Elk 49

[muzzhunter]

Just wondering how the other hunters have done in 49 this year. I blew 7 nr points on it for muzzleloader this year and ate tag soup. I was hoping to hang my tag on a decent 5 or 6 point bull but no luck. I hunted all but 2 days of the hunt. Didn't really get into many elk until the last 2 days, but couldn't seal the deal. I'm really dissapointed, We only saw about 1 or 2 bulls a day. Was really hoping to score my first bull. Hoping others had better luck and we were just not in the right areas. Post pics if you got 'em.
Dave

 

[slammer]

Didn't hunt 49 but am kicking it around for the future. As for seeing 1 or 2 bulls a day - I would be happy with that. I am assuming you heard a lot more than you saw?

 

[marley]

I hunted the archery season this year and the hot weather made it tough. Most of the hunters I saw were up high above timberline looking for elk. I backpacked into a nasty canyon a little lower in elevation and found elk everywhere in there. I really think the hot weather was keeping them in the dark timber. With it being such a wet summer there was plenty of feed for them in the trees and had no need to go to timberline. I didn't tag out but I passed on several 5 points and 3 six point bulls in the 280 range trying to kill a 330 type bull that I was seeing alot. I have never in my life heard so many bugles as I did in that one canyon. All the other hunters I talked to said that they saw very few elk and only heard a few bugles the entire hunt. I found the honey hole I guess.

 

[Kayak_to_hunt]

I have seen a bunch of very good bulls come out of 49 this year.. Pry 5 over 300 with another the biggest was a legit 340 - 350 bull the guy who shot it said bigger.. All were gotten by buena vista locals - not sure how the out of state guys are doing..

I also heard they were not buglin in archery but I drove up got out of my truck on sept 13th and there were elk buglin everywhere..

Yea no elk buglin anywhere in 49 - that is just the story that goes aound ....

I did just eat tag soup after hunting deer in 49. A local friend gave me a landowner tag after his family did not show up to hunt. Saw some good bucks but no great bucks (190 +) so I ended up not even firing a shot.. I did see 2 bucks one went over 190 the other 210+ shot off private land in the 49 area....

Not a bad unit if ya know where to go..

 

[muzzhunter]

Marley, good to hear you found 'em. We found an area the last 2 days in the timber where we were getting into them pretty good, just so stinkin' hard to get close in the dark timber, trying to be quiet. I got a shot at a 6 point the last day through some timber, but either my shooting lane wasn't clear and I hit something, or else I missed him out right. It seemed to me that the hot dry weather was making for tough hunting conditions.