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An elk hunting tip.....

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An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Let's start a thread about sharing tips we have learned about elk hunting. Big or small, new or old, experienced hunter or tinhorn, let's share some things we have learned. But let's do something new....1 tip per post. Only 1. Post as many new posts as you want, but only 1 tip per post or you will be forced to change your avatar to the Green Bay Packer logo or some other hideous picture (we may vote on it!). Who will be the first to break the rule???? My bet is on a Moderator..... :lol:

My first tip:
Bring an extra pair of socks in your daypack to change into if your feet become wet.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 2]

Count down your pins as you ready for the shot. For example, I used my 40 yard pin on the bull in my avatar. I counted down....20, 30, 40. Use the 40. And somehow it worked!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Navesgane » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 3]

Bring an extra release, one that you practice with. I had a not so cheap release fall apart on me last year and only noticed it when i went to pinch a loaf midday. I was highly upset but would of been even more so if I didn't have my spare in my pack.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 4]

Making a conscious effort to look, listen, and smell as much or more than you walk pays dividends in locating elk before they locate you ;).
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 5]

A good setup is more important than the perfect sound when calling.
After you call be extremely careful about moving. You have focused every elk eye in your direction.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby jmez » 03 21, 2018 •  [Post 6]

You will never beat their nose. If the wind isn't right, wait until it is.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Indian Summer » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 7]

When you’re in the timber never take 2 consecutive steps without stopping to look. Every step brings a different view. The next one could put you in a lane where an eye can see your movement. Step.... stop and scan, proceed.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Lefty » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Each of the above posts has brought back painfully wonderful memories.

"Elk are not white-tail" ( or mule deer ) :lol: I had to relearn that a number of times . Elk need to be hunted like elk.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 9]

The west can be dry. really dry. Bring chapstick.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Lefty » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 10]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:Making a conscious effort ,,,,,,,,,, and smell as much or more than you walk pays dividends in locating elk before they locate you ;).

We all seem to advocate physical fitness, but train your nose all year long too. Identify odors before you even think of smelling the air,. You know when you walk in the door that your wife made your favorite meal , or burnt a potato on the hot plate.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby elkstalker » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Don't get "Tunnel Vision," whether it's following a set of tracks or making a push towards a bugle or elk you've spotted on a distant hillside, don't become so focused on what you're doing that you lose awareness of whats around you. For example, one time I was trying to get close to a bugling bull in the dark before first light and was so excited (he sounded so big! :shock:) that I didn't consider the rest of his herd, which I bumped, and took him with them as they took off downslope :x .
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Indian Summer » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 12]

Never assume they ran very far.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Mathewsz7-elkridge » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 13]

It can happen at any time! So always keep your mind in it.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Pre-smash your PB&J sandwiches for a more consistent thickness.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Elksniper1 » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Take a kid with you.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 22, 2018 •  [Post 16]

Sitting in a tree stand is not like getting a free shot at every elk that comes into your range, or would have come into your shooting range. You can be detected. Avoid unnecessary movement and any unnatural sound. Height and cover can help, but that is not fool proof either.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Indian Summer » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 17]

Before doing your first elk hunt and becoming addicted for life maybe try an African safari or something.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 18]

Read Elknut's playbook. Twice.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Elksniper1 » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 19]

It does not matter what you shoot , it matters where you shoot it .
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 20]

I will add Elksniper1's very good point. When you shoot, it is important to pick a very small spot as your target. When you get to your downed animal, you should be able to determine just how close you were to hitting the exact place where you aimed. Never just shoot at an elk. Shoot at a very small aiming point.
While I am adding my thoughts to other's posts, Elknut's instructional material is good. Just don't think of it as an elk killing recipe. It will up your game if you have one, or keep you from going down the wrong trail figuratively speaking.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 21]

Cardio, cardio, cardio. Then more cardio.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 22]

I'm curious. Do you cardio kids take time to hunt, or is it all about covering more miles?
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 23]

It takes cardio to get where I want hunt before daylight. It also takes some cardio to get back out after dark. then it takes a bunch of cardio to haul the critter out. Sometimes, we have hustled up a mountain while closing the distance on a bugling bull. Other than that, we hunt pretty slow. It works for us.

You old timers that like to stay in one spot....do you hunt or is it all about the naps? :lol:

Tip: Have wind powder and use it often.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 24]

Tigger wrote:It takes cardio to get where I want hunt before daylight. It also takes some cardio to get back out after dark. then it takes a bunch of cardio to haul the critter out. Sometimes, we have hustled up a mountain while closing the distance on a bugling bull. Other than that, we hunt pretty slow. It works for us.


Ok: If cardio is such a big thing, as in "cardio, cardio, cardio", why do the old timers often do better than the kids? As you run madly up the hill to catch the bugling bull, are you better than someone that is slightly slower and more cautious? To be sure we need to be in reasonable shape, but young and old, marathon man and the fellow with the bad knee can get elk. Regardless, we just need to hunt smart. The biggest buck I ever shot came when I was following my dad and brother. They went out 3-5 minutes ahead of me on the same trail. I was at no disadvantage, as I had slowed up to look around.
In traveling from one location to another as we dead head it in or out, I am not far behind, yet I am not mad about conditioning. I stay in general good shape without being obsessed. Why?
Be sure, I want anyone that wants to accept the challenge to hunt elk, to know they can be effective if they practice their archery or rifle shots, and hunt smart. At the same time I agree with Tigger that a couch potato needs to get moving. Hunting is a lot more fun when you are not relegated to driving around, or sitting in camp nursing cramped legs. At age 70, I feel I am just getting my second wind. Don't stop in front of me. Keep moving. :D
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby otcWill » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 25]

Tip: Be very careful who's advice you take
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 26]

Many of the "tips" here are so generic that they would apply just as well to investing in the stock market or chasing jack rabbits. :D

Here is one of Swede's estimates based on some observations. If you kill an elk in the evening, and the temperatures drop into the upper 30 or low 40s, you have 9-10 hours to get it butchered before your meat is spoiled. In the later rifle seasons when it is freezing, the time does not lengthen that much before spoilage occurs. It seems to be about 11 or 12 hours before the meat is lost. A lot of the reason you can get spoilage in the cold time is due to the winter coat on the elk. The guts stay warm and their body is thick too.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Indian Summer » 03 23, 2018 •  [Post 27]

The mind drives the body. All the workouts in the world won’t make up for what’s between your ears.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Treestandgoatman » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 28]

When you call them in, where they are heavily pressured, they don't hang around long. For me most often they seem to come take a quick look, spin and leave, only leaving a few seconds to make the shot. Pre-shot preparation before they arrive is critical.. Yardage, obstacles, where shots are possible. Not being ready will cause missed opportunity.

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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 29]

Excellent tip TSgoatman!

Back to cardio. Cardio conditioning well before you step into the elk woods "is" important; period. I will tell you WT cats that Swede joined me for a hunt last year and that old bull can hike! I was surprised to see somebody that is a bit advanced in age to go up and down those hills the way he did. And yep, he does work out all year long ;). And yes, what you do on the hunt (head space and timing between the ears) is at least as important as being in great physical shape. They kinda go together, yes?

Here's one for ya: Don't call across a meadow. It seems appealing but a responding/incoming bull will most oftentimes not move across/through an open area to get to a caller. Better tactic is to set up well off the meadow, with wind in your favor, and.... plenty of natural terrain/vegetation that a bull can move through more comfortably w/o moving through an opening. This all applies unless you have a burlap sack handy (I'll let WW address that one) 8-)
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 30]

WapitiTalk1 reminded me of another tip or idea to consider when calling elk.
Many times I have had bulls come in to about 40-60 yards and hang up. They were behind some brush or trees and would pace back and forth looking for the caller (me). I could not call more as they were be looking right at me. They sometimes came from long distances and had me pinned down to the exact location where I was concealed. After walking back and forth, with their eyes never looking away, they turned and left. Sometimes even a decoy did not help. If you are alone you need to move forward immediately after calling and get ahead of your decoy. You are risking being seen at times, but staying right were you called from is a sure way to have a hang up. An exception to this is, when you call from a position where the elk will be exposed, within your effective shooting range, when he gets close enough to see you. Here is another situation where you need to be ready.
My point on the cardio, besides just ragging on Tigger, is to encourage people that are not in great condition, or that have physical issues, to get out and hunt. Tigger and RJ are correct. Being in as good a shape as you can be is the right thing to do. Just don't let physical limitations keep you from hunting. You can probably do what I did. Leave a note for RJ, or someone to come and help pack out. :D
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby saddlesore » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 31]

Back to cardio.Got to disagree. Maybe if you are in for running up and down mountains, but I have never engaged in any type of training for hunting.I walk about mile and a half weather permitting ever day since my last back surgery. Presently back in a sling due to my new shoulder dislocating last week. I have already done 13 weeks of physical therapy and now it looks like at least another 6 weeks.The rest of the body is not getting anything done.I did put in for an elk, deer and pronghorn tag.

However if this shoulder can withstand the recoil, and I can get a saddle on my mule, I am sure not going to sit home wishing "Gee,I wish I had run around with a 40 pound pack on my back and went to the gym to work out every week". I have been in too many camps with guys bragging about how much they do and then want to sit in camp the 3rd day of the hunt because they are worn out and they never punch a tag. On the other side of the coin, I have been in more than one camp with guys with heart trouble, recovering from a stroke, one leg, one guy's hips was pinned together and wore a colostomy bag. We had fun and we killed elk.

My tip is: If you don't have the mind set/desire ,you won't get it done.

I'll be 75 this coming hunting season. Two spinal fusions,needing another one, one new shoulder,bad lungs, weak heart valve, and a lot of body parts that don't work right because of arthritis. I don't hear very well and those open sights are pretty fuzzy.Don't tell me I can't go hunting because I am not in shape.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 32]

Saddlesore, you could be the poster child for what I was trying to say. Even though you cannot hunt as aggressively as you once did, you can be just as effective of an elk killer. Also I know of hunters that were supposedly in great shape, hobbled with blisters. Their gym and new Goretex lined boots did not prepare them for that situation. They were camp slugs. I have found no correlation between miles hiked per day and downed elk. How many miles do you need to hike to ambush a bull?
Get in good shape and stay that way. Enjoy the hunt.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Old school » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 33]

Take time to enjoy the whole process from preseason planning via google earth and training to the drive out to ththe mountains, to setting up camp, that high ridge at first light, you get the idea...
Soak it all up - it’s awesome

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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby ishy » 03 24, 2018 •  [Post 34]

Elksniper1 wrote:Take a kid with you.

One day they may share bonus points with you to pay you back!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby bracer40 » 03 26, 2018 •  [Post 35]

Stop a moving elk before releasing an arrow!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 26, 2018 •  [Post 36]

This one can be kinda dangerous....but when you stop for lunch if you take your boots and socks off it feels soooooo good to let them air out and relax. However, Mr. Wapiti will know this and choose that brief period to make an appearance.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Idahonian » 03 26, 2018 •  [Post 37]

Tigger wrote:This one can be kinda dangerous....but when you stop for lunch if you take your boots and socks off it feels soooooo good to let them air out and relax. However, Mr. Wapiti will know this and choose that brief period to make an appearance.


Heh. I'm much too green to post a tip. But exactly this happened to me last year. First bugle of the day blows off like 200 yards away as I'm waving my toes in the wind.

(This was also the first time we stayed in place for more than an hour that day, relevant to the discussion above.)
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 26, 2018 •  [Post 38]

If your partner walks past fresh elk sign without noticing, it is the trailing hunter/your obligation to pick up the passed over fresh elk duds, do your best ML pitcher impersonation, and attempt to stick said duds to the back of your partner's neck with your fastest pitch. Not necessarily a tip but those are the rules as I know them ;).
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby >>>---WW----> » 03 27, 2018 •  [Post 39]

Been debating if I should post this on the Tips or the Raking thread. But, when a bull is raking, he usually has his eyes closed to keep crap out of them and he is also rubbing glands on his face for the purpose of leaving his scent marking. It's not just the antlers he is rubbing. So when you have one in shooting range and he is raking, it is a good chance he won't notice when you move to draw your bow or take a step or two to get into a better shooting position. Just do everything in slow motion.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 40]

We are all anxious to get to elk camp. But don't arrive after an all night drive exhausted. Elk hunting will wear you out anyway, no need to be wore out at the start of your trip!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Cbb » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 41]

As a newbie heading out for my second hunt this fall I feel that I shouldn't be giving advice.

I have a few I learned last year.

Take a backup pair of boots.

Take extra batteries, flashlight, can run out when you least expect it.

Don't put too much pressure on your self. It's hunting hunt hard but relax and enjoy it. Take in all the sights and smells.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 42]

Cbb! Congrats as you are the first one to break the rules of this thread by giving two tips in the same post! By the way they were very good tips but that doesn’t matter! Now we get to vote on your new avatar! Nothing could be worse than the Green Bay Packers logo to a rational human so that is a strong possibility. Or what? A picture of a pair of skinny jeans and a man purse? A proclamation for your undying love for quiche? We will go easier on you if you leave another good tip....but only 1 per post! All in fun buddy!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Cbb » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 43]

Lol! Well I guess I had to be the one to break the rules!

If I had to throw ouut another tip....

Carry extra TP! Never know when nature will call!
I always carry plenty in a zip lock in my pack. It can also double as a marker on a sparse blood trail!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 44]

Here is a "what do you think" kind of question. Professional loggers and Forest Service field workers use to wear the same pair of boots Spring through Fall. With the Forest Service, a very few would have special boots for certain situations, but for the most part they marked timber, surveyed, etc. and fought fire in the same boots. Regardless of the terrain, weather or amount of time they were out, it was the same boots. The boots they bought had to be able to do it all. They would dry them at night and prep them for the next day. A lot of them did not feel they could afford spare boots. Why did that work so well for them and not for us? Don't get me wrong on this. I take two sets of boots hunting too.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby jmorr » 03 30, 2018 •  [Post 45]

If possible set up where the elk wants to come in, or would naturally come in, ie on a game trail, not just where you are when you hear that bugle. It is really difficult to call them across clearings or dense brush. They will usually just come up to the edge of that stuff, turn around and go right back where they came from.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Cbb » 03 30, 2018 •  [Post 46]

Swede, not sure why it worked better for them and not us.

Last year I left my uncle's house and headed to his cabin. When I got to his cabin I realized I had forgot my primary boots on his porch. So backup boots it was!

Then my backup boots ended up wet. I dried them as best I could over night but the toes were still damp. So on day 3 I headed back to his house and got my primary boots. Had I remembered them the first time I would have never needed the backups.

Being that far from home I would rather have an extra pair on hand. Just in case....
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby saddlesore » 03 30, 2018 •  [Post 47]

If available,stuff the toes of damp boots with paper towels. I won't dry them but sure helps to get some of it out.If not available, always have a can of Camp Dry Water proof spray. Keep the boots sprayed as long as they are dry.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Lefty » 04 01, 2018 •  [Post 48]

Tigger wrote:It takes cardio to get where I want hunt before daylight. It also takes some cardio to get back out after dark. then it takes a bunch of cardio to haul the critter out. Sometimes, we have hustled up a mountain while closing the distance on a bugling bull. Other than that, we hunt pretty slow. It works for us.

You old timers that like to stay in one spot....do you hunt or is it all about the naps? :lol: .


Now that I stopped laughing
My dad use to say "work smart not hard"
I really dont want to put myself in the old-timers category but a nap is a healthy thing,..


And just to give you a tough time Trgger, flatlanders tend to think cardio is way more important than it may be :lol: . And experienced ( oldtimer)Well fitting boots and good binos and a pack full of sandwiches would save all that time in the summer doing cardio that should be used for napping.
And Saddlesore gets his cardio hauling hay for that 4-legged critter to haul him up some hill-side.

Saddle sore when I had my shoulder work done I quit shooting a 10 ga on geese( steel had improved). And I bought a 20 to shoot lighter loads.
My FIL at 89 still shoots his 7 mm, but he is shooting slower and lighter loads. 20 some years back ( I wouldnt suggest this) he shot 5 consecutive bull elk with a .243 all single shot kills 30-150 yard shots

Oh a couple real tips. Use those binos and use them for those close encounters . I played hide and seek with a small 5x6 for 20 minutes under 60 yards. I was too impatient and eventually blew the bull elk. Now even after 20 30 minutes that shot might materialize.
Know that anatomy of shot placement. I made a good rifle heart shot on a bull that I only had a 6 inch opening between trees
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby saddlesore » 04 01, 2018 •  [Post 49]

I think I will name one of my mules Cardio as it runs up and down mountains pretty good
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Tigger » 04 02, 2018 •  [Post 50]

With regards to cardio, I have never had the thought, "I worked too hard on my cario and I am in too good of shape for this mountain." I have, on the other hand, started climbing a steep slope and thought I might just blow out a lung up there. It doesn't help that I am the oldest and shortest of the group. We try and hunt really smart, but if you have an area you wanna hunt, you gotta get there (and preferably before noon). Sometimes, that requires a climb.

Which brings up a topic....would you rather hike uphill or downhill? I know of one chucklehead who thinks walking uphill is easier than downhill. I would much rather walk downhill.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby ishy » 04 02, 2018 •  [Post 51]

Cheap emergency blankets are great work areas when breaking a bull down.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 04 02, 2018 •  [Post 52]

Make a check list of all the things you will want on your elk hunting trip. Make the list early and put it away. Every couple of weeks make a new one. After you have several, look them all over and consolidate them into one. Over the years, your list will be a very quick and reliable resource that will be modified annually. It is hard to use something on the hunt you forgot back at home or did not purchase.
Have at least one good tree stand with you on your elk hunt. You can leave it in camp until you see that great looking spot that has "ELK' written all over it. Again it is hard to set up that stand you left at home. It won't take up that much space in your truck or trailer, and it may be a great place to rest and wait for a nice bull. Tell Swede where your stand is placed, and he might come and keep it warm for you.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Swede » 04 02, 2018 •  [Post 53]

Don't celebrate on site after someone in your party kills an elk. Butcher and pack it out right away if possible. Go ahead and hunt that area as soon as the elk is taken away. I know this is counter intuitive, but other elk are around and often travel in the same areas. I have found other elk wander around looking for the missing one, and they just may be feeding through the same territory. Don't worry about old wives tales that say "there is the smell of death in the air." I have had elk walk right by one I just shot and killed. The dead elk could just as well have been a downed log as far as it affected the others.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby CurlyTail » 04 05, 2018 •  [Post 54]

Before each hunt, make a concious decision what type of animal you are willing to harvest that day. Don't make that decision in the heat of the moment
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby BrowTines » 04 07, 2018 •  [Post 55]

Sometimes the best option is to have the caller move away while calling, drawing a shy elk past the shooter.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 07, 2018 •  [Post 56]

Some real gems here folks!
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Indian Summer » 04 08, 2018 •  [Post 57]

CurlyTail wrote:Before each hunt, make a concious decision what type of animal you are willing to harvest that day. Don't make that decision in the heat of the moment

OMG Amen!!!!! You should think about that before you even pitch the tent. Be realistic too. For example my standards often change throughout the hunt. First four days 6 points only, next 3 days 5 or better, 5 days after that regret passing up 4 points the first 2 days. Doh! :shock:
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby saddlesore » 04 08, 2018 •  [Post 58]

My decision is always to shoot the first legal elk that passes my way.In the earlier years, I held out,but more likely than not,that was the only elk I saw.
In Colorado, especially in OTC units, you can't afford to be picky if you want to fill your freezer. Colorado manages their elk herd( if you can call it that) for quantity ,not quality. The chance of killing a bigger 5 x or 6x is fairly small,especially when you consider rifle success is about 20% for all elk killed ( bulls and cows),and archery success is about 14%. Then figure about 2-3 % of that at most is bigger elk and you get the idea.
I hate go camping and then take hikes with a rifle my hand or a bow ( if I was a archery hunter). My goal is to kill an elk when I do.

I know guys say that it is just the experience of getting out there and killing an elk is icing on the cake. I don' t need to kill another elk in my life time. I have had my share,but some how,I feel better when I break camp , pack up and head towards home if I have elk in the coolers than if I didn't punch a tag
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby currie » 04 08, 2018 •  [Post 59]

If a local tells you that the national forest land your huntin is like his backyard cause his family has been raisin cattle on it for a long time, and he’s not happy your there. Then after being harassed on 3 separate occasions and 3 is the key number make sure you call fish and game so that when you get up early to go hunt the only single road will hopefully not be blocked by said locals truck ruining your hunt for the morning.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Navesgane » 04 08, 2018 •  [Post 60]

Have a plan, in the unfortunate case something happens to you while you're hunting, and share it with at least one person that you trust (not to give your hunting area away), but the more the better. When I was a fisherman in the Florida Keys we called this a "float plan"- I would text at least one person, usually my wife and/or my trusted friend, exactly where I was, or was headed that day. Of course it often changed on a dime according to radio chat or a tip from a fellow fisherman at sea, but at least there was a starting point and time/day back to dock. Here's an example. It's easily editable for hunting.

http://www.usps.org/o_stuff/fl_plan.html
Instagram @jeff.reilly1
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby CurlyTail » 04 09, 2018 •  [Post 61]

Any legal Elk is a Trophy Animal worthy of your praise and admiration.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 09, 2018 •  [Post 62]

Keep your tracking gear (flagging tape, small spray bottle of peroxide, reflective tacks) readily accessible (in one of the side pouches, on top/inside, or lid of pack). You'll need that first once you've taken a shot. Your actual kill kit (game bags, knives, bone saw, surgical gloves, chili powder, para cord, plastic sacks, plastic ground sheet, etc.) can be buried deeper in your pack and taken out once you've found the bull ;).
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby currie » 04 09, 2018 •  [Post 63]

I put a note on my truck stating when I should be back if it’s a couple days past alert the authorities. Just cause I usually hunt by myself and I don’t have a sat phone. I make it a point to be back at the truck on the date no matter how good the Hunting is.
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Re: An elk hunting tip.....

Postby Grousewit » 04 09, 2018 •  [Post 64]

If leaving stand to go to bathroom-TAKE WEAPON WITH U!!!! Never let weapon get farther than arm length away!!!!
62 yr old Hunter/Trapper/Shooter
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