How many elk encounters

[Lefty]

I had a few elk riffle tags over the past 20 years.
Statistically I dd better than most when it came to killing and the number of days hunting. Other than a depredation hunt on Deseret Land and Livestock( Mormon church ranch) they were bull only hunts in Montana, Utah , Idaho and Washington.
the number of elk I saw were few, those under 300 yards were very few.
Archery hunting my first year I had way more encounters in one year archery hunting than all the years riffle hunting. Of the 7 times out I saw elk all except once most over 800 yards, but I saw elk
I figured I was in smoking hot honey hole,. in actuality I just happened to be where the elk were.

My hunts consist of Friday night on water and All day spotting on Saturday coming home late Saturday or early Sunday
I realized over the past five years over 1/2 of those hunts I see elk at some point and each year had a bull under 25 yards for a shooting opportunity
Each year Ive seen herds of 50 or more twice,
Each year Ive had a herd under 60 yards
Now my years archery elk have been few, My neighbor expects close encounters under 40 yards each of his hunts( 4 times out , 3-5 days each)
I often hear many new guys who have gone years without seeing an elk or hearing a bugle
If possible what have you experienced?
in the elk every day ?
Seeing elk every day
In on a herd every 3 day hunt
An elk brought in on a shot opportunity every 3 days?

Archery have more days in the field than rifle hunters and lower kill success, and like in so many things there is that small percentage of hunters that kill every year.
It just seems so many new hunters have mistaken sense of their chances
I had a neighbor last year; bought a good setup cheap, had done little hunting in his life and expected to put an elk in the freezer. A few other neighbors tried to explain it wasn't that easy

[Trophyhill]

No doubt you have to be a quick study. Times too short to dilly dally

[slim9300]

I am used to getting within bow range of elk every day while bow hunting and many days, 2-3 times per day. For me this means finding the right area (ie. lots of scouting) and pushing further than other hunters. My goal for my partner and I is to have at least one shooting opportunity per day. This means the bow comes back and the shooter either shoots or decides to pass.

When rifle hunting it always seems much harder to find the elk for me. Granted it's really easy to capitalize once you find them, I would much rather chase elk with my bow.