Your single best piece of advice:
Elk
With elk tags being drawn, I thought it would be a good idea to share (mainly receive!) some advice. If you had to impart one (or more) solid pieces of elk hunting advice, what would it be? The main thing I have learned throughout the years is to get closer to the bull before setting up. I can't tell you how many times I could locate a bull, but only mess it up because I decided to set up 300 or 400 yards away hoping he would close the distance. Usually, The bull would take his cows and get the heck out of there. Also, setting up in an area where the elk weren't. Gotta keep moving when the woods are quiet and no fresh sign is being seen!
Good luck to all this year, and safe travels above all!
Don't take hunting advice from people who don't kill things.
It's much easier to hunt elk than to hunt FOR elk. If you find elk, tread lightly and avoid blowing them into the next county, unless it's your last day of hunting.
Yup! Close the gap. Check your wind always and get in his halo.
Set up so the elk need to look for you, not so they can see you
Shoot them through both lungs.. if they don't fall shoot them again. I've seen plenty of times folks have a follow up shot on an animal and don't take it thinking the first shot was good enough and end up losing that animal.
These are tough animals. If I shoot one at 20 yards and he runs out to 75 yards and pauses... I'm putting another arrow in that animal asap. Don't chase them, but more holes = more blood, more damage and a higher chance of recovery. This is also why I personally advocate practice shooting long distances, maybe not for the first shot but any second shot on a wounded animal.
Spent years tip toeing around the elk. Trying not to blow em out without much to show for it other than alot of time near elk. Started seeing better results the more aggressive I was. Now I literally run to bugles. Sometimes we bump the herd but sometimes we kill bulls now too. Just gotta see them before they see you!
Chasin, you and me both! I would get so nervous that I was going to bump them, that I would set up ridiculously early. I've had dozens of encounters where I stopped moving 200 yards too soon.
chasin, agree that it all depends on the situation, the elk density where you're hunting, and a lot of other factors. What you're describing is definitely not for beginners.
In our case, we used to be super aggressive and killed some but blew up a lot of others. Of the almost 70 my partner and I have killed, probably 60 of them came after hunting the same herd for more than one encounter.
Not just for elk but bowhunting in general.
I keep one arrow in my quiver that I mark my peep site and nocking point location on.
Then checking them is just as easy as laying your arrow along your string.
Forget the wind, just hunt!! ;)
Hunt all day (just another way to say it 400)
Be in your prime hunting area at legal shooting light in the morning and be there when the last shooting light fades in the evening. Take a nap in the woods in the middle of the day and walk out in the dark, but don't miss those magic moments
Now that TBM is gone this will probably be lost on the masses.
Hunt elk like turkeys in the spring and you will get into them and, likely kill them. You might and will bugger a few doing this but, if you want to kill them consistently, you gotts get in there with them. That means covering a lot of ground until you find them. And getting close before you get aggressive with calling once you find them. Just like Wilderness turkeys, they have a range that they will come and investigate if you get in it. If they hear you calling as you close the 1/2 mile getting to them, or you stay outside that close range calling, they pick up and move. Game over because you aren't going to keep up.
Locate them, put the bugle up, get the wind and get in with them. Low key cow chirps, mews and sneaky hunting after that is the rule once you get in among them to help determine exactly where they are and what you need to do. Elk are social animals. You got to be aggressive. You'll be packing before long if you do your part. God Bless
I agree with chasin... Be aggressive. Close the distance. Make something happen, don't wait for it to happen.
Be flexible. If tactic A isn't working, try tactic B, C, and/or D. If location A isn't productive, try location B, C, and/or D. Don't lock yourself into one way to hunt elk, or one place to hunt elk, just because Joe Blow down at the local archery shop says that's what you have to do.
I agree that one of the biggest mistakes new elk hunters make is being too timid. However, I also believe there are times being overly aggressive is a mistake as well. Guess you could say I'm selectively aggressive. If conditions dictate it would be wise not to press the issue, I'll bide my time until conditions are in my favor. Once they are, I'll get in tight and do my best to make something happen.
go hunt. if you put in and didn't draw, go OTC somewhere. but get out there. youll learn lots to use when you finally do pull that dream tag.
Don't bump them out of their bedding area. Hunt them moving between feeding and bedding areas early and late in the day. Learn about the thermals in the area you hunt, use this knowledge and don't let them wind you.
Keep your options open. Unless you know from prior experience in your area don't commit to a pack in camp right from the start. Begin at the truck and work your way up. Don't assume you need to get X number of miles from the vehicle before you can actually hunt. Then, if you do see that there is a place worth the investment of your time and effort... go ahead and pack a camp in if you want.
If not you will be thanking yourself that all you need to do is drop camp & throw it in the truck to relocate.
Keep a positive attitude always think it will happen today. I talk to other hunters and many think...it's too hot, the rut is not happening, there are no elk here. You do not have to see or hear elk to get me excited just seeing prints, droppings, rubs tells me elk are here. Hunt each day with a "today's the day attitude". Also remember the worst day hunting is better that the best day at work.
Maintain a ridged state of flexibility!!!
Every step you take towards a bull is one less he has to take. HUNT
Leave you Hoochy Goochy cow call in the truck.
Make sure you don't forget your Hoochi Momma, Most important call ever!!!!!
Actually the only call you should ever use!!! Plus the more you use it the better it works!!!!!!
Listen to whatever BigDan has to say.
What Mule Power said: If you're not into elk, move!
Never pee on an electric fence (OK so there aren't any electric fences in the backcountry, but it's good outdoors advice all the same!)
Get in the best possible shape you can.Being in better condition equals having better confidence.So you won't be afraid to climb that mountain or go down in that hole.
Since I generally try and sneak within longbow range I have learned that you will often be detected by making some small movement. Experience has proven that if you will simply freeze and not try to duck back down they often will ignore you after a bit.
This is especially true if you just peek over and get caught. They think they have seen something and ducking back down merely proves it.
Get in the best possible shape you can.Being in better condition equals having better confidence.So you won't be afraid to climb that mountain or go down in that hole.
Use a quality fixed blade broadhead. You're gambling otherwise.
Also, Cabelas' leafy camo and full face mask. Invisible be you.
Nothing dies if arrows don't fly. Take the shot. And if you're not a really good shot, better be a really good tracker.
Elk don't die where you can find them if you don't hit them in the right place. Don't take marginal shot just because you waited all year to fling an arrow at an elk.
If your coming from out of state get as much time off as possible. Time in the mountains kills more elk then anything else. Everyone that comes for 5 days wished they had another week to hunt.
+1 Mule Marginal shots don't work on elk! We have seen one lung shot elk run for miles with hardly no blood! Then find them 3 days later in the next county.
I'll add one, Learn the thermals!
Learn to bugle and get inside his comfort zone.
Cover as much ground as you can until you find elk... No point in being slow and stealthy when there's nothing there!
Hike until you find the elk.
Be aggressive
Take a kid hunting. Take your own kids but also take someone else's that has passion but does not have a hunting role model to teach them the ropes. Trust me, you will get more out of it then they will.
From a novice flatlander elk hunter who has managed to some in the freezer:
+100 on the positive attitude. A couple of long elk-less days can get to your head.
"Hunt" over every ridge or rise in terrain.
After 2-3 days of seeing nothing, you're discouraged, so you decide to take your bowsite info and really cover some ground....as soon as you go marching over that next hill all hell breaks loose and you've scattered a herd of bedded elk into the next county. But at least you found them.
My first year in CO OTC an old timer told me, "elk are where u find'em".
Once the wind starts swirling you're done hunting for the day (or at least until it calms down in the evening).
The single best piece of advice I have everreceived was this. "Learn to play below par golf."
Seriously, it was this: "Forget everything you know about whitetail deer hunting when hutning elk."
Bowriter that is SO true. Some of the worst elk clients I ever guided were great deer hunters.
The reason is stated above in Gil_Wy's post. The deer hunters are afraid to snap a twig. They are used to knowing that every square mile contains at least some game. They were too slow and stealthy when there was no reason to be.
Great advice gil_wy.... find them first, then hunt them!
Once you find them do not tell anyone where they are or you will have competition 99% of the time.
LEARN HOW TO CALL and know what they and you are saying to each other. Widow
you cant kill an elk where he isn't.
There can be many who can give advice but the best piece can come from your own instinct-always go with your first thought(instinct) on what to do.
here are a few
-patience -stop tooting on the call every minute -do as the elk do -a cow call works 99% of the time -bugle to locate only -hunt from above, most elk are like turkeys get above them and bring them on in -if you bust a herd don't follow them, circle around them -last but not least practice, practice, practice
How aggressive you get can depend on the pressure in the area. Best case scenario is being able to hunt the same herd for multiple days. That is cool.
Worst case is after locating a bull you have a window measured in hours, minutes sometimes.....
Hunted places where when a bull bugles there are literally hunters descending on that spot from 3 different directions and normally one or two of them the wrong direction.....
IMO there are more DO NOT's than there are DO's......
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Get in the best physical condition you can get in. You'll need it.
"Forget everything you know about whitetail deer hunting when hunting elk." Sure, when it comes to tip toeing around. But WT deer strategies for blinds and treestands can work great for elk.
A thought just occured to me and I wrote an entire newspaper column on this topic some years ago.
The single best piece of advice I can give to anyone who is craving an elk hunt is this. Forget "I can't afford it." Yes you can.
Go to the bank and borrow the money so you can go while you are still young enough to enjoy it. $5-6K over three years won't kill you with payments and you can go in comfort and learn from some good guides and probably have a shot at an elk.
I know so many folks who have always planned to go, then, just as they are able to afford it, health issues get them or something. So go on, borrow the oney, book a quality hunt and go. I promise, you will never regret it.
Look at it this way. How much does it cost you to eat out once a week? Would you rather eat out or go on an elk hunt? That is about what it would cost you to borrow enough to book a good hunt.
I agree with many of the above posts. Be aggressive, persistent and hunt every available minute. A positive attitude is crucial. Every day that you don't shoot an elk brings you closer to the day you do.
''SQUAT'' a lot when hunting timber.
+1 on Ron Niziolek's comment, hunt as much as you can. Put yourself out there in the woods and be persistent. Remember hunting isn't necessarily a means to an end, but 99% is the journey and the experience you have and every experience is different.
If you love what you do, then naturally you'll have a positive attitude. When things get tough or the weather turns and your chips are down just remember that it's all just part of the game, revel in the experience.
Hunt where they are and not where they aren't.
If your lost or turned around and your buddy says (I cant quit you!)
You will know your at the wrong Mountain!!!!
Um... Kelly, cancel my application for the Brokeback Ohio deer lease membership please!
In addition to a lot of other great pieces of advice. OBEY THE WIND!!!!! Everybody knows to do this, very few listen.
This is kind of general bowhunting advice, but extra true with elk. They are big, tough animals. They beat astronomical odds to live to see their first birthday. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Don't take a bad shot because it was "the only shot you had". An arrow in many parts of an elk will kill it, but it takes a hit in a few key spots to find it. You don't want to die from sepsis...don't make an animal die from it because of your impatients. Respect the sport and the game and you will be rewarded. It just might not be every year.
I like cow calls too but I recall asking Larry Jones at a seminar what to do if elk weren't coming in and were quiet. He said "elk don't know the rut isn't on, I bugle as though it is the middle of rut and get them answering." Not an exact quote but you get the gist of it. I have a buddy who totally subscribes to that theory. We have almost always hunted the first two weeks in Colorado on OTC public land. I have seen him call in bulls from two ridges away sounding like the biggest elk in Colorado.
Do what works but don't be afraid to go against the grain.
One small thing that to me is a big one - use a face mask or camo on your face. I know it can be hot and/or messy but it is amazing how a face glows if touched by sun. My buddy above is one who doesn't like a mask or camo on his face but many times I can follow him off in the distance due to his 'moon face.'
Lastly, it isn't about hunting but rather sleeping. I am amazed how many times in videos I see people putting a nice ground cloth under their tent. Sure it keeps the bottom clean but if you get a good downpour you might find out how well it forms a nice swimming pool for you and your sleeping bag. Do yourself a favor and put it inside the tent!
With Elk...They can Hear you and See You and you can get away with it most times...If they SMELL YOU...It's OVER...4finger
By no means am I an expert, but what I have learned from some of my close or successful encounters is to want it more than everyone else. My partner and I are usually the first ones out and the last ones in. There is pretty much no length we won't go to get opportunities! (legally speaking) We hunt in an area with a good amount of elk, but also a good volume of other hunters. Many times we're hunting the very same areas and herds, but with drastically different results. I really believe one of the main keys is hard work and determination.
Also for areas with large herded up groups we like to get locator bugles and then sneak in from there. One of the tricks is patience and not to committing too early. When you do, make it count.
One morning we were doing this and we got 4 shot opps out of the same group! This included my buddy missing a nice bull then killing a 350" bull. Farther up the ridge I was able to pull a nice satellite 6 away from the herd with cow calls as a big herd bull wouldn't let him anywhere near the cows. Shot under his belly at 40. Not a half hour later I intercepted a 350-60" class monster as he made his way up toward the timber, rushed the shot and didn't play the quartering away angle. Got about 2-3" of penetration where the neck and the shoulder meet! Darn!!!!!
That brings up my last point.
My buddy and I are pretty decent shots, meticulous about tuning, and have killed our share of critters. When we started getting into elk hunting though we quickly realized there is a big difference between whacking a deer from a tree stand and looking eye ball to eye ball with a 750 lb beast of a bull. We tended to rush things thinking the opp was going to fall apart at any second, often times not even getting a range! My mind is usually screaming at me saying "Take the shot! The thing is as big as a horse, you can't miss"! Trouble is it always amazes me how easy it is to screw up on an elk in spite of their size. Takes a while to get used to ground level encounters and realize that often you have more time than you think. Elk are not wired as hard as a deer. Take the extra second and risk movement by getting a range, pick your pin, and focus on the angle. Sometimes all the pins can be on the elk. I have screwed up on some nice bulls by not picking a pin.
Hope this helps!
When in camp (or anywhere else for that matter...) NEVER, EVER take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!
Hunt where other people aren't willing to go. You can chase the elk within a mile of camp or the end of the road. You can also kill them if you're lucky enough. But you can have a lot more fun and chase much bigger and more cooperative elk if you're 3-5 miles from the nearest road. Just gotta earn 'em with your back. No substitute for hard work and a good attitude.
I have no advice to give as I have never hunted them. I will revisit this in about 6 or 7 months. :)
Most important, get within 100yds with the wind right. Do this 10 times and you will start killing. Some get lucky early but most will blow em out at least ten times before figuring it out.
Three Things to remember from Triple Three
Wind (Can't fool there nose)
Location (Can't Kill Elk if no Elk There)
Kill em dead (No moving shots, no marginal shots trust me on this) it will sour you hunt experience to lose one of these awesome critters....at least it should!
Check out photo keep it in your mind!
Craig
Bowsite Sponsor
Don't forget to take it all in when on the hunt. Slow down and smell the roses so to speak. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and take lots of pictures to be able to reminisce about the hunt later in your life.
Dwayne, regarding your comment about the tarp in rather than under the tent and the swimming pool effect. I always cut and locate my groundcloth so it is just under the edge of the tent (particularly on the uphill sides). Agree you don't want a downpour directed under the tent, but it isn't too hard to keep that from happening. For longer tent floor life I think it's better to keep that protection on the outside between any pointed objects, sap, dirt, etc. and the floor. Personal preference though.
Control all the factors you can!
Be a great shot. Be in great shape. Learn to call. Pick a good spot.
Exhaust all your resources in pursuit of this last piece of advice. PM every bowsiter who's opinion you respect and one will point you in the right direction or, better yet, give you coordinates on a silver platter. Anyone who follows this advice will have VERY good odds their fist time out.
Stop and eat the raspberries....they are really good, or in other words...take time and enjoy yourself. Sometimes small moments like that will make your hunt.
Oh, hunt the wind.
Oh, don't pick up your d loop from the wrong side of the string...ask me how I know.
Search for "BB" or shot placement threads and become a BB disciple on shot placement.
1. Never but never go into an Elk bedding area 2. When you find Elk, keep it to yourself 3. If you see another Elk hunter, find another place to hunt.
Really great tips here. Could be collected into The Little Red Book of Elk Hunting.
The differing perspectives had me chuckling, thinking about the old bull and young bull joke. Paraphrasing, they're standing on a hill looking down on a herd of elk. The young bull says, "Let's run down there and kill us an elk!" The old bull says, "Let's sneak down there and kill em all."
williamtell - I agree cutting the tarp smaller helps if you are on a pretty good knoll with slope away from the tent on all sides. It is amazing though how much water in a downpour comes off the tent. The water then will flow in every direction that is even slightly downhill.
I still have a four person Timberline tent I purchased in 1973. Although it has some sap in spots it still is like new. Like you said it is somewhat personal preference but my preference is to absolutely sure I stay dry. :)
Excellent tips from some of the best! Exactly what I was hoping for when this thread was started. Jaq, I've heard that same exact quote about the young / old bull, but it wasn't about killing them..... :)
Keven
I heard a similar story about the old bull and the young bull. :)
I scrolled down to the bottom with out reading anyone's post to enter my single best piece of advice without seeing another's comment.
When you call to what you think are elk just out of site or passing in earshot, don't stay put move off to ones side and off of any game trail. If a bull or cow comes in silent you will not be where he heard you call from. I need to re-learn this every couple of years.
Now I can go back and read everyones advice and see who agrees with me.
LaGriz
+1 on the "Never give up." It can seem utterly hopeless one day, and in a matter of hours change totally in your favor. They can travel so far so fast.
Second, wolves didn't eat all the elk.
Third, learn the words, "What have I done." I have never walked up on a dead bull, all that meat on the ground, grizzlies all over, and NOT uttered those words to myself.
Spend more time out in the woods with the elk than on the computer. Bill
get in shape
everything will be better because of it - your hunt, your health etc
location, location, location!!!! Be where the elks are
Thought about this some and came up with follow elk forum on Bowsite...
Gold...solid gold
I'm converting these posts to PDF as they go up and building Jaquomo's 'Little Red Book...' :-)
If you're lucky enough to talk with an old hunter, shut up and listen... You might not learn what to do, but you'll probably learn what not to do.
Dwayne
I realize one of the reasons I don't have much problem with the underside of the tent getting soaked with my ground tarp outside is my tent has really nice wide vestibules. When the water running off the fly is a foot or so away from the sides of the tent the drip bounce or osmosis or water getting under the tent isn't as much a factor.
Definitely do not pitch your tent in a low spot - study the terrain and visualize how the water will gravity flow on the surface. Will it be heading towards (or worse yet, ponding under) your tent? If so, pick another tentsite. Nothing will dampen your enthusiasm quicker than a cold wet night. If your sleeping bag gets wet it is pretty much game over.
Dwayne
I realize one of the reasons I don't have much problem with the underside of the tent getting soaked with my ground tarp outside is my tent has really nice wide vestibules. When the water running off the fly is a foot or so away from the sides of the tent the drip bounce or osmosis or water getting under the tent isn't as much a factor. Definitely do not pitch your tent in a low spot - study the terrain and visualize water gravity flowing on the surface. Will it be heading towards (or worse yet, ponding under) your tent? If so, pick another tentsite. Nothing will dampen your enthusiasm quicker than a cold wet night.
I'm new to BS and don't have the level of experience that most on here have. But I will echo you have more time to make the shot then you think. Even if you slightly spook an elk. If they didn't wind you, they often don't know what you are. They give you the curious one last look within shooting distance.
If you have a good place to hunt, keep it to yourself. Loose lips sink ships.
Lots of really good advice here. I would add learn to identify "elky" spots on a topo map and make your boot time effective, learn to skirt around difficult areas like bogs and blowdowns . Also when your moving stay alert and in "hunting" mode. You never know when it is going to happen. light cow chirps every so often will mask your noise and I cant tell you how many answers I have had over the years doing that while traveling. It usually is from a bull within 200 yards I had no idea was there....Its not a death march its hunting. And for the hundredth time stay positive and in the woods
on second guess I might put socks/boots as #1
with hurting/sore feet, you'll not get much of anywhere in elk country, in shape of up
Study your topos and arials...look for North slopes and benches in the upper 1/3rd of small drainages as well as springs and secluded water sources
Carry extra toilet paper in a Ziploc bag.
Never go anywhere without a full compact survival kit.
If a hunting partner brings a new girlfriend to camp, prepare for drama and be ready to go spike-out if things get rough.
Don't tell your wife where you're camped if your girlfriend might show up. And vice versa.
This is old news but I have several pieces of advice that I hunt by.
First: Action can go from non-existent to epic, literally in a matter of seconds so no matter how slow things have been, the elk of your dreams my be right over the next hill. You had better be ready.
Second: At any given moment, on any given day any unit or area that has elk, has a spot that would make the primos guys shake their heads and say, "Maaaan, that was a goooood spot." If you aren't in that spot, find it.
Finally: 99% of the time elk hunting is REALLY hard work mentally and physically. If you aren't prepared for it you are going to be miserable.
get in shape. ( you ssid one piece of advice!)
play The wind and dont make eye contact ..A stock on a few Elk is not to hard ,a stock on alot is very diffacult because one of them WILL see you,,one bark and its bye bye most of the time Have fun B safe MikeC
one last thing! if you think you hear a train coming through the woods,its not,,,,, and get ready
If the rut is in full swing be aggressive.... always keep the wind in your favor. Early and late season be less aggressive, patient and persistent. Stay positive
Arrow Live game MORE THAN Targets or 3d
drink only high end bourbon so you don't get a hang over ,and dont spend less than 7 bucks on your cigars,,,and hunt like hell when your young after 50 it all goes to hell
