How do I become a more successful elk hunter?

[LeviD1]

So I have been hunting elk for about 6 years now archery. The last 2 years more intently and taking almost the entire season off. Where I hunt in NE Washington there is a lot of area and seemingly few elk. I practice my calling pretty much all year. Every year we get answers within 150 yards and usually each year get within 40 yards but it is soooo thick that there isn't much shot opportunity past 20 yards. I know its hard to give much advice based on this information, but I guess it just seems like I should have been able to connect by now. I know elk hunting is very hard. It just seems like from reading posts of people getting an elk every year or every other year that I must be doing something wrong. We try and use the wind to the best of our advantage. Any advice I would really appreciate. There are quite a few wolves in the general area also so that does not help. I am excited for the season dates to be later because where I hunt it always seems to really turn on for us after the 10th so I am hoping to finally be able to get my first elk. I am just confused on what I need to do better I guess.

Thank you,
Levi

[Big6bull]

I think I was in your shoes not long ago. Your getting close to the "breakthrough" . You need more of those close encounters to learn what and how to react especially in tight thick quarters where shot opertunities are few and hard to come by. Maybe reach out to other units with a little better numbers but other than that stick to it and don't give up go further...

[LeviD1]

I just dont know any other archery hunters. My dad is who hunts with me currently but he doesn't archery hunt himself because his shoulder is shot. I have a buddy who is showing interest in starting to want to archery hunt since he moved cda so I'm hoping he starts so I can call for him in some more elk dense woods.

[3dvapor]

I have been in your shoes dont give up.  Best advice is find an area with good bull to cow ratios possibly in idaho.  This will lead to multiple encounters sometimes in the same day.  I rely heavily on calling and will practice constantly before the season with the notion i never sound good enough.  My hunting partner and i hunt as a team with the rule it isnt your turn to shoot until the other person shoots even if it takes all season.  I honestly dont even carry my bow.  Ill use his if he shoots and bulls are still active. This makes both of us trying our hardest for the other.  Also i cant stress how aggressive you need to get on bulls in heavily hunted areas before they will commit to coming in.  Keep at it!

[CAMPMEAT]

Have pops get behind you about 100 yards and have him bugle. That might get the elk to come to your lap.

[RadSav]

Thick brush elk calling can be tough.  It can be even tougher if you are the caller and the shooter.  Pressured elk don't stick around if they respond and do not see, smell or hear more than just a bugle.  Often times in these situations the bull will not be comfortable getting close without visual or noise verification that there is an elk there.  I have been on a few of these where everything changes if the caller starts walking away breaking branches and kicking rocks amidst soft calls and other social behaviors.  As if the caller had become intimidated by the new challenger and was pushing his cows away.

On the coast we would often carry a fishing reel used to move vine maples between the bull and the caller.  Seemed if a bull came to the spot he expect there to be elk and there was nothing that was the most startling.  But show him they are moving away, or that they are not waiting in ambush would make the bull more offensive and brazen.

Third thing that has worked for us in the past was to let the bull back off.  When he does he has established that the point where he last stood as a safety zone.  Have the shooter move up to shooting range of that last stand and then have the caller start up again.  Quite often the bull will return to that exact same spot to once again survey the situation.  Only this time the shooter has a clear view and easy shot.



Nothing in elk hunting works every time.  There are usually more failures than successes.  The one thing most real good elk hunters have in common is they put themselves in a position to get more opportunities to fail.  And then when the odds finally do fall in their favor they don't miss.  I know great elk hunters whose success ratio is about one out of every three set ups.  I also know some great elk hunters whose success ratio is about one in every ten or twelve set ups.  One works harder than the other each year, but they both succeed.  Just keep pushing forward until you find out where your success ratio ends up.

I took a friend out opening day back in the late 80's.  It was a hot August start and the elk were timid and unresponsive.  But we somehow managed to mess up a set in the morning and then another in the afternoon.  I noticed with each failure he got more excited, smiling and giggling just a little more.  I asked him why he was so darn happy about missing and he told me, "My success ratio is 1 in 4.  I only need to mess up one more and I Will Be King!"  He was "King" before noon the next day   Sometimes it's all about attitude!

[buglebrush]

The NE is tough.  Nasty terrain, and just not a lot of elk.  Don't give up.  There is plenty of guys who strike out around here. 

Have you invested in some of elkNuts stuff?  If I tag out early I may even be able to take you a day.  Stay in touch come September.

[Firedogg]

As that bull moves in you really need to move to a postion that you have cover in but also gives you lanes to shhot through. It makes no sense to work a bull in if you have a wall between the two of you.

  I would also consider going to a different area with higher numbers of bulls. Where you are at might be close and cinvenient, but if the elk numbers are not that great your success rate will be pretty low.

[zike]

  I would also consider going to a different area with higher numbers of bulls. Where you are at might be close and cinvenient, but if the elk numbers are not that great your success rate will be pretty low.

Like Idaho!

[buglebrush]

  I would also consider going to a different area with higher numbers of bulls. Where you are at might be close and cinvenient, but if the elk numbers are not that great your success rate will be pretty low.

Like Idaho!

I would consider Montana if I was looking out of state. 

[4fletch]

Learning to call will give you a great advantage in harvesting. Get some dvd s  learn how to call ASAP then ASAP get out a start cow calling. When you get a answer mimic the cows n calves. Many times I have called herds in so if they sound like they are coming in (  calls getting closer) back off so you do t get  busted. No need to let them know that humans are wanting to eat them. They get smart real quick. PM sent

[Jonathan_S]

Take some of this advice with a grain of salt  if you're on elk in the NE you are doing it right.

If you do everything right you still have a pretty low chance of killing elk in the North East.  It's unlike anywhere else in the state for elk hunting.  In my experience

[rtspring]

Just never give up!   I got 28 years of doing it! Its not easy.

#1 piece of advice I can give is, elk season is short, so use those long months in  between to practice, get in shape, and spend time in your hunting area.  Elk dont vanish, but they dang sure hide very well..

Best of luck..

[steelnducks]

Just keep doing what your doing. Make sure to research all your elk sounds don't just learn how to make them learn what they are saying. Close encounters eventually turn in to blood trails and meat on your back. Good luck and keep it up.

[LeviD1]

Thank you for all the replies. I appreciate it. Im glad to read that other people think NE WA is hard to hunt. I spend a lot of time in the area I hunt and have multiple bulls on cams all summer long and always think I know where they are going to be. Usually in a general area sort of. There's so much area up there that they will be somewhere one morning and the next just vanish it seems like. I gues I just wish it was like in the videos you watch where you have 4-5 different bulls bugling all in the same area, not just hoping there's 1 on a ridge haha