08/30/06 TrailCam

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Camera: Bushnell 11-9200

I've been hunting the blind behind this camera... first day no elk. 2nd day no elk... 3rd day the elk beat me to the blind! They were all around it, I stalked within 30 yards but couldnt get a shot through the brush (its really brushy behind the camera).

I take 2 days break from hunting, show up last night... no elk. BUT I check trail cam to see this, taken 2 days ago:

HighRes: www.trophychaser.com/m...19%7E0.jpg

HighRes: www.trophychaser.com/m...np0020.jpg

HighRes: www.trophychaser.com/m...np0021.jpg

stupid elk... grrrr

-DallanC

popgun · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:59 am Post subject: Re: 08/30/06 TrailCam

Wow! Nice bull. Is he bedded or rolling in the mud at the spring?

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

popgun wrote:

Wow! Nice bull.

Hes ok, a bit small compared to the BIG bull that owns the herd right now (trying to get picts of him with normal cameras).

Quote::

Is he bedded or rolling in the mud at the spring?

Its called "Wallowing". Elk are not only vocal come breeding season, they think they need to show off for the ladies so they find a spring, pee and poo in it, mix it up nice and good in the mud, then roll around in it to get as absolutely stinky and muddy as possible. I've seen bulls that look completely black due to so much mud. It makes their antlers look bigger and more threatening when caked in mud.

They are unbelievably stinky critters during this period. I bought some "cow elk in heat pee" and sprayed some around my blind... the smell about bowled me over. Good grief its strong stuff.

You can litterally "smell" areas where a good herd of elk have passed through... or if you are downwind, you can smell them coming.

Crackshot · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: 08/30/06 TrailCam

SMALL????!!!! How bigs the BIG one????

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Crackshot wrote:

SMALL????!!!! How bigs the BIG one????

I suck at field judging a bulls score but I'd guess this one is in the 320's... I'd say the big one is around 365". Its alot wider and longer and his 5ths / 6ths are longer.

Rummor is there is a 440ish bull running around on the Utah Pavant unit, that season starts soon and its going to be a circus with all of the paid guides chasing it. I know the Mossback crew are staying on it 24/7 right now and I know Carl Malone has guides following it as well. If it is indeed that size it will blow away the current utah state record... that was broken last year.

Utah is the place to see MASSIVE bull elk it seems. Unless you are a very rich man all you can do is take a picture, the odds to draw a tag are astronomical.

Its another completely different topic but our F&G knows what a cash machine the elk are and its managing them strictly for the big money people and the common hunters are absolutely getting factored out of the equasion. I wish they'd issue more elk tags and spend more time and effort restoring our crashing deer populations. We need less elk and more deer.

-DallanC

Vince · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:38 am Post subject: Re: 08/30/06 TrailCam

Ah, the almighty dollar. Most annoying.....it stinks that even govt departments cater to the well heeled at the expense of us common folk.

Hang in there Dallan, your day will come. That big ol grand daddy elk is just teasing you at the moment....give it time, he'll stuff up then he's yours. Very Happy

Just an aside Dallan....how do you ensure the security of your trailcam? I would have thought that leaving it out in the scrub would be an open invite to the thieving scumbags.

Oh well, as I said mate...hang in there....he'll be yours one day.

Cheers, Vince

popgun · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:48 am Post subject: Re: 08/30/06 TrailCam

Camera security is the one thing that most of the expensive trail cams do not have. The top end cameras do have accessories for securing the camera to the tree to make theft a little more difficult. It goes back to the ole saying, if someone wants it they can take it depending on how much trouble they are willing to go to to take whats yours.
Yep there are slob hunters and thiefs in them thar' woods but I don't let them rule my life with worry.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

popgun wrote:

Camera security is the one thing that most of the expensive trail cams do not have. The top end cameras do have accessories for securing the camera to the tree to make theft a little more difficult. It goes back to the ole saying, if someone wants it they can take it depending on how much trouble they are willing to go to to take whats yours.
Yep there are slob hunters and thiefs in them thar' woods but I don't let them rule my life with worry.

One easy thing people are doing now for cameras that use nylon straps is to cut a piece of flat steel that fits through the straps slots with 2 holes drilled through it on each side. They then use a masterlock "Python" cable to wrap around the camera, through the steel and around the tree. Makes it so people cant even open the cameras. Heres a pict from the chasingame.com guys:

Still doesnt stop someone from sawing off the tree to get to the cam, using bolt cutters... or even smashing the cams. I have mine on private property which shouldnt be used by others.

-DallanC