harvest methodology - stalk vs stand %

[Billy Goat]

I stand hunt for whitetails, but almost exclusively stalk when elk hunting (mostly for the scenery......). I have been on 7 elk trips and have harvested one. I normally get an opportunity or two on a typical trip. Just don\'t always close the deal..... =/

It would appear that many of you (ie cnelk, swede) stand hunt.

For those of you who have killed more than 5 elk, (trying to limit my sampling to those of you who are frequently successful), how do your numbers break down in terms of elk harvested while walking vs on stand (including just sitting at the base of a tree)?

Response format preferred:

x elk killed on foot
y elk killed on stand

 

[F M]

0 on foot moving.
8 sitting on the ground.

 

[iccyman001]

1 elk from a tree stand.
1 elk from on the ground. (Over water)

 

[Stringunner]

3 shot from stand hunting either in a tree stand or on the ground
2 shot from walking/calling/run and gun

 

[cohunter14]

Shane, I will tell you that I have had far more opportunities on foot then I have personally had in a stand or ground blind as a rifle hunter. However, I will put a caveat on that: if you get to know an area really well and pattern the elk, a stand or ground blind can be phenomenal. That is how I have dictated how I hunt during my season. I used to know an old area really well and would sit in a blind every morning. If the elk were moving through that day, it would be between 8:15 and 8:45 for the most part. You could see elk there at other times, but that was the time to be there. Now that I have moved to a newer area, I will plan on sitting in a few ground blind locations this year, but I plan on covering a lot more ground simply because I don\'t know the area as well yet.

I look at it this way: unless you know the area and the elk very well, the chances of seeing an elk in a given stand or ground blind are pretty slim, especially when compared to deer. This is because the elk herd up so much compared to deer, whereas deer are frequently out on their own. I hope that is somewhat helpful...

 

[Billy Goat]

very helpful, and I agree with your sentiments, Derek. I see more on foot too. we have a few spots where we catch elk in transition.

but I\'d sure like to see more data, too.

 

[Matt Dworak]

If you\'ve got the right stand location, it\'s deadly! Problem is having that \"right\" location with elk (they\'re not deer).
About 30% of my elk have been taken from a tree stand and that\'s typically opening morning. Since I\'m hunting pressured public land spots, all bets are off after the flood gates open. Andy J gave me a hard time about my treestand hunting asking, \" what are you 60 years old!?\" I\'ll admit it\'s about the lamest way to hunt elk... but also extremely effective if you\'re in the right spot and have the paientence it\'s tough to beat.