Well....the hunt has come and gone. I truly appreciate everyone who chipped in their knowledge of the area and what they had seen so far this season. Unfortunately, it was just not meant to be for me this year. Despite 9 days of constant sunup to sundown hunting; I was not able to connect with a bull this year.
Some of the other hunters were successful but as far as archery hunts go; FHL 449 was barely considered an archery hunt this year. With a season change due to mission conflicts, the promising rut hunt at the end of July/ beginning of August became a post-rut October struggle.
After 1-2 months of hard rutting the bulls and cows were worn out and wary from all of the activity. The larger more mature bulls had broken away from the herds and formed bachelor groups to retreat to the nasty hiding places on base. The bigger bulls that maintained control of their cows were constantly protected by 30-50+ sets of eyes, ears, and noses.
The hunt was told to be an average 30-40 yard shot which is a chip shot with a bow if you practice but this year the average shot was 100+ yards. Even though it is doable, I do not deem that a comfortable shot and with all of the things that go into play for a shot at that distance; it is a gamble.
Don?t get me wrong, I ?saw? plenty of elk and had plenty of stalks but most of which ended at getting pinned down at 130 yards and being unable to get any closer. The hunting aspect of the hunt just seemed non-existent. For those who have hunted Fort Hunter Liggett, you know that driving the roads of the open areas and searching for animals is common practice and by mot accounts, the most effective way to locate many good animals. However, for the elk hunt it just was not the enjoyable experience that was expected.
All in all, i learned more about the base and the animals which inhabit it on this trip than I could have in years of hunting FHL due to the time spent scouring every inch of it in an effort to locate a huntable/stalkable bull. I was able to fill a pig tag the end of the second evening and my wife was able to fill her G-8 tag but unfortunately, a true gift of a tag went unpunched this year, not for a lack of trying. I'll be putting in once I'm eligible again and hoping for a chance at redemption.
For those of you who have the muzzleloader tag feel free to PM me and I'll put you on some big bulls. I can't say it will be a ?slam dunk? but your odds are greatly increased given the weapon you're allowed to use.