Hit Mega Millions Yesterday, Now What?
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: scott7030
25-Jun-19
Now that I have your attention. I did hit the Lotto, but in the elk hunting world. I drew a bull elk tag for my home state of Michigan. I am pumped. I have booked a guide and I think we are both on the same page. I want to try and be one of the few to kill a bull elk in Michigan with a bow, not sure how many have been successful. So my journey begins. I have never hunted elk. I have a few questions on what you guys would recommend for a straight flying fixed bladed broad-head. I currently use expendables, but only hunt whitetail deer. What would you guys recommend for a shooting regiment to get ready? my hunt starts the last week of August. the season is 12 days long spread out through September. I will also be working out, mainly on walking long distances. I will try to chronological depict my journey as I get ready.
From: WI Shedhead
25-Jun-19
Congrats on the tag!!!! Your workouts should be leg and cardio related 75%. Get on a 50# weighted pack regimen, stair climbers with a steep incline, bike, Etc. lots of great broadheads you just have to try them out. Lots of fans on this sight of g5 strikers, slick trick, magnus iron will. Good luck!!!!!
From: WV Mountaineer
25-Jun-19
Use what you use for deer. Practice sessions are different for individuals. Only you know what makes you better.
Good luck man. But, don’t over think it. They live and breath like everything else. So, the principles of killing one are the same. Good shot placement with a tuned arrow will kill them
From: BIG BEAR
25-Jun-19
This is a flatland hunt..... no need to get it mountain shape. Congrats on the tag !!! I struck out as usual. How much is the guide costing you ?
From: Scar Finga
25-Jun-19
Congratulations!!! That is very cool!
I live the Magnus Stinger Buzzcut 125gr, but like said above, don't over think it!
Good luck on your hunt!!!
From: altitude sick
25-Jun-19
Scott, Congrats on the tag. Elk hunting in Michigan is not the cardio event it is in the mountains. Being able To walk rolling hills for a couple hours should work. Most guides have access to hunting locations with vehicle access. I have max MI elk points myself. I burned my 15 bear points this year in a 5 point unit to hunt with a friend. I’ll PM you with my tips.
From: TrapperKayak
25-Jun-19
WI shedhead is on with the workout - carry packs with weights up and down hills. Flatland or not, you will be glad you did. I'd go with a Zwickey Delta two blade personally. Good fun ahead!
From: Rgiesey
25-Jun-19
Congrats on the tag! Is the season 12 consecutive days near the beginning of September? Used to hunt in pigeon river country in the 70s just to be around the elk. Good luck!
From: midwest
25-Jun-19
Congrats on the tag and hope you kill a slammer with your bow!
From: bigeasygator
25-Jun-19
A few things come to mind from my perspective, some of which has already been covered and all of which are things I've learned from other people.
Michigan is not Colorado, so like others have said it's not the cardio game a high-altitude mountain hunt is. You should definitely match the hunt to your training. Like others have said, get out and walk with a pack on for hours at a time (which is exactly what it sounds like you're planning to do). That'll be what you likely need to do during the hunt.
Shooting wise, two things I try to do to get ready for a hunt. I practice at distances further than I ever intend to shoot game. It makes the shorter shots easier IMO and if you ever need to take a follow-up shot at a longer distance you'll know you've done it. Secondly, practice with your broadheads. When it gets closer to your hunt, that would be pretty much all I'd practice with.
From: JL
25-Jun-19
Congrats...you did hit the lotto. I struck out again and banked another bear point. Quite a few years ago there was a guy who did indeed get a very large elk with a bow. The story was in the newspaper....maybe the Michigan Woods and Water too. I'm thinking if you went the guide route, it may be an easier hunt with respect to finding elk. There is a fella that posts on the Michigan Sportsman website and would talk about his guide trips. I believe he said he already had the farms areas picked out where the elk were currently hanging out. The DNR may already have the areas identified too. They may tell you during the brief. Good luck.....
From: elkmtngear
25-Jun-19
Don't re-invent the wheel...use whatever head gets the job done for you. Get on You Tube, and learn some calling techniques...terrain should be cake in September compared to the Rockies. Depending on the amount of cover...you could be shooting at much closer range than you think. Most of my elk have been shot at 25 yards or less.
Congrats on a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime tag!
From: Franklin
25-Jun-19
Very cool....make sure to take some great hero shots, like JL said you will get some write ups and publicity.
From: Paul@thefort
25-Jun-19
Follow you guide's advise. Is he a bow hunter or has he every guided a bow hunter for elk? Late Aug and early Sept in the upper half of Michigan= hot . Will you have a chance to scout prior to your hunt? I remember when the elk were transplanted in the upper/ lower Mich.. You just drew a Mega Lottery tag. good luck. Paul
From: Outdoorsdude
25-Jun-19
Lottery indeed, congrats!
To answer your question, lot's of good COC heads these days, personally been using Magnus Stinger 125gr for years. I will add, most guys, myself included, use a heavier type arrow too.
One thing I see clients struggle with- elk are larger than what you are used to seeing-- but you still have to pick a spot! Check out the placement thread...
From: Rut Nut
25-Jun-19
Congrats! Just curious................................how many ELk tags per year in Michigan?
From: BIG BEAR
25-Jun-19
200. Of which 60 are good for a bull.
From: badguybuster
25-Jun-19
Consider me happy for you but super jealous!!!
From: Treeline
25-Jun-19
Nice! Elk hunting in the flat country! Had to do some research and was shocked at how big some of those bulls are coming out of that country! Congratulations on the tag and good luck! Fabulous experience for you for sure!
From: Rut Nut
25-Jun-19
Thanks Big Bear!
From: BIG BEAR
25-Jun-19
Yessir...... Scott’s tag is actually good for a bull or a cow...... but with that coveted tag,,, I’d hold out for a bull unless it was the last day of my hunt.....
Congrats Scott !!!
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
25-Jun-19
Very cool...
From: Bigiron
25-Jun-19
I agree with Bigeasygator, I'm still collecting points in Michigan. Shoot your Broadheads, personally I like the Magnus Stainless steel snuffer. They work well on Elk. I hunt Colorado and my outfitter does not allow Mechanicals at all. The shoulder scapula is much larger and heavier than Deer. Mechanicals disappointed a hunt of a lifetime for some guys along with marginal shot placement. Good luck , and have fun.
From: DEMO-Bowhunter
25-Jun-19
YOU DREW MY TAG!! ;)
Now, don't over think it. Be ready to hike as needed and shoot a solid 3 or 4 fixed blade. Who did you hire as a guide?
From: Sarge
25-Jun-19
Late August and early September means that the bulls will not be in full rut. Do not try and using a large heavy bull horn on them. Learn to use a cow call and a soft young bull snort. Do not try and intimidate bulls with a fight challenge, etc. They will shut down as they do not yet have a herd of cows to protect. Mew softly and bulls will move in to see what, or who, is talking to each other. Watch your back. Bulls will circle a cow call to see what they can find.
From: orionsbrother
25-Jun-19
Congrats on that tag. You may want to pick up a regular lottery ticket too.
From: t-roy
26-Jun-19
Good luck on your hunt!
From: 320 bull
26-Jun-19
I have been a big fan of 3 blade heads on elk. Been using the VPA 150 and they fly great for me. Not knowing what your current setup is I can't recomend using it but if you get your arrow weight upwards of 500 ish grains you will be good to go. I am curios to know how the elk here in MI behave when hunting them. It was mentioned about your guide being an archery guide vs just a guide. Big difference if you want to call elk into bow range. Make sure he has experience hunting the way you want to hunt. I will also say that any elk is a great elk but if it was my tag I would hold out for a monster.
From: Muddyboots
26-Jun-19
Suggest you favor a fairly heavy shaft over a light one. And a mechanical blade over an expandable. Sounds like a great hunt.
From: Southern draw
26-Jun-19
Congrats and good luck.
From: Boris
27-Jun-19
Here in Penna. we have 172 permits and over 20000 apply for those permits. I know of people that have been applying since they opened elk hunting in Penna. They have not drawn a permit.
From: Boris
27-Jun-19
OOPS, my bad. There are 142 permits, not 172.
From: scott7030
28-Jun-19
Thanks for all of the good advice. I understand that the terrain is nothing compared to out west, but I don't want to be limited by my fitness level. I was also warned that my guide likes to put on the miles. As far as broadheads, I would just feel more comfortable shooting a fixed blade, even though I know what I typically shoot would work.
From: scott7030
28-Jun-19
As far as my guide goes, He has guided bow hunters before. I believe must end up shooting with a gun, just because you only get to do this once. The last guy that he guided with a bow did not get any opportunities in the first week so he switched to a gun for the second week and shot a bull at 40 yards. I like a good challenge and will try to keep the pressure on myself to stick to archery, but there is a lot of outside factors that come into play for my weapon choice. Drawing results show that around 37,00 people applied for the 200 available tags. I have been applying for 12 years
From: TreeWalker
28-Jun-19
Replying to the question almost asked. Winning the lottery would not dramatically change anything for me. Would complicate things if a large pay out since you basically have to disappear in order to not be harassed and begged for money from anyone and everyone that will try to track you down for a handout. The grandkids would benefit from a larger trust for education. I suppose I would travel a bit more and on longer flights ride up front rather than midplane. I might turkey hunt more but would still rely on drawing big game tags as have the past almost 3 decades. The hassle would be real, though.
From: longbeard
28-Jun-19
It’s funny that the broad head question always comes up on hunts like these. Don’t over think it and yes hunt with what your comfortable with. I don’t know what your rig set up is like but ironically as I’m typing this I just watched Tiffanie L shoot two monster elk bullls with her bow. She shot them both with Rage and I’m sure your pulling more weight than she is. Good luck Scott
From: T.O
28-Jun-19
Scott, congratulations on the bull tag, I was luck this year and drew a cow tag for the same hunt as yours, the guide i hired thinks the Augest hunt will be hard if the weather is hot, I was luck enought to draw a bull tag back in 1998 and hunted in September and it was in the eightets and I was very few elk and shot my bull with a gun.
Good luck T.O
From: BIG BEAR
29-Jun-19
T.O. If I’m not mistaken...... 10 years from now you are eligible to get back in the drawing after drawing the cow tag. As you know.... your bull tag didn’t count against you because you drew it before the state came out with the weighted Lottery system..........
So,,,,,,,,, In 10 years..... you could be the first guy in Michigan to draw 3 Michigan elk tags ....:-)
As it is...... you are one of a VERY select group of guys that have drawn 2. Congrats !!! (From a jealous guy that will probably never draw one).
From: T.O
29-Jun-19
Thanks big bear I still cant beleve I drew a second elk tag for michihgan am very blessed.
T.O
From: BoggsBowhunts
29-Nov-22
Any updates on the tag holders? If a thread came out after this hunt I must've missed it
From: SteveB
30-Nov-22
TTT
From: DL
23-Dec-22
Find the best group of attorneys and declare war on anti hunting organizations. Ain’t got much longer to be here but they would wish they never created their org.
