Whitetail vs Elk Hunting

[MOElkHunter]

I've got my first elk hunting trip of my life planned for 3rd rifle season near Meeker, CO. I know the area gets a lot of hunters because of thetag availability and the size of the White River herd but we're riding in on horses and hunting from a drop camp so hopefully we'll be isolated enough that we still have a chance to take some shots.
My question is for people who are primarily whitetail hunters but have also hunted elk. What are some of the things you instintcually do as a whitetail hunter that you've had to de-program yourself from doing when you hunted elk? I've spent a lot of time researching elk hunting tactics so I know some principles are the same as deer hunting and others are extremely different. I'm sure I'll be fine with the basics but I just want to make sure I don't get into the mountains and don't start acting like a whitetail hunter and decrease my odds of finding elk.

 

[buckykm1]

I live in Michigan, and hunted Whitetail most of my life. made my first Elk hunting trip in 1986 to CO, and have been out Elk hunting the last 10 years straight.
good hunting skills are good no matter what you hunt.
But, personally, I think that about 80% of what you know about Whitetail hunting is useless when it comes to Elk hunting. that is JMO, others may feel different ?.
A eastern whitetail basically spends its whole life in about a 8 square mile area.
A Elk may move 15 miles in a day. if you spook it.
I only do DIY hunts, and with only having 2 weeks a year to spend out west, just finding them is a challenge. there patterns seem to change a lot from year to year based on weather and other factors.

Kevin

 

[cowboystl1]

x1 above what ever you do dont whitetail hunt them its more like a turkey hunt cover ground look listen

 

[Oldcarp]

First of all enjoy the country your in and have a fun and safe trip. I have hunted elk since 1978 and I am no expert but I do love hunting elk. I also primarily bow hunt. I am lucky because I live where we hunt elk so I can spot and explore a lot. If there is going to be a lot of pressure I would find crossings that go into holes and hunt there after that I would be spot and stalking in the dark holes. Like Kevin said elk will cover ground when spooked and weather and water conditions can be a factor also.

Most importantly enjoy the mountains there beautiful. Let us know how you do and I always like a good hunting story

 

[montanaelk31]

Grew up whitetail hunting and moved to MT years ago to elk hunt.  Here's my .02.  When you are still hunting whitetail you're sneaking through the timber looking for an ear twitch, tail flicker, etc.  I call it the whitetail sneak.  When you are elk hunting, you better forget about the whitetail sneak until the final stages of your stalk.  Get some good boots like Meindl, Lowas, or Kenetrek and get moving. Get after it and get some miles on, cover ground until you get into fresh sign (smells, tracks in snow, elk beds in meadows, etc.) NOW it's time to slow down.  You can either find a good vantage point where you think the elk are going to feed out to a meadow, or you can get the wind right and follow the tracks into the timber where there are bedding. Now its whitetail sneak time.  I like to shoot them in their beds during rifle. About 50% of the time timber hunting, you're gonna blow them out before you see them.  So get up the next day and try again!
I mainly archery hunt the last 5 years though.    Good luck. 

 

[turbo1967]

good optics, good boots, plan on doing a lot of hiking and spotting  , and plan on shooting longer distance,I will spot elk as much and 3 and 4 miles away and stalk in from there and I shoot out to 600 yards riffle hunting , set your own limits for distance but lots of times will be further out than deer,just the same I have also taken elk as close as 3 yards,mostly have fun and take some pics.