What is your #1 Elk hunting tip?

[Sean_TeamNWHunting]

A lot of us participating in this forum seem to have a great deal of experience and success with hunting elk. Just out of curiosity, what would your number one tip be regarding hunting elk? My tip would be to always be patient as one develops their elk hunting skills year after year. I've always felt that my hunting successes are from learning what not to do by the mistakes that I have made while pursuing elk. Please feel free to share your insights and wisdom.

[RockChucker30]

I think attitude is more important than anything else. If you've got a can do, positive attitude it'll take you far in anything you do. Also the ability the stay switched on and be open minded while hunting will keep you from making a lot of forehead slapping mistakes.

[easeup]

attitude is #1 for sure.
so I will add, get in shape next.

[ElkNut1]

Yes, the list can be endless, it seems what's important to one hunter is less important to another. (grin) In this day & age my # 1 tip would be to Trust Your Bugle! So many do not do this & it is one of the biggest reasons for failure. Bugling can get a bad rap but it's the most powerful tool in ones arsenal when used correctly. In most cases it is used for Finding Elk not trying to call them to you! You elk hunters out there who are not seeing success on a yearly basis ask yourselves where you fit in this department? Trust That Bugle, don't abuse it, but use it!

ElkNut1

[GetemDuck]

calling and when and where is a solid tip but I would not rank it at the top, if you think about the guys that are going elk hunting for the first time, most are east coast guys looking for the western experience. Most have never set foot above 10,000 feet and think they are going to be able to trek the mountain like they do the hills in their own back yard. But they get a wake up call when they get up in that thin air. I'll agree with the earlier post get in shape, if you can't hold a steady shot when the time comes because you are winded from the stalk then what good is the calling and everything else. You can still elk hunt with out calls and a lack of knowledge but if your stuck in camp your pretty SOL.

Just my 2 cents

[Indian Summer]

I'll have to agree 1000% with Rockchucker. An optimistic attitude and the ability to maintain it through the whole hunt isn't always easy but you're defeated if you dont.

I don't want to sound like a broken record from another thread but since you asked..... actually I think the #1 tip is t make sure you're hunting in a good area. I'm sure we all know a guy who has a reputation of being a consistent deer or turkey hunter but in reality you know he's no better than the rest.. he just has a great spot. Great spots make great hunters and all the best gear, perfect calling, and master plans in the world won't be worth a damn if the area just doesn't have what it takes.

#1 tip: Qualify your choice of hunting area!

0ne of the biggest reasons I say that gets back to RC's post which is key. If you are in a crappy area struggling to locate elk after having high hopes all year... it's not easy to keep your chin up from start to finish. You might spend the last 2 days daydreaming about the changes you plan to make for next season to avoid a repeat of the big letdown. 0ne of your partners could even have a meltdown. Ugh! But even if you can't close the deal on a shot opportunity in a good area.... you are contacting elk. Hearing bugles, smelling them & getting glimpses and it's WAY easier to keep a positive attitude. Hearing one bugle, especially if it's your first in the wild, is night and day compared to hearing none. Plus kill or no kill by being in good elk country and contacting animals, seeing sign etc, you're learning all the way. You can't even learn in an area with minimal elk herds. You may never find them. What could be worse than coming home with no elk AND knowing you only learned what not to do for 2 or 3 grand. Then if you decide to stick with it what will your top priority be?

But like the dog chasing his tail I'll finish where the thread began... even in a great area elk hunting isn't easy so if you don't keep a positive outlook you can strike out there too. You can strike out at anything in life with a poor attitude right.

[RockChucker30]

Good post IS.

I think a big part of keeping a positive attitude is managing your expectations.

If you go the first time expecting to be in elk and have great weather and catch the peak of the rut and be able to climb like a billy goat at altitude then you're in for a big letdown, and that is what can put you in a funk.

If instead you expect it to be hard, for the elk to be quiet, plan for bad weather, expect to be tired, but also expect to persevere through it all and enjoy the entire experience, whether you get one or not-- well, you just freed yourself up to have a good time.

[wideangle]

Yep just as easeup says attitude connected to being in shape (ability) is a great combination.
Attitude + Ability.

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

There was this guy in our small town where I grew up that everyone said was the best bass fisherman around. The only reason he caught more fish than everyone else was because he went fishing every single day, rain or shine.

Elk season only comes around once every year and it is WAY too short. Get out there and enjoy every single moment of it that you can. More time spent in the woods means more opertunity to bag your elk!

[Swede]

I certainly agree with all of the post above, but I got a little chuckle out of Elknut's. It is obvious to me that Paul did not know my old bugle. I trusted it a lot, but I have come to realize it was very ignorant, and unreliable. It knew how to mimic a lot of elk sounds, but was clueless on a myriad of calling subtleties. I do not like to speak bad about that bugle as we were friends for years, but I know it blew a lot of good opportunities. It was not altogether its fault, as no one taught it much. It was trying to figure it all out on its own. Well, I still have that old bugle, but it is retired now. I take it with me to elk camp for old times sake, and just in case someone forgot theirs. The old bugle can still go to work in a pinch. But I have a new bugle that I have been using for several years now. It came with a complete DVD set and a Playbook. That new bugle, is a lot more knowledgable, and just between us, I think it is a lot smarter too.

[slim9300]

For a bowhunter in the month of Sept... Learn how to call elk and exactly what they are "saying." I have been fortunate enough to kill 6 elk in the last 3 hunting seasons with my bow with limited time off, and most of them were aided by Elknut's material (aka Paul). My partner has killed 4 elk in the last two years by taking up the same focus. I added my past elk hunting experience with Paul's material (and obviously a ton of practice) and it has made elk hunting MUCH easier (not to mention more fun).

Someday, I will reach my goal of killing 50 bulls with my bow, maybe at that point I will be able to write a book myself. Until then, buy all of Elknut's material, memorize it and practice. You will be 20 years ahead of the learning curve.

Just an FYI. If you can't find the elk, you will never kill one. I have never had a problem finding the elk because I simply cover ground until they "appear." Doing that involves attitude, mental and physical toughness, proper gear, scouting, etc. and the list goes on. The point is that one tip can only take you part way.

End of rant.

[mongopino915]

The attitude that I will find elk, call elk in, and drop one on the ground each and every day when out in the wood.

Of course, at the end of the season, after 150 plus miles on foot through all sorts of terrains, giving my 100% effort, I am satisfied with or without elk down.

Trust your calling and have lots and lots of patience.

[BowKill]

Resist the temptation to over call. I get impatient and start calling to much. Bulls and cows in higher pressure areas don't make much noise.

[msd1228]

Not solely an elk hunting tip, but one I could have used last year, is make sure if you are camping in the back country that you have some sort of a water source nearby that is actually in existence - don't just see a stream on your maps and assume it won't be dry (oops). Really sucks humping all the way back into hills only to have to come back at the end of the day because there is no water to filter and drink.

[Lefty]

I may have a good friend coming out this fall for a while to archery elk hunt.
What I have told him most of what he knows about whitetails doesnt apply to elk
Learn everything about elk you can,..,.. And Im taking my Elknuts DVDs this summer to him

Most of us dont get to spent 20-40 days a year chasing elk rifle or bow learn all you can, forums DVD TV shows, then seperate the trash from the way you hunt

A musky fishemen once told me make every cast like your only cast, be completely prepared
I try to hunt as hard and smart as possible, make every moment count( including naps )

[Broken arrow]

I'm a rookie elk hunter this will be my first year and what I have learned and what I am living by is this.
You can have the best gear the best spot be an expert caller spend months/years preparing studying but it means nothing if you can't find them and you can't find them if you don't have the mental and physical strength to do so. Be as fit as you can both mentally and physically. Leave your life, problems etc. at the trail head looking for elk at 100% then and only then can you HUNT them. Simple enough to me FINDING THEM is the most important thing to focus on.

[Indian Summer]

So true Broken... like I said, you'll do yourself a world of good to find them before you get there. You guys think I'm crazy but I'm telling you.... it doesn't start when you get there. Picking out an area 10 miles square with a plan to tear it up until you strike gold is a plan too I guess.

I guess the saying work smart not hard would be my tip. I have Xs n the map for myself and 2 others this year in areas I have never even been. I can't wait to see the results of my blind scouting.

[welka]

Surprised we made it this far in the replies without a 4 letter word - watch the WIND (which includes thermals) always, always, always.

[Swede]

I think there has been a tragic myth foisted off on many would be elk hunters. That is, you have to be in the physical condition of an Olympic marathoner to get elk. Let me tell you something. That is simply not so! I am in very good shape for a 65 year old, but I am 65. I hope to be in the game of elk hunting, productively, for a long time to come. I will bow out of the hunt and just hang around to cook and to nauseate the younger hunters, about how things were back in the day. But that is still a long way off with the Lord's help.
Of coarse, get in shape and prepare yourself for your hunt. The better your condition the more options you have and the better you feel. A long hunt will especially wear on you, but remember, knowledge is even more important.
I was getting ready to leave camp one afternoon about 1:30 when a young hunter came walking down the dirt road in front of camp. He hiked in and I greated him. It was obvious he was beat! I asked if he had eaten any lunch? He said no, so I asked if he would like me to fix him one? He said "no thanks", but he accepted a soda pop. As he drank his soda, he told me about his hunt that day. He said he had hiked 17 miles, going from one end of the canyon to the other and back. I asked if he saw any elk? "Oh ya", he said. "I saw several herds, but I could never get close". " I was calling, and heard several responses, but nothing came in." "All I saw was the back ends of elk leaving the area." Well duh! I did not have the heart to say what Indian Summer just wrote. "Work smart; not harder". Not only was this young hunter wearing himself out for no good end, he was running the elk out of his hunting area.
Now; here is what I believe. That young man in the story, believd he was doing elk hunting the right way. He believed, by working harder than us old coots in the area, he would bag more game. He thought he could out hunt anyone who did not, or could not hunt his way. But that day he was tired, sore, frustrated and soon gone. I never saw him again. He and his hunting partners broke camp in a day or two and left the area. Unless he somehow got an education, he is most likely a rifle hunter today. He is discouraged and frustrated. "You just cannot get close enough to the elk with a stupid bow, and they are always running away." LOL

[Solitude]

Get up high and glass, especially if you are new to an area. Nothing gets me pumped more early on in a hunt than spotting game.

Then, as stated in a post above, play the wind/thermals on you approach. I have walked in on many grazing animals by simply hiking into the wind along an existing trail.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Along with all the great tips listed above, my recommendation is learn the elk language and their habits. Once you accomplish this, it's easier for you to think more like an elk and less like the hunter. Context : "If I was an elk I would............"

[mongopino915]

Lots of great tips/tactics mentioned.

Like JohnFitzgerald stated, think like an elk. When looking for elk, I am elk (whether a calve, cow, bull, or a herd) looking for other elk or trying to catch the attention of other elk within hearing range.

Understand elk mood and their changing behaviors as the season changes (e.g. early, middle, and late September) and pressured, and play your calling accordingly.

When you get a bull to respond or when you hear a bugle, learn to recognize the bull (i.e. a satellite, herd, excited, aggressive, calm, defensive, inviting, quick to gather to leave,..........etc.) and respond quickly and accordingly.

Have lots of tricks up your sleeve and be fully prepared to use any tactics ranging from in your face/throat challenge scream to cow swap to just being a ninja without making a single sound.

Understand and learn to imitate the real elk tone, pitch, transition, and be as realistic as possible. If I can tell a fake, so can some elk.

[caperoll/Scott]

There are a lot of good tips listed, I would say look and listen is the #1 for me. Watch the elk from a good high point. Find there ins and outs of the area they are using, listen to the elk, how much talking are they doing. I hunt in some areas in Idaho that have or had a lot of wolves. The Elk did not bugle or cow talk at all when the wolves were around. Learn the area and learn the talk. Don’t over call.

[one_elk]

I agree with others, attitude is very important as well as patients and getting the full benefit from your optics…..

[Indian Summer]

been awhile since I clicked on this thread. How about... always have a plan B.

[flystrait]

been awhile since I clicked on this thread. How about... always have a plan B.

I could not agree more. More than half the time we move to plan B, C or D. The elk are where they are..

[otcWill]

I'll echo what has already been said: Pick a good spot, hunt as many days as possible, and NEVER GIVE UP. Also pick the guys you hunt with very wisely as well as the advice you take from others.

[mtnmutt]

Have FUN! If you are not enjoying what you are doing, you will give up.

If the your fellow hunters are dragging you down, try going solo one day.

First 3 yrs, I only called for someone. Little to no elk came. My friend, the hunter, would doze off and when she jerked her head up for the elk coming in...elk would leave due to too much movement.

4th season, I was finally the hunter and had an elk at 16 yds on opening morning when I was out by myself. I missed due to failure to practice on 3D and the dang elk can really duck. It was my "success" and I was solo. Not sure if my friend was there that I would have had my "success".

Don't be afraid to go solo.

[elkoholic]

Perseverance!! Don't give up!

[Sean_TeamNWHunting]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It is always very interesting to hear your wisdom and advice. The diversity in your responses seems to mimic other advice columns I have either written or read. All great advice and excellent points to share with new and upcoming hunters. I feel it is always important to grow the sport and train others around us that may not have the exposures that we do. Recently I took a new hunter ground squirrel hunting on an organic beef operations property where the ground squirrels are simply out of control. The rancher simply cannot utilize chemicals to control the squirrel population. This young man was like a sponge, eager to learn all he could and was a great shot with a .22 long rifle. We took care of well over 100 ground squirrels that day, but the larger success was introducing him to the sport of hunting, gun safety, and the ethics revolving around conservation efforts. It is exciting to see new enthusiasm within our youth. I would encourage all of you to find a way to grow our sport. I know it takes time and effort, but all of you have something to contribute. Thanks again for your thoughts. Happy hunting!!!

[Z Barebow]

I am big on attitude also.

It is easy to be full of p!ss and vinegar on day one. It is much differnt on day 10. (Your fitness will have a bearing on your attitude). You must be willing to climb that next ridge w/o an excuse.

You need to ALWAYS be ready to kill. Whether it be start of the day, end of the day, nap time, lunch time, when you are sore time, when you are hungry, etc. Always have your weapon within reach and ready at a moments notice.

On my very 1st elk hunt, I set up in between 2 bugling bulls. (I could hear them, but not see them). I sat down and had my bow setting next to me (w/o an arrow nocked, as I thought I might have to move quickly on the hillside and didn't want an arrow nocked). Bull #1 quit bugling, but bull #2 kept at it, bugling every couple of minutes, but he seemed stationary. I kept looking toward where bull #1 might come. I looked right, and then back left and here comes bull #1, at 40 yards weaving through the oak brush. I dropped to my knees, grabbed my bow, fumbling to get an arrow out of the quiver and nock. I rose and looked up to have the bull at 12 yards, he whirled and spun away. It happened that fast. (And he was walking) I have no doubt I could have killed that bull if I simply would have had an arrow nocked.

[Trophyhill]

#1 for me also is never give up.....ever. and don't let your guard down. as soon as you do you will blow an opportunity. trust me on that! i go out every morning knowing today is going to be the day. that attitude keeps me just as fresh on day 10 as i was on day 1. and too knowing that any day in the elkwoods is better than being at work

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

It is not just attitude, it is POSITIVE attitude. I feel like every day I hunt, I'm going to take an elk. And I'll bet everybody here on the forum that takes elk on a regular bases has that same positive feeling or positive attitude.

[TetonStorm]

Hi All,
The tips and suggestions in this thread are all worthy of a #1 elk hunting tip. This forum is so great because the willingness to share ideas is so forthcoming from everyone. I know that most of mine and my brother's knowledge of archery elk hunting has come from trial and error. We're always cognizant of "whoops, that didn't work" or " wow that was awesome" and learning from it. This forum has changed that for me. So thanks everyone.
The one tip or thing that is always on my brain when elk hunting is " where is the wind coming from?" Too many times it has blown it for us "pun intended". You say to yourself " let's just sneak in. Instead of doing the right thing by ascending the ridge and going around for the right wind setup".
WHAT IS THE WIND DOING?

[ferris bugler]

I need to remind myself all the time, "Hunt elk not elk country." I have often made the mistake to go into an area that looked elky when glassing it only to find that there wasn't water or there were too many beef cows or something, meanwhile I had seen elk cows but maybe not very many or didn't see a bull somewhere else and decided against it because the other land looked better.

[SBH]

You can do everything listed above but if you don't pay attention to the wind you will miss out on 95% of the elk you get into. You cannot beat their noses. Wind in your face is #1 for me.

[CrazyElkHunter]

I actually have 2. Like everyone else says, be patient, don't get discouraged, elk hunting is not deer hunting. It can be very hard on the body and mind but is so rewarding when everything falls into place. Enjoy learning to hunt elk and enjoy being with friends whether successful or not. Most public land hunts with over the counter tags are under 10% success rate. My # 2 tip is after the shot.(bowhunting). I always have a reed in my mouth and as soon as my arrow hits the elk, I instantly cow call several times. Most of the bulls I have done this to will stop at a short distance and lay down. A couple of times they even started walking back to me and fell over not knowing they were hurt. Sit still and listen to hear if they ran very far. They make a lot of noise when running off and you can tell if they stopped. When in doubt, back out and give him or her, a few hours. If possible, take that time to go get help and pack frames. It is very important to take care of the elk as soon as possible because they can spoil if left to long laying on the ground. You will save a lot of tracking and limit the risk of not finding your elk if you use these few tips. I have been bowhunting elk for over 30 years and made a lot of mistakes in my early years. My last 5 bulls never traveled more than 40yds. 2 fell in view.

[Indian Summer]

OK... been awhile since I checked this thread but saw it's still aive and kickin'.

After reading my man Swede's post I absolutely have to add: PACE YOURSELF!

I won't bother telling the story of the tortoise and the hare but you get the picture. It's kinda hard to hike and hunt when your tounge is dragging on the ground. This ain't no foot race. If hunters think being a marathon athlete is the ticket they'll soon find out that's the hard way.

Elk: bigger legs .... humans: bigger brains. Pretty simple, use what you have to your advantage. You'll never outrun the buggers! lol

[mdog]

This advice is coming from a newb with two seasons under my belt. Both my elk have come during the second week while backpacking back in after resupplying. This is my take/tips based on these experiences:

-hunt where there are animals.... archery success is 10% on average, you need 10 good encounters for one to go your way (just made that up )
-give yourself enough time.... see above, elk will win the majority of your encounters, the pros can get it done with less time/encounters.
-work the wind.... I was hiking back in, lower to higher with the morning thermals in my face, possible to walk in on feeding/transitioning elk.
-don't walk like a human... fully loaded, uphill means 5-10 slow steps, stop and suck in that thin air.... probably moving like a grazin' elk.
-minimize noise/movement... hunt solo or single-file with some distance between, no talking/gear noise, stay in the shadows, off open ridges.
-be ready... bow in hand or I carry it in sling on my side, encounters can happen any time and things happen fast, be vigilant..always hunting
-be lucky... opportunity plus preparedness. Maybe this season I can call-one-in or spot-'n-stalk like the pros!

Not say'n to walk around with a 60# pack on but this is how I came up with my secret tips!

[Indian Summer]

Welcome Mdog!!!!

2 elk in your first 2 trips! Newbie or not you're doin' something right.

[Da White Shoe]

The wind is always a concern when bowhunting.
Stamina is always a concern on any back country hunt.
Attitude? Well, you either have that, or you don't.

In my mind, the difference between elk hunting and hunting anything else that I know of...
the difference between success and failure...
is being mobile enough to stay in elk.

[Fullabull]

Great stuff going on here. I know this was the 1# tip post but I have to add a little more to cover the things that have helped me the most in elk hunting.
1. Calling, don't be afraid to call. Elk are vocal and social (their biggest downfall). I run into to many people who are afraid to call because they think it chases the elk away. My dad and I are restricted to hunting no more than a half mile to one mile from trail heads because of his age, yet we have encounters every year because of using calls to locate and hunt elk.
2. Elk are not deer so don't hunt them like deer, hunt them like elk. Many hunters (as stated above) are mostly deer hunters so they stay quiet and act like a they are deer hunting. I can't tell you how many people I run into who have not see or heard an elk in an area we have been hunting also and we have seen and heard them.
3. Whatever you think is aggressive, triple or quadruple it! We could have taken way more bulls if we had learned to be aggressive early in our elk hunting years. People see the hunting videos and think that elk just come to your calling and stand there waiting to be shot. As we all find out, that is not the case. Once you know where he/they are and if they do not start closing the distance, take the advantage (specially if they are being vocal) and move in on them or you will be disappointed and one of those hunter saying "the elk are call shy".

Love posts like this

[co_bowhunter]

1. Attitude and getting in shape get you to first base. Elk hunting is hard work. Multiply that by ten once you have an animal on the ground. You owe it to your family, friends, and most importantly, the elk to be in shape and take care of it properly once it is on the ground.

2. Don't waste your hunting season scouting for elk. Take care of your scouting between November and August 15th. Only hunt where you know there are elk. Then move slowly. There is no reason to cover a lot of ground during the season if your scouting has produced fruit.

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

WOW! I don't think I'd ever call a fellow hunter an overweight hunting slob from Kansas. A true brother elkhunter would have offered to help him get his elk out.

I've been over weight myself in the past and I know what it is like. But I never lost my desire to hunt. And I always managed to get my elk out one way or another. I have helped others in need and I have had others help me.

That's just how it is among true sportsmen.Just something to think about!

[WapitiTalk1]

Just re read through this and many, many good tips for certain. Various hunters chimed in that I know hunt different geographic areas which encompasses various land features (steep, rolling, flat, wet, dry, thick, clear-cuts, wooded, etc.) during various times of the elk season, and with various methods/tactics (tree stand, spot and stalk, calling, etc., etc.). If the question was phrased what was a number one tip during the rut (vocal bulls), I'd have to say aggressiveness as fullabull mentioned in his post. Get an answer or hear an unsolicited bugle? Shut up, work the thermals/wind and get close to the offending bull. Most of them just don't come running into your calls

[Solitude]

Just checked back on this thread and rolled the last few years/encounters around in my head and the term "be aggressively smart" seems to encompass much of the topic. You gotta push intelligently & find them, play the wind, get aggressive and make it happen. Timid, shy and hoping never got it done in Jr High and I've never seem it work successfully in September either.