How long did it take for your first elk?

[c0d95]

Like the title says, how long did it take you to bag your first elk? Bull or cow. 2023 was my third year hunting them and I have yet to get one. I've had encounters often but in the part of Washington I'm in its true spike only and I only encounter cows and big bulls. I'm putting in for a bull tag in my preferred unit, not counting on drawing, but I definitely feel like I am still just "paying my dues." How long did it take you?

 

[TOGIE]

in years? 5.

in elk hunting days? roughly 17ish give or take... i don't have a great log on that stat.

i put in a piss poor effort hunting elk during those 5 years. 3.4 days a season is pathetic and will rarely produce elk when you're learning.

i had a legal bull at 120 yards on my first elk hunt ever, i had to crawl and reposition to get into a shooting position. he slunk back into the timber in that 10 second time frame before i was setup. still think about that a lot, but i feel it wouldn't have been right. i bet i could've downed that bull at this stage in my hunting competency.

i keep saying i'm gonna put in better effort for elk, sometimes i hope i actually do.

 

[brymoore]

I killed one my second year of elk hunting. I had several close opportunities my first year but couldn’t close the deal.

 

[brockel]

The morning of my second day ever elk hunting I stumbled on a group of cows and was lucky enough to sneak within 30 yards and got an arrow into one.

 

[c0d95]

3.4 days a season is pathetic and will rarely produce elk when you're learning.

I'm hoping to get out for a week this year- my PTO is fairly limited, unfortunately.

i had a legal bull at 120 yards on my first elk hunt ever, i had to crawl and reposition to get into a shooting position. he slunk back into the timber in that 10 second time frame before i was setup. still think about that a lot, but i feel it wouldn't have been right. i bet i could've downed that bull at this stage in my hunting competency.

Do you go rifle or archery?

i keep saying i'm gonna put in better effort for elk, sometimes i hope i actually do.

I hope you do too! I'm itching to get some elk meat in the freezer!

 

[c0d95]

I killed one my second year of elk hunting. I had several close opportunities my first year but couldn’t close the deal.

Sweet! My first year elk hunting, I only got to go out for one day which sucked but we spotted a herd ~1500-2000 yards away and 1800 feet higher than us. We put a stalk on them and by the time we got to where we would've seen them a nasty snow storm hit and the elk took cover in the timber and we high tailed it off the mountain. Sometimes, when I think about that day I wish that we had stayed but I don't think there was anything legal for us in that herd.

 

[c0d95]

The morning of my second day ever elk hunting I stumbled on a group of cows and was lucky enough to sneak within 30 yards and got an arrow into one.

Jealous! I'm planning to hit it pretty hard this year. Early and late season.

 

[brymoore]

Sweet! My first year elk hunting, I only got to go out for one day which sucked but we spotted a herd ~1500-2000 yards away and 1800 feet higher than us. We put a stalk on them and by the time we got to where we would've seen them a nasty snow storm hit and the elk took cover in the timber and we high tailed it off the mountain. Sometimes, when I think about that day I wish that we had stayed but I don't think there was anything legal for us in that herd.

Spotting scopes’ weight is worth knowing there’s a legal animal before you do a mile plus stalk.

 

[c0d95]

Spotting scopes’ weight is worth knowing there’s a legal animal before you do a mile plus stalk.

Hindsight is 20/20

 

[8andcounting]

20 minutes first morning of my first ever elk hunt . Colorado . Had a cow tag , cow and a really nice 5 x5 came by at 80 yards . Shot the cow . Thought wow this is easy ….. lol

 

[Forkyfinder]

Second year rifle elk hunting in WY when I was a kid. Shot a small 5x5. Opening day after scouting for a few days with my stepdad I had the luckiest case of chicken pox (right before hunting season!) and scouted when he could the week before.
Hunted archery for 7 years archery (typically 5/6 days a year) in MT and had lots of encounters before harvesting a young nice 5x5 my 8th year (this year).
Hunted rifle one weekend and/or day trips in about a half of those archery years in MT and was successful on a cow last fall.

 

[c0d95]

20 minutes first morning of my first ever elk hunt . Colorado . Had a cow tag , cow and a really nice 5 x5 came by at 80 yards . Shot the cow . Thought wow this is easy ….. lol

How long did it take to get your next one?

 

[8andcounting]

How long did it take to get your next one?

4 years .

 

[cgasner1]

First year elk hunting with a tag for myself I was 13. Last day last light double lunged him at 42 yards. Was just a little rag 4 point. I really thought I new how to kill elk at that stage in my life lol.

 

[samuel_284Win]

I started elk hunting in 2019 via a cow tag in WY and thus began the steep learning curve. 2021 was my first elk and was lucky to do it with archery tackle so took 3 years.

 

[kwyeewyk]

5 or 6 years here in Washington for me, archery, had lots of almosts but never came together. Finally got a cow from the Yakima herd. Then more years of nothing. Stopped putting in as much effort after getting married and kids, and started investing my effort out of state, which has been way more productive. I get out about 2 days a year in WA now, but still enjoy it. It's a good place to learn, go about anywhere else and it feels pretty easy.

 

[c0d95]

go about anywhere else and it feels pretty easy.

Good to know! My hunting partner and I are talking about going for OTC archery elk in Colorado in a few years... assuming they still have OTC by then!

 

[TOGIE]

Good to know! My hunting partner and I are talking about going for OTC archery elk in Colorado in a few years... assuming they still have OTC by then!

set expectations. otc archery in colorado probably won't exactly feel all that "easy" in comparison.

but, boat loads of elk still.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Second year hunting, first year with an elk tag in my pocket. I was 13, good times.

 

[c0d95]

set expectations. otc archery in colorado probably won't exactly feel all that "easy" in comparison.

but, boat loads of elk still.

The difficulty is part of the reason we are waiting a few years- 1. to gain more experience and 2. to get in better shape so that we can do whatever it takes to get to the elk and away from other people as much as possible.