How did you learn to elk hunt?

[ljsommer]

Question for those who have found success (IE: harvested an elk) how did you learn to do it? Family? Friends? YouTube? Solo and just stumbled until you didn't stumble anymore?

[ghosthunter]

My dad didn’t hunt. But my buddies dad did. He was a us marine.
He would drive up to the top of clear cuts and say I will pick you up at the bottom.
1970s.

If we came across elk tracks on the road he would kick you out and tell you to follow the tracks, pick you up at dark. Hand held compass.

[Stein]

Well, I'm not sure I would say that I have fully learned how to hunt elk, but I'm getting there.  I grew up in MT but my family never hunted so I learned on my own.  I have a buddy that has helped and the rest has been on this forum, other online tools, YouTube and a bunch of mistakes in the field.

The great thing about 2019 is that there is no reason you can't learn just about anything you want with all the resources out there.

[Boss .300 winmag]

My dad didn’t hunt. But my buddies dad did. He was a us marine.
He would drive up to the top of clear cuts and say I will pick you up at the bottom.
1970s.

If we came across elk tracks on the road he would kick you out and tell you to follow the tracks, pick you up at dark. Hand held compass.

How successful were you?

[Tinmaniac]

Common sense,hunt where elk live and be where elk live as much as you can with a tag in your pocket.Look down and pay attention.

[kselkhunter]

Grew up rifle hunting elk with dad.  Spent adult life learning archery hunting with friends (who had more experience at it).  Hunt both methods now in multiple states.  As well as muzzleloader season.

Most important:  learn the areas elk hang out.  It can take years to learn where the elk hang out, when they usually come into rut for archery/muzzy, where the are for rifle season, where their escape paths are when hunting pressure picks up, if Rockies when and what paths they migrate, if Rosies where they hide in the rainforest.  Time in the field is of most importance for elk hunting, regardless of how you learn to hunt. 

[7mmfan]

All of the above in the selections except a guide service. I've hunted with my dad my whole life, and we began elk hunting together when I was about 15. We learned elk hunting together mostly through trial and error. It took several years before I got an elk, and then several more years before either of us got another one. I'm 35 now and it's only in the last five or six years that I've begun consistently killing elk. Took basically 15 years to get there.

I have learned a ton from this forum, as well as other online resources including YouTube. There is no one resource that will tell you everything you need to learn to be successful. You have to pick the bits and pieces out that are pertinent at the time and apply them, and eventually they all begin to click together.

[JBar]

Self taught mostly, learned to call through videos. Dont hunt elk as much as deer but just had one heck of a time calling elk in for my wife last week.

[JimmyHoffa]

Was walking down an abandoned road one day looking for any sign of elk, thinking they were just a myth.  Then I saw a puff of smoke down the road.  Out of the smoke came a tribal elder.  He said, "follow me and I'll show you around my forest."  Pointed out places and trails I previously couldn't see, but now so obvious.  "This is where the elk have been, are and will be."  Then we walked and talked about bear.  Next was deer.  Can't tell you how many years of learning curve got fast forwarded through.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Was walking down an abandoned road one day looking for any sign of elk, thinking they were just a myth.  Then I saw a puff of smoke down the road.  Out of the smoke came a tribal elder.  He said, "follow me and I'll show you around my forest."  Pointed out places and trails I previously couldn't see, but now so obvious.  "This is where the elk have been, are and will be."  Then we walked and talked about bear.  Next was deer.  Can't tell you how many years of learning curve got fast forwarded through.

How much peyote have you had today.🤔

[Matth]

Grew up rifle hunting elk with dad.  Spent adult life learning archery hunting with friends (who had more experience at it).  Hunt both methods now in multiple states.  As well as muzzleloader season.

Most important:  learn the areas elk hang out.  It can take years to learn where the elk hang out, when they usually come into rut for archery/muzzy, where the are for rifle season, where their escape paths are when hunting pressure picks up, if Rockies when and what paths they migrate, if Rosies where they hide in the rainforest.  Time in the field is of most importance for elk hunting, regardless of how you learn to hunt.

This is spot on. No on line resource in the world is a good substitute for lots, and lots of time in the woods.

[h2ofowlr]

Learned from my dad, but we never got an elk.  When I started getting them, that portion of sealing the deal was self taught.  I still am learning today and how to work around all the pressure in the field from other hunters and road hunters.

I still haven't cheated by using bait or trail cameras to get it done.

[Matth]

I learned to hunt from my dad in SW Washington with a rifle. When i was about 20 i started hunting with archery equipment, and was completely self taught. When i was about 27 i started hunting in Oregon as well. It was kinda off to the races at that point, but now that i'm 40 i have come to realize that other than equipment hunting is hunting and the same basic rules apply regardless of time of year. 2 years ago i returned rifle hunting in SW Washington so my youngest  who is now 11 could participate while we get him up to speed with a bow. and wouldn't ya know it, same basic rules apply. I can't speak much about Rockies, although i have killed a few, the vast majority of the elk that i have taken have been western Oregon, and Washington bulls.

The one Major take away that i have been able to put my finger on is learn elk behavior as it relates to the singular area that you are hunting. That doesn't mean you can only hunt one spot, i have tons of spots across multiple states and that's where the work comes in with lots of time watching elk to figure out why they do what they do, and take note of those things.

Also as stated in a previous post, once the hunters hit the elk woods some times all bets are off, and having many spots to fall back on is a good thing, when you start hunting pressured elk versus summer time elk.

[ljsommer]

I am definitely still learning. I think the learning I am doing right now is the "where" part. So far I've learned: "Not Washington" and also "If Washington, then X" where X is the highest percentage success rate you can get a tag for.

[ljsommer]

The one Major take away that i have been able to put my finger on is learn elk behavior as it relates to the singular area that you are hunting. That doesn't mean you can only hunt one spot, i have tons of spots across multiple states and that's where the work comes in with lots of time watching elk to figure out why they do what they do, and take note of those things.

Ok so this one has always confused me: when you say "watching elk", how do you accomplish that? I've had experiences where my eyes and my cameras tell me that elk are in one spot during one part of the season and then later in the season they just aren't there anymore. How do you know where they've gone? Talking Western WA here specifically.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I grew up in Iowa hunting deer and small game and decided to try elk when I was in college.  Started going to CO in the fall and teaching myself by watching videos and trying different strategies.  Took me a few years to get things figured out doing it that way. 

[Matth]

The one Major take away that i have been able to put my finger on is learn elk behavior as it relates to the singular area that you are hunting. That doesn't mean you can only hunt one spot, i have tons of spots across multiple states and that's where the work comes in with lots of time watching elk to figure out why they do what they do, and take note of those things.

Ok so this one has always confused me: when you say "watching elk", how do you accomplish that? I've had experiences where my eyes and my cameras tell me that elk are in one spot during one part of the season and then later in the season they just aren't there anymore. How do you know where they've gone? Talking Western WA here specifically.

Up until just a couple of years ago i spent gobs of time in the woods, and when the elk didn't present where i thought they would, i went looking for them. If you have encountered elk in a specific spot, that are no longer there, the sign should tell you where they have gone. Everything that an elk does is cyclical, un pressured elk have the same basic routine week after week, and those routines change from season to season, ie spring feed, and water, then summer, fall, then finaly winter. If left undisturbed there basic generational habits will never change. The key for you is to figure out if these elk got pressured out of the area, or if they have just grazed on to the next feeding area. I am going to go out on a limb and say they got some pressure of some kind, and are in a hole somewhere near by.

[ljsommer]

Ok here's another question: I can't bugle. I've tried and practiced and watched youtube vids but I just can't swing it.
However, my cow calls are pretty good.

I've had lots of folks tell me that bugling is mandatory to get a bull to bugle back, and that my cow calls are worthless. Is this true?

[WAcoyotehunter]

It helps to be able to bugle, but it's not totally necessary. typically if you can get a bull to bugle with your cow call you have a pretty good chance of an interaction. 

Most people over do it with their bugle. In areas with plenty of pressure use it sparingly to get a location then move in and cow call

[Tinmaniac]

No need to bugle if you have a cow tag.

[ghosthunter]

My dad didn’t hunt. But my buddies dad did. He was a us marine.
He would drive up to the top of clear cuts and say I will pick you up at the bottom.
1970s.

If we came across elk tracks on the road he would kick you out and tell you to follow the tracks, pick you up at dark. Hand held compass.

How successful were you?

One of the three of us would knock down a elk. But all bulls were game then.

[Lumpy Taters]

After 40 years in the woods I have way more stories of things done wrong than done right.  Practice, Patience, and Persistence were all keys to me.  I spent way more time frustrated than smiling for the longest time.   I grew up riffle hunting with the family, There were quite a few of us so the mob mentality was the way.  Push the brush and have the shooters waiting. Nowadays more solo time and the real hunting began.  Now its all about the stalk or sitting still waiting for a golden opportunity.

[grundy53]

One of the best ways I've found to learn elk behavior (western Washington) is to drive logging roads until I find where they have crossed then get on the trail and follow them. Even if you don't catch up to them you will find out how they use their habitat and terrain. remember that and apply it to other likely areas. It also will lead you to where they go when pressured when you do it during hunting season.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[TriggerMike]

Dad and spending as much time as possible in the woods over the years. Like it was a second job.

[jaguar]

I am proud to say my Pops! He has taught me everything I know about hunting and we share some unforgettable and amazing things in the woods. Best times ever spent.

[ljsommer]

I am proud to say my Pops! He has taught me everything I know about hunting and we share some unforgettable and amazing things in the woods. Best times ever spent.

Bingo. And this right here is why I am so passionate about truly LEARNING this sport. I am far more concerned with learning than I am with killing, because I am trying to build a tradition in my family. Thanks for sharing.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

My dad didn’t hunt. But my buddies dad did. He was a us marine.
He would drive up to the top of clear cuts and say I will pick you up at the bottom.
1970s.

If we came across elk tracks on the road he would kick you out and tell you to follow the tracks, pick you up at dark. Hand held compass.

Similar start myself, usually it was the dad at bottom, or next logging road that shot animals we pushed.
Back then it was just buy a tag, did not have to pick sides, or weapons, or count points...
Got into archery late early 80's and started calling them when few others were.
It was almost easy compared to today, not sure if it is because of season changes (elk was first 2 weeks of October) or the fact that the herds are nowhere near as large as in the 80's, or increased pressure from more hunters..
But following active game trails has tought me where elk go, listening to elk has taught me their sounds, the internet (Elknut, Elk 101, Roe hunting resources) has taught me WHEN to use those sounds.
I may not get an elk every year, but I always get chances.

[Jgarrigus]

My dad taught me how to hunt when i was 12. Started deer hunting, then at 14 had my first elk hunt. Shot a 5 point in SW WA. My dad has never believed in tree stands or glassing, or really sitting at all; so I guess my technique would be just boots on the ground. Hiking several miles every day in good areas until you run into something.