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Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

What weapon have you primarily hunted elk with the past 5 years?

Rifle/modern
5
29%
Muzzle Loader
0
No votes
Archery Gear
7
41%
Combo between two or more (where I hunt, you can hunt more than one weapon choice/season each year)
5
29%
 
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Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 12 16, 2020 •  [Post 1]

I know we have all types of elk hunters (weapon of choice) on WapitiTalk. I was curious to hear what your primary weapon is each year? Let's say, for the purpose of this thread...… the past 5 hunting seasons. Yes, I did put a multi-weapon option in the poll for those that feel they hunt with a pretty even split between two or more types of weapons.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby Lefty » 12 16, 2020 •  [Post 2]

The unit I hunt :
archery any elk,
Rifle spike only,
Smoke pole spike cow calf

Archery I hold out for a mature bull the first weeks

Im not making a crack about rifle hunters,... But they are two totally completely different games
Working a curious or rutty bull I just find much more entertaining.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby CMF » 12 16, 2020 •  [Post 3]

Only two seasons on elk now, but both were archery hunts.
I chase deer with the both archery and primitive, which is a single shot 45-70 here in MS, so I hardly touch a rifle anymore.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby Fridaythe13th » 12 17, 2020 •  [Post 4]

I spend more days hunting coyote than any other game. Here in mn when the snow flies its yote time we have a group of people that meet every weekend and hunt hard. In this part of the state it's the only time we can hunt with rifles, 22-250 is my choice.
But September comes around it the 1 week annual elk hunt with archery. I wait all year to hear a bugle.
Deer hunting mn is shotgun only in the zone. I hunt mostly with a 12ga remington 11-87. Deer hunting is family and friends time we do deer drives mid day and sit in the morning and night. Man I love deer drives.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby Tigger » 12 17, 2020 •  [Post 5]

Archery tackle for me! Bugling bulls are just too much fun. call one in to spitting distance and you are either hooked or have to go change your trousers or both.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby 7mmfan » 12 17, 2020 •  [Post 6]

It's been 15 years since I bow hunted for elk. I bow hunted exclusively for a decade, without killing one. The first year I picked up a rifle I got it done, and never looked back. There are some hunts in WA that I think if I picked up my bow again I would actually have a better chance at success now than with a rifle, but I haven't gotten that desperate yet.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby wawhitey » 12 17, 2020 •  [Post 7]

Whatever season, if any, im lucky enough to be home. Preferably rifle, as im a crap elk hunter and need all the opportunity i can possibly get. Maybe ill get one next year.
Real eyes realize real lies
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby wawhitey » 12 17, 2020 •  [Post 8]

Fridaythe13th wrote:. I wait all year to hear a bugle.
.


I heard an elk bugle early june in idaho, not a couple hundred yards off. Couldnt believe it. Weak little bugle, but still it was crazy.
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Re: Boomstick, Smokepole, or Stick n' String for Wapiti?

Postby Elkhunttoo » 12 18, 2020 •  [Post 9]

740356C5-BFD2-4AEE-85BA-7F68195CA66D.jpeg
740356C5-BFD2-4AEE-85BA-7F68195CA66D.jpeg (26.41 KiB) Viewed 2196 times


It completely depends on the Idaho draw for what weapon I will have in my hand every year. I will put in for a fairly hard to draw bull tag in the unit I have been hunting. If I draw I get to use the rifle. If not my punishment is that I get to hunt the same unit with my bow. For those of you that didn’t see my videos this year this is the bull I’m hoping to get to chase again next season. So hoping he makes it through til next year. Unfortunately my arrow sailed over his back this year. So hoping for another chance
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