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Most Important Lesson

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Most Important Lesson

Postby Swede » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 1]

This is the easiest thread a person can answer. :lol: What was the most important elk hunting lesson you have learned? How long did it take you to learn it?

For me it was that "running and gunning" is an oxymoron. When I was running or even close to it, there was little gunning. The most important thing I have learned is to slow down and be patient. Look more, and wait longer. Elk are never in a hurry to die, and if you move too much you will be detected and the advantage goes to the elk. A disclaimer is due here. I hunt more open country and can be seen for a long way in most situations. I was no quick study. It took about 15 years to get this straight.
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Re: Most Important Lesson

Postby saddlesore » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 2]

Agree Swede.Hardest thing for me was to slow down. When a person is thinking they are going slow enough,they need to cut that speed in half.
2nd thing is learn to look for elk parts, not the whole body
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Re: Most Important Lesson

Postby BrentLaBere » 01 03, 2019 •  [Post 3]

I would have to add that slowing down, and slowing down a lot, in the right spots is important. I also believe you need to be aware of when you need to speed up. No point of walking at a snail pace with no sign around.
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Re: Most Important Lesson

Postby Old school » 01 03, 2019 •  [Post 4]

If the elk aren't there - it doesn't matter how much ground you cover, how good of a caller you are or how much night bugling you do - you can't kill elk that aren't there. Pack up camp and move sooner rather than later. I think some mistakenly hear seasoned elk killers give advice of "be persistent and don't give up" and they interpret that incorrectly and stick in an elkless area "being persistent" that's not persistence, that's stupid. Persistence is not quitting when the first, second, third, or fourth areas don't hold elk, you keep moving till you find them - even if it means breaking camp and moving 50 miles away.

I learned that just 3 short years ago in Colorado. My boys and I beat our heads against the wall for an entire week in a unit and there was no bugling and hardly any sign. We finally broke camp Monday morning and moved 50 miles and that same evening were into bugling elk less than 2 miles from the parking lot. We only had 2 days left to hunt and had encounters both of those days as well. If only we had moved sooner...

--Mitch
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Re: Most Important Lesson

Postby saddlesore » 01 03, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Hey Mitch.I hunted that same area I sent you to and killed elk. Sometimes on the last or next to last day of the season. I knew they were around, but just not where I was at. Eventually they moved into where I was at. Go figure. I quit hunting it because in rifle season the snow can be really a bad. Last time I hunted it in 2nd season we were just about snowed in down in that hole by the river.
The unit I have been hunting,for two years I didn't see one elk except those that were on private land.This past year,they were all over the place.If I would have given up on the place, I would not have killed the 2nd biggest bull I ever tagged.
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Re: Most Important Lesson

Postby Swede » 01 03, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Moving camp at times is a part of being persistent. Packing up and going home is not. Just a note of caution: Sometimes elk stay in an area. Sometimes elk move in large circles and cover a lot (miles) of ground. They may be gone a week or more, then one morning they are all over the place. If you are in one of these areas the day before they return, it looks very poor. If you arrive the day after they left, things look deceptively good. That is elk.
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