Your Single Most Deadliest Elk Tactic!!

[Elknut1]

  OK guys, it's mostly the off season here, yet, there are many here like myself that live, eat & sleep elk everyday! It seems I'm thinking about past encounters or sounds I've heard & try to analyze things to be a better & smarter hunter this up coming elk season.  I thought it would be great for all for those inclined to share what they feel is one of their ""deadliest" elk methods that works for them. This doesn't mean you would use it for any & all  encounters but when one fits it it's your GOTO method & one of your favorites that you just can't wait to use!

  I have one as well that I'll share, but I'd like to hear from some of you first! Thanks & don't be greedy, be willing to share & help others out!!

  ElkNut1

[Crunchy]

I found a great game trail the elk use when pressed.  I get in and sit.  Let other hunters push them to me.  Got two elk the last two years from the SAME spot.

[Elknut1]

 Wow! 112 hits & only 1 comment! It's a good one too. Crunchy I like your style, a guy has to do anything it takes to be successful! (grin)

  My Favorite method without a doubt is what I call "The Threat"  here's what another hunter said about it's effectiveness just this last elk season!

 
  Hi Paul,,

Was just killing some time on the hunting sites, and read a bunch of your stuff on wallowing. Great stuff.

I am an AVID elk hunter in MT. And about 2 yrs ago,, I bought your set of CDs. OMG. it has completely COMPLETELY changed my elk hunting. THANKS for all the research and everything in those CDs.. I will prob be buying a new set soon, as I think mine are wearing out.

Last fall, Sept 21, we were hunting an OTC area in SW MT. I was calling, as I had already killed a bull. We had been hunting this area for several days and knew a few of the bulls by name. We came into the meadow and heard the Monster bugling. I sent both of my buddies out in front,, and backed off and started with the threat. From there on, it was like a fairy tail in the Elk woods. We took 2 6 points within 5 mins and 30 yds apart,, and passed on 7 or 8 other bulls that offered us 30 yd shots, as we were waiting for the time to expire on the 2 dead ones!! THEY WENT CRAZY over the threat!!

THANK YOU for helping with the single greatest morning of elk hunting I could ever imagine!!

  As I said, it's a great method when used right, it will not let you down! (grin)

  ElkNut1
 

[Coasthunterjay]

I found a great game trail the elk use when pressed.  I get in and sit.  Let other hunters push them to me.  Got two elk the last two years from the SAME spot.

this goes good for deer hunting to...set up on certain draws and when you know people are going to push stuff out. wait for them to push it to you....

[boneaddict]

I'm not much of a sitter.  I have found so many folks perched out there waiting, but nothing moving.  I feel obligated to go after them.  My biggest secret is find the worst hell hole where no one in the planet would think about venturing, and head for the middle of it.  Most don't bother because you can only see 10 yards at best.  Then get in the middle of them. 

[Elknut1]

  Does this mean from your answers that most here do little calling? Or do you have a scenario you go through once you're there or setup?

  ElkNut1

[Crunchy]

I hunt with 11 other friends.  I found this spot opening morning two years ago when I stopped to eat.  A small herd came running to me.  I was going to shoot the 5 pt bull, that was going to walk right by a 10 yds on a game trail.  My pack mule friend, thought I was going to shoot the lead cow, and softly told me to wait for the bull.  Of course the elk heard him and took off.  We moved about 100 yards and could heard more elk coming.  this time a lone cow.  I was gonna shoot her at 17 yards, went to draw back, and the arrow fell to the ground.  I then thought "good spot I got here".  Every morning for the next three days I would start off in this exact spot.  on the 3rd day I could hear the elk coming.  Four cows walked right by at 5-7 yards.  I shot the lead cow.
This last season opening morning went to that exact spot.  About 40 minutes in shooting  light I could hear them coming.  Shot the lead cow at 25 yards.  Guess what next year I will be there waiting.  

[mossback91]

Your Single Most Deadliest Elk Tactic!!  my  deadliest tactic is pulling the trigger when the crosshairs are on vitals!! always have deadly results.

[tmike]

Hunt em where they live? Someone I know gave me that advice. Kind of makes sense. Knowing an area well and learning their tendancies. Which saddles they use, where they travel from feeding to bedding, where they go when pressured, BUT, the most important tactic I have found is if you don't have the WIND in your face you might as well forget it.

[coonhound]

From a calling stand point, in the early archery season, I use the trusty cow call the most but it sure seems like the chuckle often gets em worked up when nothing else works.

Coon

[M_ray]

I'm with tmike and bone ... hunt em where they live and go where no man wants to go! I'm no expert but the last two years this is what has worked for me. If it weren't for a missfire I would have a spike to go along with last years Bull, and the thing I noticed is even though there was pressure (especially for the spike) there wasn't any body else where I was! Except thekid#10 and look what he got out of the deal! 

[Elknut1]

  Man, I sure agree with getting off the beaten trail! The more we penetrate the better the results for sure! This doesn't mean we don't hunt/call from near roads though. There's times we find areas where guys drive by year after year to get to more hidden areas, this leaves some great looking elk country un-touched that's very close by. At these types of areas we call at night to see if there's elk in them, we find elk in them 50% of the time 2 of the 3 bulls were killed this way last year that you've seen on our website. I mean the trad ones.
  We located at night & took care of business in the morning. But we do take quite a few in the 3-5 mile range everyear. This is about the longest I don't mind packing them out on our backs!

  Boneaddict--Ernie (hornseeker) is putting a double carbon T/D longbow together for me!  I hope he leaves a little of his mojo on it so I can have some of the success you have with yours! (grin)

  ElkNut1

[boneaddict]

Thats awesome.  You'll love it.  Not only are they awesome looking, they are fast and deadly.

[jimkirk]

not exactly a tatic during the hunt, but I like to spike camp in the very woods I hunt, so I can hear the animals in the area at night from the comfort of my sleeping bag.  If alls quiet, i move on to other woods the next day. amazingly not usually more than 3-4 miles from roads.  additionally, and I've heard others say this is hunting the same areas year after year so you know the terrain and use habits.

[sasquatch]

Hunt where they live has been said already. I think knowing an area well is important too. You learn where they head when pressured, corners that get missed by most, etc. My most successful tactic other than dumb luck has been tracking them down. Don't think I am saying that I am a good tracker either, I am not. Need snow, know that they are "there", or to have bumped them. Then be patient, persistent and stay on the tracks but that is easier said than done.

I will say this method has been very successful for me but has meant raghorns and smaller bulls, not the big boys. And that is because I am not a good tracker. Unless I have snow it is difficult if not impossible to track lone animals. However, I can track a herd under normal conditions and that is why this method has meant smaller bulls. They tend to run with the the cows and calves the areas I hunt here on the westside.