnal. If you can find a wallow that's being used regularly, sit on it, otherwise be up high and spend a lot of time behind your optics. Most likely will be spot and stalk hunt.

+1 on the Star

sorry, but I don't fish, so can't help you there

40.437135, -111.889450, you'll find some trophy bulls here

I would spend my time on the hunt, not sightseeing, but that's just me

There used to be a guy in Spring Creek that rented ATVs, but I don't know if he still does or not. If you ever hear back from Kari Huebner she might know.

Hope this helps.

 

[dancermatt]

NVGAT, so they'll do their eating at night and if they do move during the day, they're going to get some water or to wallow? Will scouting for 3 or 4 days prior give tell me which strategy to use? Which would you start with...scouting for wallows/tracks or spot from high and stalk? Would you use a decoy? Based on the location you sent me, I probably will just set up down wind in the two man tree stand. The reason I asked about Jarbige is this country looks beautiful and I was thinking of bringing my wife back some time. Thanks for the advice. Can't wait to get up there. Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[mtnview]

During my NV archery elk hunt last year the bulls were silent and solo for the most part. In nine days of hunting near the end of the season (Sept) there was only one day where I encountered a bull rut'n hard with herd of cows.

The water holes and wallows were only getting used by bulls during the nighttime.

IF these are the conditions and elk activities you encounter, I would suggest hunting them like you hunt mule deer. Get up high, glass them up, put them to bed and sneak in with decoy and a call. The bulls will be interested in cows who work toward them. Just be prepared for them to approach fast and quiet. My bull came in on a run and only squeaked a couple times as he reached Gold Tip range.

Here in NV we don't have great archery season dates, but we have some great elk hunting to be done. Enjoy and good luck.

 

[NVGAT]

I would get up high and glass. Find the bulls and pattern them from a distance, figure out where they're feeding, watering/wallowing, and bedding, then you'll know where to be opening morning.
You should see them out at first and last light, but they'll head for shade pretty quick.
I've sat on water holes in Aug. and have had bulls come in during shooting light both in the morning and evening, but your area has a lot more water than where I was.
If you were hunting in Sept. I would say to carry a decoy, and you might want to anyways, but I don't know how effective it will be in Aug. Elk are social aniimals, so if you can stalk close enough a decoy might work to your advantage, but don't expect it to work from 200 yds away. I used a decoy on my bull from over 200 yds and he came on a dead run in to 20 yds, but that was the middle of Sept. and they were rutting hard.
If you don't hear back from Kari, call the Elko office and ask for Matthew Jeffress, I believe he is the biologist for elk in 061,071.
Also check out this link, http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/n...on/Publications/2014-Big-Game-Status-Book.pdf
it might give you some useful info.

 

[dancermatt]

Mtnview, It sounds like the key is to "keep your distance" while patterning their movements when they are moving and then stalk with winds working for you. I'm going to get a cow decoy from Montana. What call do you recommend? Thanks for the information and help. Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[dancermatt]

NvGat, this is the techniques I'm going to use, get high, pattern, use decoy and stalk...maybe try calling. I guess keeping the distance is important so not to "Spook" them to Idaho. I guess playing it safe till I've got a clear idea of what they're doing, where they're going. Can you recommend a call you use? Thanks, Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[mtnview]

Unless they are active, I would keep my distance, locate them, play the wind, ambush, paralleling a herd bull with his cows, stalk, or set up to draw them out of their beds. With the dates being mostly pre-rut you just need a bag of tricks like water holes, glassing them up, and working active bulls. Some bulls might bugle from their beds periodically during the day, or they could be solo and silent as I found last year. Once you find elk the wind and their activities will tell you how the attempt can be made. I use the semi alert cow from Montana decoys for call set ups and I have used the feeding cow for moving close to a herd. Take a look at Bugling Bull game calls, they have it all. Mellow Yellow is a good cow diaphragm to start out using. I prefer diaphragm calls, but they have an open reed call which comes with a wrist mount which could be useful at full draw if you are not using a diaphragm call.

Stoked for anyone with a NV archery bull tag!

Send me an email ([email protected]) or a PM if you want.

 

[maddog58]

The Star and Pizza Barn makes dang good pizza

 

[dancermatt]

Maddog, I love me some pizza by the time I get up there since I'm not eating any bread/sugar for the next two months. I'm going to carb out when I get up there for energy. Thanks, Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."

 

[dancermatt]

NVGAT, I spoke with Matt Jefferies and he actually verified some areas that some of you have suggested so I'm confident where I'm hunting and setting up base camp and strategies. Buying a Montana Decoy and Diaphragm call. (Mellow Yellow) Thanks for all the help everyone. Can't wait. Matt

"If we lose freedom here, there is no
place to escape to. This is the last stand
on Earth."