Your Number 1 tip?

[elky McElkerson]

Great tips guys/gals. How about some of you new comers? What\'s one tip that you might have picked up that you will make sure to use this season?

Hunt where the elk are. Seems simple...sheesh, yeah right! I hope i have good news after our scouting trip this weekend.

Good luck!

Homework. I think hunting for elk begins way before you set a boot in the dirt. #1 tip has to be hunt where the elk are. Any other tip is moot without a target animal. Intel is huge!

 

[Jaquomo]

The last hour of the last day can be just as productive as any other time.

My hunting partner calls me \"Last Minute Louie\" because I regularly make him help me pack an elk when he\'s expecting to be packing up camp.

 

[Swede]

Last Minute Louie, T too remember it was fun packing out after the season was over. Calling in to work, to say you have a critter to pack out is even good. This year I would prefer to get one earlier than that. I would like to shoot one much earlier, but you are very correct. I plan to either have one on the ground, or to be hunting until the season ends.

 

[mainebrdr]

\"Hunt where the elk are\". Here is where local guys have a huge advantage over those who have a 1000 mile trip and one week!

Brad, is your new sig. pic a puzzle? I\'m still trying to figure it out!

 

[Ol' Arky]

\"Hunt where the elk are\". Here is where local guys have a huge advantage over those who have a 1000 mile trip and one week!

Brad, is your new sig. pic a puzzle? I\'m still trying to figure it out!

If ya are talkin\' about his avatar, it\'s a bow hunter packin\' out a bull elk...

 

[Swede]

I thought of this as I was looking at a similar thread on another forum:
Elk bed from late morning through mid afternoon. During this period of the day, they will get up and move back into shade, or may go to the nearest water hole to drink.
It is a good idea to stay our of elk bedding areas so you don\'t run them off.
Waiting at the water hole can be productive. Either be up in a tree or be down wind in cover.
Another thing to do is stay down wind and movie near to their bedding area. While there, either give a few soft cow mews or a short mild bugle or two, and wait. It is mid day so don\'t get in any hurry. Sometimes nearby elk, usually satellite bulls, will get curious and come and check out the new elk in the area. Stay alert and be ready. Move away from where you made the call as soon as you finish and have good shooting lanes.

 

[OldMan]

Ok, I keep reading this over and over on hunting forums. I have to disagree at some point, and this might as well be it. It\'s said that we shouldn\'t go into their bedding area, because it runs them off. I have to ask if killing one at a water hole runs them off? Killing one at their feeding area run them off? Killing one of a game trail from feeding to bedding are run them off?

Almost all my kills are in bedding areas. Not while they\'re laying down, but in the area they do that. Of course they run off when I shoot one of their buddies. Just like they will when you shoot one anywhere. I\'ve said in the past that I scout a lot. That also includes for the rest of the hunt if I get one early in my season. I want to know where they go under all circumstances. It\'s all part of understanding them. What i\'ve observed is they leave the bedding are when one of them is killed, but are back in a short time. Sometimes the next day.

I also have to say that unless you\'re the type that wants everybody to get an elk. What difference would it make if you did blow the elk out of a bedding area? As long as you got your elk. As you concerned if you blow out the elk from a feeding area after you shoot one? Your goal when elk hunting is to have a good time, and kill an elk. It\'s not your job to keep the elk undisturbed. That\'s going to happen no matter what you do.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Ok, I keep reading this over and over on hunting forums. I have to disagree at some point, and this might as well be it. It\'s said that we shouldn\'t go into their bedding area, because it runs them off. I have to ask if killing one at a water hole runs them off? Killing one at their feeding area run them off? Killing one of a game trail from feeding to bedding are run them off?

Almost all my kills are in bedding areas. Not while they\'re laying down, but in the area they do that. Of course they run off when I shoot one of their buddies. Just like they will when you shoot one anywhere. I\'ve said in the past that I scout a lot. That also includes for the rest of the hunt if I get one early in my season. I want to know where they go under all circumstances. It\'s all part of understanding them. What i\'ve observed is they leave the bedding are when one of them is killed, but are back in a short time. Sometimes the next day.

I also have to say that unless you\'re the type that wants everybody to get an elk. What difference would it make if you did blow the elk out of a bedding area? As long as you got your elk. As you concerned if you blow out the elk from a feeding area after you shoot one? Your goal when elk hunting is to have a good time, and kill an elk. It\'s not your job to keep the elk undisturbed. That\'s going to happen no matter what you do.

+1

 

[timberland]

Ok, I keep reading this over and over on hunting forums. I have to disagree at some point, and this might as well be it. It\'s said that we shouldn\'t go into their bedding area, because it runs them off. I have to ask if killing one at a water hole runs them off? Killing one at their feeding area run them off? Killing one of a game trail from feeding to bedding are run them off?

Almost all my kills are in bedding areas. Not while they\'re laying down, but in the area they do that. Of course they run off when I shoot one of their buddies. Just like they will when you shoot one anywhere. I\'ve said in the past that I scout a lot. That also includes for the rest of the hunt if I get one early in my season. I want to know where they go under all circumstances. It\'s all part of understanding them. What i\'ve observed is they leave the bedding are when one of them is killed, but are back in a short time. Sometimes the next day.

I also have to say that unless you\'re the type that wants everybody to get an elk. What difference would it make if you did blow the elk out of a bedding area? As long as you got your elk. As you concerned if you blow out the elk from a feeding area after you shoot one? Your goal when elk hunting is to have a good time, and kill an elk. It\'s not your job to keep the elk undisturbed. That\'s going to happen no matter what you do.

I would tend to agree with Still Hunter. I only have ten days to kill an elk. After driving 1,000 miles I am going to do everything possible to get the job done. And that means going in after them. If I bust a herd out, it changes the hunt but it doesn\'t finish it. I will find more. If I sit back and do nothing because I am afraid I\'m going to spook some elk, my odds of an encounter go way, way, way down.

Now, I DO handle known bedding areas with kids gloves, but I do hunt them. I hunt where the elk are, and they are in their bedding areas while I am hunting.

I do know some hunters that would be better off posting up on entry/exit routes to bedding areas because of their hunting style/abilities. But that is not my style, I need to take matters into my own hands, which may or may not force an encounter and may or may not push the elk out of the area. I can say I have busted elk, but I can also say they were never the LAST elk I\'ve encountered on a trip. So the game continues...

 

[OldMan]

Let me be clear. Going after an elk in it\'s bedding area is not easy. I\'ve specialized on it for decades. It was a long learning process, and I never recommend anybody does it unless they\'re determined to learn on their own. In other words don\'t do it, because someone suggested it. Do it, because you really want to learn to hunt that way, and it\'s your own idea.

You only have one chance to get it right. If the wind isn\'t perfect. You need to stop, and back out as quiet as you went in. Everything needs to be in your favor. I may try 5-6 times in a hunt before I finally go all the way to try a shot. Speaking of shot. That needs to be perfect too. No second chance. If you\'re not the type who can not take a shot, because it\'s not perfect. It\'s not the type of hunting you should be doing. Lots of other methods that are easier, and more effective. I like the challenge, but I don\'t kid myself in thinking it\'s the best way to hunt for elk.

btw There is absolutely no calling in this method. So, if you enjoy calling. This method won\'t be for you.

 

[Swede]

Maybe your situation is different than mine, but I doubt it. Where I hunt the elk bed, and are well situated to see, hear and smell everything that approaches. As an intruder I have a near impossible task of getting within bow range, without being detected, one way or another. If they detect me before I have a shot, game over. However, if I am well situated, and cause then to come to me, I stand a better chance of killing one.
I normally tree stand hunt. If I go somewhere near where my stand is placed, I don\'t want to scare off the animal(s) that may come by later to my stand location for that drink. In addition, I have found that with too many encounters with hunters, where I hunt, and the elk are soon all on the ranch. Game over. In other words stay out of their bedding area, unless you don\'t care about later encounters.
If you get a kick out of watching elk run, then by all means, walk right in to their bed room. I will say that a gun hunter may have a little more opportunity to get a shot at an elk that way, than a bow hunter.

 

[OldMan]

Yes, of course every situation is different. There are some places that elk bed down, and I leave them alone. I look for places that will work for me. That means thick timber where I have a chance to be hidden somewhat. In any situation I have to move painfully slow. Sometimes only taking a step every 15 min. Standing still is the still part of still hunting.

Another point I need to make is it\'s rare that i\'ll approach a large herd in their bed. That\'s just too many eyes, ears, and noses to fool. I\'ve done it a few times when the terrain was perfect for it, but generally I avoid it. What i\'m after is the lone bull, a small bachelor group, or bull with a couple of cows. This puts the odds much better in my favor.

My vision is very poor, and I use open sights. My max range is 60yds, and closer is my goal. So, it does apply to a bow hunter too. Sometimes a bull will get up, and walk right towards me, because it doesn\'t know i\'m there. It\'s relaxed, and not alert to anything being there. That\'s why I don\'t call.

My method can best be described as hunting like a cat. I take no credit for it. I was taught by my dad, and he was taught by his.

 

[elkmtngear]

Well, if you don\'t care about blowing them out of the bedroom, you can just call and walk like a cow elk. I\'ve done this, and walked right into bedded elk...I mean 10 yards, no obstacles...bedded! And I\'ve done it on more than one occasion. Elk are used to hearing other elk making a lot of noise when they walk, so they rarely get alarmed if your wind is right.

So, there is certainly more than one way to \"skin a cat\". You can be stealthy as a ghost, bust out your boomstick, and run every elk off the mountainside anyway, what\'s the difference?

If your scent is carrying into bedded elk upslope or downslope, you are bumping elk. Doesn\'t matter how \"Ghostlike\" you are when you move through the elk woods.

 

[Swede]

I think we are starting to see the bigger picture here. Still Hunter has made it work under the right conditions and so has Jeff. I won\'t argue with either under their circumstances and stipulations. I am not sure about Jeff\'s situation entirely, but both seem to know where the elk are and must have a good idea, precisely how they are situated. I would further assume there are only a couple or three at most. I would also assume you must have seen where they entered the timber, or were in there when they arrived.
What I was thinking of was just going in cold. I am sure some folks have taken elk with a bow doing that too, but my observation is that you actually spoil your chances when you try to pull that off.
Many years ago, I had a fellow tell me that deer enjoyed hearing him whistle a tune. He did that frequently. He got one once in a while, proving his point.

 

[OldMan]

Actually, i\'m never in there when they arrive. That wouldn\'t be still hunting. It would be an ambush. That works too, but I don\'t do it.

Keep in mind if you\'re taught a method when you\'re young, and then hunt with the mentor (my dad) for 30 years, and then on your own for another 30 years always using the same method. You sort of get the hang of it. I\'ve made every mistake I can, and know how to avoid them now.

I find it hard to explain some things, because by now they\'re just instinctive. I guess i\'d have to think about them, and why I do what I do in certain situations. The human brain is very complex, and it can do things that amaze us. I\'ve learned over time to trust my gut feelings, and not second guess myself. If it doesn\'t feel right I stop, and try to figure out why. If I can\'t figure out why, but still feel something isn\'t right. I back out. I\'m sure some of you are thinking..what is he talking about? I find it hard to explain, but when you do something long enough. You no longer think about what you\'re doing. You\'re subconscious takes over. It\'s like walking. You don\'t think about taking each step. You just do it automatically while thinking of something else. Hunting can become like that. You can do many things while keeping your focus on something else. I no longer have to think about moving quiet. I did for years, but now it just happens.

I guess what i\'m saying that you can take away from this is to be patient. It takes time to become a good hunter. No matter what method, or methods you use to hunt elk, or any animal. Give it 110%, and stay focused on being the best hunter you can be. Never become negative. If you make a mistake. Don\'t let it get you down. Learn from it. It one mistake you won\'t do again. After awhile there won\'t be anymore mistakes to make. A good hunter isn\'t the one who does some things right. It\'s the one who makes the least mistakes. It takes time to learn this.

All the time you\'re learning to be a good hunter you\'re in the beautiful mountains. Not a bad place to go to school.

 

[Swede]

Pete, no offence, but sometimes what you say does not fit my thinking. Sitting is a tree stand or in a blind is the ultimate still hunting. Yes, it is an ambush, but they are not mutually exclusive. Sneaking around is slow hunting, but we are debating semantics I suppose.
I respect and accept as fact your ability to sneak around and slip up on elk. What you are saying is that you are not ambushing the elk, but rather moving in on them and shooting.

Actually, I\'m never in there when they arrive

If you did not see them go into the bedding area, then you do not know if the elk are there, or where, how many or anything else about possible elk. You say you go on gut instinct. I almost never do that. I rarely trust my gut instinct. I am more of a percent person. My odds are better if I do this, or if I go there my chances are better, is my thought process. I\'m not sure that is easy to explain either.

I guess what i\'m saying that you can take away from this is to be patient. It takes time to become a good hunter. No matter what method, or methods you use to hunt elk, or any animal. Give it 110%, and stay focused on being the best hunter you can be. Never become negative. If you make a mistake. Don\'t let it get you down. Learn from it. It one mistake you won\'t do again. After awhile there won\'t be anymore mistakes to make. A good hunter isn\'t the one who does some things right. It\'s the one who makes the least mistakes. It takes time to learn this.

Well said, Still Hunter.

 

[OldMan]

The accepted term since the 1800\'s for still hunting is to move quietly in on an animal you aren\'t sure is there. You hope it\'s there by scouting you done, but there are no guarantees, and that part of the excitement. I hunt deer with the same method.

A book my dad got me for Christmas when I was a youngster.

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[Swede]

Get off of the ridges and Forest Service trails to find elk. Elk are too soon pushed off these areas, only to cross on occasion. Often they are nearby. Open roads are not often good to hunt either.