How's Your Short Game?
Elk
Just like golf hunting elk has its short game, it's that last 100 yards or closer that can be the most difficult to conquer especially for us Runners & Gunners! Whether we need to stalk in silently when conditions are acceptable or we need to setup & call to draw a specific elk our way, both can have their challenges.
We need to consider the wind, is there adequate cover for a stalk, are there other elk around, should we call, should I not call? (grin)
For me that last 100 yards is all about being Patient! Problem is I want elk to be on my time frame of patience, it seems there's differs from mine! (grin) Whether I decide to move in silently or call I could use more patience here & allow things to develop! How about you, what's your nemesis for those last 100 yards?
ElkNut1
My nemesis, sometimes, is to error on too much caution from being spotted.
There are times when you just have to go for it and forget the last three days of walking up and down mountains just to find them.
I grew up whitetail hunting and tend to be too cautious.
Wind shifts
Elk silently sneaking in on me
Bulls that almost take the bait, and then decide they'd rather run their cows over the ridge
Close calls without getting a good shooting lane in thicker cover
Bulls that have themselves in an "unapproachable" location
Elk herds "outpacing" me in serious terrain
And every now and again, it all comes together ;)
Best of Luck, Jeff
In short...not great! Elk have been my nemesis animal and it all comes down to that last bit. My failures have caused me to probably err on the side of caution and it would serve me well to be a bit more aggressive. But, on the flipside, I've blown elk out of the country in just about every way imaginable. I'm 0 for 5 chasing elk with my bow and it's that last 100 yards that's been the killer for me. I will say I've also been a bit selective and have passed on some smaller bulls and cows waiting for something bigger but all I've ever come home with was tag soup.
Good analogy Paul. I agree, I can usually hit a pretty nice drive off the tee box and find the elk but not so easy to put it close to the pin and sink a 1 or even 2 putt for that matter. I tend to err on the side of caution a little too much sometimes. I'm learning to read the situation with a little more haste then make a decision based on the MANY variables associated with "closing the deal." There is a time to be agressive but there are definitely times to stay put and be quiet. It's all a hands on learning experience.
No doubt those last hundred yards can effect us all for the very reasons several of you mention. It's all worth it though when it all comes together! (grin)
Lung$hot, right on, time for aggression & time to be subtle, it's knowing when each is needed! (grin) In the years of talking with other hunters when push comes to shove most settle on the subtle approach & hope things work out, unfortunately so many times it doesn't! Heh, a guy has to try though! (grin)
ElkNut1
To be honest my short game and failing eyesight had almost everything to do with my becoming a tree stand hunter. I think after studying Elknut's books and DVDs, I am significantly better, but I have become really comfortable in a good stand. I have much better sight now after eye surgery, but the tree stand definitely has improved my success.
When I first started Elk hunting I would lock up at the first sound or sight of brown hoping for a miracle. Since then I've learned that when the opportunity presents itself, I'm on it like flies on you know what, moving slowly in their direction unless the wind is straight at them (then I adjust). What's the saying, 90% of all short puts never end up in the cup, I say never be short, even if you put off the green.
I don't worry about, I just walk up on them - some call it dumb luck. Most elk I've shot seem to be in a serendipitous situation with no real plan.
The past few years, its just taken a few mews and the elk have come running into my lap.
But, I hunt thick stuff and sometimes they run right by me too :)
90% of the time I'm pretty aggressive. The 10% I'm not is usually the result of two things...either I know I'm in a good setup so I'll just let things play out, or I feel I've pushed the envelope about as far as I dare push it.
Of course, there are those time that regardless of what I do, I'll end up wishing I'd done the exact opposite!
If it's blown it's almost always the wind. Even getting busted by a cow you can cover for at times. You can get away with a great deal WRT noise and movement in close as compared with other animals I hunt.... zero tolerance for wind....
Mountain wind has saved a good many elk. They really do know the benches and ridge tops where it swirls the most. They have the game down pretty well actually....
True. swirling wind is a lurking nemesis. I can't do much about that. If it was easy to hunt elk we would be hunting something else.
If I'm within a hundred yards of a bull I want to kill he's dead, and I will never make sound getting to 40...
I agree with slipping in silently when terrain cooperates where the encounter takes place with the elk! That part is huge in many areas. When hunting areas as in this photo you can slip in silent with good wind & generally work your way into bowrange, notice not much debris or noisy branches or brush to contend with. This is a perfect stalking area with cover & quiet walking!
We love areas as this but few like this are around much of our zone as shown in the next photo!
ElkNut1
Now in this photo take notice of the surroundings. It's nearly impossible to slip in on any elk here without calling from 150 yards out, 100 yards is not even possible without sending them on their way. This is where ones short game can really come into play! (not all putts are 3'long--grin) In this type of elk terrain you have to decide if calling them to you is best or is it best to call your way to them to get to bowrange?
Slipping in unnoticed is out of the equation here! For me & what helps to come to a game plan is the mood of the bull, is a cow in heat, is the bull only sounding off with lazy bugles, did he respond to us, does he like the cow calls, does he only respond to a bugle. Bulls come in all shapes & sizes with varying personalities. I try to do my best to Read that bull on his own merits & work him accordingly when in this situation with very noisy terrain to deal with.
8 out of 10 times I try to bring the bull to me whether by aggressive action or by playing on his curiosity if he's not being aggressive himself. In other words I Read The Situation & apply from many years of experience of being in like encounters what may be my best odds of getting an arrow into him. The more times I can get an elk come to me instead of me going to him in this type terrain my odds soar. I want him on his feet coming to me over me going to him & giving him the luxury of possibly seeing my approach as I stumble his way! (grin)
ElkNut1
