Things I Wish I'd known about Elk Hunting

[corndog1]

The first few are always surprisingly big laying there on the ground, much harder to deal with than a deer if you are by yourself.

 

[TheElkMan]

Hey guys and girls, I'm a relatively new elk hunter (only 1 archery hunt in the Idaho Panhandle). I'm planning an archery hunt in Western Colorado this season and I've been thinking a lot about the mistakes we made the first time around and how to not repeat those mistakes.

I thought it'd be great to assemble a thread of top 1-3 things that people wished they'd known when they started elk hunting.

For starters I wished I'd have started hunting elk earlier in my life (it's not as expensive as I once thought it to be).

I messed up an opportunity on a bull after 2 cows spooked and I didn't even think that a bull might be behind them, so after the cows spooked I "gave up" on the encounter way too early.

Also, on my first hunt I was trying to sneak through the woods everywhere. I've since learned that sometimes it's better to just cover country until you're actually into fresh elk sign.

What do you more seasoned hunters have to share?

Glass glass glass, you need to find them first so you can develop a strategy. The elk you see usually aren’t all the elk that are there.

 

[herdbullkiller]

I spend a lot of time calling for elk and over the many years I've developed 7 hard rules for hunting elk.

1) Elk are curious.
2) Elk are social and herd animals.
3) Bulls would rather you go to them.
4) Bulls have two basic the instincts(survival and breeding). The two are at odds during breeding season.
5) Bulls will try to keep every cow.
6) Bulls will try gain any cow but not at the risk of loosing one of their own.
7) Herd bulls can be challenged for dominance, but only when you're within their comfort zone.

 

[zuba_m]

Vodka=antifreeze. Put a little in your water bladder for those cold days..... advice from a rancher I visited with in Montana.

 

[TheElkMan]

Making mistakes when in the Elk is easier than falling on an ice rink right after the Zambonie just left. Don’t worry about it, try to learn from those mistakes and most of all have fun making memories. The Vodka in the water bottle comment in this thread is hilarious.