You have decided that you will shoot the first mature elk that gives you a shot, you have located a herd,moved in on them and see a couple of cows milling around at 75 yds. You get ready to shoot, give a couple of soft mews, and a big raspy bugle booms out just beyond the cows. At your call one of the cows heads your way and is almost in range. What are you going to do?
So you think you know what you would do?
- Thread starter mainebrdr
- Start date
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
Before season, decide what animal you are willing take. It\'s ok to change your mind during a hunt. But you must live with the decision you made.
This apply\'s to every shot decision, like board line shots. If things don\'t go your way then take responsibility. No excuses.
Sometimes passing on the \"easy\" gives your more experience and will make you a better hunter.
My 2-cents!
This apply\'s to every shot decision, like board line shots. If things don\'t go your way then take responsibility. No excuses.
Sometimes passing on the \"easy\" gives your more experience and will make you a better hunter.
My 2-cents!
I have to agree with John here. If it is early in the season, I will likely pass on the cow, but if it is mid season or later she will be shot when she presents the right opportunity. Sometime I adjust my thinking depending on how things look where I hunt. If there are plenty of elk around and the sign is good, I may hold off longer. If the sign is slim when I arrive, I may take the first mature elk that comes along.
To be honest. I would never put such a strict restriction on my self to shoot the first elk I see. It\'s better to leave your mind free to adjust to the conditions, and not worry about having to change your mind.
This is a better answer than my first one, and what I should have said.
I do put certain restrictions on myself as to shot placement and distance, and I know how hard it is to stick to them. I feel it\'s for the benefit for the elk though, and that makes it easier. However, making yourself shoot the first elk you see would be a tough one to stick to. What if it\'s the herd cow? She\'ll taste like an old boot.
This is a better answer than my first one, and what I should have said.
I do put certain restrictions on myself as to shot placement and distance, and I know how hard it is to stick to them. I feel it\'s for the benefit for the elk though, and that makes it easier. However, making yourself shoot the first elk you see would be a tough one to stick to. What if it\'s the herd cow? She\'ll taste like an old boot.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
I\'m with Brad and some of the others...I\'m probably going to take the first good shot opportunity. So many things can go wrong in an encounter (believe me, I\'ve seen a lot of things go wrong).
Every good shot opportunity is a gift, at least where I hunt.
Every good shot opportunity is a gift, at least where I hunt.
timberland
New member
- Aug 27, 2015
- 471
I enjoy the hunt itself so much that I would rather go home empty handed after a full ten days than be done the first. Trophy caliber does not matter as much as the experiences. So, if I can hunt, scout, or call for someone else, I will shoot. If I have to pack my bags, I\'m waiting til later in the hunt.
Bob Frapples
Member
- Mar 10, 2014
- 367
I?m with Timber on it, I\'d love to find a buddy to split everything and be able to meat hunt and trophy hunt in one year. Every one of my tags are more valuable as memories than meat to me. To date I?ve yet to go any year without a shot opportunity, but I would have missed a lot of great experiences if I had chosen to tag out on day one or two.
Bob, you and timber have a very interesting approach to elk hunting. If you don\'t want to be the shooter for most of your hunt, you may have a lot of potential partners. On the other hand if you don\'t care to fill your tag, but want to share the meat, maybe that is a deal breaker. :lol:
I\'ve set a goal of 5 points on one side. I\'m really just looking for the experience of hearing bugles and calling in a bull inside of 40 yards. I\'m content to go home with a tag as long as I know I gave every ounce of effort I had and learned something for the next year. I\'m not saying I have to \"call\" the bull in to shoot him those are my rules for turkey hunting though. I\'ll take some luck on my first bull though 
\"razorback\" said:I\'ve set a goal of 5 points on one side. I\'m really just looking for the experience of hearing bugles and calling in a bull inside of 40 yards. I\'m content to go home with a tag as long as I know I gave every ounce of effort I had and learned something for the next year. I\'m not saying I have to \"call\" the bull in to shoot him those are my rules for turkey hunting though. I\'ll take some luck on my first bull though
Part of learning to elk hunt is making the shot, and getting the meat out in an unspoiled condition. You should pass this part up. I\'d lower your expectations on what you\'ll shoot. Every elk is a trophy.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
\"Still Hunter\" said:\"razorback\" said:I\'ve set a goal of 5 points on one side. I\'m really just looking for the experience of hearing bugles and calling in a bull inside of 40 yards. I\'m content to go home with a tag as long as I know I gave every ounce of effort I had and learned something for the next year. I\'m not saying I have to \"call\" the bull in to shoot him those are my rules for turkey hunting though. I\'ll take some luck on my first bull though
Part of learning to elk hunt is making the shot, and getting the meat out in an unspoiled condition. You should pass this part up. I\'d lower your expectations on what you\'ll shoot. Every elk is a trophy.
Agreed. Around 10 percent of elk hunters kill elk with a bow. Probably at least 50 percent of those have quite a bit of experience, and do it year after year. So that knocks you down as a new guy to maybe a 1 out of 20 chance of success. Now, limit yourself to a 5 point bull only, and you\'re odds have just tremendously dropped again, maybe one out of 40 at best. So you would need more than just a little luck to pull it off!
As Still hunter said, the harvest is part of the experience as well. Taking any legal elk would greatly raise your odds of enjoying the complete experience. Just my 2 cents.
I agree with you guys but I honestly don\'t have to kill to consider it a success. My buddies don\'t understand why I don\'t kill a buck with my bow every year. It\'s not that I don\'t have opportunties, I have passed up decent bucks some by rattling and grunting. I enjoyed the experience and was just content to let them grow another year.
This year I took my son (he had already tagged one for that week) out turkey hunting before church. I called in several jakes with a long beard. He spooked one of the jakes, but I called them all back in a few minutes later. I spooked them a second time because I didn\'t see one of the jakes when I moved my barrel. They didn\'t spook bad and they were still gobbling but it was time to leave to make it to church. On the way home he asked if I was mad because we had both spooked the birds and I didn\'t kill. I told him \"No\", that we got the best part of the hunt, all of the gobbling, seeing them and not having to pack him a mile back to the truck plus I still get to hunt him again. Just the way I look at things I guess.
This year I took my son (he had already tagged one for that week) out turkey hunting before church. I called in several jakes with a long beard. He spooked one of the jakes, but I called them all back in a few minutes later. I spooked them a second time because I didn\'t see one of the jakes when I moved my barrel. They didn\'t spook bad and they were still gobbling but it was time to leave to make it to church. On the way home he asked if I was mad because we had both spooked the birds and I didn\'t kill. I told him \"No\", that we got the best part of the hunt, all of the gobbling, seeing them and not having to pack him a mile back to the truck plus I still get to hunt him again. Just the way I look at things I guess.
Gotcha stillhunter, I\'ve been a turkey hunter my whole life so the experience I\'m looking for is a bull coming to my calls and eventually bugling in my face. Kind of like the first time I called in my first gobbler. I know there are many ways to hunt elk and calling may not be my strong suit as I\'ve never hunted them before. I\'m just applying my deer and turkey hunting logic along with what I\'ve read here and magazines.
Another experience I\'m looking for is just living in the mountains. I\'ve had a few injuries that I think I have recovered from and I want the challenge of living in the mountains a couple of weeks. Where I\'m hunting in Southeast Missouri you only get a half mile from a gravel road no matter how far you walk! I\'m thankful we have Mark Twain National Forest to hunt, it\'s been good to me but I look forward to something different expriencing some new challenges.
Another experience I\'m looking for is just living in the mountains. I\'ve had a few injuries that I think I have recovered from and I want the challenge of living in the mountains a couple of weeks. Where I\'m hunting in Southeast Missouri you only get a half mile from a gravel road no matter how far you walk! I\'m thankful we have Mark Twain National Forest to hunt, it\'s been good to me but I look forward to something different expriencing some new challenges.
