YOUR success rate on elk.

[RockChucker30]

Archery elk success rates run 10-12%. Rifle success often runs 12-25% depending on area.

I'm curious what some guys here run.

I'd love to hear:

- Years hunting
- Elk taken
- Archery, Rifle, ML?
- Public land or private
- OTC or draw?
- Days per year spent hunting

I suspect we'll see some interesting trends out of this if enough hunters chime in. My bet is that 20% of the hunters are taking 80% of the elk.

 

[OFFHNTN]

7 elk hunts in 14 years.
4 elk taken.
2 with gun, 2 with bow.
All public land.
5 OTC, 2 draw.
Average 5 hunting days per elk hunt.

 

[Maverick940]

I'm a hunting guide, so it probably doesn't apply, but about 70-80%. Of course, success depends largely on the client, more than anything. But anyway ....

 

[darcytribe]

Have hunted 3 seasons for elk, around 10 days per season (out of state)
Season 1- Colorado 2nd rifle season: took a bull.
Season 2- Montana archery: tag soup
Season 3- Montana archery: tag soup
This year will be season 4 in Montana archery
All OTC DIY Public

 

[Montanaelk31]

10 years elk hunting
11 elk taken
6 rifle
5 bow
OTC public land
10 days per year spent elk hunting

 

[nmiller08]

- Years hunting
- Elk taken
- Archery, Rifle, ML?
- Public land or private
- OTC or draw?
- Days per year spent hunting

I've always thought it would be interesting to get quasi-formal data on this. Especially the number of days hunted, because it seems like people usually talk about success in binary - did/didn't get an elk in a given year.

10 years hunting
6 elk taken (only one elk in any year, though several years I've had both a bull and separate cow tag. Probably held 13 or 14 tags. Years I've gotten an elk I stop hunting even if I've got a second tag, compromise with the wife)
5 rifle, 1 bow
about half public/private
5 OTC, archery was a draw permit
average maybe 7-10 days per year. Some years more/less. By far the most days spent without shooting an elk were with a bow, probably 40-1. With a rifle it's been maybe about 6 or 7-1 days hunted per elk.

I think your results will be skewed by the fact that people on here taking the time to reply are more "into" hunting. Tons of guys out there who just hunt and dont' try super hard. I also know a few old timers around here who probably never use the internet, hunt 1-5 days per year, and shoot an elk every year.

 

[H2PVon]

I'm new at this.
1 year elk hunting in WY archery, think it was a general tag? No elk.

Would also be interesting to see how many like myself just screwed up. I didn't get an elk but I should have

 

[David Gough]

- three years elk hunting, four years hunting
- one bull taken
- all archery
- public land
- OTC
- 10-12 days per year hunting elk

All hunts were solo and DIY in Idaho. Finally drew a rifle cow tag in the rut and an archery bull tag in my home state (Nevada) this season, so those stats will be going up

 

[ShortMountain91]

Last year was my first attempt. Colorado 1st rifle and ate tag soup

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[RustyHazen]

11 years hunting elk (only hunted mulies my whole life before that)
10 bulls and a 2 cows killed in 10 years
Archery
Public land
OTC
5-7 days/year (couple of LONG seasons, but 3 bulls in 4 days hunting last few years...so, average 5-7)


I agree with poster above. I would guess that most guys on here are long-time dedicated hunters with higher than average success rates, or guys new to elk hunting who use the forum to learn and develop.

 

[Trial153]

What ever percentage you get cut it by...50 or 75%.

 

[Jbehredt]

What ever percentage you get cut it by...50 or 75%.

Obviously, because you don’t count the early years when you were really just scouting and learning the ropes.

 

[cnelk]

A long time elk hunter.
From what I recall since 1999, there have only been 3 years I didnt shoot an elk. A spattering of elk prior to 1999.
Some years I shot 2 elk.
Mostly archery, a few with rifle and a few with ML
All public land except 1 cow elk in WY
Hunt elk as many days as I can each year. Sometimes 30 sometime 10

 

[Deertick]

10 years (some a lot, some very little) ... 3 bulls, 4 or 5 cows.

 

[Superkodiak38]

11 years hunting elk (only hunted mulies my whole life before that)
10 bulls and a 2 cows killed in 10 years
Archery
Public land
OTC
5-7 days/year (couple of LONG seasons, but 3 bulls in 4 days hunting last few years...so, average 5-7)


I agree with poster above. I would guess that most guys on here are long-time dedicated hunters with higher than average success rates, or guys new to elk hunting who use the forum to learn and develop.

Rusty, I would speculate that your success killing elk comes from learning how to hunt that kind of country chasing mulies making the learning curve short when you decided to hunt elk ? Either that or a really big horseshoe ! lol Either way, that's impressive to me.

I think there are guys who can hunt and kill things, guys that get lucky and stumble up on one and kill it and those that just take walks, naps, pictures etc. It's the same with whitetails, there are guys who kill multiple deer every year and those that wonder around and can't understand where the deer are and why they can't kill them.

 

[Superkodiak38]

Oh, and I haven't been yet, I'll have to comeback after September and comment

 

[MOcluck]

2 seasons
OTC Colorado archery, diy backpacking trips
0 harvested
10 days the first year 8 the next. Burned my points going out with a smokepole this year. Hardest Damn Animal the good Lord has blessed me to chase!

 

[rayporter]

9 bulls and a cow in 23 hunts

but that don't show the 10 times I quit hunting to get my buddies kill out

or the three times we were snowed out.

 

[cheesehead4x4]

One season
One Bull
Public draw hunt New Mexico
Archery
7 days hunting

I drew again this year and will be at it for up to the full 14 days if that’s what it takes. And the wife allows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bz_711]

Archery elk success rates run 10-12%. Rifle success often runs 12-25% depending on area.

I'm curious what some guys here run.

I'd love to hear:

- Years hunting
- Elk taken
- Archery, Rifle, ML?
- Public land or private
- OTC or draw?
- Days per year spent hunting

I suspect we'll see some interesting trends out of this if enough hunters chime in. My bet is that 20% of the hunters are taking 80% of the elk.

8 years
3 bulls taken
all archery
all public land
7 years OTC, 1 year draw...all DIY
5 consecutive days/year

1 year I tagged on day 3, next year on day 4, last one on day 5...all other years hunted 5 days...so I've elk hunted a total of 37 days over 8 years = THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH - I NEED MORE TIME IN THE MOUNTAINS!!!