How to get out of the 90-10 rule

[Todd_ID]

The 90-10 rule says that 10% of the hunters will always kill 90% of the elk. The same applies to deer, bear, turkey, etc. It doesn't matter what season, weapon, restrictions you give them: they'll harvest elk.

There are some excellent elk hunters on here, so let's hear how you broke into the 10%.

I am, I think, in that 10%, so here's what I think matters.

Wind always blows: even when it isn't. That matters big.
Use wind powder.
Pack and clothing noise is noticed and should be 0.
Be a good shot. Shoot 3D through the summer.
Take the first shot you know you'll kill it with. Be ready for it.
Use a sharp bladed broadhead.
Use the heaviest arrow you can find.
Use a rangefinder.
Don't shoot outside your range.
Shoot a bow you can pull in any situation at any angle.
Hunt midday, don't go back to camp.
Learn what your calling is saying to the elk.
Practice your calling.
But, realize elk are now the worst callers in the woods.
Work on stealth steps that make no noise.
Get fleece stalking booties.
Use your vacation days only in September.
7 days is not enough for a quality hunt.
Goggle Earth is your best friend.
An area must have lots of elk to kill elk repeatedly.
Use harvest reports to your advantage.
Talk to the biologists but have questions ready in advance.
And, an Hoochie Mama replicates an elk perfectly. Really.

[carpsniperg2]

I'll add go slow. Even more so with elk. I get to rushing and trying to cover ground to fast and tend to pay for it.

[Rainier10]

The most important is to practice shooting a lot.  3d shoots are great and prepare you to take all kinds of different shots.

You have to hunt in a target rich environment, lots of elk lots of opportunity.

Be in elk shape before the season starts.

Hunt hard all day everyday.

Pain is temporary.

I cover lots of ground until I find elk and then I go right at them.

Practice calling and know what they are saying so you can respond.

Shoot your bow a lot, you have to be able to make any shot when the opportunity arises, I really think this is the key for me.

[highside74]

If you want to camp with your buddies do that in the summer.

Don't drink to excess in camp.

Go to bed at a decent hour.

Get up when you are supposed to.

Don't hunt where they aren't. If you aren't finding elk within 2 days in areas where sign looks fresh don't keep hunting there expecting them to come back. Herds make loops that could take 7-15 plus days to complete. If you waste 2 or 3 days of a 5 day hunt looking at sign and finding no elk your just gonna end up in that 90% bracket.

Wind keeps more elk alive than any other thing. You can fool their eyes and ears but never their nose.

Don't be overly quiet. Herds of elk are loud by nature. Predators are quiet by nature.

Don't be afraid  to push through brush and make noise. Brake sticks, roll rocks.

If you blow elk out don't be afraid to stick with them. More times than not you can eventually get back on them.

[Oh Mah]

Make your plan and stick to it no matter what the other hunters are doing.Example:If you plan to get to a spot get there stay there if you have seen them they will come.if you keep moving from spot to spot you have a better chance of missing them when they come through that spot. 

[dreamunelk]

All of the above and start scouting now!  The more you know the area(s) you plan to hunt the better. 
Get in shape!
Be prepared to hunt multiple GMUs.
Go were the 90% don't.

[Reidus]

In short it comes down putting in more effort than 90% of the people and if something dont work, change it. With the right approach and attitude all the above stated things will come.

Dude can read all the tips and tricks he wants but if he's satisfied going home with an un-notched tag 9 out of 10 years, he's probably not going to improve.

Lot of people seem to think its luck when guys tag out year after year.

[huntnnw]

Hunting rutting elk there's no need to wear fleece booties. Elk are extremely loud animals in the woods. Make noise! If you are to quiet and calling elk usually are keen to it. I break branches on purpose, roll rocks and etc .. I've called elk in with just making natural noise

[Wanttohuntmore]

Absolute patience.  Wait till you have a good kill shot.  The elk will move into position giving you time to calm down.

Sneak into the area where the elk are.   Don't blast in like many do (although if they are rutting hard this sometimes works).

[greenhead_killer]

Pack a variety of calls. I've had them respond to a cow girl call, and not a mouth reed. Go to a different area and it's the opposite. Figure out what they will respond to.

[pianoman9701]

tag

[D-Rock425]

Some people get discouraged when not seeing a lot of animals or maybe after a miss.  That discouragement leads them not to hunt as hard or even give up early and go home.  I turn discouragement into anger I get freaking mad at elk.  I'm like the guy from the movie taken "I will find you and I will kill you."

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Make sure when the moment comes to take the shot, you are confident and make it count.  Might only get one chance.  Practice and learn to stay calm when a animal is in your sights.

[Rainier10]

Another thing that I think helps me more than anything is I know the area I am hunting really well and know what the common paths of the elk are and where they will go when pushed.  I am also really good at assessing the lay of the land in a new area and can more often times than not quickly pick the path that they are going to take and get there before they do.  The getting there before them falls back onto one of my comments from my first post, be in shape.

[b0bbyg]

I have not been overly successful killing elk.  Seeing elk and screwing up shots I have that down!  Working on finishing off that final piece of the hunt successfully, or at minimum getting multiple close chances with shots so I have better odds of putting one on the ground each year.

Some may not want to post this but if you have a pile of advice let us know how you have done the last x number of years 1 for 5, or 5 for 5.

Just helps put some context behind all the advice as it seems much of it conflicts.  I am sure there are times where noisy versus stealth make sense, as well as patience over pressuring.

My only advice is keep after it, once you screw up enough you will learn many things to be more careful of which will help get you more chances.