Lessons Learned from our Elk Hunt

[Tigger]

I thought I would share some things that worked well on our hunt and other things that did not.

1. Wearing Sitka is like hunting in your pajamas. Tough as nails and super comfy. High marks for Sitka.
2. Same with Schnees boots. Where we were it was super, super steep. Boots were critical and my Beartooths performed very well.
3. I loved our Clip-Shot (they are a sponsor here). We used it for timed pictures in the back country. It made the pictures so easy to take.
4. My confidence in talking to elk went off the charts. I bet I cow called (with corresponding answers from real elk) over a hundred times and probably bugled a hundred times (with answers from real bulls).
5. Related to #4 above, we struggled with calling a moving bull in for the shot. One day we spent 4 hours chasing a bull that did not have cows. I could turn him and get him to come to within about 50-80 yards but then he would drift away. My buddy did get within 40 yards twice. I suppose if we had killed it, I would be saying it was a huge success but it certainly felt like I needed one more tool in the toolbox. I will post a separate topic on this.
6. You can outwalk other hunters. There were a lot of people at the trailheads (by a lot I mean 1-3 pickups at each trailhead). However, after talking with them, it soon became apparent they stayed within 2 miles of the road max. Our elk activity was all more than 2 miles from the trailhead.
7. Wapiti River calls were awesome (The Reaper). All my calling and not one false note. From calf sounds to lip bawls, it worked flawlessly. I never had an elk bail out because of my calling.
8. ElkNut Bugle tube. Worked perfect and I was able to tuck the string under my chest strap and keep it behind my left arm super easy.
9. Elknut tactics. Buy the playbook. Just plain buy the playbook. Understanding elk makes the hunt so rewarding. Knowing what the sounds mean help so much in strategizing it is unbelievable. Paul, thank you for putting that together. If you don't have the playbook, buy the dang thing NOW!
10. Listening to other hunters who obviously HAVEN'T read the playbook is comical. One was even a guide and it was downright painful listening to him try and call us in. Wrong sounds. Wrong timing. Our other guys talked to him afterward. They were convinced we were a bull.
11. Rain really shuts down bugling. In fact, it went almost completely silent on rain days. No rain, bugling all over. Rain...silence. 2 years in a row in 2 different states.
12. OnXMaps App was a big disappointment. I had heard so many good things about it. 5 different guys. 4 guys with problems, 3 guys catastrophic problems. I would NOT count on this app as a critical backcountry navigation tool. Secondary....sure. But don't go in only with this app. When it works, it was good (not great, but good). The maps are not clear when you zoom in, the layers disappeared throughout the hunt, it wouldn't open on 1 iPhone from the start, on another iPhone it gave up the fight mid week (wouldn't open at all), and it completely bombed 2 samsungs for one guy (he ended up going with a different app that worked fine). I just called and I believe they will refund our money, but I don't want a refund, I wanted to go find my waypoints during the middle of the week and use it in the backcountry. As many people say, a warranty doesn't mean a thing when you are on the mountain counting on it.
13. All the talk about getting in shape is right on the money. But I will add one more thing. Sidehill walking is hard on your ankles and lower legs. Get some practice with that. Make sure your boots are broke in with downhiling, uphilling, and sidehilling.
14. They have some gel pads for blisters out there (my brother brought them). Man, do they work well.
15. Eating a Snickers bar on top of a mountain is more fun than working.


That is all I can think of for now. I hope one of these observations helps at least 1 person!

[ak32]

I just got the onXHunt maps for an upcoming antelope hunt and it's been nothing but difficulties. It even caused my android phone to go into a boot loop and wouldn't start so I had to do a hard reset. Extremely frustrating to say the least.

[Tigger]

Oh, I thought of another one. Water bladders. If you aren't using a water bladder, I would recommend it. It makes it so much easier to drink and you become much less dehydrated.

[ishy]

I only learned one thing-rainy days are the best! Sorry Tigger, but I would take a rainy day over any other. It was just drizzling when I called in and shot my bull, but turned to solid downpour after the shot and several other bulls bugled during that time.

[JKaboom]

High value thread - thank you for sharing your observations - I'm an elk newb and really like threads like this

[Dr. Rx]

Thank you Tigger great points.

Agree Rain shut down the bugle..

Ishy.. was your's a cold weather rain just out of curiosity? Our's was on the warm side.. the overcast did not allow for temps to drop into the freezing range.

Kris

[six]

Great thread!

15. Eating a Snickers bar on top of a mountain is more fun than working.

Yes a SNICKERS is hard to beat, but dont forget a Mountain House when you get back to camp at night. I'm not sure what it is about a Mountain House after a hard day of hunting. I love it and look forward to it all year long.

[ak32]

I only learned one thing-rainy days are the best! Sorry Tigger, but I would take a rainy day over any other. It was just drizzling when I called in and shot my bull, but turned to solid downpour after the shot and several other bulls bugled during that time.

I love overcast or snow, but rain is a nightmare for following any kind of blood trail.