I’m gonna do a day by day of 2024 Elk/Mule deer hunt starting tmrw *final update pg3!*

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update tomorrow for those that care

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I can't go this year so I'll be happy to see it

And hopefully mooch some usable information from you!

In!!

I’ll follow along. I’ll be on my hunt in New Mexico soon

What unit?

I’m in brother. Good luck.

Day 1

Alarm came quickly at 3 am, i was lazy and snoozed until 330. I loaded up and made the drive up. It dumped snow all night, but temp was 35 when i left so snow had not stuck on the roads.

I hit dirt after an hour, another 30 minutes following the creek on flat land and I needed to chain up before making the climb up on top of the mountain to the spot where I wanted to hike in. I was glad I did. After the snow last night, there was over a foot once i got up top to the two track, the hill up is about 3/4 of a mile. Thank goodness i chained up.I was heading a couple of miles deep to a parking spot where you can hike into roadless area. I drilled the bottom of my vehicle on one spot. I have driven this road before but all the snow covered up all the horrible rocks.

I got to my spot and headed out, up hill, in a foot deep of snow, with 50 lbs in my pack. Man, I'd forgotten how much that sucks. Made it to the top of a ridge and watched some road hunters shoot a doe to the north of me. Baw took like 5 shots to put her down smh. I continued on, hugging a private property, then the snow storm blew in again. I went up onto another ridge and just decided to sit, even though i was only halfway to my target ridge. I couldn't see but maybe 600-700 yards, but i could see the very next ridge about 500 yards over. I sat there until about 1030 just glassing grids, not seeing an animal. I figure they were hunkered down just like I was. I thought about making a fire but didn't, as I had made up my mind I wouldn't be there all day. I had forgotten my butt pad, so sitting in the snow was horrible.

At 1030, I decided to pull out. I couldn't see anything, let alone proceed further into the wilderness with a foot of snow solo. It was just too brutal hiking in that weather and slippery rocks. Would've been irresponsible to kill anything back there. Would've taken days to pack out.

I pulled out and proceeded to go to another spot that had recently had the gate open after 5 years. They'd closed it after a wildfire in 2020. Heading up, i had forgotten how steep it was. It was covered in snow, although not as bad as my morning spot, so i chained up again. I was glad I did again as there was some very sketchy spots. I made it up top and ran into a North Georgia baw headed out. He had a Cow tag, but told me i was the only one up there since he was leaving. I was pumped. Had the mountain to myself.

I ran ridges for the rest of the afternoon. This place gives incredible glassing views without having to hike alot. And after gassing myself this morning, I was happy to just run ridges. I ran into a spike buck who saw me, but didn't spook.

That's a good sign. If a spike is still up here, then bruiser bulls and bucks are still up here I told myself.

Worst part of the day is that I forgot my butt wipe. At this point, I had to go. I found two pieces of a paper target that I had in the car and tore them into as many pieces as possible. Took a squat and used up all the paper i had, but it wasn't enough lol (I showered immediately once home) Anyways, continue on.

I ended up finding 6 does and a forky this evening. It was horribly windy, I glassed the hell out of those ridges but nothing else. Nobody else came up on the mountain, which pleased me. So I'll hit again maybe once or twice again until Friday.

On my way out, once I hit pavement, I saw probably the greatest assembly of elk I've ever seen in my life. The paved road goes through a valley, before you head west onto dirt road up to the mountain which is National Forest.

In that pasture of private, I think i saw maybe 100-150 head of Elk just grazing. Which of course, has me in my head, "have they all gone down to private after this storm?" But i remind myself, if i've seen two young bucks and 6 does up there, then the bruisers still are up there.

I'm sitting here debating on where I go tomorrow. But i was pleased by two things. First, my chains purchase was such a positive, I can go wherever I want to even though the rest of the week it should be bluebird skies. And second, I saw young bucks and does up in the snow. That tells me that if youngsters are still up there, then the mature big boys are still up there too.

The rest of the week looks great, no more snow, blue bird skies.

Until tomorrow baws. I'll post some pictures tomorrow of the snow storm and what I was glassing. It was great country, just no Elk in it.

We got some of those V bar chains last year and the traction is absolutely amazing.

Enjoy the details of story telling. Even the pooping! Keep em comming, jealous

Man that brings back memories of last year. We got over a foot in one night and it got down below zero. It was wild, and it was amazing.

Did you see any animals today?