The Complete Elk Hunter

S

Swede

New member
Mar 4, 2014
1,722
Are you a complete elk hunter? I would think if you spend time here you are interested in upping your game. What attributes and things, like time and equipment, would you think were essential to making a complete elk hunter? What do you lack to be that complete hunter?

I will start. I do not believe I am versatile enough. I will stick to a plan and area when I should be moving on.
I believe I have had all of the time and equipment necessary to be a complete success.
I am knowledgeable enough to get by, but could still stand some improvement in the skill area.

Now I will let others describe those attributes and things important to being a complete elk hunter.
 
A few things I can get better at:

1. Delve into calling, as I mostly still hunt and do not call very often, but I know it works for many people. I am reluctant to give up my position to the elk...
2. More time to scout and hunt would be great. I\'m sure like most on this forum, I have to spread my vacation time with my family vacations and functions. I would love to have more time to spend getting to know the areas I hunt a little better - and having more time to actually hunt would help as well.
3. Some seasons I am not as fit as I want to be. When I am in the shape I need to be in, then it is much easier to hunt and stay positive. If I\'m sucking air and struggling, it can wear on you both mentally and physically, so I try have a good fitness level before hunting season.
 
I\'m pretty versatile. But I would consider myself \"adequate\" when it comes to elk hunting. I can get it done if I persevere.

I have never actively pursued and killed a big bull (for the area I usually hunt...that\'s just 300 + inches). On the other hand, if you want a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 year old bull...I\'m your guy :D

If I could work out a plan, and implement it to kill a nice bull, I think I\'d be closer to being a \"complete elk hunter\"...but I\'ll never be complete.

I keep learning every Season.
 
I think a \'Complete\' elk hunter would be a quite boring and lonely life.
Who wants that?

Like Jeff, I consider myself a different termed elk hunter...i..e.
\'Competent\' or \'capable\' and maybe \'confident\' with a dash of luck here and there.

I am a bit choosy on where I hunt elk, but I am not nervous to search out new areas to hunt.
I dont have expensive gear, I have what get the job done.
I practice shooting to be proficient and get in shape enough to be healthy as I can be.

I dont know anyone that is a \'complete\' elk hunter.
If I do meet them, Im sure it would be quite obvious
 
\"cnelk\" said:
I think a \'Complete\' elk hunter would be a quite boring and lonely life.Who wants that?
Click to expand...

I am not sure what you mean there. I don\'t think the complete hunter has perfect equipment or knows everything. That is impossible. To me the complete hunter has everything necessary to manage the situation at hand, or to move to where he or she has everything under control that is reasonably possible. We will not nor would I want to remove the luck factor. We just try to minimize it.
I recognize I can get by, but might do better if my skills were better. The skill area that comes to my mind is bow shot distance. I have little confidence beyond 40 yards. Several times I have been tempted to stretch that out, but don\'t. I can only listen with envy when I hear of a friend center punching a deer at 80 yards. Also, it is not a skill, but I would have added ability if I were in my late 20s instead of late 60s. Being in my 20s would naturally reduce other valuable skills that would be helpful.
BTW, I have been shooting enough this Spring that I drawing my bow at full hunting weight is smooth and easy now. I need to work on holding longer and on my release.
 
I guess it depends on your definition of \'complete\'. Does that mean they have everything they need to be successful every year and have nothing to learn? If so, I would agree with Brad that it would be boring. Once you master something, it definitely takes the excitement out of it.

Personally, I don\'t think I will ever consider myself a complete elk hunter. Sure, I know more than 90% or more of elk hunters out there, but I would still consider myself a 10 handicap, in golf terms. There is nothing embarrassing about what I do or how I go about hunting elk. I could hunt elk with a 20 handicap or a scratch and feel comfortable in my own skin...but I have a long way to go to be a scratch or pro.
 
Thanks Derek. I see the question is vague, or people are reluctant to expose areas where they need improvement. I am thinking we are playing around too much with a stratospheric idea of absolute perfection/complete. Lets not get hung up on where that could take us, and miss the practical. The question is simple. What do you, or others need to up your game?
 
Personally, I think the area I could up my game is when it comes to finding elk. Sure I have had success over the years, but I have had too many times staring at a topo after days of hunting, saying to myself \'where the *@$# are those elk?\' I would love to get to the point where I could get thrown into any area I have never hunted before and be able to find elk. Hunting outside of the rut makes this even more difficult.

Equipment-wise, I am fine and I feel that if I can find elk, I have more than enough skill with a rifle to finish the job, regardless of where I find them. When it comes to time, sure I could use more time to scout and hunt, but that isn\'t realistic for me at this point.

I think a lot of what comes into being better at finding elk is hunting different areas and trying to learn every year. I have hunted quite a few different areas over the last few years after having hunted the same unit forever, so I am continuing to learn and make mental notes. Picking the brains of others here helps as well. Adding to my repertoire with calls and additional game cameras should also help. Hard to believe that after all of these years elk hunting, I still feel like I\'ve got a lot to learn! Although, as Brad mentioned, better that than to know everything! I love gaining knowledge and trying to be better.
 
Derek, I am in the same boat with you on finding elk. The place I have hunted for many years has steadily gone downhill. I will have to scout some and flex more than I feel comfortable with. Considering all of the factors influencing elk movements, including hunting pressure, cattle, and other activities, I don\'t consider this a slam dunk by any means.
 
As long as I\'m alive and mobile, I think I can become a better elk hunter. I can be a better caller, a more patient/calculated stalker. We can all be better shots on live game. More animals under your belt=a more relaxed/steady/ calm sight picture. I could always use more spots as the world and the woods become more crowded every year. I\'d like to learn more about treestand hunting elk. I\'ve got Swede\'s book but I\'m not sure that all his tactics are suitable to my locations as some of my calling tactics are not suited for his. This is just a few of the many things I\'m sure would benefit me. Good thread!
 
\"otcWill\" said:
I\'ve got Swede\'s book but I\'m not sure that all his tactics are suitable to my locations
Click to expand...

The key for tree stand hunting is to place your stand at a location where elk are most likely to show up. Water holes are not always the magic place. You may need to experiment some. Consider major trails, locations where trails come together, passages, and funnels. I would set out a few trail cameras early and see if you can determine one or two are worth waiting at. Don\'t worry about your failures. As with anything, you are bound to have quite a few before you come to any significant conclusions.
Best wishes and let us know if you find out anything.
 
I haven\'t treestand hunted for elk much, but for a few years (before beetle-kill tree fall screwed up the travel patterns) I had a slam-dunk spot for an opening-weekend extra cow. A fence line ran along a ranch boundary along a ridge where they crossed in the morning to bed on the side I could hunt. I tied down the top strand and created a natural crossing one summer. By fall they were walking a hundred yards up-down that fence to get to that crossing.

On my side I created a passive \"funnel\" by propping logs up against trees like a gentle chute. I put a treestand back in the timber about 15 yards from the trail formed by the new travel route created by the chute. I then propped a log at knee height so the chosen yearling cow would have to pause for a second to jump over. I put a dab of cow elk urine jell on the log, which caused them to stop to sniff it for a stationary shot.

Call it what you want, but it produced a bunch of easy shots at standing cows. Putting that cow in the freezer allowed me to spend the rest of the season hunting a big bull, learning more every day.

I\'ve since done that passive funnel trick in several of my ground ambush spots, and have killed some good bulls that way too. It\'s a great tool.
 
\"Jaquomo\" said:
I haven\'t treestand hunted for elk much, but for a few years (before beetle-kill tree fall screwed up the travel patterns) I had a slam-dunk spot for an opening-weekend extra cow. A fence line ran along a ranch boundary along a ridge where they crossed in the morning to bed on the side I could hunt. I tied down the top strand and created a natural crossing one summer. By fall they were walking a hundred yards up-down that fence to get to that crossing.

On my side I created a passive \"funnel\" by propping logs up against trees like a gentle chute. I put a treestand back in the timber about 15 yards from the trail formed by the new travel route created by the chute. I then propped a log at knee height so the chosen yearling cow would have to pause for a second to jump over. I put a dab of cow elk urine jell on the log, which caused them to stop to sniff it for a stationary shot.

Call it what you want, but it produced a bunch of easy shots at standing cows. Putting that cow in the freezer allowed me to spend the rest of the season hunting a big bull, learning more every day.

I\'ve since done that passive funnel trick in several of my ground ambush spots, and have killed some good bulls that way too. It\'s a great tool.
Click to expand...

Lou, that is a very interesting idea. Never heard of man-made funnels like that, but it makes a lot of sense. Seems like you thought of everything but how to remotely shoot the cow from the couch at home!
 
Not sure what a complete hunter is? What did you have in mind Swede? Someone who can use many methods, or one who has perfected one method? If that\'s even possible? I don\'t feel i\'m complete, because i\'m still learning everytime I hunt.

I think a mountain lion is a complete hunter. Can a human ever be that good, and just hunt by instincts? I try, but i\'m still human, and think too much.
 
\"Swede\" said:
\"otcWill\" said:
I\'ve got Swede\'s book but I\'m not sure that all his tactics are suitable to my locations
Click to expand...

The key for tree stand hunting is to place your stand at a location where elk are most likely to show up. Water holes are not always the magic place. You may need to experiment some. Consider major trails, locations where trails come together, passages, and funnels. I would set out a few trail cameras early and see if you can determine one or two are worth waiting at. Don\'t worry about your failures. As with anything, you are bound to have quite a few before you come to any significant conclusions.
Best wishes and let us know if you find out anything.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input, Swede and Lou. I\'ll post a treestand thread soon with pics of the area and descriptions of elk movements as well as wind currents, trails, feeding, wallows, etc. we\'ll see what input everyone has for me as to where they\'d place a stand. One of the biggest hurdles for me in picking a place for a stand is the fact that the whole place (2mi sq) is absolutely torn up with elk sign. It looks like a team of dirt bike riders got into a high country basin and had a blast :upthumb: . Picking one trail is tough. Sitting still with elk visible all over the basin would be painful, but I\'d be willing to try it in hopes of a nice easy shot at an unsuspecting bull
 
otcwill
Find a place where the wind is in your favor to access the stand. Get up in it wait a few minutes and give some soft mews...
It wont matter what trail you are near, they will come :)
 
We\'ll talk about it this weekend over a few beers buddy, but my first thought on that is I seriously doubt it. I often think about the fact that you call in so many with cow sounds and I\'ve never once called in a bull with \"only\" cow sounds. I\'ve called in some cows that way but the big boys won\'t change their plans for some lonely cows in my exp. We\'ll have to get the guys together for some calling sometime soon and compare notes. See ya Sunday!
 
Will, let\'s talk Sunday. I do have luck calling in mature bulls with cow herd sounds, but only early, before they get with the cows themselves.

As far as hunting bulls out of treestands, if you have the right wallow in a place where you can hunt it and not have your wind get them before they get in there, it\'s really effective. But you have to have the right terrain and thermals to pull it off. They always winded me at the wallows in my old area, which was a series of steep basins right below the Divide. I plan to try it on a couple wallows in the new area where the terrain is more gradual in the direction they\'ll come from.
 
If we put together the combined knowledge of those on this thread we could probably come close to creating a \"complete elk hunter\".
 
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