Big Decision

[Swede]

It is still a few days before you leave home to set up elk camp. Hunting season is not far behind. You have scouted two good areas this year and have a tough decision to make. One area has lots of fresh and old sign. Elk live there until they get pushed away. You see elk in this area on a routine basis, including some pretty decent bulls. You have a couple of trail cameras out. The best bulls are nice 5x5s. Getting an elk, even a branched bull, should be doable. You would have a high percentage hunt if this is your choice.
Then there is this other area. There is not much fresh elk sign, but one huge bull, 330 P&Y, shows up at the water hole, where you have placed a trail camera. He comes around about every 9-10 days in the morning or in the evening, then he is gone.
As you consider your decision, you are thinking, if I go where all the elk are, I have a great chance to fill my tag before hunting pressure moves the elk where I won\'t be able to hunt them. On the other hand if I go after them, I have passed on any opportunity at that large bull. The best time to get the big bull will be before he leaves to gather up cows for the rut. With the big bull there will be no alternatives, and no second chances. it is all or nothing.
What will you do?

 

[cnelk]

I like having multiple opportunities. Im going after the 5x5s and cows
Nothing wrong with having antlers around to make knife handles or trade for other stuff.
I like having meat in the freezer.

I buy gear to use. Like bow, arrows, broadheads, pack frames, game bags, knifes and such.
Why would I want to have them for only a low percentage - high class bull?
I got nothing to prove to anyone.

 

[Ol' Arky]

I would go were the elk are, not where one might be ever 9-10 days....

 

[elkmtngear]

I\'m playing the best odds to get in the \"10 percent\" club.

Big bulls are awesome, but with that bull only coming in every 9 to 10 days, if it didn\'t happen within the first day or two, chances are hunting pressure would possibly change his habits. Much luck would be needed!

 

[OldMan]

For me antlers mean nothing. I\'d go where the best chance to get an elk is.

 

[F M]

I\'m playing the best odds to get in the \"10 percent\" club.

Big bulls are awesome, but with that bull only coming in every 9 to 10 days, if it didn\'t happen within the first day or two, chances are hunting pressure would possibly change his habits. Much luck would be needed!

All good replies. I feel the same way.

 

[Swede]

If the big bull is reasonably predictable I will set up for him. I would monitor the water hole with my trail camera. I would check in after 5 or 6 days to see if he arrived unusually early. I would check in daily through day 7. then I would stay in my stand there until we had our quality time together, or I was reasonably certain he would not show.

 

[F M]

How long do you have to hunt Swede. I guess my thinking is driven allot be the amount of time I have to hunt.

 

[Swede]

I only have 30 days to hunt. I have a few more to scout, but our season is short.
I average about 10 days per kill. I may go over that if I pass on any. I would not pass on a branched bull in hopes of shooting the big bull, but if I am still hunting I will set up for him, hoping he stay on schedule for one more turn at the water hole. I have had bulls and cows too that are loners and they have a pattern that is reasonably predictable. I have killed at least two, I remember, that I waited specifically for. I have killed others I knew frequented an area.

 

[iccyman001]

If I am confident with my scouting, then I am going after the big bull first.
You are seeing it on the camera 9-10 days, but who\'s to say he isn\'t 300 yards away from that camera every day he\'s not on camera.

I have 15 days to hunt elk this year. The first week would be in that spot hunting it hard and smart.
If I am not able to capitalize then I am heading to the other spot and moving in deep.
If I have scouted right pre-season and it\'s an area with as many elk that you are saying, then I should be able to make something happen in those final 8 days.


I don\'t hunt antlers and I would kill a spiker right now if I could, but I enjoy challenging myself and I am guessing killing a bull that big is not easy.



Edit: I should say, I have never been a horn hunter, but things have been changing. I am able to put meat in the freezer with does this year, so I can focus on either nice horned animals or old mature animals.

 

[cohunter14]

Lot of good points here, including yours Dan. I hadn\'t thought of it that way until you mentioned it, that the bull could be within a few hundred yards of that area. I think logic tells you that if you have patterned the big bull at 9-10 days, be there for the 8th day and hunt it through the 11th. Chances are, you should see him.

However, even if you are within shooting distance (for you archery guys/gals) that doesn\'t guarantee anything. If I were in this situation, a lot would depend on the amount of time I had to hunt, but I would probably go for the other herd and try to join the 10% club for the year. However, if I had a couple of weeks to hunt, I would be very tempted to hunt the big boy for the first few days, especially if it worked out timing-wise with the 9-10 day pattern. After that, I would LOVE to hunt the other herd. Yes, pressure moves them, but to where? That is something I would want to know, regardless of if I filled my tag on the big boy (if I had, I would go scout it). Knowing that piece could give you your answer for every year after that

That\'s a long answer :lol:

 

[timberland]

You go sit where there is lots of elk and fill your tag. I\'ll go sit where the big one is and let you know if you miss any action. Waiting for your pm. :wave:

 

[Deertick]

Quantity before quality in hunting.

 

[Bullrub]

I\'m just a meat hunter so big bull are not, I\'m going with the better odds.

 

[bowhunter]

I\'m hunting for meat. I would go where there is more chances of not eating tag soup.

 

[OldMan]

Good to see so many meat hunters here. It\'s what hunting is all about for me. The challenge, and fun of the hunt with the meat as a reward for doing a good job.

Just like a blind squirrel can find a nut now and then. I\'ve killed some trophy elk over the years. I didn\'t go after them for the antlers, but the challenge that an older smarter bull can give. In the end it was still a meat hunt, and the antlers were left at the kill for someone has to find.

 

[Ol' Arky]

Since I don\'t get to hunt elk nowadays the main choose I get is between a big ol\' fat greenhead or a young un... I like um both and ain\'t pickey when the fall in the timber... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Of course if a black duck falls in with um he\'ll be my 1st pick...

 

[OldMan]

Since I don\'t get to hunt elk nowadays the main choose I get is between a big ol\' fat greenhead or a young un... I like um both and ain\'t pickey when the fall in the timber... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Of course if a black duck falls in with um he\'ll be my 1st pick...

Is it true duck taste like coyote?


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[Ol' Arky]

Since I don\'t get to hunt elk nowadays the main choose I get is between a big ol\' fat greenhead or a young un... I like um both and ain\'t pickey when the fall in the timber... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Of course if a black duck falls in with um he\'ll be my 1st pick...

Is it true duck taste like coyote?


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Couldn\'t tell ya... Never ate a coyote and don\'t have any desire to... But duck is great if cooked right... Not so good if cooked wrong...

We cook um right.... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

The best is stuffed, bacon wrapped, well marinated duck breast.... Grilled um till the toothpick is a bit burned... It\'ll make ya want slap ya wife.. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Duck make the best dressin\' ya can eat... Just make sure when ya use the duck broth ya throw the rest a the duck away... :upthumb: :upthumb:

I normally save the duck while makin\' dressin\'... My lab really liked it... :haha: :haha: