Rifle, Smokepole, Bow, or a Combination?

[WapitiTalk1]

What do you cats hunt with each year? Not good nor bad, but I put my rifle away many years ago and opted for just a bow mostly because I get to hunt the elk season I love to hunt. What do you guys employ for elk each year?

[otcWill]

Bow addict here!

[RockChucker30]

I do all three each year. I'm a hunter first. I use a recurve, compound, muzzleloader, or rifle as the season and mood strike.

[dapper]

I hunt with a bow on any out of state trip or big game hunt other than whitetail. I hunt whitetail with bow and gun.

[bnsafe]

will do all three till I get a mulie and elk, then its back to bow only. I havnt rifle hunted in 15 years. bought and used my ml last year for the first time ever. it might get some action next year for an elk.

[planebow]

I hunt for elk with my bow but usually pick upmy rifle for whitetail.

[JJ Overkill]

the bow is my primary go to. Im going to try to get a late season rifle cow tag as well. but if I ever get a big bow it will be with my bow.

[Swede]

Almost exclusive I hunt with a bow. Every few years I will talk myself into going for a rifle hunt just to extend my time in the field.

[LckyTylr]

I hunt elk with Bow ONLY until I kill one, then I might hunt them with rifle, but I doubt it.

I hunt Mulies and Whitetails with a Rifle just to get them into the freezer. I don't have as much interest in either of the deer species, as I have killed a lot of whitetails and a few mulies. Once I get a bull with a bow, my focus will be a Big mulie with any weapon and will probably stay after elk pretty hard until I get a few of them under my belt.

[POk3s]

I've never hunted with a smoke pole although I wouldn't hesitate! Just no real muzzleloader seasons around me. I like all aspects of hunting. Each is a different game. I like getting close with the bow and I like hunting vocal elk but there's still something cool about outsmarting people and elk during rifle season and letting the Boom stick sing! "KABOOOOOM SMACK" is a great sound!

[LarryBud]

I'm a MZ junkie. I use one during the rifle season for Whitetails and Muley's here in KS.

Going on my first ever Elk hunt this year with, my muzzleloader. I used to bow hunt but raising kids and work didn't allow me to commit the time it takes to be proficient. The kids are now leaving the nest and I hope to get back at it.

[mtnmutt]

Bow only.

For my first 2 seasons with a hunting license (archery tag), I did not own a bow. I had this idea that the elk would fall down and die just by looking at them. After 2 seasons of that, I realized you actually need a weapon to kill one, so I got a bow and arrows after securing a new job after being laid off (ie recession bit me hence the tag and no bow). Technically, I have tag soup for 5 seasons now, 2 were because I did not own a bow.

If an elk falls down and dies in front of you without shooting it, are you allowed to put your tag on the elk?

Since I do not care for loud things (go figure with a bad hearing loss), I doubt I will hunt with anything other than a bow. However, muzzleloader is interesting to me. If I ever go deaf, ML may be an option. I have an extremely bad habit of taking up a new outside hobby every 5 years.

[quarbles]

i don't handle the cacophony of guns well..... they also don't really appeal to me right now functionally; they are something i grew up around but never got into. my good friend i hunt with has a total kindred relationship with his 45- 70 though.....

[pointysticks]

Now only here. I will cry when I arrow an elk.

[Harmy]

Rlfle for the most part but last year was Muzzy for my bull and cow. Will very likley be switching to a bow within the next year or two though.

[Indian Summer]

I'm not prejudice. Whatever is legal at that time of year bow or gun. Never hunted where there was a ML season but I have a nice one and would love to do that too. I'd use the crossbow too if the whim hit me... which it hasn't.

[cnelk]

I have taken elk with archery, ML, and rifle.
With Colorado allowing the harvest of 2 elk, it makes the extended seasons a lot of fun.
I live to bow hunt elk, and I have been known to get a leftover cow tag and get out the rifle.

If an elk tag is available, Im going elk hunting

[elkmtngear]

All my elk have been bowkills, I've never really rifle hunted elk...(only once about 35 years ago when I was stationed in Fort Lewis, WA...didn't have any idea what the heck I was doing, found tracks in the snow but no elk).

[Lefty]

All of September it is archery elk. If I arrow a bull early enough I would go after sandhill cranes with my shotgun. Or later mabe a few days on archery deer
Octoter through JanuaryI hunt geese with a shot gun
The past 4 years I may have rifle hunted deer for 5 days during October