Washington state Bow Hunting Advice

[fieldking#1]

Hello, I'm new to bow hunting and was looking for techniques and advice about elk hunting here.

[Button Nubbs]

Treestands, over looked but very effective.

[elk247]

Good point nubbs. Can i ask if you are planning east or west? I think the two can be different with the approach i would use.

[Wiley]

Scout hard and get away from people.

[Eli346]

Steep and deep. Look for benches on google earth and scouting on foot.

[coachcw]

play the wind , draw early and dont hesitate on your shot . i've found if you wait to draw your bow you may not get a chance .

[Skillet]

My advice is to realize how close Idaho is.  Best of luck!

[brocka]

My advice is to realize how close Idaho is.  Best of luck!

Exactly

[Special T]

If you plan on hunting the west side, read Boyd Iversons "Black tail trophy tactics 2"  I'm a west side native and have seen WAY more deer since i read it. 

[sakoshooter]

Scouting.

[LBES]

watch all the Primos "Big Bulls" video series and pay attention to how they cow call... it's that simple.

[Smossy]

Scouting.

When everyone says scouting. Explain this to me. I know the term, but where does one start/look for? Do you guys just find a spot on the side of a road and start walking?

[LBES]

Scouting.

When everyone says scouting. Explain this to me. I know the term, but where does one start/look for? Do you guys just find a spot on the side of a road and start walking?

There's a lot to this... it could be as basic as just tromping through the woods or as complicated as getting maps, looking for areas that will hold elk, patterning elk behavior, etc.

Just "scout" some areas that have elk in the area, look for sign, and try to get an understanding for how they use the area and how you would setup to hunt them. Every situation is a little different. Scouting helps, at minimum, just to be familiar with the area so you know how to react when what you thought would happen, doesn't happen.

Good luck!

[wt]

LBES, are you serious about the primos cow calling? or teasing?

[LBES]

LBES, are you serious about the primos cow calling? or teasing?

 ...everyone gives me crap for it, but my elk hunting has been 1000% more successful when I actually paid attention to what I was watching. It's not about focusing on the great area they're hunting, or the class of bulls they get to hunt. Focus on the technique. They'll push their bugles because that's what sells, but when they're really hunting in the video, I was always surprised how much they cow call. Once I changed that tactic, it was instant success. Cow calling, at least in areas on the wet-side where I hunt, have proven to be a ton more effective for me. I use a Wayne Carlton Fighting Cow Call, and a Prmios IMAKA-DA-Bull crazy cow calls. 2 and 3 bulls at a time are coming in. Before 2006, when I was just "hunting hard", I never had the opportunities I have had since then.

[wt]

Thanks for the response, its about time to start getting tuned up again, so maybe I'//incorporate some primos videos into the line up. Any particular video that demos the cow calling your talking about? WT

[hughjorgan]

Thanks for the response, its about time to start getting tuned up again, so maybe I'//incorporate some primos videos into the line up. Any particular video that demos the cow calling your talking about? WT

Your time and money would be better spent watching elknuts DVDs than it would watching a primos private ranch hunt.

[billythekidrock]

Scouting.

When everyone says scouting. Explain this to me. I know the term, but where does one start/look for? Do you guys just find a spot on the side of a road and start walking?

There's a lot to this... it could be as basic as just tromping through the woods or as complicated as getting maps, looking for areas that will hold elk, patterning elk behavior, etc.

Just "scout" some areas that have elk in the area, look for sign, and try to get an understanding for how they use the area and how you would setup to hunt them. Every situation is a little different. Scouting helps, at minimum, just to be familiar with the area so you know how to react when what you thought would happen, doesn't happen.

Good luck!

I agree. And learning sign or what to look for is just as important.  A couple of examples that I see a lot are people confusing large blacktail rubs for elk rubs and thinking spring bear turds are elk turds.

Learn the difference between ungulate rubs and other tree damage. Know the difference between buck and bull rubs.

If talking about spring bears you might want to learn the difference between deer and bear beds and feeding sign. Also learn what spring bear turds look like and how they differ from summer/fall bear piles.

[billdo5]

Have a caller about 100 yards behind you and that big bull will walk right by u then u put an arrow in his side lol

[Special T]

LOL sorry i just realized this was a Elk thread!  Still a good book tho.

[Broken Arrow]

1. get a bow and practice shooting - if your really that new, here is are a few tips: don't shoot an arrow straight in the air to see if you can watch it, and hay bails are a bad idea as a back stops.
2. Be humble when getting advice, as well when asking.
3. Don't set unrealistic expectations from drawing conclusions of watching hunting vids. Elk hunting is with a bow is Hard.
4. Get out in the woods as much as you can, learn to read elk sign and what time of year its made.
5. Have fun, if you can, make a good partner right now in this journey, if it works out, you will hunt for years.
6. last and not least, learn how to break down an elk the proper way and don't waste meat. Elk hunting is and can be really fun, until you knock one down...the depending on your circumstances, it can range from a "hurt locker" to backing up the truck......thought 90% of the time if you learn all this stuff....its a hurt locker!

[Special T]

Visit/join an archery club if there is one near you!
Find some help here
http://www.washingtonarchery.org/about-us/clubs--shops/

[dreamingbig]

1.  Get out and wear out some boot soles doing some serious scouting

2.  Join an archery club if you have the time

3.  Start saving money to hunt in Idaho and Montana!