Hey all,
This is my first year chasing elk in Oregon (moved here last summer). I just put in a great, but rough four days out on the coast range. These woods are no joke. I'm 25 and in shape, but the steep hills, the thick brush, devil's club and blackberry stands got me whipped. In four days just had a few hot minutes. Elk weren't talking much and though we saw lots of sign on the private property we were on, we didn't see much of anything going on during light hours.
Yesterday got out to a property in scappoose unit, still nobody responding to bugles or cow calls. Tons of fresh sign. We were hiking up the edge of a clearcut slope at sunset and got soaked by a ten minute rain shower. At the ridge top my hunting partner and I were trying to change out of our wet clothes when we got caught with our proverbial pants down.
In this case, shirts off. A few does started coming in behind us and we froze hoping there might be a buck nearby. It was getting pretty chilly standing shirtless and wet, but we stayed still. Then ahead and upwind of us a bull started crashing out of the forest edge and onto the clearcut, loud and fast. I was shivering pretty hard and my bow was on the ground, so I reached for my shirt and bow. He must have seen me moving because he stopped, backed off slowly, and then dissappeared back into the woods. Ten minutes or so later he barked at us, not particularly sharp, but almost just to say he was not happy about the situation.
Well, that's the closest we've gotten to anything. About 50 yards. Anybody have any insight on when the elk start talking here? Is it not till late September? I've got a controlled hunt tag for Heppner unit which is one elk instead of bull only, but I don't know anything about the unit. Any tips, insights would be appreciated!
Topic: Oregon Elk. Scappoose and Heppner? (Read 252 times)
