How do I become a more successful elk hunter?

[LeviD1]

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.

That is one thing I'm really working on this year. Whats sucks is usually my dad is the one calling and he doesnt care much for trying to learn it all....

[trophyhunt]

Doing it on your own, the calling, and shooting sequence is tough but rewarding.  The one thing I've had to learn the more I archery hunt with friends is, you really are more successful and it's much easier with a partner.  Your partner needs to be as good as you are to maximize your groups success. You are doing the right thing to get better already, putting boots on the ground and getting out there and trying! Keep at it and try to find a good partner with the same passion and willingness to learn everything you can on elk.  I've always been a lone hunter in my past with rifle and muzzy, it's a hard transition to allow a partner to hunt where I hunt. I guess I'm selfish with my elk hunting, but I need to get past that if I want my elk hunting partner and I to be successful as possible with archery.  Good luck, and where your hunting sounds tough, but who knows, you could end up sticking a pig up there!!

[huntnnw]

Exactly if your on elk around here your doing something right. I run into your same issues around here and it's just part of it. Keep at it the more encounters sooner or later you will get one in a open window. Some guys wait for wide open shots around here and you will eat a lot of tags. My last 3 bulls were shot in very tight windows that many would not take. If I hadn't shot I woulda ate my tags those years

[LeviD1]

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.

I have not bought any elkNuts stuff. Unsure what stuff it is. I am transitioning this year to diaphrams calls and getting better as I practice cause I feel thats where I'm going to get my most realistic sounds. I have bought quite a few of Phelps calls so far.

[funkster]

LeviD1, congrats on even finding the elk, you're doing something right! If I can lend any advice, it's to focus on the small things. Number 1 thing for successful elk hunting is to always have the wind in your favor. It's sounds like you're also having the same problem most elk hunters have when calling, the inevitable 40-50 yard hang up. As you know, being the caller and shooter isn't going to be very productive in thick brush. You're going to have to have someone fall back 50 yards and do the calling. Elk have built in GPS that can pin point a call to with in feet. I feel if you have you're wind right and drop back a caller, you will connect soon! Stay at, you're close man!

[coachcw]

daylight to dark , remember what doesn't work , always use the wind .

[kentrek]

People are saying getting your caller behind you 50-100 yards....that might work but in my experience in the thick stuff I usually get less hang ups when the caller is just out of sight from the bull..so that could mean 5-30 yards from the shooter...don't be afraid to call just off to the side of the shooter..you gotta be able to see your shooter ! Figure out a way to communicate so you can really move in on a bull..don't waste time

Also bulls like to circle you when displaying so set up accordingly....either have the shooter account for the wind or the up hill advantage...try to approach the bull at his level

Don't let him think you have the advantage

Just my thoughts

[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.

I have not bought any elkNuts stuff. Unsure what stuff it is. I am transitioning this year to diaphrams calls and getting better as I practice cause I feel thats where I'm going to get my most realistic sounds. I have bought quite a few of Phelps calls so far.

www.elknut.com

[funkster]

Also bulls like to circle you when displaying so set up accordingly....either have the shooter account for the wind or the up hill advantage...try to approach the bull at his level

This is very good advice!

[trophyhunt]

Also bulls like to circle you when displaying so set up accordingly....either have the shooter account for the wind or the up hill advantage...try to approach the bull at his level

This is very good advice!

It is!  We had a muzzy tag one year and I had seen a 370+ cascade elk in the area before our hunt.  On the day of the hunt we went to the area and had a bull circle us twice! It was just thick enough to never see the bull but I bet it was the big smart one, he wouldn't bugle but just make strange bull sounds.  He would start to bugle but just stop after the low beginning sound.  Never did kill him, after the second time he circled us, he was gone. 

[WapitiTalk1]

All good advice above.  I'd like to add that after over 30 years of hunting elk, I came across an innovative piece of gear last year that I'll always have with me on future archery elk hunts.  I hunt a bit in the early WA season but spend the last two weeks in either N Idaho or N MT, both are alder choked nighmares but hold an elk or three.  I found out last September just how well this little decoy works when in tight to elk.  It may be something worth considering for your upcoming hunt in your NE area.

http://www.poisonarrowgear.com/

[dscubame]

All good advice above.  I'd like to add that after over 30 years of hunting elk, I came across an innovative piece of gear last year that I'll always have with me on future archery elk hunts.  I hunt a bit in the early WA season but spend the last two weeks in either N Idaho or N MT, both are alder choked nighmares but hold an elk or three.  I found out last September just how well this little decoy works when in tight to elk.  It may be something worth considering for your upcoming hunt in your NE area.

http://www.poisonarrowgear.com/

Good advice.
The reason the bull would "circle" is because he is trying to get eyes on what he is interested in (the calling).  So using a decoy like this will allow him to get eyes on and stop the circling so less chance you will get winded.

[coachcw]

a side hill approach can be quiet productive. 

[WapitiTalk1]

a side hill approach can be quiet productive. 

Yes sir, and a nice play on words... quite slippery of you coach. 

[coachcw]

   I like the caller far enough behind shooter to be able to move unseen  to pull bull past shooter . Should be able to see shooter though.