Best odds for elk mod muzzy or bow?

[Bob33]

Here are harvest success rates for the three methods for the past ten years, during general elk seasons:

[JPhelps]

overall elk knowledge, time and area familiarity are going to go farthest in " increasing odds". More than a given weapon or season.

I agree.  The chart above can only be taken at face value, one can't pick archery and assume they will have a better chance at success.

It isn't so much dependant on season dates, units, or weapons although it does definitely play a factor.  I feel that as archery has grown a large majority of the once successful modern elk hunters have migrated to archery where they continue to be successful. 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I like that chart! It shows that archery hunters are great at there sport! Is there a chart showing the numbers of general hunter numbers to really put the iceing on the cake? I would still recomend smoke pole if coming from rifle background.

[Bob33]

I like that chart! It shows that archery hunters are great at there sport! Is there a chart showing the numbers of general hunter numbers to really put the iceing on the cake? I would still recomend smoke pole if coming from rifle background.

You can find all the data here: http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/

[RockChuck]

Thanks for the info that chart has the info I was looking for, i would think most archery hunters are more dedicated and that leads to a higher percentage, I agree with the knowledge  and skill of the particular weapon and of elk.

[RockChuck]

Anyone know the odds of drawing multiseason elk?

[Bob33]

Anyone know the odds of drawing multiseason elk?

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/results/results.php?Species=ELK

About 1 in 9.

[RockChuck]

Thank You, I have never seen that on the website before, I know where it is now though.

[huntndad]

I think we all know data can only show so much, and we all interpret it a little differently.  For me, the archery data is a little misleading since over half the elk killed are cows.  Not that the other categories don't include cows, they just don't have anywhere near the same percentage.  Archery success rate on bulls is probably less than 4%.

[RockChuck]

Do you know the success rate for archery cows?

[Bob33]

Harvest data can be found here:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2011/

[huntndad]

Do you know the success rate for archery cows?

Probably around 5%.  I assume it could be quite a bit higher, but in many units (at least the ones we hunt in the early season) bulls and cows are open simultaneously and most hunters focus only on bulls. 

[Fullabull]

Huntndad is correct, archers have the opportunity to take cows in more units than modern hunters which brings up their success rates. Muzzy, gets the best rutting season but their units are very limited. Modern gets the only draw tags during peak rut but they are few. I think it just depends on how much work you want to put into it and if you want to see fewer hunters. Where we archery hunt, we still see hunters every day but we do find elk where they do not

As far as the heat goes, you need to have a plan to get your meat out as quickly as possible.

[bear hunter]

Muzzleloader for Cow draw permit in 340 and 342 units