Solo Archery Elk Hunting – Keys to Success

[WapitiTalk1]

Whether you traditionally head to the September elk woods with camp partner(s) or not, there are always times that you’ll find yourself hunting/calling elk solo. What are some tips for success when hunting by yourself? Here’s a couple of considerations to start the discussion off. If something falls off the counter or wall in your house and breaks, you pretty much have an idea where it occurred, even if you're in another room. Same principal applies in the elk woods only times 10. If you bugle from a spot, get an answer or prompt a bull to silently come in to investigate an unfamiliar bugle in his area, he knows where the sound came from almost down to the square yard. If you're not in an ambush position to intercept him when he's moving toward where he knows the sound came from, it won't work out more times than not. Whenever I hunt solo and set up to call, I'll throw out an elk sound (locater bugle, pleading cow call, etc.) and immediately move to a downwind position 20 – 40 yards depending on the terrain (alder choked, timbered, open, etc.) and setup. Why? Because more often than not (not always but usually) a bull will try to get your scent before he commits. When I say immediately, I mean just that. I'll visually lock in where I'm gonna move to before I make a noise. I do this every time. Bugle, move rapidly to the spot, nock an arrow and wait... Many times nothing is heard or materializes but other times, I receive a response and/or hear or see a silent elk walking in. When I fail to move and setup after calling, it always works in the bull's favor.

What are some other keys to success when setting up/hunting solo during a calling setup?

[Tigger]

not a lot of experience in the solo part, but I have to believe being mentally tough and alert at all times can be challenging. Drop your guard for a minute, and there Bullwinkle stands looking at you with your bow on the ground and a sandwich in your hand!

[otcWill]

Picking up from RJ's analogy of the house. When an elk comes in to investigate something in his "living room" he will come in through the "doorway" not through the wall . Identify these natural doorways in the terrain or timber prior to setting up and your call in/kill success will go up significantly.

[Old school]

Great topic RJ -I'm looking forward to the comments from the experienced elk killers on this forum.

Will - excellent point, funny you bring that up as I was just watching Chris Roe on YouTube today and he said the exact same thing about doorways. I believe we will hear many comments in this thread that separate the 10% from the 90%. It's like the 10% ers almost go on autopilot when the encounter happens. 10 minutes later they are processing an elk while I on the other hand am thrilled about another close encounter but still being in the 90% crowd. One of these years, I'll put it all together...

Things like this are what I believe move you closer to that 10% club.

--Mitch

[cohunter]

When I'm solo, the biggest challenge is covering ground carefully and efficiently. I usually start out doing a good job of glassing an area very well, not moving ahead of my eyes and ears. After I'm sure a pocket/area has no elk, I can move through it fairly quickly to the next area of habitat. Where this generally goes bad is after I've checked a few spots where I fully anticipated seeing an elk (or at least the possibility of seeing an elk) I start cruising toward a destination I had in mind. As soon as my focus and attention to what's happening around me is gone, I find myself walking up on an elk - usually a big one. The problem is, I didn't know he was there until I hear or see him crashing off through the brush. The same goes with calling. I'll begin by selecting my location carefully, paying attention to the wind, doorways, etc... but after several dry setups I'll casually let out a call and then BAM! An elk invariably materializes within seconds - and I realize I'm hemmed in by thick brush or have shooting lanes only in the downwind direction or worse, my bow's sitting on a log a couple paces away without an arrow on the string and a bull's staring straight at the spot he heard the call from. I could write a book of stories about how my wandering focus has ruined quality opportunities.

[Lefty]

One man, one set of eyes, and ears, and a nose. Use them all.
Ive posted this analogy before about what a fellow told me about musky fishing. Make every cast count , as if that is the cast where the big one will hit; another time he said fish like it is the only cast of the day.

Now Im not wired that tight.
Be alert be the hungry predator.
I only have a short hunt Friday night and all day Saturdays ( and Labor day and a day off) but not many days. I make the best of them. While many nights Im extremely tired I have satisfaction in that too.
I also try to keep things in perspective. Hunting isnt the most important thing in my life, but it is high on the priority list

[Swede]

You would expect this from Swede, but I find the best solo elk hunting is done in a tree stand over a good spot.

[otcWill]

Mitch, Chris is as knowledgeable as they get when it comes to dealing with elk encounters. You're on the right track. Keep stacking up those encounters. Take something away from every "mistake" you make and you'll be processing one soon enough.

Another tip on set up, as I believe poor set up is probably the single biggest mistake elk hunters make in calling scenarios. Always pick a couple "draw trees". I've seen friends set up in front of me and have an elk called right in to 25 yds only to say after the bull blows out that they never had a chance to draw undetected.

[Swede]

Another tip on set up, as I believe poor set up is probably the single biggest mistake elk hunters make in calling scenarios. Always pick a couple "draw trees". I've seen friends set up in front of me and have an elk called right in to 25 yds only to say after the bull blows out that they never had a chance to draw undetected.

I totally agree with this statement. I blew a lot of encounters this way. I need to give Elknut great credit here. I think explaining this is one of the biggest contributions he has made in helping elk hunters. I suspect for quite a few hunters, his advise on setting up when calling made the difference between filling their cooler with meat and using it to store dirty laundry after a hunt.

[Beendare]

I too like Chis Roes 'doorway' strategy.....but i don't let it rule my thinking.

There are some scenarios where you just have to setup....and it is what it is. I'm not going to risk getting picked off by a cow looking for the perfect spot when i'm in close.

And I'm not going to use a perfect doorway setup if I'm too far out. I have to believe the good elk behaviorists like elknut [Paul] and Chris Roe would agree...and their guidelines are just that....a guide. There are other overpowering factors; of course the wind......but for me its usually how close I can get to be effective and not blown.

I hunt solo a fair amount. One thing I rarely see mentioned when guys on the internet talk elk calling is movement. The biggest mistake I see with rookie elk hunters is they fidget and move around. I've had elk 100yds through thick timber blow out from seeing my newbie elk partner at the time moving around. sometimes its just turning your head with a baseball hat. Even on cold calling setups....hold still...and slow movements can make the difference.

I know I'm not the only guy doing this.....but next time you are in thick timber....use your binos....its amazing how far you can pick up little slivers of stuff 100yds,150yds away...like elk....before they see you.

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

You have to learn how to direct traffic if you are going to be a successful solo hunter.