Help: New to hunting for elk

[Oregonbowhiker]

Can use any advice I can get. Never hunted before in my life until the past 2 years. I'm trying to focus on units in Oregon that allow you to hunt for cows or bulls to increase my chances. I've had lots of close calls but usually got busted by lead cow, wind etc. Learning lots as I go but I've never given my all to something and been so unsuccessful. I'm thinking of trying a heads up decoy this year to see if that helps close the deal. Any advice for SW Oregon new elk hunter?

 

[Primitive]

It is hard to not get busted.  Elk are noisy animals.  Even when they are just feeding, they make lots of noise.  Move very slow and quietly when moving through areas that you suspect are holding elk.  If you have great hearing your better off than me.  Even during rifle season on the west side of Oregon you can hear them feeding and moving through the brush.  It is better if they are talking but that isn't always the case.  Best of luck to you.

 

[ghost]

Stay with it, don't give up. I didn't grow up hunting or had any friends that hunted. I had to learn everything on my own. Mostly by trial and error, but I read every book and magazine article I could get my hands on. I would highlight areas of interest or tips I wanted to try. I also kept a logbook with what I did every day of every hunt, and what worked and didn't work. There were mostly what didn't work entry's in the logbook, but I learned from them and by writing it down I would review it often to make sure I didn't make the same mistakes. To be honest with you, after 18 years of hunting I'm still wringing stuff down (mostly about specific areas I hunt) and reviewing them before future hunts.


If you can find someone with experience willing to take you along on their hunt, take them up on it. Even if you are there to watch and don't have your weapon. It will cut years of your learning curve. If you find someone willing to take you out, don't be a camp slouch, if something needs done, do it before somebody else does it or ask you to do it. Be willing to help with anything, even if you are tired. If you don't know how to do something, ask. Offer to cook, do dishes, gather wood or get water, you get the idea. Be an asset to your host, not another problem. Who knows, you may get asked to join their crew in the future. But you'll have to earn the spot. Above all else, the worst thing you can do is tell anyone, and I mean anyone, even a non hunter friend were they took you and what you saw. People work very hard at finding good hunting spots. An "innocent"  comment about a huge rock may be enough to give the spot away to someone who is paying attention. Pictures can also give away a place. Make sure there are no landmarks on the picture, even the outline of a specific mountain can do it. So be very careful when posting on a forum or Facebook. Nothing will get you uninvited quicker than giving the spot away.




If you don't get any takers on taking you out, don't worry, it's not you. Many people have been burned or have heard stories about people being burned and are skeptical of new comers. Keep hammering on your own till then.

It may seem like a steep learning curve, but in the end, it is all worth it x 100, and when success comes, and it will come, it will be that much more rewarding. Guarantee it..............

 

[billg]

What the devil is a "Bowhiker"--Bill

 

[Oregonbowhiker]

Its what my buddy decided I've been doing for the past 2 years...... instead of bow hunting I've been bowhiking Lots of miles but not much shooting elk.

 

[billg]

That has a ring of familiarity about it--Bill

 

[Bullhunter]

Same here but just gotta stick with it and your luck will change.

 

[jenbickel]

I've gone with people and elk hunted but have mainly gone alone. I've learned a lot through trial and error. I read everything I can find on elk and elk hunting. I pay attention to their tracks and watch them in the summer to start trying to "pattern" them so to speak. Elk hunting, like any hunting can be extremely frustrating but if you don't give up and work through all the frustrations and everything, it is beyond rewarding!

 

[Jeff Melville]

Getting as far back as you can in the Eagle Cap range will help your chances.  The fewer hunters there are, the better your odds.

 

[Fullabull]

I found the most important thing when learning to elk hunt was to realize I was not hunting deer and stop using deer tactics when hunting elk. Elk are large social animals that make a lot of noise and talk a lot to each other. The second most important was to learn how to use as many elk calls as possible to make sure I not only could make elk sounds but to make sounds that actually sound like elk being social. Just making sounds can find elk for you but learning how to respond once you have found them is key to getting close or bringing them closer to you!


There is nothing like having elk respond back to you because they think they are talking to other elk. Every time you have a chance to observe and listen to them in their natural environment pay attention to the sounds they make back and forth, it's a great lesson!