Tell us about your elk failures

[Mark K]

Everyone talks about the times that they did well and killed something wonderful, or at least put some meat in the freezer. Nobody ever tells the stories about the times that they screwed it up or things were just stacked against them.

I don't have any elk stories yet. YET!

Lets hear your tales of woe.

 

[bushman13]

All woe here, 3 CO elk tags and I haven't seen a live elk yet. That being said I can't stop thinking about next years hunts

 

[HFW]

Had a bull only draw. Spent two weeks before season opened scouting and knew exactly where I needed to be on opening morning as I had the same draw 2 years prior and got a bull opening morning I was looking forward to a good first day. Had to hike in about 5 km's in the dark. I got a little over half way to where I wanted to be and slipped on a log, right leg went in a hole and bent funny at the knee. Immediately I knew I had hurt myself pretty bad as the knee started to swell to a point of being tight to my jeans. I pulled everything together and sat on the log waiting for daylight to slowly get back to the truck. Two other hunters came by me in the dark, offered help and I told them to carry on as I had all day to get out. Shortly after sunrise I heard a shot in the direction they had headed. My full season was done.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I've yet to get my first elk so I have a lot of failures. I think my two most notable was sneaking up on a bull during archery, getting within 50 yards and then 5 grouse fly out. Needless to say that gave me and the elk a heart attack as they ran all the way to private and even then just kept running until I couldn't see them. The second I was sneaking up on a herd of cows during rifle. It was perfect, they didnt know I was there and all I had to do was come up over a hill for a 200 yard shot. Well just as I was about to get up the hill where I could see them....a rabbit runs out into the field that the elk were in and they all ran away....over a dumb rabbit. I couldn't believe it.

 

[Saskabush1]

Drew a MT general big game combo, in 2019. E-scouted all summer, had a plan set and ready. Truck broke down on a mule deer hunt here at home at the end of Sept. That started a chain reaction of delays and reschedules that resulted in me not even making it across the border let alone hunting elk in MT this fall. Still holding out hope of maybe a shoulder season cow trip but that’s looking bleak too.

Hard not to consider eating a $1400(cdn) tag anything other than a colossal failure.

 

[Ben Lamb]

This is my entire elk hunting career.

 

[Slm864]

My 2nd trip to hunt archery elk in CO I called a bull in to 6 yards on my first morning. Made the mistake of setting up behind the tree instead of in front of it. Bull came in perfectly broadside but pine tree was in the way and then he winded me and bolted. Learned a valuable lesson that morning.

 

[JLDemo]

Had a chance at a very solid bull in Wyo this past archery season. Got between he and his cows going across a drainage. Let the cows walk by at around 30-40 yards and waited for the bull to come on up. He was screaming off and on and the cows were mewing once in a while as well. I didn't call a single time, just slipped in on a good wind. After the cows passed and the bull hadn't made into bow range yet, I could see his legs but he was stalled. I had good wind and a good backdrop so I waited and waited and waited. I grew impatient and made a terrible mistake, I let out a soft cow call. He began looking in my direction and kept moving his head as if to look but couldn't see anything. He then made a loop downwind. He busted me and scooted out in a hurry.

I should've waited and kept patient and I hadn't called to that point, no idea why I thought it was good to do it then, but I did and paid for it. I ended up taking a cow later in the season so not all was lost. Lesson learned.

 

[huntin24/7]

Sometimes I swear bull elk are even luckier than they are smart...and they are smart. Most of my screwups have been from being impatient and moving to soon before they’re in the right position. I’ve had times where I should’ve been less patient and just went for it, and they beat me to where I thought they were headed. Not accounting for all animals in the herd and getting busted drawing or ranging. Being in position, waiting for them to stand, and the wind switches. Having a good bull in range waiting for him to turn and another bow hunter is running at him full speed across the coulee and scares him. Lol. I’ve had these all happen. Above all else though for me had been my own impatience ruining things.

 

[Mark K]

A nice healthy dose of reality.

 

[EYJONAS!]

This is my entire elk hunting career.

You beat me to the punch


I've had some go right and many many many go wrong. It's what a person does and learns from these instances that makes him or her grow.

 

[ida homer]

Where the hell do I start?

The learning curve for elk is much steeper than deer, IMO.

 

[Addicting]

Treating my first elk like a deer and letting it sit over night when I didn’t find it. Lost the whole elk to spoiling.

 

[Ben Long]

It took me several seasons before I even SAW an elk in the field. Then my dad called a 6x6 in to 50 yards and I had bull fever so bad I couldn't shoot. Two or three more seasons before I got another shot and I missed. Learning curve is steeper than the mountains themselves. But then, decades later, I met a Texan (no offense, Texans) who came to Montana, had never SEEN and elk before and killed a 7X7. This kind of stuff will drive you batso.

 

[BigHornRam]

There was this time elk hunting with a Californian and..........

I've had my share of blown stalks, and missed shoots, but my only failure has been not elk hunting enough. Every day in the field is a real blessing.

 

[----]

2007- I’m driving down a Forest service road mid-day, after hunting whitetail that morning. Come around a corner and there’s a herd of elk on the hill, with one spike in it. This is a fresh burn, and I bail out and get set up in an opening where the elk are going to pass through. Cow, cow, cow, spike, try to pull the trigger and the safety is on.

2008- I hiked 3 miles in before light to watch a large canyon for the morning. At first light, I rattled in a couple young whitetail bucks. Shortly after rattling in the bucks, I noticed two bull elk feeding up into my canyon from lower down the drainage. A 5x5, and a 6x6. They’re feeding very slowly up the ridge, but right into the canyon I’m sitting. After waiting for what seemed like an hour, they finally clear some burned timber and I have a clear shot at 220 yards. I shoot 6” above the 6x6’s back and watch the bulls run out of my life forever.

2010- I’m archery hunting in the breaks. First morning of the hunt I follow a young 6x6 across a couple canyons, and he leads me to a very, very large 6x6 with a dozen cows. I sneak within maybe 60-80 yards of the herd in a timbered draw with the sun at my back, and let out a bugle. The large bull gathers his cows and comes ripping in to my draw. He stops across the draw and lets out a monster of a bugle right in my face. I send my arrow straight over his back. He rips another bugle, I send my second arrow into the very, very top of his hide above his backstraps. I see him three days later chasing cows, with my arrow still in him, looking like it was balanced on his back.

2011- I’m archery hunting deer in September in the river bottoms just West of Missoula. I’m in a ground blind in a thick cottonwood/willow stand when I see a cow sneaking through the willows. I pull out my camera to tape her walk by, when I notice a 340-350” 7x7 on her tail. I drop my camera and get my bow up in time to watch him walk out of the lane at 30 yards.

2012- I’m in a cottonwood treestand hunting whitetail in a SW Montana river bottom on the opener of rifle season. We knew there were elk in the area, and late morning a herd got pushed through. They’re real close, and there’s a bull in the rear. I rotate in stand to reposition myself, which causes my wallet to fall out of my pocket, stopping the lead cow in her tracks. The herd bails, and I graze the bull with a rushed shot as they’re exiting, and never see him again.

2014- I have a breaks elk tag I waited a very long time for. Opening day of rifle season I hike 4 miles back in to the same canyon I missed the giant bull in 2010. There’s a young 6x6 feeding on a ridge, and I watch him until he beds. I sneak into 50 yards of the bull, dry fire on him, and walk away. He was the only bull I had in range in 14 days of hunting that rifle season.

2016- I drew a very good elk tag in Wyoming. This elk tag also happens to be during the mule deer rut in a pretty good unit. I’m driving down a two track when I see an impressive buck chase a doe into a draw. I grab my camera and sneak over to the edge of the draw, maybe 20-30 yards from the truck. When I peak over, I see the buck with the doe, and I also see 3 mature bulls, the biggest being a 340” 6x6. I’m sky-lined, and they take off. After retrieving my rifle, I spend the rest of the day trying to catch back up to them.

These are just the obvious ones, there’s countless other less significant encounters.

I no longer hunt elk.

 

[EYJONAS!]

2007- I’m driving down a Forest service road mid-day, after hunting whitetail that morning. Come around a corner and there’s a herd of elk on the hill, with one spike in it. This is a fresh burn, and I bail out and get set up in an opening where the elk are going to pass through. Cow, cow, cow, spike, try to pull the trigger and the safety is on.

2008- I hiked 3 miles in before light to watch a large canyon for the morning. At first light, I rattled in a couple young whitetail bucks. Shortly after rattling in the bucks, I noticed two bull elk feeding up into my canyon from lower down the drainage. A 5x5, and a 6x6. They’re feeding very slowly up the ridge, but right into the canyon I’m sitting. After waiting for what seemed like an hour, they finally clear some burned timber and I have a clear shot at 220 yards. I shoot 6” above the 6x6’s back and watch the bulls run out of my life forever.

2010- I’m archery hunting in the breaks. First morning of the hunt I follow a young 6x6 across a couple canyons, and he leads me to a very, very large 6x6 with a dozen cows. I sneak within maybe 60-80 yards of the herd in a timbered draw with the sun at my back, and let out a bugle. The large bull gathers his cows and comes ripping in to my draw. He stops across the draw and lets out a monster of a bugle right in my face. I send my arrow straight over his back. He rips another bugle, I send my second arrow into the very, very top of his hide above his backstraps. I see him three days later chasing cows, with my arrow still in him, looking like it was balanced on his back.

2011- I’m archery hunting deer in September in the river bottoms just West of Missoula. I’m in a ground blind in a thick cottonwood/willow stand when I see a cow sneaking through the willows. I pull out my camera to tape her walk by, when I notice a 340-350” 7x7 on her tail. I drop my camera and get my bow up in time to watch him walk out of the lane at 30 yards.

2012- I’m in a cottonwood treestand hunting whitetail in a SW Montana river bottom on the opener of rifle season. We knew there were elk in the area, and late morning a herd got pushed through. They’re real close, and there’s a bull in the rear. I rotate in stand to reposition myself, which causes my wallet to fall out of my pocket, stopping the lead cow in her tracks. The herd bails, and I graze the bull with a rushed shot as they’re exiting, and never see him again.

2014- I have a breaks elk tag I waited a very long time for. Opening day of rifle season I hike 4 miles back in to the same canyon I missed the giant bull in 2010. There’s a young 6x6 feeding on a ridge, and I watch him until he beds. I sneak into 50 yards of the bull, dry fire on him, and walk away. He was the only bull I had in range in 14 days of hunting that rifle season.

2016- I drew a very good elk tag in Wyoming. This elk tag also happens to be during the mule deer rut in a pretty good unit. I’m driving down a two track when I see an impressive buck chase a doe into a draw. I grab my camera and sneak over to the edge of the draw, maybe 20-30 yards from the truck. When I peak over, I see the buck with the doe, and I also see 3 mature bulls, the biggest being a 340” 6x6. I’m sky-lined, and they take off. After retrieving my rifle, I spend the rest of the day trying to catch back up to them.

These are just the obvious ones, there’s countless other less significant encounters.

I no longer hunt elk.

These aren't engrained in you are they randy? Some brutal ones on there but in one way or another your not alone. I can relate to a lot of these......

 

[Dave N]

2007- I’m driving down a Forest service road mid-day, after hunting whitetail that morning. Come around a corner and there’s a herd of elk on the hill, with one spike in it. This is a fresh burn, and I bail out and get set up in an opening where the elk are going to pass through. Cow, cow, cow, spike, try to pull the trigger and the safety is on.

2008- I hiked 3 miles in before light to watch a large canyon for the morning. At first light, I rattled in a couple young whitetail bucks. Shortly after rattling in the bucks, I noticed two bull elk feeding up into my canyon from lower down the drainage. A 5x5, and a 6x6. They’re feeding very slowly up the ridge, but right into the canyon I’m sitting. After waiting for what seemed like an hour, they finally clear some burned timber and I have a clear shot at 220 yards. I shoot 6” above the 6x6’s back and watch the bulls run out of my life forever.

2010- I’m archery hunting in the breaks. First morning of the hunt I follow a young 6x6 across a couple canyons, and he leads me to a very, very large 6x6 with a dozen cows. I sneak within maybe 60-80 yards of the herd in a timbered draw with the sun at my back, and let out a bugle. The large bull gathers his cows and comes ripping in to my draw. He stops across the draw and lets out a monster of a bugle right in my face. I send my arrow straight over his back. He rips another bugle, I send my second arrow into the very, very top of his hide above his backstraps. I see him three days later chasing cows, with my arrow still in him, looking like it was balanced on his back.

2011- I’m archery hunting deer in September in the river bottoms just West of Missoula. I’m in a ground blind in a thick cottonwood/willow stand when I see a cow sneaking through the willows. I pull out my camera to tape her walk by, when I notice a 340-350” 7x7 on her tail. I drop my camera and get my bow up in time to watch him walk out of the lane at 30 yards.

2012- I’m in a cottonwood treestand hunting whitetail in a SW Montana river bottom on the opener of rifle season. We knew there were elk in the area, and late morning a herd got pushed through. They’re real close, and there’s a bull in the rear. I rotate in stand to reposition myself, which causes my wallet to fall out of my pocket, stopping the lead cow in her tracks. The herd bails, and I graze the bull with a rushed shot as they’re exiting, and never see him again.

2014- I have a breaks elk tag I waited a very long time for. Opening day of rifle season I hike 4 miles back in to the same canyon I missed the giant bull in 2010. There’s a young 6x6 feeding on a ridge, and I watch him until he beds. I sneak into 50 yards of the bull, dry fire on him, and walk away. He was the only bull I had in range in 14 days of hunting that rifle season.

2016- I drew a very good elk tag in Wyoming. This elk tag also happens to be during the mule deer rut in a pretty good unit. I’m driving down a two track when I see an impressive buck chase a doe into a draw. I grab my camera and sneak over to the edge of the draw, maybe 20-30 yards from the truck. When I peak over, I see the buck with the doe, and I also see 3 mature bulls, the biggest being a 340” 6x6. I’m sky-lined, and they take off. After retrieving my rifle, I spend the rest of the day trying to catch back up to them.

These are just the obvious ones, there’s countless other less significant encounters.

I no longer hunt elk.

Sounds like you should quit hunting DEER!

 

[EYJONAS!]

Here's one..... me 13 or 14 years old. I had hunted elk with my dad and uncle with their friends a few times horse back. Had some encounters nothing really transpired I was hell bent on a bull or nothing. Rewind a bit all my young life I would listen to their stories of hunting the backcountry, going through hundreds of photos of them packing in camp and packing out bulls. All I could do is dream of getting my first bull.... Fast forward...... we go out a few times, nothing, this is harder than I thought. The last weekend of the season we go to Gardiner and it's dumping snow.......I remember helping saddle the ponies and they're looking at me, uncle says today's the day. We ride off, I can literally see elk everywhere in the moonlight I'm thinking why in the world have we been wasting our time everywhere else....... yes we're on the Deck early 00s. Thet get me setup on a bunch of elk with 3 bulls in it. The suns coming up and I'm quickly learning why we don't go there very often. There's 400 to 500 elk and seemed like more orange vests. 10 minutes before light guns are going off I'm holding on not shooting looking these bulls over in my scope it's a full on war zone going on around me we sit and wait and wait and finally dad says ok shoot. Immediately when he says that 2 of the 3 bulls get dumped I panic there's only 1 left. I breath put it right on him safety off KABOOM........ not from my gun. Someone shot the bull right out from underneath me, I turn to dad and uncle and say...... that guy just shot my bull. My dad's friend immediately responds ..... yeah well what do you want me to do about it go revive him! Get on your horse we gotta go...... later in the day I took a cow abs couldn't have been happier.

 

[406Born]

First year hunting never saw an elk after chasing them for 12 weeks. (6 weeks archery and six weeks rifle)

The next year I was walking down a game trail in rifle season and heard something walking straight up the mountain right at me. I stopped and a nice 5 pt bull stepped out broadside at 20 yards into a clearing. I pulled the trigger and safety was on. He slowly kept going and stopped broadside in another clearing at 30 yards. Pulled trigger again and safety was still on. I think I sat down right there and contemplated quitting hunting.