Regrets?

[Bullnuts]

It always happens right about this time of year, after an unsuccessful season, that my 20/20 hindsight starts to kick in and I start having regrets about things I did over the last season. I'm not sorry for the way the season went, mind you, just thinking about some of the situations we were in and how I could have done things differently. A couple things I've learned is that I have to be more patient when we are setting up to call. 5-10 minutes in a location is long enough for an elk, even an elk that is 1/2 mile away, to walk to where we are, but most of the time the bulls in my area become suspicious during that last 100 yards or so and will stand there and stare for a long time before they decide to commit. My urgency to move probably blew us up more than anything else this year.
I also took some advice from another writer this year and tried staying on my feet to shoot instead of getting down on my knees when we were set up. It's definitely more comfortable being on my feet but I found that the set up has to be ultra perfect. It's harder to see through the trees from standing than it is from kneeling, and there were a couple shots this year that I probably could have made from kneeling but had limbs blocking my view from standing.
My set ups were also pretty bad this year and I should have taken a few seconds to get into a better position before the elk was standing in front of me. Anticipating shooting lanes is huge and I need to do a better job with this next year if I want to shoot elk instead of just see elk. A couple steps in one direction or another can make a huge difference.
This was my 30th season of elk hunting and it's funny how I still learn something new every year. I learn a lot of old stuff, too, that I should have been putting to use, but with the elk teaching me so many lessons every season it's hard to keep all the lessons straight. Next year will be better!

[ElkNut1]

Ha Ha, good stuff there Bill!! Nothing like a self analysis getting priorities & thoughts in order! We should all do this every year, it will make us better hunters for doing so!! The Elk are great teachers, the question is, ARE WE GREAT LISTENERS?

ElkNut1

[LONEBULL]

I too second guess myself. I had a bull jump my string like I never thought possible this year and made a bad hit on a huge 340-350 class bull. He was wired (just tried to mount a cow, glunking, etc.)and I took a 40 yard shot at him. Should have let him cross the creek and come up the other side and maybe the outcome would have been different. Hope he makes it!!! Still feel horrible!!

[foxvalley]

Analizing the hunt,what worked, what didn't, and what you would do different, I think, is a great way to become a better elk hunter. My biggest regret,not for this season,but for the 2011 season, was that I didn't hunt till the bitter end,till the season ended.Also, my hunting partner this year had emotional issues,along with being ill,which is a perfect recipe for.... get me the %#$ out of here! We ended up leaving a week earlier than planned.We were packing up camp to go home as a bull was screaming and going nuts right above camp. It wasn't my call, but I believe there is some regret going on about that.

[Swede]

I love these stories. We are all still learning. We can all relate. If it is not one thing that can and does go wrong, then it is another. Foxvalley I feel for you more in your situation. I would feel much better having put in the full time and coming up short, than having to leave. That stinks.

[pointysticks]

me? none really.

i think i did alright. i got in shape..best hunting shape ever for me. i could hike easy.

we found one elk..killed it.

my hunting group, not my brother..in general. what a bunch of whiners. got old a bit. and my brother and i did all the cooking and cleaning. i regret not speaking up for ourselves. that's it. it was a good year!!

[cnelk]

My only regret this year was a friend that took others guys into our 'OTC honey-holes' this year.
Hence he wont be hunting with us anymore...

I had hunted these spots for over 20 years and yes, it is public land, but we all know some spots are just better than others

[Swede]

Cnelk's situation is a common one. The only way to avoid a misunderstanding is to have an agreement upfront. Make sure your friend knows he can never come back unless you invite him, or not to come back with any other person. Friendships have been ruined over fishing holes and hunting spots alike. Personally I would rather pass on an invitation to hunt with someone rather than deal with any misunderstanding that I was violating their trust or encroaching on them. If I am ever in their general area they have no basis to think I am into their honey hole. Just my 2 cents.

[Lefty]

Yes I should have gone after this bastard red fox: ( yes that is what they are called)
Black back, white feet, brilliant white tipped tail:relatively rare in the lower 48 I had never seen one in the wild before

[bnsafe]

i let a hill beat me. and i trained really really hard. lesson learned

[Bullnuts]

My only regret this year was a friend that took others guys into our 'OTC honey-holes' this year.
Hence he wont be hunting with us anymore...

I had hunted these spots for over 20 years and yes, it is public land, but we all know some spots are just better than others

Man, been there done that! Definitely a lesson learned there. You don't really know a person until you hunt with them and you really REALLY don't know them until you don't hunt together anymore! Sucks to have to save all those honey holes to yourself and not be able to share them with friends, but sometimes friends don't understand the time and effort it takes to find the center of the center and how much trust you're putting in them when you take them there.

[mongopino915]

No real serious regrets in the wood but there was just too much alcohol and drunks at camp by some non-serious hunter good friends. It's all good to have a couple of beers/shots to chill after a hard day in the high country, but don't need full blown parties and hangovers at elk camp.

[MT_Nate]

I'm not counting regrets yet...at least the "elk" ones. Still 5 days left in the MT archery season and things could change. I'll undoubtedly regret once archery season closes next Monday if I felt I didn't get out and hunt every possible moment I could. When elk are close and an opportunity goes bad, there's 10-million things you tell yourself could have done differently to make it happen. The way I look at it, if you get opportunities and you did all you could with the time you had to prepare, you can't regret anything. You're into elk...and most of the elk hunters out there are getting no elk action whatsoever. I'm finding that the time spent in the woods with elk can offer no regrets whatsoever and I'm still happy in the end.

With respect to buddies who take other people into a honey hole you brought them with you into...well, I don't wanna get started. That's a regret that becomes rage...and I'm not happy in the end, year-after-year.

[pointysticks]

My only regret this year was a friend that took others guys into our 'OTC honey-holes' this year.
Hence he wont be hunting with us anymore...

I had hunted these spots for over 20 years and yes, it is public land, but we all know some spots are just better than others

yikes..my friend took me to a great spot. the camping spot was awesome. i took my wife there, just to camp. deer season was open, but having my wife..i elected not to hunt. but i did take my bow just in case. my wife didnt want a comfy camp spot but wanted a rough one, with a stream..this fit the bill.

i called my friend to let him know..he was cool with it. he called me back recently, to show me his "real honey hole"..horray..apparently his hunting buddy list is getting shorter with everyone having kids.

[cnelk]

AND he borrowed 2 of my cots. I didn't realize at the time they were to accommodate the new guys...

And to top it off, one new guy shot an elk, the other new guy kept missing elk.

At least I got the cots back....

[pointysticks]

did you say anything to him? when you got the cots?

did you preface the original honey hole reveal by saying.."dont bring anyone else here?".. i warned one guy by telling him, "he is dead to me if he leaks any intel"..so far so good.

man that blows. hope you find an even better honey hole!! those two new guys will probably tell anther four

[Bullnuts]

Worst thing is, since they shot elk and saw elk, they'll be back and will probably bring friends with them. We had the same problem, but the guy who kept bringing others with him lived in CA and when he got divorced he couldn't afford to come out anymore. Problem solved....do you know the ex-friend's wife

[cnelk]

Worst thing is, since they shot elk and saw elk, they'll be back and will probably bring friends with them.

Time is on my side. They will tire of chasing my bugles next year....

Plus - I didnt show him ALL of the spots...

[Bullnuts]

Worst thing is, since they shot elk and saw elk, they'll be back and will probably bring friends with them.

Time is on my side. They will tire of chasing my bugles next year....

Plus - I didnt show him ALL of the spots...

Ha!

[cantgetdrawn]

Every year I hunt I always have regrets, but there is no guarantee that had I did things differently I would have be more successful.

This year I decide to spend the last day and a half of my hunt in a different location. I suspected elk had been pushed into some very step drainages above some high dollar houses. If so they would probably use a large meadow at night. As I drove to the trailhead to get to the meadow I was fighting to stay awake from getting to my tent late and leaving early all week. I took a nap at the trailhead, which resulted in me getting to the Meadow late. I set up my tent in ear shot of the meadow, and went down to observe the last few minutes of daylight. I was hoping I would be awakened to the sounds of bugling at night, but was disappointed as my cell phone alarm went off around 5am, so I got dressed and was just unzipping the tent when they started bugling on the other side of the meadow. I crossed the meadow in the dark with the wind in my face and got as close as I dared. I waited since I did not want them coming to me in the dark. They started sounding a little farther away, making there way toward the drainage. I followed and found a spot to setup and started cow calling and bugling, they would respond but they kept moving away.

I suspected they where hanging out in the drainage. I should have gone around and crossed the meadow near the top of the drainage so they would have had to come past me. I did think when I started going after them, maybe next year. Who knows what would of actually happened, but that is one of many minor regrets I have every year I hunt.

[buglmin]

Regrets? None...I got to spend time with some great friends, friends I havent seen in two years, seen sights I wouldnt of seen if I wouldnt of been out hunting, killed a decent black bear and a decent mule deer, and passed on several small bulls at very close close range while trying to call in bulls for friends....Regrets? No sir, not a one...and with elk rifle season starting satureday, the bulls really screaming thier heads off and two good friends on thier way here, what more could a guy ask for?