Can the elk gurus talk about when to be aggressive and when to be passive?

[Fullfan]

Not that I make a living killing archery bulls, my school of thought is. We either going to kill him or scare him. We killed 6 bulls last Sept. And had several blown shot opportunity's

 

[cnelk]

I’d say I’m in the 80/20 ratio of being passive/aggressive

I’ve found I can hunt areas longer, and be less tired by hunting 80% passive.

As far as when to be aggressive, I let the elk determine that. It’s not as if I get up in a morning and say “OK - today is the aggressive day”.

Always up to the elk

 

[Wrench]

If an elk shows itself in daylight during gun season....it has a lot to be nervous about. I have a 100% confidence range that stretches farther than their feeling pressured range.

If I see from 1500, I scan the area for my potential 3-600 yard sniping locale and do my level best to get there ASAP. If I am on a rifle I don't need to comb ticks out of his mane to feel accomplished, I need a shooting position and extraction plan.

Spot.
Setup.
Shoot.
Take hero pics that never get placed on the internet.

Repeat next year.

 

[trophyhill]

Great question OP. I think it’s all about reading the encounter and hunting accordingly. You can get away with a lot more than you think with elk. Which puts me right of center on the aggressive side.

Many equate aggressive with challenge type bugles. Not me. I look at aggressive vs passive in the actions ones take. Moving into position for a shot is a form of aggression. Cow calling your way in to a vocal bull is aggressive in your action but a touch passive on the calling. Cold calling could be passive aggressive. Passive in your action but aggressive with your calling.

Stalking, spot n stalk, call n stalk could all be considered very aggressive. Again not necessarily in the calling but your actions. Let’s say you spot a bull 800 yards away and just sit there and call and the bull comes to you and you kill him. Is that passive? The act of releasing an arrow certainly is not passive. Imo there is violence and aggression in just about every killing opportunity. Even if you think you are being passive.

I used to be very passive. I killed cows by being passive. It wasn’t until I took some great advice and started getting aggressive that I started killing bulls. I wouldn’t mistake being patient as being passive either. Sometimes it’s a cat and mouse game and pouncing at the right time can make all the difference. But again, in my opinion, every killing opportunity has a degree of violent aggression associated with the opportunity.

If you lack aggression, you probably aren’t going to be very successful in a OTC heavily pressured unit. The exception would be sitting water or a tree stand or both.

 

[sneaky]

30% of the time whatever you choose will work every time

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[cnelk]

If you lack aggression, you probably aren’t going to be very successful in a OTC heavily pressured unit.

Try me.

 

[BBob]

If you lack aggression, you probably aren’t going to be very successful in a OTC heavily pressured unit. The exception would be sitting water or a tree stand or both.

Ha! While I can be as aggressive as the next guy I would not rule out slinking around quietly and passively in order to kill. BTDT

 

[S.Clancy]

Now, I'm no talk guru, but I've killed quite a few elk. I am basically always aggressive. I figure it this way, if I'm always aggressive I will definitely spook more elk, but it leads to more shot opportunities. Being passive rarely leads to shot opportunities, at least for me. My .02$

 

[trophyhill]

Try me.

There are exceptions to the rule. You are an exception. Or an anomaly. Or a freak of nature or something

 

[Marble]

If an elk shows itself in daylight during gun season....it has a lot to be nervous about. I have a 100% confidence range that stretches farther than their feeling pressured range.

If I see from 1500, I scan the area for my potential 3-600 yard sniping locale and do my level best to get there ASAP. If I am on a rifle I don't need to comb ticks out of his mane to feel accomplished, I need a shooting position and extraction plan.

Spot.
Setup.
Shoot.
Take hero pics that never get placed on the internet.

Repeat next year.

Exactly! That's my comfortable range also.

I just think to myself, make it happen, it's up to you. And.... no regrets. Don't puss out because it was steep, dark, cold or whatever. Just make it happen.

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[Marble]

I hunt Elk in an area where I generally know where traveling elk are headed too. I've been in this area 20 years and have watched their patterns during all different hunting pressure and weather. This is where getting to know an area can make your 15% success rate unit be in the 90% success rate, because of your knowledge of the land and what Elk do on it.

So the 1500 yard or 3 miles...Elk question is a good one.

Like Wrench said above. I wouldn't call it aggressive per se, but it's siezing an opportunity.

Success is when opportunity and preparation meet. As a hunter you have put yourself in the spot where you can have the opportunity.

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