the elk are still up higher still

Best of luck to you.  We'll be hoping for a successful report and photos!

I still think up in that area that the elk with be a little higher than 6500'.  I hunted there second season and we got alot of snow and the elk were still very much in the area.  Just a matter of finding where they have moved to and getting in on them.  Good luck and hoping for some sucess pics.  There is also some areas up there that are a little lower in elevation if that is what you are looking for.

SLVR: The stars just aligned and I'll be heading up there Thursday. Check your profile... I sent you a PM.

I would start up high and if have to work your way lower. I think its easier that way. But you have to let your gut and eyes tell you what to do. If its the first big snow they will still be up there. The colder it is the more they will be on there feet. I would do a lot of glassing in mornings and take your hikes mid day. good luck.

Here  some pictures for you guys to mounch on, while you reading the story:

http://picasaweb.google.com/orodionov/ElkHunt

I was planning to leave home early on Tuesday, 16th, to get myself situated for the opening day Wednesday.    About 40 minutes into the drive... I got a call where I had to respond to  emergency in my family!  I had to turn around and come back, hoping that next day things get resolved.   

Next morning, 17th, I was able to leave and drive to gmu4.   As you guys recommended,  I decided to try higher elevation national forest.   Around 2pm, I started the drive up to national forest.  Snow was getting deeper. One mile before the forest boundary my truck bottomed out  and was barely moving forward with four chains on every corner.    It was a bummer, all the good camp sites I scouted before were up higher.  My hunting area has two national forest access roads, so I decided to try the second, more popular access, the next day.    For now,  I had to turn around and go to public lands below and camp there in the open.

Morning 18th I spend walking around public lands near camp site, all around 6500'.  No luck.  No signs.  In the afternoon I went up the second, more popular access to national forest.  This time I was able to get past the forest boundary.  I got out of the truck and went for the walk.  Snow was fluffy and waist deep.  Even with snow shoes, I was sinking up to my knees with every step.  I got spent after an hour and had to turn around, thinking that if I can't work around in this stuff neigher can most of the elk!  That was it for the national forest and my concentration moved to state lands down below, where unfortunately, I didn't do as much scouting as up high.

On friday morning I got early,  walked to the nice vista on top of the bowl with great view that scouted the day before.   With sunrise I saw bunch of deer, but no elk.  I started walking up the foothills later in the morning.  I noticed two other hunting  parties.  One party half a mile to my left and another half a mile to my right.  As I was walking further and higher, it seemed like both parties where left behind.  I got up the highest hill in the area and walk around its flat top, spooking off deer everywhere!

As I exhausted the flat top of the mountain, I started going down to the left side of the hill.  The valley on the left borders another hill which is the boundary of the private land.  As soon as the view of the valley below opened up, I saw  large herd of at least 10 elk running down the opposite hill of the private land into the public valley below!  I kneeled while  the herd quiet down in the valley.  I figured I got some time, so I took out my range finder and got 152' to the cow I selected.  Perfect!  Almost immediately with me pulling the trigger I heard another shot to my left!!  5 seconds later herd started to run away and only one cow dropped!

As I started going down the hill I  noticed the other party of 3 hunters to my left.  The same group I saw earlier in the day.  I got down to the animal at the same time as the other goup... and pissing context begun.  Who shot this elk? The other hunter who pulled the trigger was lady and she was claiming that she shot the elk and she was shooting only 40 yards away, so she could not miss, but neigher could I.  After few minutes of talking, the older member of that party said the most obvious thing.... lets see if the bullet still in the animal!  Luckely it was!  And it was my 7mm remmington mag!  See the picture of extracted bullet in the gallery

Great story and pics, slvr00gt! Congrats on taking a cow elk! Thanks for sharing!

Yea, it's a good thing the bullet was still inside the elk and that she didn't shoot a 7mm caliber gun. :lol: That would have been a site to see. What would have determined the correct outcme?

Now camping in a ditch, that's a first for me. I've never seen or thought about camping in a ditch to get out of the wind, but we have plenty of trees around here to protect us from the wind. I will keep that in mind next time i'm camping out  in the open.

Glad you had a safe and successful hunt. How many points to get a cow tag for that season?

That is some great stuff right there!!! ...I was hunting last week right next door too ... Thanks for sharing!!