Tell us about your elk failures

[EYJONAS!]

How hard can it be?

Age 12, first elk 1980:

72 elk later, 2019:

I may not be a smart man but........ 1980-2019=39 years ......you have taken 72 elk? or were part of? Man that is impressive.....

 

[BuzzH]

I may not be a smart man but........ 1980-2019=39 years ......you have taken 72 elk? or were part of? Man that is impressive.....

That 2019 cow in the picture is the 73rd elk I've shot...cant know how many I've helped others with, probably about that many more I would guess.

 

[EYJONAS!]

That 2019 cow in the picture is the 73rd elk I've shot...cant know how many I've helped others with, probably about that many more I would guess.

How do you kill 73 elk in 39 years?

 

[BuzzH]

How do you kill 73 elk in 39 years?

By hunting 2-3 states a year and living/hunting in States that allow 2-3 elk per hunter/year...besides Montana its the good old days of elk hunting.

Killing 3-4 elk a year adds up quick.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

How do you kill 73 elk in 39 years?

Colorado used to be 3 deer a year, I know several boomers that have killed close to 100 mule deer.

 

[EYJONAS!]

With all due respect elk and deer aren't the same thing. Shit in Montana you can kill an unlimited amount of deer it seems like every year so I bet a 100 deer wouldn't take much.

73 elk in 39 years seems excessive so I just asked. Buzz must like to eat elk and nothing else to be putting 4 in the freezer a year.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

With all due respect elk and deer aren't the same thing. Shit in Montana you can kill an unlimited amount of deer it seems like every year so I bet a 100 deer wouldn't take much.

100 deer = bucks in my comment.

As much as I’m going to tease him I do kinda agree.

 

[EYJONAS!]

100 deer = bucks in my comment.

As much as I’m going to tease him I do kinda agree.

Guess you could do that here to with all the extra management opportunities.

 

[BuzzH]

With all due respect elk and deer aren't the same thing. Shit in Montana you can kill an unlimited amount of deer it seems like every year so I bet a 100 deer wouldn't take much.

73 elk in 39 years seems excessive so I just asked. Buzz must like to eat elk and nothing else to be putting 4 in the freezer a year.

Why does it seem excessive?

I know some other elk hunters in Wyoming that have shot more than 73...

 

[EYJONAS!]

Why does it seem excessive?

I know some other elk hunters in Wyoming that have shot more than 73...

Its just a number thing obviously you hear a lot of stories of guys that spend 10 years to just get one. Then you come in from left field with 73.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Uh, this thread is about failures. I am kind of feeling like a failure just reading the last few posts. LOL

My bad, your 100 percent correct.

Here's one, second year bow hunting on the second day of a 7 day hunt. I lost my range finder outta my side pouch on my belt. I was still very green at archery elk.....and still am. I told myself nothing over 40 nothing over 40 if it happens so I continue to hunt. Day 3 and 4 no dice, day 5 one encounter I'm guessing about 85ish. Day 6 it's misty I sneak in on a bull bedded my heart is literally jumping outta my chest i knock an arrow he's laying below me in tall grass. I think he's 50 kinda down hill, I blow a kiss and he stands broadside I put my 45 yard pin on him. Clean miss over his back. He doesn't even flinch, he's looking right at me I knock another 40 yard ..... miss. He still isn't moving, I can't believe it I knock another arrow 35..... MISS. He is wondering what's up now. He walks off I sit in disgust....... paced it off 22 yards....... no bueno.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Just jerking your chain. I don't care where this goes.

Well I gave you another story anyways.

 

[Western Traveler1]

Many years ago my buddy and I have a 20 hour drive to our first archery elk hunt (1st elk hunt). We listen to calling tapes and practice calling the entire drive. On arrival mid day we set up camp and decide to hike up a trail and start learning the lay of the land having never been there. Most reports we have are very few elk in this area but my rancher friend assured us to hunt this public ground. Two and a half hours later we stop and break out our Topo map and coordinates only GPS to determine our exact location for future reference. I’m looking around and think to myself, wow this area looks good (for hunting in general). Buddy is kneeling on the trail and our bows are leaning against a tree.
I start blowing on my cow call for practice. A couple minutes later we hear pounding and breaking branches coming through the trees above us. We realize what is happening and reach for our bows. Before we can nock an arrow a rag horn breaks through the trees 20 feet above us, does a 180 degree turn faster than one can imagine and bolts back up the hill. We looked at each other and started laughing. All these years later our rancher friend still tells that story for laughs to visitors when we are around.

 

[timmy]

Haha this is a depressing but kind of funny thread. Timber carp.

 

[kwyeewyk]

That 2019 cow in the picture is the 73rd elk I've shot...cant know how many I've helped others with, probably about that many more I would guess.

Congrats, that's an awesome accomplishment, though I'm sure it's just everyday life for you. I'm curious though, was there ever a season since you were 12 when you didn't get one?

 

[dgc1963]

wow interesting reading as for me I have gotten a 6x6 on every hunt Ive ever been on, with in a few days of hunting and close to a road too! I didnt know elk hunting could be very hard
And with that statement I should be in Washington politics

 

[Sytes]

Wind... Wind... Wind. Love / hate relationship.

My "failures" summed up in one primary word.

I suppose the lackadaisical side has bit me in the ass a few... Oh hell, several times. Hike hard miles in the thick of thick and/or steep of steep to select spots, set up cold night spike camps. Nodda...
Then drag my ass back to base camp wimpering about no elk, rifle slung over my back, synthetic stock or trek pole "pinging" off a tree or rock, snapping a twig (or few). The type of lazy chit I never do with the initial elk fever coursing through my blood.
The elk God thunders out my "failures" as elk bust out some 100-500 yards from base camp or truck.

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." - Theodore Roosevelt

 

[Mallardsx2]

Well there is this: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/public-land-colorado-highest-of-highs-lowest-of-lows.292652/

And then there is the time I shot under a bull in Colorado with my bow. It jumped a log right as I shot and the arrow only got hair right under his heart. Very sad walk out that day. lol

 

[BuzzH]

Congrats, that's an awesome accomplishment, though I'm sure it's just everyday life for you. I'm curious though, was there ever a season since you were 12 when you didn't get one?

One year...and its been a long time ago.

 

[Irrelevant]

I rifle hunted western WA for 14 years growing up and saw exactly 1 legal bull. A nice 6-point walked out of the old growth into the reprod at about 35 yards, he had no idea I was there. I was shaking so bad, and jerked the gun so bad, I missed high, I think, I don't honestly know because I think I closed my eyes.

Since then I've had so many failures I can't list them all, and like many, I've tried to swear off elk hunting a dozen or more times, but like a bad habit you just can't quit, I keep buying tags.