Elk, 8; Me, 0

[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..