Elk, 8; Me, 0

[redalder]

Another elk season is in the books, with no elk to show for it. Don't get me wrong, I love the excuse to hike all over the place with a rifle, pick mushrooms and get up close to animals, but this is the end of my 8th season of elk hunting, and I have yet to get any meat out of it. I'm not getting any younger!

I started out completely green, knowing nothing except what elk and their tracks and poop looked like, since I live in elk country, and I just bought a license and tags and starting hiking around. I have no one to hunt with, and no one ever really showed me anything, so I am on my own in SW WA modern rifle season. It's a tricky business! It's amazing how many elk can hide in some ferns!

By the third season, I was starting to get up close and personal with elk on a semi-regular basis, but not able to ever get a shot on a legal bull. I would run into groups of cows and spikes, and sometimes catch a glimpse of a bull for a few seconds. This year, I ran into elk on three days out of 10 that I hunted, and got close enough to smell them a couple of other times.

I generally am still hunting in timber and alder and brush, so my encounters all tend to be under 50 yards, and usually at least somewhat by surprise. Even when I know I am getting close, I still never seem to have enough time to get a clean shot off. I rarely have a legal elk in my sights for more than a few seconds at that range. I had a legal bull in front of me for about 5 seconds this year, much to his surprise and mine. I did not get a chance for a clean shot, though, and never saw him again.

I see people posting their elk pics on Facebook and the like, and it's all "375 yard shot with my 308," or "560 yard shot with my 300 WSM," and I think, where are these people hunting that you can actually take a shot at a legal elk from that far away?! lol. I have only very rarely seen a legal elk in a clearcut during the season, and even then, it's a few seconds and then they're gone. I usually either see them at 35 yards crashing away through the brush, or over a mile away through the spotting scope.

I did get my first deer a couple of years back, and I still have four days left to try and do that this year, but I'm starting to think I might need to find a different area to hunt in. My neighborhood elk have been hammered with hoof rot and good old boys doing the party hunting thing, and there just are not as many elk around as there were even 8 years ago when I first started. And coastal blacktail can be pretty tricky to solo hunt in the timber, too.

I've been kind of beating myself up about not getting better at this faster, but then I was thinking the other day about how many elk I have gotten within a few dozen yards of, and how many times I could have harvested a spike or a cow if I had the tag.

Anyway, I've already been scouting some east side mule deer hunts for 2017 or 18, and now I'm thinking about eastside elk, too. I've been looking at maps and articles and harvest information, and thinking about trying an elk hunt in the Blues next year, instead of slogging it out in the wet brush and vine maple here at home.

Standard disclaimer: I am not asking for a handout, or for anyone's special spot, just some general information about what the hunting is like over there. I'll do a little bit of scouting next month, to the extent that the weather allows, and more in the spring and summer.

But it would be great to hear some input on that area. Am I barking up the wrong tree, to be looking over there for maybe a little better elk hunting, and maybe some shots longer than 50 yards, than here in 506?

it would be nice to finally succeed at this, before I die of old age.... ;-)

thanks in advance!

[bobdog86]

You think its tough where you are, finding a spike in the blues basically comes down to a little more luck than anything else.  Wait til you see a big bull standing broadside looking at you from 100 yards for what seems like eternity and all you can do is go wow....not that you cant get in on the action because it does happen, but its pretty tough. put in for the draws, good luck to you  All i'd say is just keep trying.

[JKEEN33]

Welcome to elk hunting. It took me 10 years to get my first one. I am now 5 for 7 the last 7 years. I considered changing areas at one point, but every year you spend in an area you learn a little more. Eventually it feels like you can't leave because you have to much invested. Sounds like you have elk in your area, you just need to figure out how to get them. I tell all new hunters that a successful season usually depends on being ready in that 5 to 10 seconds you described seeing a legal animal.

This year I hung my bow on a branch to reach in my pocket. Guess when an elk stepped into my shooting lane at 30 yards? Stick with it. I know guys that have spent a lifetime with no success.

[pd]

Red Alder, your tag calls you a "pilgrim," but I don't find that at all appropriate.  Frustrated pioneer, perhaps.  In fact, "pioneer" describes you perfectly: New land, new climate, new everything.  You just have to learn how to till that land.

The fact that you have already harvested blacktail confirms your hunting ability.  The next question is Roosevelt elk hunting.  You are close, so very close.

Recognize that you are able to spend so much time in the woods because you hunt close to home.  If you move to another local, you will get exactly the number of days off allowed by your work, none more.  For my part, I think you are doing the right thing, in the right place.

Go East, Young Man, but only if you must.  I guarantee the grass is brown over there.

[pianoman9701]

506 and 530 are tough to hunt for legal bulls. I hunted there early archery a year ago and it's thick. And you're right; it's amazing how many elk can fit into a patch of ferns in those birches. I've had a dry spell for many years and can't wait to get back out there again next year and put some meat in the freezer. Keep plugging, keep shooting, you'll get one down. 

As a side note, those units are some of the best mushroom picking in the state during hunting season.

[grundy53]

The only difference between what you are already doing and being a successful elk killer (you're already a successful elk hunter in my mind) is making those 5 seconds count. Practice snap shooting until you feel confident taking those rushed shots.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

[BUTTER]

I would say your doing something right your getting close and into animals. It's going to happen it's a matter of time. I know a guy that went ten for ten and then zero for ten until last year. Elk hunting is a very frustrating sport buy any means. That is especially so in Washington. Keep up the good work and I am sure it will happen
Drew

[baker5150]

This was my 6th year Elk hunting. Mostly hunting the same area all 6 years with a few random sight seeing trips during season.  Eastside Modern.
Up until this year most, if not all my encounters were exactly like you have described.  Stand offs up close for a split second or the sound of Elk busting.

I changed things up this year.  I forced myself to move slower.  Stopping more often, and surveying my surroundings.  I also tried cow calling more when I thought Elk were close.  I figured what the heck right, it's worth a shot, and it paid off more times than not.
This was by far my best season, even without a harvest.  I encountered multiple Elk almost daily.  I had 2 close Bull encounters, one around 20 feet, the other around 20 yards. Both with time to shoot had I drawn the tag, and both came into my cow calls.
I chaulk it up to familiarity of the area and where the elk are at given time of the day.  That and the understanding that I need to see them before they see me, taking my time and being slow, silent, and working the wind.
Basic stuff that takes time to figure out.

Now if I can just find a spike....

[Rainier10]

Keep at it once you break through you will have more regular success. If you are getting into elk it is only a matter of time before you knock one down and then you will have more confidence in what you are doing.

[kellama2001]

It sounds like you're more than willing to put in the hard work.  I am also new to elk hunting (0-2 Eastside muzzleloader), and in a similar situation of learning on my own with no mentor.  Earlier this year I signed up for the University of Elk Hunting online course by elk101.com (http://www.elk101.com/).  While I didn't get an elk, I did learn tons and plan to review everything again during the off season.  There is a vast amount of information in it and I'm sure it will help you too.  Best of luck! 

[buglebrush]

Try archery and shoot a cow

[rosscrazyelk]

You think its tough where you are, finding a spike in the blues basically comes down to a little more luck than anything else.  Wait til you see a big bull standing broadside looking at you from 100 yards for what seems like eternity and all you can do is go wow....not that you cant get in on the action because it does happen, but its pretty tough. put in for the draws, good luck to you  All i'd say is just keep trying.

[Skyvalhunter]

If it were me I would look at the possibility of putting in for out of state tags.

[257wbymagkiller]

I feel your pain. 17 years now in the books for me with no elk yet. I have cows in the scope all the time but no bull shows. It's still fun tho and won't give up. I did find a cool elk she'd that some sort of rodent had been chewing on for awhile.

[SteelheadTed]

I just concluded my third year of elk hunting and haven't killed one either.  This was my best year so far in terms of encounters with animals and it had a lot to do with my willingness to crash brush.  I saw lots of animals, probably 30 cows and a couple spikes (and lots of BT).  I am sure there are legal bulls in the area I am hunting and I'll find them eventually.  I was pretty discouraged yesterday as legal light came to a close on another season.  Perhaps we should team up and if nothing else we can drown our sorrows together!

One thing I am going to do more next year that I haven't done much so far is pre-season prep.  I have a good idea where the elk travel and I am going to carpet the area with trail cameras and see what patterns I notice and confirm where they are traveling.

As everyone else has been saying, I think we are close.  We are seeing animals and in your case, legal bulls.  Just a matter of time I think.

[hoof rot]

Try the muzzie season

[jeffitz]

5 seconds is a lot of time in the brush,dont be afraid to shoot through some limbs especially if youre using a big gun. Ive seen a buddy of mine hesitate forever on a couple elk trying to get the textbook broadside shot to no avail.As far as shooting elk at 500 yds or other long distances,it can be very effective to sit and glass clearcuts and reprod,thousand of elk have been harvested over the years using that tactic,up until a few years ago its all I did,then discovered brush huntin and it is more exciting for sure.But I still do both

[cbond3318]

Stick with it Bro! You're almost past the learning curve! I posted almost the exact post a few years ago, 8 years in, burned boots , days spent, in elk but no shot etc... I finally connected on year 9, and from there things have just clicked. Elk behavior, routes used, elk habits when pressured. Since , I have had at least one shot opurtunity each year. I've screwed up more than I'd like to admit but the hunting is now clear and deliberate. 

Grind bro! Good luck next year!

[csaaphill]

yeah I'd stick with it it'll happen.

[redalder]

Thanks, all, for the encouragement. I know it sounds silly, but it really does help to know that this isn't just because I'm lame at this... lol.

The bull I didn't shoot at this year was trotting broadside about 30 yards or so in front of me for a few seconds, as I cleared my scope cover and safety, and tried to find a stable place to stand in a bunch of sticks and brush, and then I was looking through the scope at his hind end, and then nothing but the sounds of crashing through the brush. I should mention that I was so overloaded with adrenaline that I was shaking all over and having a really hard time holding the rifle steady without a tree to lean on. And every single tree in this recently thinned unit had a pile of slippery old limbs at the base of it....

It seems like every time I first see an elk up close in the woods during the season, I am completely overwhelmed with adrenaline and really struggling to keep it together, and then after that first encounter, I'm much better and less jangled up for every other encounter that season. And then back to square one again the next year. It's super annoying! It's almost like I need one chance to blow it, and then another chance to make it happen.

Anyway, I thought I would back off a bit, and try to flank him. I waited for a minute or so, and then worked my way around to the side where I could look into the thinned stand of timber I thought he might be in. A few minutes later, I was scanning through a spot just a couple of feet wide, and saw him still moving through the timber, and I felt like an idiot that I was using binocs instead of a loaded rifle to look with. I had about two seconds of looking at him like that, about 80 yards off, and then nothing. I spent at least another couple of hours thinking I was getting in front of him, or at least alongside, and finally realized he was way, way out in front of me and gone.

I hiked all over about 40 acres of timber, finally found his trail 'outta here', and gave up, and was "headed home", as I'm sure other people have done before, and ended up bumping a herd of mostly cows in the same place where the bull had been, but hours later. I'm pretty sure there was at least one bull with them that I never had eyes on, too. When I heard them crashing away, this time I ran like crazy down the hill to where I could see better, dropped down into a kneeling position in a place where I could see the whole group crossing a clearing, and watched about seven or eight cows in a row cruise past my crosshairs. One popped her head up over a stump, saw me, and then she and at least one other elk dropped back over the edge of the rise and crossed where I couldn't see.

After that, I ran into a lonely calf a couple of times, and also followed fresh tracks of a small group over some crazy, crazy steep slopes and ridges for a few hours. Eventually I could smell them, and then I started hearing them out in front of me, but I could never get close enough. A few days later in a completely different part of the GMU I was surrounded by fresh tracks and smells, but I couldn't catch up to them, either.

My lesson this year, that I had to learn three times, is that there is no such thing as "headed home." As long as I'm in the woods, I need to be completely on it, and actively hunting every second. Three different times this year, I bumped elk by surprise when I was either "headed home" or "headed to the hunt," and not as careful as I would have been had I been actually "hunting." Sigh.

Since 2009, I have hunted every day of the rifle season, except a few days in 2009 when I was first getting started, and opening day this year, when I was not yet home from working out of town. For a few years, I did the whole "dark to dark" thing, too, although less so these days now that my wife lives back out here in the country house again. Still, I'm out for at least 4-5 hours and usually more, every day that its open.

Good to know about the Blues. I was wondering how the spike thing worked there. I'll still keep looking for my mule deer hunt, but I won't get all crazy about east side elk anytime soon. My brother and I have a piece of land in Onalaska we're trying to sell, and when that goes, we're going to get a bigger piece over in the eastern Okanogan/Ferry county region, for camping and hunting and cutting wood. That will hopefully be my new mule deer base of ops.

Thanks again.

back at the deer thing in the AM

[wapiti hunter2]

Welcome to elk hunting. It took me 10 years to get my first one. I am now 5 for 7 the last 7 years. I considered changing areas at one point, but every year you spend in an area you learn a little more. Eventually it feels like you can't leave because you have to much invested. Sounds like you have elk in your area, you just need to figure out how to get them. I tell all new hunters that a successful season usually depends on being ready in that 5 to 10 seconds you described seeing a legal animal.

This year I hung my bow on a branch to reach in my pocket. Guess when an elk stepped into my shooting lane at 30 yards? Stick with it. I know guys that have spent a lifetime with no success.

This is why they call it hunting, not shooting. Although with the 500+ yard shooters, there is debate. Be ready to shoot in 2-3 seconds in the bush. Go Muzzy. Open sights at under 50 yards. Very quick. Early muzzy season on the west side is cows or 3 point or better.

[Goldeneye]

Welcome to elk hunting. It took me 10 years to get my first one. I am now 5 for 7 the last 7 years. I considered changing areas at one point, but every year you spend in an area you learn a little more. Eventually it feels like you can't leave because you have to much invested. Sounds like you have elk in your area, you just need to figure out how to get them. I tell all new hunters that a successful season usually depends on being ready in that 5 to 10 seconds you described seeing a legal animal.

This year I hung my bow on a branch to reach in my pocket. Guess when an elk stepped into my shooting lane at 30 yards? Stick with it. I know guys that have spent a lifetime with no success.

This is why they call it hunting, not shooting. Although with the 500+ yard shooters, there is debate. Be ready to shoot in 2-3 seconds in the bush. Go Muzzy. Open sights at under 50 yards. Very quick. Early muzzy season on the west side is cows or 3 point or better.

redalder is hunting in GMU 506.  506 is 3 pt or better.  You can't shoot a cow unless you have a special permit draw.

[wapiti hunter2]

Another thing I like about muzzy is that often you get to hunt the rut. Also there is a three week late season in my area.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I went six years without killing one. And have only killed two since 2008.  That's with two Idaho tags. So for elk tags I'd say I'm 2-10.  I switched to archery in 2009 and got closer to the elk and had more fun in general.  Maybe consider a different weapon type in the same units.   You've got it right just be ready when seconds count and don't hesitate at all.  I found that constantly going made it so I hunted harder as to not just be out in the woods.  Figuring out the little tricks is the fun part. 

[olesmokey]

Not sure where you are but if it's 506 stay put.  Remember that our not hunting elk.  You're hunting A elk..  A bull...
They are near but are alone and finding them can be difficult.  Stay on the edges of the heavy thicker reproduction as that is they're safe zone... and spend more time glassing.. just my two cents for what it's worth..