Interesting Video Why 5% Get 95% of the Elk

[WyoDoug]

Interesting video and this guy does make some good points. I never hunted the first 10 years I became a resident because either the wife was laid up from surgery or I was and there just was not the budget to support it. Since 2016 when I started hunting again and as a Wyoming resident, I have shot only 3 elk, no deer or bear and lots of antelope. I definitely want my elk this year even if it's a cow.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Garbage he didn't say one word about running a marathon each day.
Kidding aside he makes some good points.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Comparing apple's to apples, I would agree that it used to be that learning one unit well was a great idea....

Now, its getting hard to go back to those same spots when the hunting pressure is monumental and it has changed the animals behaviors drastically and in some situations the unit is almost void of animals all together.

Even in a new unit I can typically find the elk within 1-3 days. If you cant do this, then you'll likely always struggle and maybe it is best that you stay in one unit and learn it and deal with the hunting pressure if it is there.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Actually was very cool to hear when I hadn't really heard in other commentary on why so few kill so many, which is about knowing a specific area. Makes total sense.

I always wondered that when I see very fresh scat, but no sound or sight of elk then head to a totally different area, who knows if the next time I'm back in that drainage if the elk are also on their off day from that spot. On the other hand, if I consider where they might have moved to then I'm thinking I'll have a better chance. Going to practice it this year and see...

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Comparing apple's to apples, I would agree that it used to be that learning one unit well was a great idea....

Now, its getting hard to go back to those same spots when the hunting pressure is monumental and it has changed the animals behaviors drastically and in some situations the unit is almost void of animals all together.

Even in a new unit I can typically find the elk within 1-3 days. If you cant do this, then you'll likely always struggle and maybe it is best that you stay in one unit and learn it and deal with the hunting pressure if it is there.

True. Our fall back go to spot the last 7 years has had elk patterns change drastically 2 times over that span. Once because of what I feel was new pressure and once because of logging. I suspect a change this year for the guys hunting the area because we are 2 years removed from the logging and the landscape has changed again.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Comparing apple's to apples, I would agree that it used to be that learning one unit well was a great idea....

Now, its getting hard to go back to those same spots when the hunting pressure is monumental and it has changed the animals behaviors drastically and in some situations the unit is almost void of animals all together.

Even in a new unit I can typically find the elk within 1-3 days. If you cant do this, then you'll likely always struggle and maybe it is best that you stay in one unit and learn it and deal with the hunting pressure if it is there.

I think hunting the same spot is actually a net negative.

You learn where elk tend to be in a given unit simply through trial and error..."I hunted that unit for 10 years, I always find them on that one hillside", if you hunt new units you have to learn why elk are in certain areas so that you can try and find those conditions in new country.

 

[Mallardsx2]

^^ Any elk hunter worth the weight in elk calls should be able to tell you where the elk will be hiding just by looking at a topo map for 10 minutes.....lol

Some people got it, some never will.

 

[WIbiggame]

One benefit I think hunting the same general area for 8years is if I hear a bugle in a general area I can with pretty much 100% certainty know where that elk is and where he will go.

To the above after the last 2 years of trying new areas its fun when you can figure out where elk "should be" by looking at a map than going there and finding them.

 

[LopeHunter]

I doubt that so few hunters have virtually all of the success. About 20% of bull elk tags are filled out West in a typical year. Obviously, OTC will have different harvest rate than most limited entry tags. Rifle tags tend to have higher harvest rates than muzzle than archery.

I propose a 100 tag sampling of all bull elk tags out west would show:

20 tags filled. 14 hunters have previously killed multiple bull elk before. 6 hunters killed their first or second bull elk with the tag and of those 2 had a guide helping, family or professional, or access to private land.

80 tags unfilled. 5 hunters never set foot in the unit. 40 hunters had previously filled a bull elk tag in the past decade with 20 of those killing a bull elk in the past 5 years. 35 hunters have either never killed a bull elk or has been more than a decade.

Non-residents will have a higher harvest success rate than residents and an older bull and larger bull. Likely because are more likely to be guided or have access to private land.

I would guess 70% of bull elk shot in a decade are shot by 20% of the hunters active that decade.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I doubt that so few hunters have virtually all of the success. About 20% of bull elk tags are filled out West in a typical year. Obviously, OTC will have different harvest rate than most limited entry tags. Rifle tags tend to have higher harvest rates than muzzle than archery.

I propose a 100 tag sampling of all bull elk tags out west would show:

20 tags filled. 14 hunters have previously killed multiple bull elk before. 6 hunters killed their first or second bull elk with the tag and of those 2 had a guide helping, family or professional, or access to private land.

80 tags unfilled. 5 hunters never set foot in the unit. 40 hunters had previously filled a bull elk tag in the past decade with 20 of those killing a bull elk in the past 5 years. 35 hunters have either never killed a bull elk or has been more than a decade.

Non-residents will have a higher harvest success rate than residents and an older bull and larger bull. Likely because are more likely to be guided or have access to private land.

I would guess 70% of bull elk shot in a decade are shot by 20% of the hunters active that decade.

Which state lol?

 

[duckhunt]

I've watched alot of his videos. Good basic information for the beginner western hunter. I really like the video on thermals.

 

[Shortbowshot]

Many times the guys who are considered killers just try a lot harder than anyone else.
20 years ago we killed bulls at near 100% success on Colorado otc archery. Now in my 40's It doesn't even sound fun to work that hard.

 

[GrantK]

Many times the guys who are considered killers just try a lot harder than anyone else.
20 years ago we killed bulls at near 100% success on Colorado otc archery. Now in my 40's It doesn't even sound fun to work that hard.

I think this is the biggest factor by far, even people who don't know the terrain or elk behavior do pretty well if they keep trying, as long as they keep changing it up when what they are currently doing isn't working... most people have no concept of what actually hunting your ass off for a week even looks like though... they think they are going all out when in fact they are at 30% of the effort of the people who are actually hunting as hard as possible, the ultramarathon mantra of "relentless forward progress" goes a long way.

I think knowing one unit or area really well is a sure way to struggle long term, even the best honey hole changes, if all you know is how to hunt that spot then when it is no longer good you are screwed, if you want to get good at elk hunting, not hoping your good spot is still good, then go hunt different units/states every year, and hunt lousy units, nothing will make you appreciate a decently good area like hunting a few really tough areas... you will learn how to find elk in new terrain, how to break an area down and cover it efficiently, how to eliminate elk that aren't worth chasing even though you can glass them, and many other things that translate to better success every time, even in your well-known unit if the elk there change up their pattern for whatever reason...

 

[mtmuley]

I've hunted the same unit exclusively for almost 30 years. The elk do change. So do I. I'm in the 5%. mtmuley

 

[Mountain Mule]

I've hunted the same unit exclusively for almost 30 years. The elk do change. So do I. I'm in the 5%. mtmuley

Coordinates or it didn't happen.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Coordinates or it didn't happen.

You don't want to be the guy that hunts in Muley's elk spot.

 

[mtmuley]

Coordinates or it didn't happen.

Funny side story. A buddy that used to hunt the unit with me had a map with every elk kill we made. Dozens. He lost the map in a storage unit sale. So far nobody has showed up and been hugely successful. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

You don't want to be the guy that hunts in Muley's elk spot.

Good memory. mtmuley

 

[Mountain Mule]

Good memory. mtmuley

Sounds like an interesting story there.

Back to the original post. I do agree that having a longer block of time to go out and emerge yourself in hunting will teach you much more than hunting just sporadic weekends or a week a year. Though it's not a luxury everyone has.

 

[GBrokx]

I think this is the biggest factor by far, even people who don't know the terrain or elk behavior do pretty well if they keep trying, as long as they keep changing it up when what they are currently doing isn't working... most people have no concept of what actually hunting your ass off for a week even looks like though... they think they are going all out when in fact they are at 30% of the effort of the people who are actually hunting as hard as possible, the ultramarathon mantra of "relentless forward progress" goes a long way.

I think knowing one unit or area really well is a sure way to struggle long term, even the best honey hole changes, if all you know is how to hunt that spot then when it is no longer good you are screwed, if you want to get good at elk hunting, not hoping your good spot is still good, then go hunt different units/states every year, and hunt lousy units, nothing will make you appreciate a decently good area like hunting a few really tough areas... you will learn how to find elk in new terrain, how to break an area down and cover it efficiently, how to eliminate elk that aren't worth chasing even though you can glass them, and many other things that translate to better success every time, even in your well-known unit if the elk there change up their pattern for whatever reason...

Agree with your first thoughts about effort leading to success, however knowing a unit has huge advantage. Knowing a unit well, you can go to where the elk typically like to be or where hunting pressure is less. My one friend has been hunting one unit for the last 15 years and is about 90% successful. Others in the same elk camp, are about 5%. However, I also agree that you have to be willing to switch it up if the elk are not there. Now that I have hunted the unit for the last 10 years, I am starting to explore nearby units and going to try to be mobile if the elk sign is low. Any unit should also be big enough that you can travel the roads to different parts of the same unit to get completely different terrain and access.