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Increasing Your Odds

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Increasing Your Odds

Postby Swede » 08 02, 2018 •  [Post 1]

What thing or thing do you, or can you do to increase your odds of harvesting an elk during the season to come?

For me #1 is scouting, and #2 is practicing with my bow.
Right now I have completed my scouting trip, but am less than comfortable with the situation. I found some good spots, but no great ones. I have been shooting faithfully for about 2 1/2 months now. The bow almost wants to come back to full draw on its own. That is good, as it was a real struggle the first couple of weeks, and was still difficult for awhile after that.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby saddlesore » 08 02, 2018 •  [Post 2]

I study the herd counts, herd sizes, what units take how many preference points and what units I am more than likely to draw with no points and the probable success ratio of those units.All this data is on the Colorado CPW web site . However thru the years,I figured out those people don't know squat , don't care, or just want to sell tags.So I figure out where I want to go an go kill elk.I don't jump around from area to area, but get to know the ones I hunt very well.I would rather hunt and area I know elk with fewer elk than an area I don't know with more elk.
Last ,but now least,I make sure, before every season, my center fire rifle or muzzle loader hits where I point it
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Fridaythe13th » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 3]

I work 3 jobs so I have extra cash to go. Probably not what you were looking for. Lol
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby BrentLaBere » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 4]

Dont get stuck in a mentality of hunting where the elk should be, hunt where they are. Since adapting and moving until I find elk has helped a lot. And I know this sounds simple, but I cant tell you how many days I have wasted hunting an extra day or two looking for elk that weren't there.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Lefty » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 5]

All good stuff so far.

I use scent reduction: by many standards to the extreme. I eat more veggies, and only use scent reduction free toiletries, not only clean clothes but all my gear, sleeping bag, clothes truck,.. Io :o

What I really need to do is settle down for the shot. I get "bull fever" making too many simple mistakes when it counts
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Indian Summer » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Long ago I overcame the main obstacle in killing elk and that’s a lack of confidence. Swede you said you found some ok spots but not great ones. How many times have you sat at great spots without killing anything? Those ok spots might turn out to be the golden ticket. Think positive. It definitely pays to know your area really well. I can remember when wolves put a hurting on elk in Montana. People would chatter about elk population numbers. I always said I don’t care if there’s only one bull left I think I can find it and kill it. I can’t stop the aging process. The mind pushes the body so I don’t strive to be in mountain goat shape. I just go out every day like I own the place knowing that humans are smarter than elk and no matter what they have to drink water and eat 20 pounds of food every single day. Period!
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Indian Summer » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 7]

If plan A doesn’t produce I shake it off and go straight to plan B. I think some people get so hyped up about their plan A that they get depressed when it doesn’t come together. I ruins their confidence. No time for that.

All of Indian Summer's points are really good. I highlighted a couple that I thought were especially valuable as they are points sometimes missed by hunters. When one thing or place is not working, try something else. Not every practice works universally.
I have listened to several people mock proponents of elk calling. That does not mean calling does not work. It is just not working for you. Try to find out why. It could be your calling, or the place you are doing the calling. Heavily called areas are harder to work. Call shy bulls may be more leery of coming than ones where they seldom experience a hunter.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Swede » 08 03, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Indian Summer wrote:Swede you said you found some ok spots but not great ones. How many times have you sat at great spots without killing anything? Those ok spots might turn out to be the golden ticket. Think positive. It definitely pays to know your area really well.


I really agree with that statement. Just because a place does not look great in July on the first trip into an area does not mean it won't produce in September. Elk start moving, and the places I saw had evidence of wallowing and water use. They certainly are a place to watch.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Joe Schmo » 08 04, 2018 •  [Post 9]

Having a draw tag.
Listening to ElkNut and understanding what he’s saying.
Watching elk hunting on TV and understanding what the elk are saying and why.
Confidence.
Patience.
Shooting my bow.
Doing step ups.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Roosiebull » 08 05, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Every single thing I do that is hunting related is to increase my odds one way or another.

I don't really go out of my way, hunting is so consuming to me that lots of my free time naturally gets dedicated to hunting and preparing for the hunt.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 08 05, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Conditioning (can’t run and gun in the elk mountains effectively, especially as you get a bit long in the tooth, without being in good shape), persistence (day in, day out going after them..plenty of time to camp in the off season), patience (whether calling, still hunting, T Standing, or sitting a post...gotta be patient to a fault), and learning/understanding elk behavior and correctly interpret/act on what one hears/sees while hunting wapiti. I know when I’m not successful, I failed in one or more of these areas. Good topic John.
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Swede » 08 05, 2018 •  [Post 12]

WapitiTalk1 wrote: I know when I’m not successful, I failed in one or more of these areas.


I think often we are doing everything perfect in the wrong place or at the wrong time. RJ and his friend Joe know elk hunting. RJ is as good as any at calling. The area they have been hunting is tough. The brush is horrendous, but the wolves have made things much more difficult for the run and gun type.
I believe I could get another bull out of that area, but it would be from a tree stand. There are no guarantees, but from what I saw, there is no reason I would go chase the critters. Besides who can enjoy cold canned tamales, wrapped in paper, while they are running and gunning?
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Re: Increasing Your Odds

Postby Navesgane » 08 06, 2018 •  [Post 13]

I'm gonna try to eat and sleep better this season
Instagram @jeff.reilly1
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