How will your early season 2015 archery elk go down?

[WapitiTalk1]

OK, I know you've been daydreaming about this for the past year and particularly, for the past few weeks.  How will you be hunting next week when you touch off that broadhead tipped arrow towards your 2015 elk? 

[kentrek]

Bugle wars in the thick stuff ....up close and personal 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

It's gonna be the royal rumble of all archery elk seasons.  I'm going to get my Mis September today!  And a few reeds for the bugling bull! 

[vandeman17]

I am hoping the bulls will still be searching a bit for cows and haven't already established their harems. My plan is to try and locate some bulls then coax them in with a little sweet talking with some cow chatter.

[Dhoey07]

Hike up in the dark, change clothes, let a bugle rip, locate a bull, stalk in, deploy decoy if needed, cow talk, arrow in the boiler room.

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm in a wedding opening day. Who plans a wedding on opening day! Backpacking into the bumping hoping to bump some elk.

Yikes, the bride and groom must be non-hunters.  Everyone knows that you don't get married and "try" not to have your kids from SEP - NOV (although that doesn't always work out that way though).

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm somewhat surprised that there are zero tree stand hunters chiming in so far.  It's really not my cup of tea (impatient to a fault) but I know there are a lot of elk that receive dirt naps each year using the death from above method. 

[vandeman17]

I'm somewhat surprised that there are zero tree stand hunters chiming in so far.  It's really not my cup of tea (impatient to a fault) but I know there are a lot of elk that receive dirt naps each year using the death from above method.

I know of a large group who primarily will be in tree stands. I normally am with them but will be with my dad. A few of them might chime in.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I'm in a wedding opening day. Who plans a wedding on opening day! Backpacking into the bumping hoping to bump some elk.

Me too...lame! 

[buckandbullminingco]

I'm somewhat surprised that there are zero tree stand hunters chiming in so far.  It's really not my cup of tea (impatient to a fault) but I know there are a lot of elk that receive dirt naps each year using the death from above method.

We got three tree stands set up 3 grounds blinds for night hunts. Bugle and stalk and let the talking bring em in

[mburrows]

Cant wait! In my head its going to be me calling in a bull for my partner or vice versa. Never seems to go as planned though so hopefully a variation of the options. Im sitting at work trying to figure out a way to fast forward to our hike in friday night. Productivity is at an all time low.

[bowguy]

Have a nice big cow or spike walk on the trail at 15yds head goes behind a tree I draw,  on the next step zip it. We have three tree stands hung plus numerous ground blinds.

[Jonathan_S]

I plan to log lots of very slow miles.  Hopefully get in close on a legal bull.  I hope the first one I call in is a big bull because I'm not passing on anything legal.

[Little Fish]

I'm in a wedding opening day. Who plans a wedding on opening day! Backpacking into the bumping hoping to bump some elk.

Seems to me you will have to miss the wedding. Just be generous with your gift and it will be okay.

The elk I plan on shooting is going down in one of two possible ways. After locating him visually or with a bugle (assuming he only bugles back at me one time) I will sneak in close and cow call him in with the fewest number of calls I can get away with. If he responds aggressively to my locater bugles (he calls back to me repeatedly or just keeps on bugling and can't shut up) I am going to sneak in close and bugle like crazy. I am fairly certain this will bring running in to kick my arse.

[treeclimber2852]

I hope to be 25' up a tree by 4:00 am overlooking a trail into a clearcut...starry, chilly night coming to an end...I haven't been elk hunting in 25 years, and never with my bow...waiting for daylight and hopefully a curious rosie bull.  I'm excited to say the least, but almost just as excited to be back in the woods.  I've filled my freezer and have had some great experiences with the whitetail in the South East.  Now that I'm on the other coast I'm excited to get in there and learn.  I'm just glad it's not going to be 99 degrees and humid on opening day like it was last year in South Carolina. 

[shootnrun]

I'm in a wedding opening day. Who plans a wedding on opening day! Backpacking into the bumping hoping to bump some elk.

I was invited to a wedding opening day. The "Not Attending" box was an easy one to check.
I hope to be a "death from above" guy. First year bow hunting, first year tree stand hunting. We'll see how long I last.

[Jonathan_S]

No way in heck can I sit still on opening day for elk.  I'm moving.

[Dhoey07]

I hope to be 25' up a tree by 4:00 am overlooking a trail into a clearcut...starry, chilly night coming to an end...I haven't been elk hunting in 25 years, and never with my bow...waiting for daylight and hopefully a curious rosie bull.  I'm excited to say the least, but almost just as excited to be back in the woods.  I've filled my freezer and have had some great experiences with the whitetail in the South East.  Now that I'm on the other coast I'm excited to get in there and learn.  I'm just glad it's not going to be 99 degrees and humid on opening day like it was last year in South Carolina.

Almost like this?

[TheHunt]

My wife and I were married August 6th.  Was not going to be a Sept - Nov wedding.

[treeclimber2852]

I hope to be 25' up a tree by 4:00 am overlooking a trail into a clearcut...starry, chilly night coming to an end...I haven't been elk hunting in 25 years, and never with my bow...waiting for daylight and hopefully a curious rosie bull.  I'm excited to say the least, but almost just as excited to be back in the woods.  I've filled my freezer and have had some great experiences with the whitetail in the South East.  Now that I'm on the other coast I'm excited to get in there and learn.  I'm just glad it's not going to be 99 degrees and humid on opening day like it was last year in South Carolina.

Almost like this?

Luckily where I will be isn't going to be near that warm...but even so, 87 degrees and 42% humidity isn't bad...99 degrees and 90% humidity was brutal. 

[Elkrunner]

I am hoping the bulls will still be searching a bit for cows and haven't already established their harems. My plan is to try and locate some bulls then coax them in with a little sweet talking with some cow chatter.

Adam your sexy when you talk like that..LOL  Good luck buddy.  I added you to my favorites list so I can accept phone calls when you tell me your dad is tagged out and you are heading up to call for me.  All other people whom do not hunt are blocked for 2 weeks and I am deleting my email account so I wont check the dang thing!

[xXLojackXx]

Whatever it takes. But if I have my choice I'll be calling a bull into my set up.

[Elkrunner]

I'm somewhat surprised that there are zero tree stand hunters chiming in so far.  It's really not my cup of tea (impatient to a fault) but I know there are a lot of elk that receive dirt naps each year using the death from above method.

I know of a large group who primarily will be in tree stands. I normally am with them but will be with my dad. A few of them might chime in.

I will be in both.  Depends on what is going on.   I have them set up in case but im hoping to be calling one in as well.  I believe the other 6 or so will be death from above!

[vandeman17]

I am hoping the bulls will still be searching a bit for cows and haven't already established their harems. My plan is to try and locate some bulls then coax them in with a little sweet talking with some cow chatter.

Adam your sexy when you talk like that..LOL  Good luck buddy.  I added you to my favorites list so I can accept phone calls when you tell me your dad is tagged out and you are heading up to call for me.  All other people whom do not hunt are blocked for 2 weeks and I am deleting my email account so I wont check the dang thing!

Perfect. Even though its an any elk tag I have a sneaky suspicion that my old man will shoot the first thing with fur as long as its not in a nasty deep hole. Mid week looks like prime weather so just locate them the first few days and I will be there to help you kill your bull, pack it out and then hang out around camping drinking beer. 

[Elkrunner]

I am hoping the bulls will still be searching a bit for cows and haven't already established their harems. My plan is to try and locate some bulls then coax them in with a little sweet talking with some cow chatter.

Adam your sexy when you talk like that..LOL  Good luck buddy.  I added you to my favorites list so I can accept phone calls when you tell me your dad is tagged out and you are heading up to call for me.  All other people whom do not hunt are blocked for 2 weeks and I am deleting my email account so I wont check the dang thing!

I think you can get out of a nasty deep hole.  We are talking about the woods right?  Not something at a strip club...lol  Alright, Im officially signing off until I get back.  Good luck everyone
Perfect. Even though its an any elk tag I have a sneaky suspicion that my old man will shoot the first thing with fur as long as its not in a nasty deep hole. Mid week looks like prime weather so just locate them the first few days and I will be there to help you kill your bull, pack it out and then hang out around camping drinking beer. 

[Bango skank]

How will my 2015 elk go down?  Hmm, ill say that ill be a nervous wreck and my arrow will skip off of his whale tail, at which point he will turn tail and sprint off as fast as he can.  In an attempt to put as much distance as possible between himself and the grossly incompetent bowhunter he will fail to notice a rabbit hole in the ground, step in and break his leg.  Ill be back at camp trying to figure out what was wrong with my bow (nothing), and in the meantime a big ol tom cougar will find the injured bull and have himself a nice meal.

Maybe not that exact scenario, but something in that general ballpark.

[Band]

Based on past history I'll show up on top of a particular ridge opening morning about 1/2 hour before shooting light and hear the herd moving from my left to my right, the wind will be blowing from them to me, and I'll cut them off and check for a decent bull traveling along with them.  With any luck I'll have that bull down in the opening minutes and it will be a race to bone him out and cool off the meat before the warm day sets in.  And the whole time I'll be swearing under my breath at my 2 hunting buddies for dropping out this year.  Too bad too since I got the any bull permit and I am always very generous sharing the meat with them.

Still hunting in the afternoon/evening if necessary.  I reviewed my Elknut's Playbook, practiced my calling, and bought a Poison Arrow decoy.  Will use these tactics as needed.

If all fails opening day, repeat on day two.

[Eric M]

I read some guys here saying they had a wedding on opening day. A few years ago I had drill (my reserve commitment weekend for the military) on the opening weekend of deer rifle season. Luckily I still got the little 2X3 I had my eye on that Monday. So fast forward to this year. Switched to bow the past couple of years. My first year buying an elk tag archery. Oh yeah, drill weekend falls on opening weekend for archery elk. What the heck!

[WapitiTalk1]

Based on past history I'll show up on top of a particular ridge opening morning about 1/2 hour before shooting light and hear the herd moving from my left to my right, the wind will be blowing from them to me, and I'll cut them off and check for a decent bull traveling along with them.  With any luck I'll have that bull down in the opening minutes and it will be a race to bone him out and cool off the meat before the warm day sets in.  And the whole time I'll be swearing under my breath at my 2 hunting buddies for dropping out this year.  Too bad too since I got the any bull permit and I am always very generous sharing the meat with them.

Still hunting in the afternoon/evening if necessary.  I reviewed my Elknut's Playbook, practiced my calling, and bought a Poison Arrow decoy.  Will use these tactics as needed.

I like your style and game plan mister 

If all fails opening day, repeat on day two.

[coachcw]

probably call in  another hunter if he's dumb enough to go in there .

[WapitiTalk1]

probably call in  another hunter if he's dumb enough to go in there . 

That's not very nice mister, but in the right situation, warranted    I wonder what the "others" are on the poll? 

[pd]

How will my 2015 elk go down?  Hmm, ill say that ill be a nervous wreck and my arrow will skip off of his whale tail, at which point he will turn tail and sprint off as fast as he can.  In an attempt to put as much distance as possible between himself and the grossly incompetent bowhunter he will fail to notice a rabbit hole in the ground, step in and break his leg.  Ill be back at camp trying to figure out what was wrong with my bow (nothing), and in the meantime a big ol tom cougar will find the injured bull and have himself a nice meal.

Maybe not that exact scenario, but something in that general ballpark.

Optimist!

[huntingbaldguy]

Thinking a lot of different methods will go down for me.  Spot and stalk, calling, decoy deployment, maybe a natural blind here and there when i find one or can quickly erect one.  Not sure how an elk will die, but i'm hoping one will!