First Time Elk hunter-Observations

[gunrinwa]

This was my first year Elk hunting and my first post in this forum. I've been deer hunting for last 25 years, but was fortunate enough to be invited and secure a spot in a wall tent over the weekend. The group I was with has been hunting this area off highway 410 for 28 years. What a great bunch of guys and had the pleasure of hunting with them. Now for my observations.
1)Wow, Road Hunting is really out of hand. It's bad for deer where I go (along Snake River Breaks), but this was outrageous. Guys driving over closed road barrier/ berms with ATVs, Jeeps and 4X4 getting out vehicles, taking pokes at animals over 500yds away. Is everyone Carlos Hathcock, I don't think so? Get out of your vehicles and walk around it's hunting, unless you have a disabled sticker displayed in your truck! I saw trucks with couches mounted in the back with 3 fat guys in Orange driving around in back. That is all they did for 2 days. They could use the exercise.
2)Complete lack of hunting etiquette. People posting up 50-75 yards away from other people that they can clearly see. Really? Are you going to share your lunch with the guy?
3)Elk are tough to hunt and very smart animals. It's a privilege to hunt them.

I hope 1-2 doesn't deter me from Hunting them again.

[Secret Squirrel]

I Have never hunted elk on the west side and have read many horror stories like this....I personaly plan to get into the thick stuff this weekend and see what I can find, hopefully I can aviod other *censored*s that do items 1 and 2.

[colockumelk]

Hunt elk with a Muzzle Loader or a Bow and you wont see nearly this much bad stuff happen.  It will have way less people and be much more pleasurable.  Its what I did and I don't regret it for a second. 

[vandeman17]

Hunt elk with a Muzzle Loader or a Bow and you wont see nearly this much bad stuff happen.  It will have way less people and be much more pleasurable.  Its what I did and I don't regret it for a second.

 

[Glockster]

Been hunting elk off and on for 30seasons...more off than on in the last decade.  #2 is what annoys me the most.  If I see another hunter, I wave or otherwise make sure they see me then I hightail it in the opposite direction to find a new spot.  I just don't get how people think they can maggot in on someone else's hunt and expect a good hunt themselves. 

#3!!!!!!  You're exactly right and you would be welcome in my elk camp any day.

[Jason]

in 04 I was hunting a clear cut that was about a 1/2 mile walk from the berm that you parked at, it was an evening hunt, no other vehicles were parked at the berm when I got there, I park and procceded to head to the clear cut, I found a good vantage point a Sat down, about a half hour later I heard some thing coming down the road, it was another hunter and he wasn't trying to be very quite, he notices me and waves to me, he walks above me and sits down 20yds to my left, I was freaking pissed, I stood up and looked at the guy and told him he was a ****
and i just hunted the timber back to my truck, the guy even parked right next to me

[pianoman9701]

Grab a bow. Far fewer of the road hunters and people with bad ethics. And as far as guys driving closed roads, do your best to get their tags and call them in. These guys hurt our sport and our habitat.

[SniperDanWA]

On Friday, I took my 14 yr old on his first hunt.  He was psyched to go and was ready.  Unfortunately, every turn we took there was a road hunter.  Yeah, couldn't even get out of the cab to walk by the ravines.  They just drove around.  I bet we hiked 20 miles on opening weekend.  The rain slowed us down, but we kept on going.

We met Phil, a neighbor - both at home and at elk camp, but most guys didn't want to talk let alone say hi.

What discouraged me the most was the group hunters.  It was not really a hunt for most.  I have other thoughts, but don't care to expound.  I saw one rig displaying the fruits of their efforts multiple times driving up and down the road.