Elk Hunting is similar to Turkey Hunting. Lessons?

[CurlyTail]

I have been Turkey Hunting for many years and have pretty well honed my tactics and techniques for success. I am newer to Elk Hunting, but am struck by the similarities in the behavior of Bull Elk and Tom Turkeys, and their reaction to calling and decoys.

I have seen my Turkey Hunting tactics evolve considerably over time, and I wonder if my Elk hunting tactics will follow suit.

For instance, when I first started Turkey Hunting, I always used some variation of Hen yelps and excited Hen sounds to fire up and bring in the Toms. I almost always had a Hen decoy or two deployed as well. We shot quite a few Toms. But results were somewhat inconsistent - some days they would come, others not. Then over time, I noticed that Toms would often start to come, but then hang up or perhaps even spook when they caught sight of my decoys. I found that I enjoyed better success without a decoy so that the Tom was searching as he came in and kept searching when he did not see something where the calling was coming from. I then learned to keep quiet once I knew for sure that the Tom was coming and starting to get close so he could not pinpoint the exact location of the calling. The Toms finished better and I got more shot opportunities. I never was smart enough to get a buddy to call 40 yards behind me and draw the Tom past my location - a common Elk tactic that I am sure would work in the Turkey woods. Maybe I'll try that this spring. Next step in evolution - I got a stuffed Strutting Tom decoy. Very bulky and delicate - but I overnight became the best Turkey caller in the world. Toms would spot that decoy from across the field, and literally sprint towards the decoy to exert their dominance over the intruding Tom. Now Jakes were afraid of it and Hens totally indifferent, but it sure was fun to see those big mature Toms in full aggressive mode. So -- the Strutting Tom decoy is highly effective, but hen decoys are inconsistent to counterproductive. I now use way more Gobbler calls and Fighting Tom calls than I ever used to, and we shoot our Turkeys in far fewer days hunting. In other words, the attraction of a male to a female is an effective lure, but the jealousy, competition, and pecking order of male vs. male is an even stronger lure. I wonder if this is true with Elk?

I frequently see multiple Toms strutting together in the spring. They are usually not very callable. One Tom will not let the others out of his sight for fear the others will find breeding success and he will get left out. The fact that these Toms are adversaries (competitors) and not companions is obvious by the reaction when one is shot, the others usually turn and attack their fallen comrade rather than spooking at the sound of the shotgun. I wonder if the same is true for bachelor groups of Elk during the rut? Maybe they should be scattered intentionally, then called back - which is what I do for Turkeys.

Currently, there are no Bull Elk decoys that I am aware of. Too dangerous you say - just like Turkey hunters 10 years ago. But maybe a possibility for those with exclusive access or private land, and maybe OK for archery hunters. I think a Bull Elk decoy would be highly effective during the rut and archery season, and will react just like a Tom turkey to a full strut decoy. I probably should commit to more Rattling sequences during the rut than I currently do.

Anybody else see lessons in Turkey hunting that can be applied to Elk Hunting? Do elk " shock bugle?" Boy I must be bored at work today!!!!

[Swamp Buck]

Not sure about a Bull Elk Decoy, that could get a little bulky and heavy to carry in. This was a post from another site that I made on the subject:

I have always used Turkey as a "spring training" for elk hunting. I view them as almost one in the same too and could not agree more with his evaluation of Turkey vs. Elk. For those that say a elk's sense of smell is the difference maker, I would have to say that turkey's eye sight is just as good as and elk's nose. I think that a turkey can see someone blink at 30 yards how are you going to draw a bow on one in the wide open? I do not know too many guys that can hunt turkeys with a bow and arrow without sitting in a blind to conceal the movement.

Being from Wisconsin and not having much exposure to elk country, the first time I went elk hunting the amount of huntable land was just overwhelming. I thought "Where do I start, they could be anywhere..." I compared it to trying to locate a Tom in a 5 square mile hardwood plot without hearing it gobble, good luck, and it was VERY discouraging. Elk hunting has made me a MUCH better turkey hunter and I feel that turkey hunting with an elk attitude has made me a better turkey hunter.

[Indian Summer]

TBM is that you? (inside joke)

[Ridge Ghost]

TBM is that you? (inside joke)

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.

[ST52V]

Me 3

[Indian Summer]

Ol TBM sent me a text today. Might be time to get a new phone number!