Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting

[RavensdaleYoungBuck]

Hey Fellas, this will be my first hunt for Elk. I was just wondering if there are any differences between deer and elk hunting. Any tips or advice helps. Thanks

[RB]

Watch the wind Elk will bust out way before Deer in my experience

[boneaddict]

Deer are more sensitive to sound, elk their nose.  When deer spook, they might go a ways and circle or hide.  Elk tend to change zip codes.   Use your ears even more when hunting elk.  They make a lot of noise, which I think is why my first point is.

[Button Nubbs]

Elk are easier to kill

[boneaddict]

deer are easier to pack out

[Button Nubbs]

  true dat!

deer are easier to pack out

[bobcat]

Elk hunting is more crowded. It's just harder to get away from other hunters. I think because elk are more concentrated in certain areas, while deer are in general more spread out. And there aren't any secret elk areas anymore.


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[Mike450r]

deer turn stupid people stupider,  elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy.    Good times

[bobcat]

deer turn stupid people stupider,  elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy.    Good times

[snowpack]

deer turn stupid people stupider,  elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy.    Good times

  bit of an understatement.  Most people I know quit chasing elk during the craziness of the 'good old days' of the 70's--a few made their kids promise not to get elk tags.  They tell me I must be a few mules short of a pack string to hunt elk in Washington and that it's been nice knowing me. 

[6x6in6]

Elk are 3 times larger.
Elk poo is 3 times larger.
Elk tracks are 3 times larger.
The gut piles are 3 times larger.
The taxidermy bill is close to 3 times larger.
 

Otherwise, what boneaddict said.

[6x6in6]

To add to what boneaddict said above, if elk bust because of sound, they have been known to circle so they can confirm what they did not discover via smell. 

[usmc74]

If you are hunting close to home (wet side), the elk don't change zip codes in my experience

Elk hang out in bigger herds, more eyes to see YOU with.

[Clancy]

I pick the pace up. Deer hunting im always sneaky. Elk i mob and try to find fresh sign to fallow.

[Jonathan_S]

\And there aren't any secret elk areas anymore.


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I think I have one.  Let me post a picture of it with my iPhone.

[mlovely83]

My experience hunting the Westside Elk much easier than deer. They move in herds and leave plenty of tracks. Hour after first light and hour before dark the calves should be chirping.

Like everyone else said smell is your biggest obstacle. Keep the wind in your face. You find the elk, its worth a 3 mile roundabout hike to get the wind right.

I tend to not use calls cause in my opinion its better for them not to know where you are. FYI once you hear the bark its all over.

[Buckmark]

$3000.00

[Jonathan_S]

I elk call more when I'm elk hunting   

[boneaddict]

Its easier to eat elk 

[vandeman17]

deer I can hunt on either side of the state and elk only one or the other 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Deer hunting is like middle school and high school, everyone can get through it, elk hunting is like college, less people go, even fewer graduate! 

Elk hunting, if done right, ie in the mountains, working hard, and getting off the road, is by far the most fun you can have in the woods, and way more satisfying when you are successful.   

[Bullkllr]

Deer get harder to hunt as soon as they know they're being hunted, but elk get WAYYYYY harder to hunt as soon as they know they're being hunted. It's best to avoid letting them in on that detail.

[CAMPMEAT]

Elk hunting is for real men................

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

In my experience on the west side the deer see me before i see them, if i see them at all. I see elk way before they see me.

I have killed more elk than deer. I personally think elk are easier to hunt.

[Humptulips]

First I have always hunted west side in fact only coastal.
To me a totally different hunting experience.
Deer hunting is more a matter of watching, walking, looking for deer and hopeing to see them before they see you. Mostlly hunt clearcuts, hunt one and take a break watch a hiilside while you snack at lunch. Usually a race to get in the morning to be the first at that spot you thought was your secret spot. Critical to be there at first light.
Elk hunting is a lot more dependent on finding fresh sign so I spend more time looking at the ground for tracks then I do looking for elk. I have always followed the tracks to the elk rather then spotting elk. That is changing though as a lot of the areas there is just no timber to follow the elk in to. With doghair everywhere it becomes more like deer hunting. I don't like that so I tend to hunt areas that still have blocks of timber.

Also elk hunting envolves stalking the elk a lot of the time whereas never that way with deer. Elk are bunched up so there are large areas where there is nothing. Deer you might see one anywhere anytime.
Harder to be successful on elk but you need to be prepared with the tools to get one out. Deer can come out in one piece so you don't need so much stuff.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I only hunt Elk, deer are what I shoot while Elk hunting.
Because I am not a trophy hunter, I shoot the first legal animal that is dumb enough to let me get within range (recurve)
Deer are like rabbits, I seem to be able to get one almost every year, but Elk, used to be about every 4-5 years, now it is 7 without...
Thank goodness for deer !!