A Forum Like This

[Swede]

We read and study hunting here to look for ideas to improve our odds at harvesting a critter. The social side of the forum can be a lot of fun too. What I am wondering is how much help this and or other forums have been to you in scoring on elk? What do you think the average improvement or even the reverse is true for hunters in general? I would like to get a feel for years cut off before killing your first animal or percent of the seasons you score.

Personally, I came to the internet too late. It hasn't reduced the years between kills for me or increased my odds. It has helped me be more versatile in calling, and I know a lot more about what and why things work and don't work when calling. What about you?

In addition, are there some topics you would like to see discussed here that would benefit you?

[six]

Wapititalk wasn’t around when I first started elk hunting. I will say hunting forums in general, specifically the elk ones have given me more confidence. I changed from truck camping in a so so unit to backpack hunting a wilderness area in a lot better unit. I wouldn’t have done it without reading 100’s of posts from other guys who had done it. I live 1400 miles away from where I hunt and I really never considered it until reading about others who were doing it.

I owe my success and a much greater satisfaction of the hunt to forums just like this one.

[Brendan]

Forums have been a big help for me. Both for learning, and the community aspect as well. I live on the east coast, had never hunted Elk before 2014, and didn't have anyone to teach me. While I am a reasonably experienced whitetail hunter, including some eastern mountain-type hunting/camping trips, I learned everything Elk-specific through forums, the internet, books and magazines. I'm now 2 for 3, a reasonable caller, and planning my 4th trip now.

If I had to say the one thing that is still the most difficult for me - is what to do when you're not into Elk or not hearing Elk. How long do you give a spot before you move? How far do you move? How often are you calling and what type of calls as you cover ground? What's the balance between trying to find sign in a new area, and worrying about blundering into a potential bedding area and blowing Elk out?

If I think about some of the biggest challenges I had the last 3 years - it's been when the action dies down or dies off. I worry about the balance between covering ground, being aggressive to find the Elk, and sitting tight / being more conservative as to not blow them out.

I realize a lot of that comes with experience - but for me that's the biggest area where I can improve.

[saddlesore]

Most of my elk hunting was done before internet forums. I don't think it has tremendously increased my success rate,but I have learned a few tidbits worth knowing. Like using Chile powder to ward off flies and bees at the kill site.
I am kind of in the autumn of my hunting career.I enjoy helping younger folks out as to where to hunt and how.Not that I am an expert by far.

[lamrith]

This forum and my local hunting forum have been invaluable for me. Being essentially a "city folk" compared to most of you, I had zero access to learn hunting prior to the last few years on forums like this. Only hunting were I grew up was whitetail deer and goose, and none of my family or close friends hunted at all. If not for these forums I would likely never had heard an elk bugle or Cow call. Let alone knowing what the cow call was out in the wild.
Thru these forums I have been able to learn allot, met some great people and formed a few lasting friendships with fellow hunters. While I have not drawn on an elk yet, the progress in just the last year has been amazing. A year ago I had spent 2 years trying never seen fresh sign, let alone an actual elk, I was very frustrated and wondering if I should just forget it. This year I called in a bull and had numerous <50yrd encounters, and and I owe it all to people like our Forum Ruler Phantom16 that have been willing to take the time and instruct a new hunter.

[Indian Summer]

I'm of the mind that we are all always learning. In the world of elk hunting I don't think anyone thinks that they actually have it all figured out. Anyone who does is as dumb as a box of rocks. Sometimes new hunters have success early on and they think they've figured out the magic secret to finding and killing elk. They have become an elk hunter in their eyes because their plans have come full circle. But to me you aren't an elk hunter until you've truly hunted your ass off and struck out. It humbles you and you realize pretty quick that you are just another critter on this planet and maybe not much smarter than some others. I am probably as about as confident as an elk hunter can be. But I know for damn sure that I will have days where I'm scratching my hard wondering if they have become extinct. I take nothing or no day for granted and never take my foot off the gas knowing that the last day of any hunt comes way too fast.

For those reasons I read every word of every post on the forums I frequent like I am a sponge. I've read article after article where I already knew 99% of what the author had to say.... but smiled about that 1 thing that I picked up about something I'd never thought about. Same goes for threads and posts from new or young elk hunters. A new or fresh perspective on things can shed a new light on a subject that maybe I just haven't given much thought to for a few years. Plus the new guys are always testing out new expensive gear for me. If there is a new product out there that stands the test of time I'll see it pop up enough times over the period of a year or three and then if I see a need for it I already know what to look for. I'm an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy so I don't drool over all of the new crap every year. But the forums are a really good place to see what real people are using and giving 2 thumbs up.

If there is one main reason I come to forums there is no doubt it's to "Pass It On!" I love teaching and I love seeing new hunters get bitten by the bug. And any good teacher knows that there are times when the student says or asks something that ends up teaching the teacher. I love that and it happens on forums like this all the time. Remember nobody is really much smarter than anyone else. The only difference between most successful hunters and someone who is brand new to elk hunting is experience.

I also come to forums for some occasional sarcastic humor too. There are some darn witty and/or funny characters on the internet! Where else can you find bonafide lunatics like Turkey Bow Master???

[JKaboom]

"Where else can you find bonafide lunatics like Turkey Bow Master??? "

[Tigger]

It is hard to quantify, but with this forum, Elknut's teachings, and a couple of other places I have certainly become more confident in my skills. Confidence I think goes a longgggg ways to killing elk.

I have 3 things I would like to learn more about. 1 of them I am saving for later this winter for its own post. Of the other 2 is learning more about setups. What EXACTLY do you look for when you are doing a cold call setup and even more importantly when it is that magic time when you are working a bull and decide to stop and set up....specific things you look for in stopping here instead of 15 yards to your left?

The other is how people actually hunt while on the move. Slow/fast, noise/quiet, ridge/slope, calling/no calling, etc

Oh and in the spirit of sharing, here is my tip that you old codger's might not know. When you stop and decide to lay down for awhile (a little siesta, Senor?), dig out a little hole for your butt/hips. It puts a lot less strain on your lower back and is much more comfy!

[82ndreddevil]

Well prior to joining this forum I'd held 3 cow tags and about 5 bull tags. Even with a rifle I only filled the cow tags. Since I joined this forum I switched to archery and in three years I've killed two bulls. Between you guys, Paul, and some of the fellas at Backtrack forums I've done a lot better and changed the way I hunt elk.

[ishy]

One thing I know would have helped me tag lots of elk if I had known years ago is the frontal shot that I have learned about on forums. I can't tell you how many elk I've passed under 10 yards that would have been chip shots because I was told only broadside or quartering away by my archery mentors that tend to be old school on most subjects. Of course now that I'm willing to take it I haven't had any chances to try it yet.

[Backyard]

I know I've learned a lot from this forum. I find myself now that when I get into a situation on the mountain, that I'm constantly asking myself "what would Rory, or Paul, or Joe, or Swede, etc. do in this situation.