If you didn\'t get an elk last year...

[Lark Bunting]

Can you explain why?

New area? Elk were not where you thought they\'d be? New to elk hunting and didn\'t really know what you were doing?

What have you done differently this year to be better prepared?

 

[cohunter14]

I wasn\'t successful last year and I would think it was for a number of reasons:

1) Hunting a new area. Although we had it pretty well figured out ahead of time, only time spent hunting the area will truely get you the knowledge you need.
2) This seems to be a common theme for me, but I had the wrong tag. I had a cow tag and had a big bull at 30 yards (with my rifle). Go figure...
3) The weather was a factor for us. We hunted 1st rifle last year and the Thursday before the opener a big storm rolled through. Everyone predicted a huge dumping of snow, and although it happened for some of the surrounding areas, we only got a few inches. However, it moved a bunch of the elk down low onto private land. I know not all of the elk moved down, but there were times where you could see over 300 of them grazing down in the flatlands.

What will we do different? Well, for one we might try another new area. Not the smartest thing in the world, but we didn\'t really like how the weather moved a bunch of the elk to an area we couldn\'t hunt. If we don\'t switch areas, we are going to at least try to find some access to some lower, hard to reach areas where we might still be able to get into elk if the weather gets bad. Outside of that, I might try to have both a cow and bull tag in my pocket this year...I\'m tired of #2 above happening!!! :mg:

 

[Deertick]

Short answer: \"I missed\".

Long answer: I don\'t want to pick that scab again ... it\'s nearly healed.

 

[Lark Bunting]

Short answer: \"I missed\".

Long answer: I don\'t want to pick that scab again ... it\'s nearly healed.

COme on, Deertick...it\'s Elk Mentors! Your experiences could potentially help us rookies. :mrgreen:

 

[bowhunter]

Simple.....Hunting where the elk were not.

With all the rain they were not in the usuall spot. I saw GREEN grass on the divide and above tree line. I should have moved up where the elk were.

Of course if I hadn\'t missed the shot on opening day I would have tagged one. :x

 

[OldMan]

Can you explain why?
I broke my back, and didn\'t hunt.


New area? Elk were not where you thought they\'d be? New to elk hunting and didn\'t really know what you were doing?
Nope!


What have you done differently this year to be better prepared?
Don\'t break my back.

 

[Swede]

There were several factors that were involved. I did not have many opportunities. I missed one easy shot. I passed on another. There were not a lot of elk around, especially after the second week of the season. I just seemed to be consistently at the wrong place. I scouted this year for another place to try. It is nearby and should give me more opportunities. At least that is what I am hoping.

 

[flystrait]

Short answer: \"I missed\".

Long answer: I don\'t want to pick that scab again ... it\'s nearly healed.

This x2! I missed the same bull twice.

What I learned is that if you carry/ or have 2 of the exact same releases make sure they are both set exactly the same. I picked up my back-up for the day and did not relize it was set for about a 1/4\" longer and at 20 yards I shot 10\" low. A tough lessoned learned

 

[Deertick]

Short answer: \"I missed\".

Long answer: I don\'t want to pick that scab again ... it\'s nearly healed.

COme on, Deertick...it\'s Elk Mentors! Your experiences could potentially help us rookies. :mrgreen:

1. I\'m no \"mentor\". I\'m a \"sophomore\" at best in this school. My \"mentoring\" has more to do with sharing my failures so that you, too, can either avoid them or recognize them when you do the same thing!

2. Here\'s the deal ... I spent all summer practicing long shots (40 yards mostly, up to 60) and neglected my 20 yard shots because \"40\'s make the 20\'s easy.\" Well, when a young bull (spike, actually, and legal here) walked up broadside on day 3 or 4 at 20 yards, I shot ... and watched the arrow go right over him.

I didn\'t understand how I could\'ve done that. After all, I had practiced at 40 yards most of the summer! I remember the green pin on his chest. But wait! The green one is for 40 yards. Why did I do that?

I talked to one of my friends who used to do a lot of tactical handgun shooting in the military ... his first question was about my practice. I told him what I told you. He just said \"That\'s it. When you are in a pressured situation, you revert to your training, and your training was using that 40 yard pin.\"

It made enough sense that I stopped asking \"Why? ... why? ... why?!\" and have learned to live with it.

So, practice for what you expect to see ... and if you expect the unexpected, practice like that, too.

You\'d think I would\'ve learned, but this year -- so far -- my practice is way down and that needs to change.

 

[Deertick]

Now, that only explains the one, most obvious reason I\'m not eating more elk these days.

I was in elk every day I hunted last year ... and by \"in elk\" I mean 1 to 4 elk within 30 yards. My problem is that, as a lone hunter, it\'s tough to get drawn. This year, I plan to use a Jacuomo-style elk hat, and maybe the slip-system to get around that issue.

Alternatively, I may be able to twist an arm or two to call for me a day or two ... I think that would make a WORLD of difference.

 

[Zpd307]

my failures stemmed from lack of knowledge of elk behavior and setting up properly based on knowing what they will usually do. it has been a long but fruitful 11 months.... I feel like I have a solid game plan this year, no matter what mood the elk are in.

 

[mtnmutt]

1. Lack of perseverance and patience to try ambush rather than cold calling[/*:m:27cxskwf]
2. Only 2 trail cams[/*:m:27cxskwf]
3. Only 2 elk scouting trips (needed to do another trip for mule deer scouting)[/*:m:27cxskwf]
4. Only illegal spikes are in love with me[/*:m:27cxskwf]
5. The rains cut down on my hunting hours. I do not have blood trail tracking experience, therefore, I am not comfortable shooting an animal in the rain if I do not have tracking experience. This was a killer last year. I tried 2 evenings to hunt, but it is not really ethical for me to do this.[/*:m:27cxskwf][/list:27cxskwf]
   Last year was the first time I used trail cams. I set them up where I knew the elk traverse a bench (last year\'s Plan A). Unfortunately, there were more hunter pics than elk. I did not have any more time left in the summer to move them to my Plan B area.
   
   From previous years\' experience, I knew where the elk were in my Plan B area. I just did not have time to scout it last summer.
   
   Due to prepping my house for sale, packing and moving; I am the least prepared for this season than any other year. I have not even scouted yet. My shooting time is way down from previous years. I may pay dearly for this with having a much shorter effective shooting distance.
   
   The game changer will be my ability to have faith in the ambush tactic. If I get to hanging trail cams, that could put me over the top for the first 2 weeks. For the last 2 weeks, the elk are elsewhere after Muzzleloader opening weekend.