Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

How will you get one? What is your plan?

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

How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Elkhunttoo » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 1]

You got the days off of work! You got the tag in your pocket! You’re pulling out of the driveway! You’re pulling into camp! You’re walking up the mountain side for that first fall morning! Now what?

One of my favorite quotes is “At the time of decision, preparation ceases!”

You are all prepared for your hunt. But what is you plan this year to bring home that bull?
Elkhunttoo
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1160
Joined: 05 23, 2016

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Swede » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 2]

I suspect my next elk if am fortunate enough to get one will come from a tree stand.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Lefty » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 3]

September: my goal is for my daughter to get a decent Idaho bull. If a mature bull presents itself to me I'll take it. If I don't get an Idaho bull during archery,
Ill muzzleloader hunt.

I also have a general Montana combo tag. I'll be using a rifle I'm not in a hurry but I've never had to wait long to kill an elk with a rifle Nice days I'll go sit and slowly walk back to camp, nasty day, Im setting up the blind, and putting some heat on, maybe catch up on that pile ofr reading material of Bugle, American Hunter and Trapper post!.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby saddlesore » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Usually don't have a plan.Get up, go to my favorite area and shoot an elk
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Jhg » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 5]

My plan? To recover what I lost with recent health issues.
My goal is to get back my stamina since climbing in and out of drainages is a big part of my hunt style.

The plan is, besides what is my current pathetic gym routine, getting out to scout as much as possible.

22DEBC95-B3F1-4BF0-80CA-C944764E318D.jpeg
22DEBC95-B3F1-4BF0-80CA-C944764E318D.jpeg (92.07 KiB) Viewed 910 times
Jhg
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 864
Joined: 07 18, 2018
Location: Colorado

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Elkhunttoo » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 6]

I honestly have never really had a plan of how exactly I was going to get a nice mature bull. I have had my places I was going to go in mind. My strategy was always in place. But this year I feel like I have a plan of how it’s going to come together. I will spend a little time in the summer getting the wallow/spring ready. Make sure my stand is in the right spot. And then when the season comes I’m going to do as saddlesore said. Go to my best spot and shoot an elk. I will be holding out for a mature bull, but I’m as confident about this plan as I ever have been about any hunt.

Now cross my fingers and pray it works
Elkhunttoo
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1160
Joined: 05 23, 2016

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Indian Summer » 05 27, 2023 •  [Post 7]

My plan is to keep my chin up and hunt hard all day every day like it the first day of the hunt. That’s a pretty big statement since elk hunting in big mountains chips away at you both physically and mentally.

Get high, glass to locate, be sneaky enough to get a shot. Repeat if necessary. Still hunt from vantage point to vantage point.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Swede » 05 27, 2023 •  [Post 8]

Indian Summer wrote:Get high, glass to locate, be sneaky enough to get a shot. Repeat if necessary. Still hunt from vantage point to vantage point.


I believe that this and stand hunting is absolutely the best way to go on most OTC and easy draw units. I am sure there a few isolated places where you can still call and run around and get elk a lot of the years but will not beat sitting tight and just watching and waiting.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Indian Summer » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 9]

Swede wrote:
Indian Summer wrote:Get high, glass to locate, be sneaky enough to get a shot. Repeat if necessary. Still hunt from vantage point to vantage point.


I believe that this and stand hunting is absolutely the best way to go on most OTC and easy draw units. I am sure there a few isolated places where you can still call and run around and get elk a lot of the years but will not beat sitting tight and just watching and waiting.


Agreed! Every day I come to places where I say to myself… if a guy sat in a stand in that tree right there it would only be a matter of time until he gets a shot. I’m no stranger to stand hunting. I’ve stayed on stand from dark to dark many times deer hunting. Other than late season drives which is NOT a tactic for elk it is the only way to hunt deer in my opinion.

I was bear hunting with a friend’s dad in New Brunswick and he said to us…. To end up in the right place at the right time you should put in as much time on stand as possible. At the end of that day he looked at me and said oh my God I’ve never seen anybody do that. And I can’t believe you stayed up that tree the entire day. And anyone that thinks that’s easy has obviously never tried it and it’s just as hard physically and mentally as any other tactic.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby saddlesore » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 10]

The problem with sitting and waiting is elk move in large areas. Where you see elk one day, it might be another week month or months before they pass that way again..

I would rather go to areas that I know elk frequent and then keep moving until I find them.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Swede » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 11]

saddlesore wrote:I would rather go to areas that I know elk frequent and then keep moving until I find them.


I too go to areas I know elk frequent. That is absolutely critical to success. You can't kill elk where they were or where they will be sometime into the future. The reason I do not move is because I have determined from my scouting, that where my stand the elk will be.
It is not a mystery. Set up where multiple trails come together at a place like a waterhole/wallow or in a saddle that displays frequent and long-term use. To encourage an elk to come in I will commonly let out one short bugle right before I climb up to my stand.
The whole thing is simple, but as I.S. said, it is not always easy.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby DKenn757 » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 12]

I am still defining a plan. I have some areas I have looked at on maps that I am planning a scouting trip in late July to get eyes on. I really like what Indian Summer said above. I'm sure it will be quite a learning curve for me, but being prepared mentally and physically is what I am striving for.
DKenn757
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 15
Joined: 12 25, 2022
Location: Virgnia

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby Lefty » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 13]

I always have this place as my backup plan ,,,, if I cant walk At one time a secret hunting location in Idaho. For years there were only 6x6 and greater bulls taken in the area, and the "average" number of hunt days was 17. Archers were only hunting those big bulls

IMG_5581.JPG


The blind was placed about 60 yards from where the bull are
The following year I messed up on the 5x5 ( still a 5x.
The bull to the left I dogged for 3 years, He was a cripple in his old age, I spent 14 days with him one year in August. Bedded in a small area every morning. I found where he was killed and eaten by wolves
In those three years, I probably had 6-7 other big bulls under 30 yards that I passed on. When he was around.
Lots of experiences and plenty of mistakes with those 3 bulls and their buddies . Still makes me feel giddy thinking about our time together. :lol:
Swede will give me a hard time about old tough chewy bulls, But if Im still kicking in 15 years Memories and pictures ( and hopefull horns ) will put a smile on my face that few will ever understand.


bullscopy re (Small) (Custom).jpg
bullscopy re (Small) (Custom).jpg (47.07 KiB) Viewed 830 times
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby six » 05 30, 2023 •  [Post 14]

2023 is going to be a good year. I haven't had a bow in my hands chasing elk for three years.

This September my wife and I will be taking our converted car hauler to Colorado. This will be our second attempt at the empty nester thing. Bikes, grill, kayaks, side by side, shower, archery tackle and best of all a OTC elk tag (or maybe I should say wife). ;)

Together we will hunt from a pop up overlooking a wallow. I'm also looking forward to her giving me a ride to the top of the mountain on the side by side then slooowly hunting my way back to camp once the thermals start to rise. I might even try to apply my knowledge of tree stand hunting whitetails and hang a stand overlooking a travel route. I can just imaging a cougar, bear, mule deer, or an elk passing by.

After a couple days of hunting the wife and I can hop on the side by side and do some exploring. Maybe even share a mountain house and a sunset. A coffee and a sunrise is a must. Just enough to keep the wife engaged for future endeavors.

In case you cant tell I'm pretty excited.

Good luck everyone!
Elk are where you find em...
User avatar
six
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 637
Joined: 06 13, 2012
Location: Michigan
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Cool

Re: How will you get one? What is your plan?

Postby GPelkhunter » 06 01, 2023 •  [Post 15]

Hunting Solo. There are a lot of things I want to try this year and I don't feel like compromising or reasoning with anyone. I want to try specific tactics if opportunities arise without a third party's influence. To fail is to learn, and I want to fail or succeed my way because I feel I'll get the most knowledge and value from the experience, plus I am willing to try bolder tactics that I know will be hard for others to accept (ex: If I cow call and a bull calls me in, I'm cow calling my way to him to get a shot). Not to say I won't hunt with my regular hunting partners, but I do plan on hunting on my own this year quite often.
GPelkhunter
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 10
Joined: 04 03, 2023