Free: Contests & Raffles.
Dont look at the animal, pick a spot and concentrate.....NEVER MAKE EYE CONTACT !
I have more than one thing. I have learned all of this in the last two years.Preparation is key. During the offseason I am constantly looking over harvest data. Not just the year before. If I want to go to a new area I'll compare the harvest data to other areas. Also I wont just look at one year I'll make a 5 year average. I also read all of the trend reports and the herd data put out by the WDFW. You can learn alot about a herd from these. Such as each elk herd has a report put out by the bios that will tell you everything you need to know about that herd. Once I find my area I want to hunt during the winter and spring I spend hours looking at maps, google earth and gohunt constantly and bounce that off of what the trend data and herd reports say. I also talk to the local bios since they know alot more than people think. All of this will put me into the elk quicker than just going into the woods blind.Once I narrow an area down with my map homework I do some scouting during the summer. Not as much as I'd like but I do do it. This will let me know if my hunches are correct.Finally all spring and summer I am shooting my bow and tweaking my stuff. Once I get everything good (usually by mid-June) I only shoot broadheads. I also shoot using real life scenarios up in the mountains around my house. I also practise calling and listening to ElkNuts CD's starting in June. By September I almost have those things memorized. I also watch elk bugling on Youtube even if its the stuff down low that tourists capture on video. You can learn alot from elk doing their thing in a playground or school. Watch as much about bowhunting as possible. Also read every article and book you can find. Even if I learn one thing in a 400 page book, that one thing might be the difference between success and tag soup.Finally (I mean it this time) get in as good of shape as possible. There's a million different excersises you can do. I recommend P90X if you can't go to a gym. Ride a bike walk, run, do push-ups etc. Don't let not being in good physical condition ruin your hunt. Also remember everything in hunting starts and end with your legs. Stron legs will make or break your hunt.
Practice from a tree stand and If you don;t have one in your backyard maybe from your balcony or window from second level. I practice from my balcony and has helped me improve. Practice long range 40-50 yards, that will make a 30 yard shot easy. I practice with Broadheds, the same weight and brand as my hunting heads just a second set only for practice.
Quote from: colockumelk on March 30, 2010, 04:41:52 PMI have more than one thing. I have learned all of this in the last two years.Preparation is key. During the offseason I am constantly looking over harvest data. Not just the year before. If I want to go to a new area I'll compare the harvest data to other areas. Also I wont just look at one year I'll make a 5 year average. I also read all of the trend reports and the herd data put out by the WDFW. You can learn alot about a herd from these. Such as each elk herd has a report put out by the bios that will tell you everything you need to know about that herd. Once I find my area I want to hunt during the winter and spring I spend hours looking at maps, google earth and gohunt constantly and bounce that off of what the trend data and herd reports say. I also talk to the local bios since they know alot more than people think. All of this will put me into the elk quicker than just going into the woods blind.Once I narrow an area down with my map homework I do some scouting during the summer. Not as much as I'd like but I do do it. This will let me know if my hunches are correct.Finally all spring and summer I am shooting my bow and tweaking my stuff. Once I get everything good (usually by mid-June) I only shoot broadheads. I also shoot using real life scenarios up in the mountains around my house. I also practise calling and listening to ElkNuts CD's starting in June. By September I almost have those things memorized. I also watch elk bugling on Youtube even if its the stuff down low that tourists capture on video. You can learn alot from elk doing their thing in a playground or school. Watch as much about bowhunting as possible. Also read every article and book you can find. Even if I learn one thing in a 400 page book, that one thing might be the difference between success and tag soup.Finally (I mean it this time) get in as good of shape as possible. There's a million different excersises you can do. I recommend P90X if you can't go to a gym. Ride a bike walk, run, do push-ups etc. Don't let not being in good physical condition ruin your hunt. Also remember everything in hunting starts and end with your legs. Stron legs will make or break your hunt. Oh almost forgot and this is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING hang out with like minded hunters. If your hunting partners are the "lazy ATV back at camp by 9AM" hunters, no matter how dedicated you are you'll become like that too. Hookup with some guys who like to go way back and push themselves to be better, guys you can learn from and guys who will motivate you like you will motivate them. When surrounded by positive people who want to succeed this will rub off on you and you'll become the same way. If you hang out with negative lazy hunters you'll become the same way. Its hard to be successfull on your own. Its pretty easy to be successfull with a team or a partner.
One that comes to mind - I use corn starch in a cleaned-out Elmer's Glue bottle for my wind checker. Odorless, dirt cheap, and by constantly keeping tabs on the wind, I stay in the game more often. I've experimented with a dozen or so different bottles and have found the glue bottle works best because it's flat shape fits well into any pocket and the twisty cap is quick and easy to control.
Don't forget the toilet paper.Bring an extra release if you're more than a mile back in.Visualize the perfect hit, find the hair that makes that hit, and squeeze until you hit it.Buy a 3D target. It's the best practice possible.Go to a 3D shoot and shoot for kills not score.After the shot, wait too long to start tracking, then wait another 20 minutes, and that might be enough if you're lucky.On an unknown hit, mark the spot well and come back tomorrow, especially on elk.Know how to use a GPS, but bring a compass too, and know how to use it.Call when you tell your wife you will.You can kill animals after being seen and heard but not smelled.Chap stick in the pocket doesn't weigh enough to leave it behind.Only shoot when you know you can make a clean killing shot.Elk make more calling mistakes than we do. If you mess up, just keep going.Waiting for something to happen only works if you're lucky or good or in a treestand.Aim 1/2 way up straight above the front leg on a bear. The vitals are more forward than a deer, and the hair at the bottom is deceiving.Find the people in an area, and you've found where not to hunt. Look for the nasty areas around the people, and you'll find elk.Check the 12" above your line of sight to see what branches you'll be hitting.Pick your broadheads based on legality, then flight ability, then sharpness ability, then construction, then you can read the advertising.Mistakes create experience, but only if you think about it.
Mental focus. Be prepared for 20 failed attempts before 1 successful.
Quote from: MtnMuley on April 01, 2010, 12:26:49 PMMental focus. Be prepared for 20 failed attempts before 1 successful.This means that after two years of bow hunting I'm damn near there!
patience
