What's Your Weakness?

[ElkNut1]

Hey Guys & Gals, what's your personal weakness? Let's see how many responses we can get & get an overall idea if there's a pattern here?

I hear lots of guys say they wish they were better callers, more specifically in their Grunts, Chuckles, Lip Bawls, Growls, etc. Maybe it's shooting your bow issues or finding elk? How about issues with understanding elk when you do hear them? Maybe staying out all night in the woods, hunting wallows, constantly busted by the wind, the list goes on! Heck, we all have them!

One of mine is staying out all day hunting when there's very little action & it's hot out, this is mostly noted in 1st week of Sept. I'm working on getting much higher up early on & extending the hunt by glassing!

How about you?

ElkNut1

[Goneelkn]

My Lungs. Being a "flatlander" most of the year it takes a while to get used to 8 -10k. Couple that some the medical issues i've had with them and it takes me a while to get to where i want to go, but i will get there. Slow but sure. That's why i try to get to altitude a few days before season, it helps me alot.

[easeup]

Old age has played many a deal on me and for elk hunting....
well, I wished my hearing was better..


When I am weak, then I am strongest!

[iRem]

My number 1 is patiences!! I always want to speed up and go go go. I always want to hurry my shot, advance towards the elk, call and wait?? Call and wait, thats the worse! I know that I should call and wait 30 min and move on, but waiting is not my strong suit especially when it's slow. Only when the elk are active and calling back can I play the waiting game!

[ColoradoDan]

My weakness is diaphragm calls. I just struggle with them. Always have. I think that I am pretty good with external reed calls but the diaphragms give me fits.

[elkmtngear]

My distance vision has gone to hell the last few years, and though I have called a lot of elk in, I think I have a long way to go as far as becoming a really good caller. I would count those as my two biggest weak points.

[JohnFitzgerald]

My hearing is slipping. When I was young and dumb I never used hearing protection. Many years of duck/goose hunting has left me with reduced hearing. I've wondered about getting hearing aids.

[stringunner]

year round physical conditioning for me is my biggest weakness. All other areas from calling, shooting, learning new methods, etc. could use work to, but consistently year to year I never spend enough time in the fitness area and it does hinder me in the woods every now and then.

[Nelsonv]

Mine could easily be pieced from all responses so far. Not enough fitness, struggle staying out all day although it would easier if I was in great unpressured elk country, good on open reed calls and need work on diaphragms, staying mentally focused and not thinking if the upcoming deer season:)

[ElkNut1]

Crud, I forgot about failing eyesight, age & can't hear well, other than that I'm good to go!! (grin)

ElkNut1

[idahoghost]

A five foot 2 inch brunette asking, are you going hunting again?!

[ctdad]

The thing that seems to ruin most opportunities that I get into is the wind.

The thing that keeps me from getting into more of those situations is mental focus. I get tired and turn off my brain when it is late morning/ mid day and nothing is happening. This one I'm in control of and I've increased my physical training significantly this year (doing my first sprint triathlon in July) and training my brain to stay focused on the task at hand when I'm totally wiped out from a workout.

I've also spent this entire year learning about elk sounds and how and when to use them. I've never called before when hunting and though I am still learning, I'm so far ahead of where I was last year, I don't feel near as incompetent.

Great thread.

[>>>---WW---->]

Old age and hearing here. About three grand fixed the hearing but nothing can turn the clock back. LOL! Wife gets irritated at me for spending so much for hearing aids and the only time I use them is when I go hunting. They have three settings : Low , Medium, and Elk hunting mode!!!!!!!!!!!

I find myself going more for the closer easier elk now days even though I know there is a better bull bugling just over the hill. Heck, I'm even considering taking a calf this year as I still have plenty of good elk meat in the freezer from last year.

[Swede]

I am not as dumb as I used to be, but I am not as smart as I would like to be. This is especially true when it comes to elk. It helps that I am not looking for the elk with the highest IQ anyway. I don't see well which is a handicap, but my heart, legs and lungs all seem to be in great shape. I am not complaining. Lets just go hunting.

[Buglemaster]

Age & hearing are my downfalls.I have a set of those 3K hearing aids also WW.They help a bunch. Not really a weakness, but living 6 hrs away from my hunting turf makes scouting a real bummer. The age thing is"nt that bad either..I just seem to go a little slower.My buddies are 25 years younger & they have to work pretty hard to keep up with me.

[ElkNut1]

LOL! You guys got me busting a gut over here! (grin) Man do I feel all you guys are relating too, except for the Brunette one by idahoghost!!!! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Chukarhunter]

I'd say my main weakness is lack of hunting practice!! I can't afford to go out of state on a regular basis, and there's a 10 year waiting period for a bull elk tag in Nevada once you've harvested. Then, if you're lucky, you'll draw a tag in about 10 years after the waiting period is over. I figure my next bull elk tag will come when I'm in my late '70's...... Cow elk tags should come around every few years, though. And they do taste good!

[westaner]

No vacation time, wish I could have two weeks off for the rut! Should practice more with bow up-down shots. More cardio!

[ElkManDan]

I really don't do well with staying in shape during the offseason. I am always sucking wind the first week of the season. Luckily I usually get plenty of time to hunt so by the end of the season I'm feeling pretty good. Most years i'll lose between 8-15lbs during the archery season and look and feel like I should have going into the season.

[LckyTylr]

I'm with iRem, if the elk aren't talking, I don't sit as long as I should while cold calling . . . . . . and I don't go slow enough when I have decided "there aren't any elk in this drainage" and moving to the next drainage. I have bumped elk while hoofing it up and over the ridge, I need to slow down and Stalk to my next area, it's not like I don't have allllllllll day to get there. Quite often, once I get to my next intended drainage, I sit down, eat lunch, then settle in for the long wait until the evening hunt. That will last about 45 minutes before I decide that I should probably go to the next drainage over because I'm too bored to sit any longer.

Patience . . . . . Patience . . . . . . . PATIENCE!!!! Agh, I'm a lost cause.

[BowElkDwn]

I'm with you guys and patience. Unless there is food to eat, or a bugling bull I want to be on the move. I don't like going slow either. I want to get to the top of the next ridge and throw out another bugle. If no answer try it again and again until I hear somthing. I don't know haw many elk I've busted with this mentality but I STILL want to be on the move unless there is calling going on. Even when I'm out there I tell myself that i'm going too fast but I always talk myself out of it by thinking I only want to kill a bull that is bugling and wants to rip my head off. There are many times that I should have slowed dowm though, thats for sure.

[planebow]

I would say my biggest problem is not being aggressive enough and always have the wind switching on

[Buckriser]

For me I'd say it's scouting. I just can't get to my area as often as I'd like. Mostly due to time off work, family time, and the distance I have to travel to get to my area.

[Jahnke76]

Thats an easy question. Its an extra 100 pounds. THis year will be my first time hunting in the mountains. I may be out of shape but working at it and am already in better shape than I have been for the last 10 years. I know its gonna be a challenge and I wont be moving fast but I wont be the slowest of our group going out either. Nine weeks to go so I should be down another 40 pounds or so.

[LckyTylr]

Way to GO Yahnke76. That sounds like a lot of work. Good for you.

[WapitiTalk1]

Straight up.... patience when cold calling. It happens this way every......single......year.. I throw out a locater bugle to see if anybody is home.. I'll set up my partner, drop the facemask on, knock an arrow and ring a two note bugle over the elk woods... I wait.. no answer... wait a few minutes more... nothing visual or vocal... perhaps give a few raspy cow calls... wait a few minutes more. I drop my guard for just a second and "he" shows up, catching me with my perverbial pants down Every year, I kid you not.. RJ

[dreamingbig]

For me it is getting my bow tuned and fighting that crappy thing called target panic. For my dad, he would tell you hands down his loss in hearing. That said we have managed to take quite a few OTC elk in Washington the past 10 years. I could always be better at calling, so that is weakness 1b.

[Broken arrow]

Mine is $$$$$ I have the physical, mental and the confidence but I just don't have the dough! I'm to the point of selling stuff including blood and plasma! if I want something I get it except money?!?

[ElkNut1]

$$$$$$$ I think that's most of our dilemmas!! Grin) Keep up the faith Broken Arrow!!!

ElkNut1

[TheBestRacksInTown]

Mine is elk calls; any type, style, use, sound, color, size, different.... I can't pass a call on the shelf without getting the shakes and a little sweaty...
Mr. Phelps will be getting a call shortly. (After my wife leaves to visit the mother-in-law anyway.)
wes

[mongopino915]

My biggest weakness is my big heart. Long time rifle hunter and turned archery three years ago. Elk hunting is my passion and in my blood. I am fully committed and put out 110% each season to try to get one but find myself in the back seat doing most of the callings. It is rewarding calling in lots of bulls to bow range and seeing my friends take a few down down, but I really have the urge to put one down yearly by myself. All the guys at camp look up to me for leadership and I am grateful but I really want to be the best elk hunter that I can be.

During my elk rifle days, I was very successful hunting solo and I want to do same with archery. Sorry for venting.

[mattstanton]

year round physical conditioning for me is my biggest weakness. All other areas from calling, shooting, learning new methods, etc. could use work to, but consistently year to year I never spend enough time in the fitness area and it does hinder me in the woods every now and then.

what he said^

[Lefty]

Money and time are certianly number one. Not much I can change there.
However there are some weakensses that I can improve, Elk talk, knowing elk better, knowing the elk where I hunt better and their patterns, And yes I wish I could run marathons, shoot better

[horseshoe]

living 2300 miles away and @ 1000 ft altitude!

[JohnFitzgerald]

My biggest weakness is my big heart. Long time rifle hunter and turned archery three years ago. Elk hunting is my passion and in my blood. I am fully committed and put out 110% each season to try to get one but find myself in the back seat doing most of the callings. It is rewarding calling in lots of bulls to bow range and seeing my friends take a few down down, but I really have the urge to put one down yearly by myself. All the guys at camp look up to me for leadership and I am grateful but I really want to be the best elk hunter that I can be.

During my elk rifle days, I was very successful hunting solo and I want to do same with archery. Sorry for venting.

I feel for you because I was in the same boat. Last year I had to say goodbye to a hunting buddy because he refused to work on his calling in the off season. This year I've aligned with a couple of guys that are just as committed as I am. What state do you hunt?

[slim9300]

Patience.

[Lost Arrow]

Closing the deal. I can find elk, call elk and get close to elk......just choke on putting them on the ground!!

[Ruttn' Rooseys]

Physical conditioning year round for me, I always tell myself I will stay in shape after season but never manage to acomplish this. Training a month or two before season helps a little but a guy really needs to stay in shape year round so conditioning is not a factor come season. Next is becoming complacent. I don't know how many times I have been hunting all day with no fresh sign, no bugles, no herd talk when you let a bugle rip down in a draw. Not really expecting anything back because the entire day has been a bust you start shootin the s..t or put your bow down for a break and next thing you know a bull screams back or busts you and goes crashing away:o Common sense should tell you that this will never happen again but it seems to happen at least once every year.

[mongopino915]

My biggest weakness is my big heart. Long time rifle hunter and turned archery three years ago. Elk hunting is my passion and in my blood. I am fully committed and put out 110% each season to try to get one but find myself in the back seat doing most of the callings. It is rewarding calling in lots of bulls to bow range and seeing my friends take a few down down, but I really have the urge to put one down yearly by myself. All the guys at camp look up to me for leadership and I am grateful but I really want to be the best elk hunter that I can be.

During my elk rifle days, I was very successful hunting solo and I want to do same with archery. Sorry for venting.

I feel for you because I was in the same boat. Last year I had to say goodbye to a hunting buddy because he refused to work on his calling in the off season. This year I've aligned with a couple of guys that are just as committed as I am. What state do you hunt?

I live and hunt in Colorado on OTC public land exclusively. I see that you are in Oregon. I have a couple of good friends in Oregon and talking to them about elk hunting, it appears that Oregon OTC is just as tough if not tougher than Colorado due to the smaller elk numbers. I will just have to be honest and tell the guys that I need time to myself. Thanks for asking.

[JohnFitzgerald]

My biggest weakness is my big heart. Long time rifle hunter and turned archery three years ago. Elk hunting is my passion and in my blood. I am fully committed and put out 110% each season to try to get one but find myself in the back seat doing most of the callings. It is rewarding calling in lots of bulls to bow range and seeing my friends take a few down down, but I really have the urge to put one down yearly by myself. All the guys at camp look up to me for leadership and I am grateful but I really want to be the best elk hunter that I can be.

During my elk rifle days, I was very successful hunting solo and I want to do same with archery. Sorry for venting.

I feel for you because I was in the same boat. Last year I had to say goodbye to a hunting buddy because he refused to work on his calling in the off season. This year I've aligned with a couple of guys that are just as committed as I am. What state do you hunt?

I live and hunt in Colorado on OTC public land exclusively. I see that you are in Oregon. I have a couple of good friends in Oregon and talking to them about elk hunting, it appears that Oregon OTC is just as tough if not tougher than Colorado due to the smaller elk numbers. I will just have to be honest and tell the guys that I need time to myself. Thanks for asking.

Oregon OTC is a little tough, unless you've hunted it for 25+ years. I've said goodbye to a few hunting partners. It's not easy to do and can jeopardize freindships. It is always a tough decision for me, good luck.

[CrazyElkHunter]

The older I get the more "Weaknesses" I get. Eyesight, hearing, balance and everything else that goes with being 60. 3 knee and 2 shoulder surgeries thrown in doesn't help. Fortunately, I have learned enough about elk in the last 35 years from hunting them with a bow, I somehow manage to fill the freezer just about every year. Last years bull was less than a 1/2 mile from camp from a tree stand over a wallow. To narrow it down to my #1 weakness, it would have to be going after a bugling bull where humans should not go without a helicopter. Back in the 80's I was told by hunting buddies that I was "Crazy" when I slid off of cliffs to go after a bulls. That was when I was dubbed "CrazyElkHunter". Found out who my true friends were we we had to get the meat out. Sometimes 3 or 4 days with only 30 or 40 lbs of boned out meat on our backs it was so steep. The weakness is still there, but now I choose my canyons a little more to my ability.

[foxvalley]

Keeping mentally tough till the end.

[Freebird134]

I'm not sure I have enough experience elk hunting to pinpoint one single weakness! Last time my weakness was being lazy, or at least making excuses for shortcuts. We were in elk thick until we were to lazy to hike all the way back up the mountain to camp. We slept with the elk that night, and pushed them right out of the area.

[DominicV]

I would have to add another to the patience bug. The last couple years I have learned to slow down and glass more but I still really struggle with waiting longer after sets, mentally its tough to stay with an area if I am not seeing them and tend to move to other areas way too much.

[dreamhunter]

Always wanting to be on the move,it has been hard for me to sit still,I'm getting better though as i learn more,especially on here

[foxvalley]

Not enough patience,especially after (hearing something)

Not agrresive enough (waiting for things to happen)

Not going after the bugling bull,because we know there will be eventually one bugling on our side. WHAT??????

The mind going blank as the bull is screaming at you at very close range.

The bugling bull is too far away. WHAT???

Not setting up a game plan before the encounter.

Having lunch in the mtns. without cold calling first.

Being a cat instead of an elk!

Not memorizing every inch of the play book (fixed)

Being too passive in general.

[>>>---WW---->]

OLD AGE! Wish I had known 40 years ago what I know now. I'd be an elk killing machine. LOL!

[In-S-Heart]

My biggest weakness - snickers bars, especially with almonds!

Other than that - trying to quit using whitetail tacktics for elk.

Did I mention snickers?

[dito]

Patience, sometimes finding the elk, laziness, and physical fitness. But mostly patience.

[planebow]

Most all of these fit me but probably my biggest weakness is trying to hunt them like deer, a real hard habit to break.

[shooter21]

My weakness is ??? Not knowing when to quiT .And be patient when it is needed .

[foxvalley]

Most all of these fit me but probably my biggest weakness is trying to hunt them like deer, a real hard habit to break.

I think most of my weaknesses can be traced back to to this very same statement. Thanks planebow. Sitting in a tree stand for whitetails,there is very little desision making needed,but for elk, you need to make the right desision every few seconds during an encounter.Be and sound like an elk,they will not respond,or come over to you if you sound like a whitetail!!!!!!!!

[sockeye]

Patience, when I do decide to make a cold calling set, the other spot 10-30 yards away always looks better to set up at. Need to learn to sit and wait 30-45-or an hour without constantly moving to that "better" cover.

[mattstanton]

fitness! I don't let it stop me but I know I could cover more ground quicker if I was in better shape.

[T/H]

Patience

[one_elk]

patience, patience, patience....I cover to much ground with no real plan, I don't stay long enough at my calling setup and spot and stalk well I do fine at finding the elk but usually don't take enough time for the stalk......you would think after all these years I would slow it down...but on the positive side the more elk I spook the fewer I have to pack...

[Vanish]

Inexperience!

Also, I'm usually too aggressive (try to stalk to close too fast) or too passive (sit by and watch an opportunity disappear).

[Spike elk]

Off course being out of shape, but mostly time. I am mainly a weekend warrior. Just not enough time!

[elkfuler]

Here in the Peoples Republic of Washington my biggest weakness is drawing a decent tag. Second weakness is finding a "true spike" in my favorite hunting unit when I don't draw a tag. Will be trying different strategy this year. Oh and the list goes on from there just like many others - hearing loss, eyesight deteriorating, making it all come together when I do get close to a critter.

[pointysticks]

my answer is stupid.

but it is my wife. on long trips, i simply miss her. difficult to focus on the task at hand while pining away for your wife. it is alot better when i hunt with my brother. family helps.

as the trip progresses..i get alot better. by day 8, i dont even remember i am married! the first few nights are tough.

i wish she hunted. i would kick butt!!

[RockChucker30]

This is my first year, so inexperience is mine. I think to some extent education and experience is interchangeable, so I've tried to educate myself as well as I can. But I know I'll be able to add a bunch of other things to this list in a few weeks due to inexperience.

[Sucobowhunter]

Patience.. I can find elk( I hunt an awesome area in co(public land/wilderness area) but always have trouble sealing the deal.. This weekend was all of a sudden face to face at 10 yards with a big 6 point and as he trotted away I stopped him but he wouldn't come back then proceeded to not have Patience and spooked another 4 pointer, 10 cows and the biggest 7 point I have ever seen within 5 minutes.. Patience..

[JoeH2o]

Wolves! I think I would forgo a day of searching for elk if I heard (or saw) a wolf. I would switch my focus from elk to wolves, real quik!

[Magic]

My defined weaknesses are all age related, but since they have crept up on me gradually, I have trouble accepting them. My mind can write a check that my old butt can't cash.

[cantgetdrawn]

My biggest weaknesses are that I am too dedicated of a hunter and I work over-excessively to get my elk.

Just kidding, top two are inexperience and lack of patience with conditioning being a close third.

[elkoholic]

inpatient would be number one for me, and the other would be the elk language. Although iam learning more every year i feel that i still lack the knowledge in that department.

[rjdumas]

Mine is finding elk.

I go to places people say should have elk like thick timber, clear cuts, water (western Oregon has lots of that.)
I haven't been able to find the right spot that holds elk. Places that have elk in them just not the time I'm there.
All signs are old. Even during scouting I haven't had much luck.
One of these days I'll be in the right place at the right time and have a shot.

[mcnje032]

Confidence
Patience
Compassion