Coaching! Who Needs It?

[ElkNut1]

This is a very important subject that many overlook when hunting nearly any animal but we'll be referring to elk on this forum. When possible especially with the youth but this also can apply to newer bowhunters alike. It would be great to have a Coach next to an inexperienced hunter! This can help calm them & keep their emotions under control as well help them to appreciate when to draw on an elk & when not too. Also shot angles will come up as to when to release that arrow for the best possible shot & penetration. A Coach can be invaluable to help ones through these uncertain situations. I'm high on Coaching those newer elk hunters! (grin)

How about you?

ElkNut1

[twinkieman]

Paul, I've never even considered it on an elk hunt, but I do it with new turkey hunters, 10 plus days every year. Great food for thought, my wheels are turning right now. One in our group could really benefit from Coaching( if I can convince him, more stubborn than my mules), He doesn't hear well, hasn't killed a bull with an arrow yet, and gets bull fever pretty bad. Coaching may be the way for him to be successful. Thanks for this thread.

[GWH]

My uncle has been taking me hunting since I was five. When I was ten, I killed my first big game animal. I am now 16 and have killed 10 big game animals, and my uncle has been with me on all but one of them. I know that without him with me coaching me along, I wouldn't have had the success I have. I'm very thankful that I have him to help me out.

[pointysticks]

my friends are the opposite of coaches.

i had a HUGE hog at 33 yards..i crept up there, and my buddies did the same and sat next to me. that pig was quartering hard towards me. i sat there patient. it started:

"shoot it!"
"oh, it's gonna run"
"you better shoot it now!"

i shushed them.."i'm waiting for a broadside shot...sssshhh!"

"shoot it".

yak yak yak..they got into my head and i let the arrow fly. i hit the side plate perfectly, and the hog ran away.

1 week later, we saw him mounting a sow, eating acorns. my friend arrowed it, and got my broadhead back. them things are tough!

still kick myself for that one.

[Chukarhunter]

I could definitely use a coach! As a rifle hunter, and a "wannabe" bowhunter, I know next to nothing on the archery aspect of elk hunting and don't know anyone locally that does. Not sure I even want to put in for an archery tag someplace, because at almost 62 hrs old I don't think I have enough time left to become proficient!!
Thinking I should just stick with my rifle.....

[JGH]

Paul ... how about maybe me wearing an ear-bud that has a satellite communication to you? You could fly a drone to keep track of me remotely and shoot me comments about my calling ...

Joking aside, I have had the opportunity (and will again this year) to hunt with some very experienced hunters. While I enjoy it, I have to admit, I like being on my own. I don't call as freely (wondering: "Do they agree with my calling choices?"). I don't move as freely (everything has to be "negotiated" when hunting with others).

So ... I'll be out there this year, some with "coaching" but most sans coach.

[BrentLaBere]

This site is the closest thing to having a coach for me as it gets. I am the player of the game, not the coach. If they were available like a personal trainer I would sign up for that! Or would that be a guide?......

[Swamp Buck]

That is a GREAT idea. Personally I would much rather have a "coach" than a "guide". Too bad they are not the same in most cases... I think that there are a lot of guys that would pay for a coaching service that would never consider a guide service. I would love for someone to come with me to my area and help me so I can apply the leasons learned for years to come rather than go with some guide and never be able to have that same experience replicated.

[Triplebhunters]

It would be nice to have that Master of the Elk Woods one or twice guideing a couple times.

[Mikeha33]

I like the idea of it, somewhat, but I am kind of on the opposite side of the spectrum as it comes to being taught. I am about as stubborn as one comes, and while I am a quick learner, and in college, I was considered very "coach-able", I like to learn on my own. My dad was not a hunter, but I went with people occasionally when I was real young, hunting quail and geese a time or two, and I realized I had found my passion, being one with the wilderness, and I didn't care if I had a "coach" or not, but I was going to learn the hunting world the best I could; on my own.
I taught myself how to succesfully bow-hunt for whitetails and turkey, am a pretty good waterfowl hunter, and am attempting to learn the wonderful sport of elk hunting, which so far, without even stepping foot into the elk woods, has proved to be as addicting as anything I've encountered (with the exception of a beautiful Brazilian girl I met in college, LOL)

What I'm getting at, is that I like to learn from my own mistakes, and fail or prevail through trial and error, and that is not something that I feel I would be as satisfied if I had a person standing by my side telling me every move to make. That's why I will not have a guide, ever, unless the rules state that I must. Its a personal thing, not a knock on any outfitter, coach, or even hunting buddy. When I am in the mountains this fall, I will be going in with an semi-experienced elk hunter, but we will part ways most mornings and hunt solo, unless we are hunting a particular animal, that we have a location on.

That may not be the best way to have a "successful" hunt for a lot of people, or even myself for that matter, but its how I feel I will learn the most on my own, which is gratifying for me.

[montanabrown]

hey chukarhunter. you can never be to old to get out and enjoy the elk woods. proficient or not bowhunting elk is like nothing else.

[easeup]

absolutely!

I have been on both ends of this circle of life. It sure is great having a little help at just the right time.

[idahoghost]

Hey Paul,

I'd love to have you as a coach. Just tell me when your planning on arriving and ill have everything ready.

[mtnmutt]

I wish I had a coach 4 years ago. Then maybe I would not have made the mistakes that cost me a 4x4 on opening morning of my first ever big game hunt. If I had known about the CO Women Afield program 4 years ago, I would have made it a point to attend one of those events. I just spent 3 seasons making tons of mistakes.

Since January, I have read and studied a lot on this forum. I feel like I have 100+ coaches right here and none of them expect to get paid

[elkoholic]

I myself can still need a bit of coaching from time to time. I do find myself coaching my older brother, as I am consider to be the hardcore hunter of the family... It's my passion...

[Buglemaster]

My son would like to slap me for " coaching" him on the first buck he had a shot at several years ago. It was the first year he could hunt & at the tender age of 14, I got him on top of a legit 180/190 class buck. It seems as tho my gasping deep breaths as well as the whispered " Choot em Dusty, that's a MONSTER" rattled him enough to launch the XX75 right over his back. He's 32 years old now & understands fully how few opportunities like that you get, and still wants to kick me square in the azz Just a couple years ago, he was coaching his high school buddy & the 3rd member of our hunting group. They had a nice bull getting a drink at 40 yds & with Dustys " experienced" coaching, Shawn sent one right over him as we'll. For some reason, he thought it was ok to laugh at that one...

[elkaddict83]

idahoghost wrote"Hey Paul,

I'd love to have you as a coach. Just tell me when your planning on arriving and ill have everything ready."

Paul after you are done with idahoghost come on down to Colorado we could keep you busy for as long as you want to stay!
I would LOVE a coach beside me while I hunt and there is a lot of people on this site that I could really benefit from by spending a week in the elk woods with!
We have some awesome country and even a few big elk..... did i feel a hit on the bait? Anyone!!

[Huntography]

You're such a Yoda Paul

Rudy