Elk Advice

[trophyhill]

Let's hear it! What can you tell the rookies or guys struggling to move them in the right direction? I've had lots of great advice since I started. A guy Rod once told me to keep having encounters and learning what works and what doesn't. Kill cows spikes and raghorns. Learn the process. From scouting to packing one out and everything in between. Learn from each failed attempt. But the important thing is to keep having those encounters. You can read all about it, watch videos, listen to DVD's, but until you experience what others are saying, you won't know how to process various encounters at the drop of a dime until you experience it. Only then will you be able to look back and say to yourself, "so that's what he or she meant in that particular encounter".

Another great elk killer told me this, "not all encounters are created equal".

That's where experiencing the encounters for yourself comes into play. You have to experience it to really see what these great elk killers were/are telling you.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Persistence.


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[Dvidos]

Persistence.


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+1

 

[big44a4]

Agreed on the encounters. They happen so fast and you need to be able to process/make decisions fast enough to be successful.


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[trophyhill]

Agreed on the encounters. They happen so fast and you need to be able to process/make decisions fast enough to be successful.


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Most definitely and that's a great point. You cannot let your guard down. If you lose focus because you aren't seeing or hearing anything, you may blow an opportunity that materializes seemingly out of nowhere all of a sudden.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Last night I was moving from one glassing spot to another where I thought I’d have a better shot if s bull came out of the timber at last light.

As I was moving a bull ran behind me. Less than 100 yard. I had half a second to turn, pull off my glove, aim and hit him. It all happened so fast and at the time I wasn’t expecting it.

Always be alert and always be thinking about where one can come from.


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[forestpaper223]

Get good dear, you are on a expensive and addictive hobby. so get good gears, know your limits, bullet placement is the key to taking down all big games.

 

[Dos Perros]

Everyone shares their successes, few share their failures, which makes it tough to compare your experiences with others, so try not to do that. Just keep getting out there and keep challenging yourself. The most important thing you have going for you is what's between your ears. Buy tags and gas before gear.

 

[5MilesBack]

You have to experience it.

This ^^^^^.

And there's nothing like experiencing a big bull blowing slobber in the middle of a big bugle at 10 yards.

 

[406unltd]

Most definitely and that's a great point. You cannot let your guard down. If you lose focus because you aren't seeing or hearing anything, you may blow an opportunity that materializes seemingly out of nowhere all of a sudden.

That’s so true. This year after a yardage estimation mistake on a true giant that moved after I ranged him (pretty long shot) I had an issue with that. Problem was I ripped a bugle off and heard two back. One was on the other side of the narrow drainage and one on my side but 200yd or so away. Deciding to try and pull him in to where I was, I went 40 yds across a bench to assure the wind was ok from where he would approach. I walked 40yd turned around pulled my rangefinder and ranged a tree, turned right to range another spot and there was a bull already right there looking at me not 10ft from where I was just standing and calling from. Lol at this point I didn’t know what to think. He whirled and gave me a half hearted bark then trotted off. Didn’t see a bull after that.. waiting for rifle season now. Hahaha it sucks being a terrible hunter

 

[5MilesBack]

This year one morning I got a response from a deep growler bull maybe 300 yards away. After working my magic I was in a really good position to make it happen. I could hear elk moving in below me in the timber from left to right so that's where my focus was. The wind was blowing from my left to my right and a little down.....so my scent was probably 50 yards in front of where they were at that moment. The cows start funneling out 30 yards directly below me and I'm nocked and ready to draw on the herd bull. But while my attention is on these cows, suddenly I smell a bull. The wind hasn't changed.....so that means he's not behind these cows.......he's ABOVE ME. Dangit man! When I turned around he had already seen me and was already heading off.

So.......don't assume that the bull will always come in down wind (but they usually do). And also don't assume that he will be following his cows on that down wind side. Have no idea how he orchestrated that one........"OK, you cows run off down that timber and keep the same line........I'll sneak in above in the wide open". SMH.

 

[Moondoondude]

Physical fitness is the greatest limitation on humans hunting elk in OTC public lands.

I made 4 trips to areas i wanted to hunt prior to hunting - just to get familiar with the areas, the elk in them, preferred habitat, etc.

I learned on the first trip that elk are big and move fast. They are really big and they move really fast.

I also learned that they live in mountains. The mountains are big and steep. They are really big and really steep.

I concluded right then and there i have to move fast in big mountains. I move really slow in really big mountains.

 

[Deadfall]

Stay out all day. Be patient. During rut, less buggle. More cow call and taking. Get high into benchy bedding ground. Light cow chirping and stop often. Although a bull may not fire immediately, they will hear you coming. Sooner or later you'll become more then he bare and will sound off. Be disciplined in how you call. Lot of tv types buggle and move. What they not saying much about, is that they are walking 15 minutes back to their truck and driving several miles as they drainage jump.

If find find fresh poop and tracks. Look for timber that is benched with water. They'll be bedded just under the top.

Fist starting out. Dont travel far. Couple or 3 miles at most from truck. Learn what gear works for you and what dont.

Keep in mind most folks walk right by drainages that hold elk. Be patient in these drainages and try not too buggle.

 

[jmez]

Elk are not big deer. I came from a whitetail treestand hunting background. Trying to treat them like deer cost me a lot of good opportunities the first couple of years.

If you see elk get moving and get in on them. It is relatively easy to get within 100 yards of elk. The last 50 is the tough part. If you see them, get in there and kill one. You can't just run at them over open ground but with any sort or cover you don't really need to be concerned with sound and movement until you get under 100 yards. Once under 100, wind and movement in that order. I don't worry about sound if I can see em.

 

[corey006]

Stay out all day. Be patient. During rut, less buggle. More cow call and taking. Get high into benchy bedding ground. Light cow chirping and stop often. Although a bull may not fire immediately, they will hear you coming. Sooner or later you'll become more then he bare and will sound off. Be disciplined in how you call. Lot of tv types buggle and move. What they not saying much about, is that they are walking 15 minutes back to their truck and driving several miles as they drainage jump.

If find find fresh poop and tracks. Look for timber that is benched with water. They'll be bedded just under the top.

Fist starting out. Dont travel far. Couple or 3 miles at most from truck. Learn what gear works for you and what dont.

Keep in mind most folks walk right by drainages that hold elk. Be patient in these drainages and try not too buggle.

I disagree with the less bugling.( Threatening bugles that is)...

Spike whistle or immature raghorn bugles are not threathening to a mature bull....in fact I had better luck and more action with bugling (early morning & evening).

I find alot of hunters cow call too loudly and too often.

Mix immature bugling in with estrus cow calls and chirps and steadily increase volume and intensity at times.

I am a firm believer in hyper-estrus calling is a Cow that is being harassed by a Bull she doesn't want to be bred by.....and demands attention from mature Bulls in the area(the trick for the hunter is hoping he allready doesn't have a Hot cow of his own).

Also try to mix in sounds alot of other hunters don't use...water splashing, bust brush, stomping, raking trees, even antler rattling.

Like others said every experience is different.

Never call unless your set up to shoot.

Never call in the middle of a larger opening always call from cover.

Once you start calling stay put unless your by yourself....then you can call and move ahead 75 yards and wait.....or move if you can hear him coming and have to adjust for a shooting position.

Never draw your bow if you can see a Elks eyes....wait till he goes behind. A tree or cover.


Good luck....it's an addiction.