Montana Archery season dropped in quickly last year despite the fact we had decided early in the year to hunt third weekend in lieu of our usual opening weekend.  Just as summer seemed to be upon us, we blinked and we were at 9000ft in search of the elusive Wapiti.

Maybe it was the fact that this year we were hunting with a skeleton crew and thus we had decided to, in the spring, during tag draw time that we would not be setting up our usual camp and opt to rent a cabin from a local outfitter which, cut weeks of prep and packing time out from our usual routine.  Regardless of the reason, something just felt a little rushed or off and so as we hit the mountain for the first time of the year it took us a few days to get in the groove of things.

Besides us feeling off last year we truly believe the elk felt the same way.  All the reports we had from our hunt area from friends who had hunted the two weekends prior were that the elk were on and off with regards to the rut and any type of vocalizing thus making it hard locating a herd and being able to put a stalk together.  Add in to the equation a high number of hunters in an area that typically, does not see a lot of hunting pressure during archery season and, it all equals a tough hunt.

When all was said and done though we logged on average eight miles each day and, we did have some opportunities, neither one of us was able to drop the string on an elk.  The memories however, were endless, and the Brotherhood well, another chapter of wins regardless of the emptiness of the coolers.