Urgency? Or Necessity?

[Trophyhill]

We've all been there until the last minute of the last hour of the last day. Why wait until then to pull out all the stops? First off never give up ever! Because it can happen just before that last ray of light fades on the last day. But for the passive hunter that has encounters but can't seem to close the deal year after year, why not change up a bit and get aggressive? If your passive ways aren't producing results, then you really have nothing to lose! Don't wait til the last hour to get aggressive! Go get the prize! Aggressive in my mind is in your actions, not just calling. If you do nothing, chances are you will go home with nothing. If you're getting responses but nothing is coming in, you have to change your tactics and go get them! Don't just sit there hoping success will fall into your lap. The worst that can happen is you learn something from it and at some point you will adjust accordingly on your next opportunity and you might just get into that 10% club when you make the proper adjustments go kill something this year guys!

[elk-n-walleye]

Trophyhill I can appreciate this message. I have been a long time rifle hunter and have brought elk home each year I drew a tag using aggressive run and gun methods until I found my target. Last year however was my first archery elk hunt and although I did loose an arrow twice without results (tree branch and shoulder blade ) there were a couple of encounters I played my cards more conservatively. The result was a bull that couldn't bother coming to my cow calls since he was on his way to his bedding area and another that got the upper hand on me and winded me. I think of these two encounters often and consider how I could have been more effective. This year I hope to better apply aggressive methods and begin to consistently bring home elk with my bow and be a regular member of the 10% once again but as an archery hunter.

That being said I need meat in the freezer so if I don't get it done in Sept. then I'll be taking my rifle out in Nov. to get it done.

Best of luck to all the Elknuts!

[Trophyhill]

Trophyhill I can appreciate this message. I have been a long time rifle hunter and have brought elk home each year I drew a tag using aggressive run and gun methods until I found my target. Last year however was my first archery elk hunt and although I did loose an arrow twice without results (tree branch and shoulder blade ) there were a couple of encounters I played my cards more conservatively. The result was a bull that couldn't bother coming to my cow calls since he was on his way to his bedding area and another that got the upper hand on me and winded me. I think of these two encounters often and consider how I could have been more effective. This year I hope to better apply aggressive methods and begin to consistently bring home elk with my bow and be a regular member of the 10% once again but as an archery hunter.

That being said I need meat in the freezer so if I don't get it done in Sept. then I'll be taking my rifle out in Nov. to get it done.

Best of luck to all the Elknuts!

Thanks for the candid response! I've been victim of several tree branches I've also been fortunate that cows have stepped into my wheel house after blown opportunities on some big bulls in a pressured CO unit because I thought the bulls were supposed to run in and let me kill them. In reality where I've hunted is nothing like a Primos video.

I've been that passive hunter. I've also been equal opportunity whether cow or bull in my limited experience, aggressive actions up my odds and net more shot opportunities whereas being passive nets hang ups and thoughts of what could have been.

[Heartwood]

Much agreed. I used to bowhunt elk with the attitude of a whitetailed deer hunter but have produced many more shot ops. and elk on the ground since forcing myself to be more agressive.

[ElkNut1]

Cheers Trophyhill! I'm with you bud! As you stated aggressive action can come in two forms, moving/positioning or calling, spot on!

ElkNut1

[foxvalley]

Great topic trophyhill

I can't begin to think of all the missed oppertunities I have lost out on over the years because of this very thing.Being a whitetail hunter from WI.,and sitting in a tree stand waiting for something to come by you is a mindset you have to leave at home! You have to give the elk a REASON to come your way,and a darn good one at that,especially a smart old herd bull.
Seems to me that herd bulls are like grumpy old men with a hot young wife that all the young guys just "happen to start talking to".It is easy to get em mad,and you can tell pretty easily by the tone of his bugle.Get aggressive,and get him seeing red,thats when he is going to make a mistake.
Also, ones gerneral personallity can have a factor,for the good or one that needs to change.This might be a strange way of putting it,but it might be an easier way for the newbe to understand.
We were all single at one time, and most of use spent time at the singles bar,partly to drink, but mostly for something else. If you were like me most of the time,and sat there waiting for a girl to come up and start talking to you,you are in deep trouble in the elk woods if you don't change your way of thinking.The guy(and I'm sure we all know one)that was very aggressive,and just started talking to every girl in the place,sooner or later that night............bingo.Exactly the same thing in the elk woods.
Now take that same aggressive guy and put him in a bar in a different country where he can't speak the language,try all he might, all his B.S. is for naught.She can't understand what you are saying,and you can't understand what she is saying,you have ZERO chance. If you don't know what the elk are saying,and what to say back,at the right time,again, you are in serious trouble.

[elkmtngear]

David,
I totally agree with being aggressive right out of the gate. Almost worked for us last Season.

But, hunting pressure can isolate elk, especially if everyone is out there "being aggressive". When you have 20 guys running around all over the mountain, all hooting and hollering with their calls, elk in my area tend to clam up and hole up! Then, I am forced to switch gears.

I try to hunt aggressively when the situation calls for it, but I also try to hunt smart, and not blow the elk out of the area. It's a fine line

[twinkieman]

I believe aggressiveness will be the right play more times than not. Some variables can change this, but I would prefer to take action, as opposed to being totally passive. The bull I'm working on today, could be somewhere else by tomorrow, might as well kill him today

[Trophyhill]

I believe aggressiveness will be the right play more times than not. Some variables can change this, but I would prefer to take action, as opposed to being totally passive. The bull I'm working on today, could be somewhere else by tomorrow, might as well kill him today

I agree wholeheartedly

[Indian Summer]

Gotta add.... don't just be aggressive at the beginning. It's so natural for a hunters motivation to slip downhill as the days go on and he or she gets wore out.

I have some really good last minute kill stories. Elk don't know... or care if it's the first day or the last half hour of your hunt. So hunt hard start to finish. A couple days after you are back home you'll wish you had another day or half day to hunt elk.

Had a guy kill a bull in gun season. First time elk hunter. He was so excited he wanted his 13 year old son to experience it the following year. They came and the chubby little kid gave all he could but no luck. The morning of pack out we were weighing loads and saddling mules and he took a walk a few hundred yards behind camp to "The Rock" Midway through readying the mules "Boooom!" we all ran back and there he was standing over a dead bull. killed on his own after having a guide all week and while his stuff was being loaded for the ride out. How cool is that!

Last year we had a bowhunter from Missoula. Yep.. an hour up the road but a busy guy and knew the value of having everything he needed on the mountain ready to go. That week it dumped 8 inches of wet slushy crap. One guy asked to leave a day early. Ugh! A few took a day and a half off. I have to admit it was downright miserable. But the guy from up the valley decided that he wanted to hunt his way back to the truck instead of riding out. Less than a half hour from the truck he arrowed a 320 inch 6 point herd bull.

Maybe those bulls thought it was the first day of their hunt... you know... when the chances of killing are the best.

Paul... what is that saying on my ElkNut shirt... "An ElkNut Hunts Til He Drops.... or Drops What He Hunts"