I hate elk hunting........

[shansar]

I am completely kidding of course as I really do love it. Just wish I was better at it! First off I am NOT even close to as good of a hunter as all of you on this forum. I am certain of that! I have nothing but respect for you guys and as much success as you all have elk hunting. I am a school teacher that saves up his personal days to take a few days to attach to a  weekend every year to hunt with his two boys and family. This year my Mom after 12 years got drawn for not only a Peaches Ridge any Bull Tag but a Taneum Sr. Citizen Cow tag as well. Oh boy this is the year! We have been so excited for this hunt. We scouted this summer and have to admit only really got familiar with the Taneum area which we have hunted in the past. Still saw quite a few bulls there and felt like we were ready to help Mom find that elusive bull! Our back up plan was she would at least get a cow as that should give her a good chance to avoid eating tag soup.
Well I posted on this forum after a week of no success. This is by FAR the nicest group of hunters ever. Honestly I got a couple of PM's and you guys took the time to offer up some places that would help give her a chance to be successful. Heck people even gave us their phone number to try to help. Honestly people on this board went above and beyond the call of duty to try to help. What a great group of guys. Checked out all tips and hunted hard every day we were there. I was there 6 days and ran across two cows on two different days and didn't get more than a glimpse of them. Again I am NOT any where near the hunter you guys are but I honestly can say I hunted every moment I was there and yes I was on foot the entire time. Saw plenty of sign and really tried to follow what you guys say to go to the darkest, steepest places I could find. Good Lord,  I walked you guys and then walked some more. Mom and Dad did a ton of walking and waiting as well. When it opened for cows (you guys will cringe) but she decided that she would shoot any animal just as she really wanted to fill a tag. I completely agreed and felt she would have a pretty good chance. Didn't quite work out that way. Ugh.  Dad didn't see an animal the entire hunt. Mom saw one for a split second and they hunted for nearly the entire two weeks.
I completely understand that hunting is all about the experiences and great memories that we have. We are so lucky to live where we do.  I am so thankful that we had such a great time together and were able to share that. While it is a bit disappointing. I honestly can't for the life of me figure out how we all went that long without seeing animal. NOT COMPLAINING but there were 4 other people that went over with area 336 tags that I know of and didn't see an animal in 4 days as well. Several in their party were NOT road hunters and did hunt hard. A couple of them did go home on Saturday which I thought was nuts as you only need to see one animal so why wouldn't you give it your best the whole time? Oh well to each their own but we hunted all the way up to closing on Sunday night and didn't see a darn thing.
I will get better at this eventually and the neat part was the time together. Also fun to share the time with my boys who are growing up too darn fast. Mom and Dad now have 3 days left on Mom's cow tag with the last day being Friday. Trying to convince them if they don't head back over there to try to fill it they won't fill the tag for sure but I suppose I can understand why they aren't too optimistic.
I really want be sure to thank you guys for taking the time to help as this forum has some guys on here that are pretty darn hard to beat. When I get this figured out in 20 years I'll be sure to post some advice as well and hope I can try to help others out. Thanks you guys and best of luck to you that have some hunting left to do!

[SniperDanWA]

I'm in your same position of knowledge and passion.  You had a great time, congrats and best of luck in prepping for the next hunt.

[adamR]

Sounds to me like you are one of the best elk hunters ive known.  Being a good hunter doesnt mean you are sucessful.  Taking time out of your life tohelp someone else fill there tag, hunt all day long, never complain and thank someone for there uneventful tips, these are qualities that make a great hunter.  Sometimes hunting is sucessful because of the memories not the harvest.  Keep at it man your time will come!

[redalder]

Oh, man, do I feel your pain!

This is my fifth year of "teaching myself to hunt". Every year I hunt s much of deer season as I can afford to, and every day of elk season as hard as I can. I hike, I climb, I crawl in the mud, I look at clearcuts through the binocs till my eyes bug out of my head, I fall into ravines full of devils club, and when I get tired, yes, I resort to a little road hunting, too. At least I can warm up and dry out a little bit, driving the truck around for a couple of hours every now and then.

Some years I have been in the elk nearly every day, but could not find a legal bull in the open. But I was thinking, hey, at least I'm seeing animals! This year, all season, I have not seen ONE elk, not even a cow, and even more crazy than that, I haven't even seen any fresh tracks! Eleven days I've been out so far, hitting all the familiar places, and some new ones, too, and I feel like I'm right back where I was that first year I started walking around looking for elk.

I tell you, it's hard to stay enthusiastic after 11 days of seeing NOTHING. But I will be out there again tomorrow, even so. At least it's been a good chanterelle year, if nothing else.

[ELK SHOT]

Well I just ate my 653 white river unit Bull tag, doesn't taste so good but had a great time. I was in in Elk every day just could not find the Bull. It's all about getting out in the woods and having a good time with family and friends. So we must keep at it and try again next year.

[cryder]

opening day of bow season I got a 4x3 to come charging up hill to me he got 15 yards away before I could get where I should be and I didn't even get close to a good shot,but that was the most intense moment in years of elk hunting,and it still keeps me up at knite and still gets  me kicked out on the couch to this day!!!I called cows and two spikes in on the same morning, those guys winded me because of seating from climbing the hill there, but still when I got back to camp I felt like I had the best day of hunting in my lifetime,and no filled bull tag.bow hunting elk is the most adrenaline rush my 55 year old body can take and I wont stop till my body does success or not,like you said I HATE ELK HUNTING !its GOOD TO SEE IM NOT THE ONLY ONE,(beginning to think there was something wrong with me )thanxs for clearing my head for about 30 seconds,best of luck next time because I know you will be back at it as I will.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Sounds to me like you are one of the best elk hunters ive known.  Being a good hunter doesnt mean you are sucessful.  Taking time out of your life tohelp someone else fill there tag, hunt all day long, never complain and thank someone for there uneventful tips, these are qualities that make a great hunter.  Sometimes hunting is sucessful because of the memories not the harvest.  Keep at it man your time will come!