Wyoming Archery Elk Hunt 2022

Earlier this summer we took a road trip to Wyoming to start scouting for our elk hunt this fall. Austin was able to draw a nonresident tag with 4 points which is good for archery and then if you don't harvest an elk you then get a ten day window in October with a rifle. Austin arranged with his friend, Luke, and they both drew the tag and I was coming along as a non hunter.

Day 1

After a day and a half of travel we pull up to our first basecamp location. We get out of the trucks and before we can set up camp we through on our packs and go for a quick hunt. We did a small loop below camp to get a feel for the area and look for sign and of course elk. Knowing that is was early in the rut and a full moon we were interested to see how the elk were going to respond. On our hike we came across a big wallow and some good feed and bedding areas. We had let out some bugles and cow calls nearby when we come up on a fresh rub. As we were looking at the rub, I notice a bull is coming towards us. I motion to the boys, bull, and Luke and I stay put while he nocks an arrow and Austin moves back. The elk took a few more feet towards us through brush and timber so we could barely see him and they startles and runs off. He was probably only 60 yards when I spotted him but with all the brush and trees there was never a shot.

After we all gather back together in shock that we already had a silent bull come that close we decided to keep moving forward and see what else was there. We got a little further and then heard an elk grunting at us. We attempted to play it off with bugles and cow calls but the elk only grunted and then moved on without giving us any visualization of him. On our hike out we sat at a ridge where we could hear across and heard a bugle on the next ridge over.

Once we made it back to the camper and Luke set up his camp we made a delicious dinner. Luke told us before the trip that he has a family tradition to always cook up ribeyes the first night of elk camp and that he wanted to keep it going. We did not argue with that and after getting settled in we enjoyed a delicious dinner in the camper and went over the next days hunting plan.

Day 2

In the morning we got up and hunted the ridge below camp where we heard a bugle. Once it got light we heard a couple bugles and so we started making our way towards the back of the canyon where it was coming from. On our way over, we got to the bottom so the thermals would be in our favor and started hunting. We found lots of fresh sign and bedding areas with fresh urine in them. None of the lk were answering at all and so we kept slowly making our way through the timber. As we continued following their sign around the ridge we ended up jumping one. It's hard not to be irritated when you jump them but also, you can't always prevent it when they are silent in the timber. We sat down and had some snacks. After that, we headed through and opening and found 4 to 5 different large wallows in one open field. Austin and Luke decided to sit these for a little while so as they were finding some places to sit a cow elk walks up and runs off. Since it was apparent that elk frequent the wallow we decided to sit and see if anymore come.

After a while we decided to head back to camp and come back for a few hours with camp so after we sat the wallow we could then hike further out and spike camp there. Where Austin wanted to bivy camp was a spot we had prescouted in July. We got there in the dark and started setting up camp and boiling water for dinner. After dinner we were sitting in the dark talking when we started hearing bugles slightly above us. The bugles went on for a while and sounded like atleast two different bulls. Excited for the morning we finally fell asleep.

Our tent: Kuiu Storm Star 2 person tent

Day 3

We woke up early and glassed the ridges across from us. We heard one bugle and then spotted some cows with calves in two different locations and heard another bull. After hearing the bugles and seeing elk we came up with a plan on how to hunt them with the thermals.

We headed down the mountain and towards the other side. When we got to the bottom we filtered some water since it was hard to come by up top. As we were filtering, Luke spotted a mountain lion and by the time I looked in the direction he was pointing, it was half way up the scree field. After that, we got into the timber and then did some cold calling but never heard or saw an elk. We decided to head up to the top and walk the ridge and hope for a bugle.

On the way down heading back towards the other side where camp was I spotted a bedded cow elk and then as we watched and slowly moved closer we saw more cows and a rag horn. We sat and watched them figuring out a plan but they slowly fed away from us and we never saw them again.

After a long day of hiking and silent elk we made it back to camp, ate dinner, and fell asleep.

Day 4

We woke up and glassed some more cows and one bull down the drainage across from us and south towards our base camp. We decided to hike towards it and cross and see if we could figure out where he bedded.

When we got over to the other side we cold called and didn’t hear anything but the squirrels playing baseball with acorns. It was the joke of the trip, because these squirrels are so aggressive with their acorns that we thought it was elk multiple times. About 15 minutes later, the boys in front, we walk about 10 yards in the opposite direction and a bull coming towards us busted. We were able to call him back in but not close enough to have a shot. After that we slowly made our way through the timber and came across a lot of fresh elk sign and rubs. Since they weren’t responding yet we wanted to give them some time for the rut to start and come back. Archery hunting elk when they are being silent is very difficult and frustrating.

We hiked back to camp unloaded and had lunch. After that we hiked back out to our ridge and glassed up a nice bull bedded down. We then heard another bugle near where we had heard it on day 1 but it was almost dark so we decided to wait and see if he bugled to us in the morning since we didn't have enough daylight to go after him.

Day 5

We woke up early and got down to a spot where we knew we could hear him and listened for a while. After hiking down a ways and still no response we decided to let the silent bull stay put and headed back to camp to come up with another plan for the day.

After talking it over we decided to check out another spot nearby that we hadn’t been to and see if we could find a bull that wanted to play our game.

We headed into the spot and didn’t see any fresh sign. I could tell everyone was getting a little discouraged but we kept on around to the next ridge. We started seeing more sign that appeared more recent and before you knew it we heard a bugle!

We started racing in the direction we heard it since it was a ways off. After about 200 yards in the timber we stopped and listened again. Unfortunately, it was another hunter. We started back up the ridge and continued our loop. As we got further we then bugled again and heard another reply! This time we knew it was an elk. We headed in it’s direction and he kept replying. We had to cross a large creek that had beaver damns all over. After crossing and being very cautious for bears we hiked up the ridge next to where we thought he was and got above him due to the wind. We then crossed and got on his ridge and started slowly working our way towards him. We bugled again hoping he would come to us and something spooked just above us which we assumed was a cow elk, but with such thick timber we couldn’t tell what it was. Austin let out a challenge bugle and moments later he replied with a challenge bugle of his own. He was so close the hair on the back of your neck stands up! He quickly followed his cows away from us making locations bugles as he got further from us giving us a slight idea of where he was headed. We never got to see him and the hunt was over.

We made our way back across the creek and worked the ridge next to where we came down and made a big loop back to where we parked the truck. On our way back we were making our way through thick dead fall and intermittently calling since we saw a lot of sign but no answers. A few times we heard animals and thought maybe they were elk that we busted due to the sign.

Once we made it back to camp we decided that the amount of elk sign, movement, and the fact that the elk replied meant we needed to go back.

Day 6

We let ourselves sleep in. The only morning so far and it felt amazing! The weather was getting colder so the mornings were harder to get out of a warm bed.

Once we figured the thermals had switched we made our way back to the area where we started seeing sign and recent bedding areas. As we were working down the ridge Austin bugled and we got a reply! We all agreed it was right where we had seen some beds and where we bumped an elk. We started working our way down and called one more time and by now he had crossed the drainage between us and was coming to us. We quickly tried to set up without getting busted. It was a long waiting game since he was about 60 yards away but in such thick timber we couldn’t hardly advance and no one could see his body just parts of his horns. Austin tried moving to an opening where he thought the elk might show himself but in seconds the bull busted and was gone.

We were all feeling pretty lucky to have our first call in where a bull came to us! However, the feelings of defeat and questioning every movement started to happen. Archery hunting elk is tough and we’re playing on their turf. Everything has to go just perfect!

After a little lunch and nap time we decided to keep on our way and hope to find another elk that wanted to talk. After hours of working the timber we made it to the bottom and walked along the creek. We found a nice spring and set up camp. Since we still had some daylight we decided to cross the creek again and hunt the other side of the timber and get over to where we found the elk the day prior. Nothing but another hunter at the top of the ridge. We got down to the bank near the creek and sat down to watch as the sun was setting. As I was surveying the meadows and any open areas I noticed a bull moose!

As I was pointing it out to Austin and Luke another one appeared. They were fun to watch since we weren’t seeing or hearing any elk. After a while we started towards camp and found another spot to listen into another canyon. We probably had about 20 minutes of light left and hadn’t heard anything so austin let’s out a bugle. We got a response!! The bull was just above camp and to the south. We all started running across the creek and through an open field to make it to the timber. He kept chuckling at us and we thought there were two bulls. However, it got too dark before they showed themselves and we never got a shot.

Water filter: Sawyer mini water filter

Bugle Tube: Born and Raised "The Bomb" bugle tube

Packs: EXO mountain gear K3 4800

We all hiked a 100 yards to camp and made dinner in the dark. I couldn’t fall asleep, I just couldn’t get comfortable. There was a creek 30 yards from us and all I could hear was the creek. I rolled over hoping I would get comfortable and I heard a bugle. At first, I thought I was imagining it but I woke Austin up and moments later another bugle, and another and another. It went on for almost an hour. I could imagine this elk in the middle of the meadow calling, it was surreal. After that I had a hard time sleeping between seeing the moose and knowing bears could be around I just couldn’t help but trying to listen for creatures over the creek.

Day 7

We woke up to frost all over and frozen water. The temperature was dropping. We got dressed in all the warm layers we brought and made some coffee while we waited in anticipation to hear the bugles again and start in their direction. The sun rose and no bugles to be heard. After the show I heard last night I couldn’t believe it. We walked up and down the meadow making location bugles but no replies. Then we started for a north slope we hadn’t been on yet. No elk and no sign.

As we were making our way over another ridge through ridiculous amounts of dead fall we heard something spook below us but never could get eyes on it. Austin let’s out a bugle hoping it was just cows and we got a response! It sounded like one ridge over. We started making our way over and he was only giving us a grunt every so often. Once we pinpointed his location we noticed it was the same spot we found the beds and where we met the bull yesterday! Continuing our way there we could start smelling him. Luke went out ahead and we called behind him. He said he saw his horns through an opening but never his body. We tried going above him and around the ridge and Austin bugled and he was directly below us! Of course with this timber we couldn’t see him but estimated he was about 60 yards below. We heard him walking so Austin moved forward and drew back but never had a shot. We figured we would sit and wait and see if we could get him to reply again. While sitting there we start hearing a bugle uphill. Next we hear another from down below. They went at each other for about twenty minutes but then started bugling away. If only I knew what they were saying to each other. After about an hour we called again and no reply so we figured we would let it rest. After hiking the rest of the way we saw a small spring, a wallow, rubs and elk sign on the way out. We made it back to the truck and back to base camp.

It was about 4:30 p.m. when we got back to camp and we decided to eat an early dinner and then do an evening hunt and listen to a spot we saw elk but had left for a few days to see if they would start replying. I opted to stay back at camp for the evening and the boys hiked down to set up their spike camp and start an evening hunt while listening for bugles. I stayed back at camp to get some rest and meet them at 6:00 a.m. with camp on my back ready to hunt the other side of the creek.

Day 8

I started with an early alarm so I could eat a hot breakfast with coffee and then hike to where the boys were spiked out at. I made it there quickly and actually woke them up! We listened to bugles all around and packed camp quickly so we could start chasing them. We got to the bottom of the drainage so we could hunt up with the thermals and as we were hiking towards the bugles I spotted a bull elk broadside across the creek. The bull was half way up the mountain and working his way up towards where our camp was. We heard more bugles so we knew he wasn’t the only bull and we all joked about If we had just stayed at camp…

We kept on our way bugling back and forth but couldn’t catch up to the herd. The bull must have had cows he was taking to a bedding area. At one point we saw a spike but he kept on his way. After we hiked all the way to the ridge on the other side we thought we heard a faint bugle. We had to chase it. This had us on an adventure. From one ridge to the next we kept hiking. Finally, we got to the back of this mountain top and glassed even further back and spotted 10 cows feeding in an opening. Next, we heard a bugle frenzy, at least 5 different bulls firing off one after the next coming from the timber next to the cows. Despite our better judgment we decided to head for them knowing that we were now multiple ridges and miles away from base camp if we harvested a bull.

We got to the other side and worked our way towards the bulls still sounding off the best we could with the wind swirling.

A storm was coming our way causing a lot of changes in the wind which made our set up’s even harder. We got towards the top and felt like we were in the middle of them but just far enough we couldn’t see any of them. We attempted to call a few times but in minutes they were all gone and silence filled the woods.

When there were no elk around I got to make everyone laugh with my failed attempts to bugle. Next year it's my goal to be able to do this!

We sat down and had a snack in disbelief of what just happened. Should we have been even more aggressive? Did the wind switch? Did a hot cow move away? So many possibilities changed the outcome.

Austin loves messing with me when I try to sneak in a little cat nap.

With the storm rolling in we decided we should slowly hunt our way one ridge closer to camp since none of us packed rain gear. As we made our way we saw a couple spikes and cow elk feeding up a drainage but neither of the boys wanted to pursue them. As we were approaching our camp area for the night I spotted another spike feeding about 80 yards away. We had a stare off for a while and then he walked away.

Finally, almost 9 miles later we found a spot for camp. With the rain coming down we quickly pitched our tents and made some dinner. As we were eating our dinners we started hearing bugles from the bottom in multiple directions.

Day 9

We woke up with very light rain and bulls bugling so we packed up camp and headed towards the bugles to try to get below them due to the thermals. As we made our way we kept hearing him but it was getting more and more faint. Finally, we got to where we had anticipated him that morning and heard nothing. Confused on where to go next we decided to head up a ridge figuring he would be on one of the sides of it. As we got up there we heard another faint bugle. This has seemed to be our theme. Chasing bugles for miles and miles. The rain started coming down harder and so we all opted to sit under a tree, eat some breakfast, and come up with our hunt plan hoping the rain would slow down. The rain didn’t seem to stop and we knew we had a long ways back to camp. We decided to hunt the ridge and head towards camp. We didn’t end up hearing any more elk or even seeing any but did pass through great bedding areas.

Once we made it to camp we all changed out of our wet clothes and thought how dumb that we left our rain gear at base camp. Then, we ate some warm food, reenergized, and watched as the sun came out. We decided to do a short evening hunt and make the most of the day. We dropped below camp and got into some great bedding area with a lot of elk sign. While we waited for Luke, we sat on a log and after a little bit Austin did some calling and let off a bugle. We got an instant response of a chuckle and a small bugle. We realized there were two bulls close by! Luke came running down the hill and Austin pushed him forward and told him we would call behind him hoping they would pass through. We waited a while calling back and forth and eventually we saw Luke run forward and figured we needed to move forward too. As we move forward, we see a raghorn making his way around us below in the thick timber. We meet up with Luke and he had the elk broadside at what he thought was 40 yards and shot but missed just below the elk.

Thinking that they had busted we hung out a little then started cow calling to see if they left or might still be curious. We got another response just a little further. Everyone moved forward and now Austin was going to be the shooter. With Luke and I behind him calling, Austin crept forward as he heard the bull chuckling and bugling. After 20 minutes we hear Austin make cow calls and I thought he shot for sure. As we caught up to him I saw his quiver full and he said they had worked their way up a ridge and he couldn’t get there. We tried repositioning and never got another response so we started up the hill back to camp. As we almost reach the top the elk bugles one last time as the sun was going down. We named them chuckles and his little brother.

Day 10

Today Luke needed to head home so he was going to hunt the morning with us then pack and hit the road. We did a loop that we had done in the first evening of the hunt to see if there were any elk in there still. The entire morning no elk and no bugles.

I could tell Austin was getting a little defeated with tomorrow being his last day and Luke leaving today.

We got back to camp and Austin and I decided to take a drive back to the bull we got into on day 7 and see if he was around of if any other bulls made their way. After hitting that area and not hearing a peep we decided to check out another area that might be a good option for rifle hunting also. We got over there and Austin was able to shoot a grouse, we saw a moose, and some logging equipment.

Once we got back to camp we were both tired and trying not to address that tomorrow was our last day. Despite sore knees and feet, I suggested we bivy camp the last night so we would be closer to the elk in the morning. We packed our packs and headed out.

Day 11

We wake up and hear bugles instantly. Since it was raining we left all our camp gear set up and inside the tent to stay dry and just took our packs with food. We chased this bugle back to the same ridge we had lost the bull on day 9. Knowing it was far we still had to chase it.

We made it back there and he was still going off. The wind was swirly and not consistent and we thought he got our wind since his bugle was so close then he got quiet. The rain was coming down harder and we sat on the hillside coming up with our plan. I talked Austin into finishing up the ridge and hunting it out and around. He looked at me like I was crazy but it was our last day and it looked like a great area that we had not been to yet. We started up the ridge again and as we approached the top we hear the bugle above us. With the fog you couldn’t see far but it sounded just above us. Hoping he was close enough Austin bugled back. I saw the tips of his fronts and his head through a hole in the timber probably 80 yards away but Austin never got to see him. He continued walking in the fog and we never got to see him again.

We now realized he was running the ridges bugling probably looking for cows. After we made it to the top we kept following his faint bugles until we could no longer hear him again. As we kept hiking the ridge as we had planned we came across great bedding areas, fresh sign and a ton of rubs. We attempted some cold calling in some of these areas but no response or silent elk came in. The rain was still coming down hard but we kept on hiking and bugling. We sat down and made a warm meal out of a Peak Refuel and enjoyed it together.

Once our break was over, we continued the hike and eventually got back to a trail that we could hike out on. The rain made the trail very muddy and slippery on the downhill parts. As we slid down and got muddy we still made the most of our last hunt of this Wyoming trip.

We got back to camp and Austin decided that he would rather pack up and get the camper out of the woods. The road we came in on was not very well taken care of and we were warned not to come in on later in the season by some locals that hunt the same area. We did make friends with them and they offered to meet up with us if we make it back for rifle season.

Austin's archery elk hunt was over but his tag is still good for ten days with a rifle in October. Instead of saying good bye for the year we felt okay leaving for now knowing we would be back in a few weeks!