Archery Roosevelt Elk tactics

[kglacken]

im just curious as to what most people like to do to find elk on the wetside. I have used almost all these tactics and enjoy some of them more than others. feel free to leave opinions and reasoning as well!

[rebal69972]

I'm still new to hunting elk my first year i tried hunting them like i did w/t back in MO  the tree stand didn't work for me. last year i tried covering as much ground as i could i did see allot more elk but most of them where running. this year will be time for a new tactic

[wrongway]

so why no calling the elk on the list ?

[Snapshot]

Gain a ridge top by the break of day. Bugle, walk the ridge top, bugle, walk further along the ridge top, bugle. Stay on the ridge top until a talkative one has answered (one that either stays put or comes closer after you've exchanged a few insults), then dive off to close the distance, set up and call him past you.

[kglacken]

so why no calling the elk on the list ?

I guess I should of added it to the list. The areas I hunt are tough to call. A lot of pressure. I like getting after it and getting close then maybe trying some calling. Im sure there are areas that calling works great! I just wish it would work better in my area

[blackveltbowhunter]

The wetside is so dense, I like to drive logging roads bugling from my window until one jumps out of the salmonberry into the back of my pickup.  

[Cylvertip]

Gain a ridge top by the break of day. Bugle, walk the ridge top, bugle, walk further along the ridge top, bugle. Stay on the ridge top until a talkative one has answered (one that either stays put or comes closer after you've exchanged a few insults), then dive off to close the distance, set up and call him past you.

 

Starts with the biking/ hiking into an area that puts you away from the crowd.  Then the above. 

  My favorite spot allowed me to ride in several miles around one of the highest points in the area.  I would stop and bugle every quarter mile or so.  There were enough bulls there to be choosy as to which one you wanted to try for on a given day.  If you had worked one unsuccessfully, you could leave him for a couple of days and go after another.  Just worked my way around the knob and check the location of the "stock" first thing in the morning, starting at first light.  Find out where they ended up over the course of the night, and then set up the game plan accordingly.  That area is a three point min unit on the westside early archery.   One day I saw six legal bulls with stalks on 3 different large bulls that I wasn't able to close the deal on - getting as close as 20 yards, not to mention several encounters with cows and calves as close as 5 yds and not knowing I'm there. - That's an awesome day of elk hunting in my book.

[Snapshot]

Gain a ridge top by the break of day. Bugle, walk the ridge top, bugle, walk further along the ridge top, bugle. Stay on the ridge top until a talkative one has answered (one that either stays put or comes closer after you've exchanged a few insults), then dive off to close the distance, set up and call him past you.

 

Starts with the biking/ hiking into an area that puts you away from the crowd.  Then the above. 

  My favorite spot allowed me to ride in several miles around one of the highest points in the area.  I would stop and bugle every quarter mile or so.  There were enough bulls there to be choosy as to which one you wanted to try for on a given day.  If you had worked one unsuccessfully, you could leave him for a couple of days and go after another.  Just worked my way around the knob and check the location of the "stock" first thing in the morning, starting at first light.  Find out where they ended up over the course of the night, and then set up the game plan accordingly.  That area is a three point min unit on the westside early archery.   One day I saw six legal bulls with stalks on 3 different large bulls that I wasn't able to close the deal on - getting as close as 20 yards, not to mention several encounters with cows and calves as close as 5 yds and not knowing I'm there. - That's an awesome day of elk hunting in my book.

That day was a Big Star day for sure! [If there is anyone reading who doesn't understand what it means to have a great bowhunt without ever putting an arrow in the air, Cylvertip just defined it beautifully. Bowhunting isn't just putting meat in the freezer; as important, if not more, it is the experience itself, for what you take from it stays with you long after any meat has been consumed and forgotten.]

[AKBowman]

Gain a ridge top by the break of day. Bugle, walk the ridge top, bugle, walk further along the ridge top, bugle. Stay on the ridge top until a talkative one has answered (one that either stays put or comes closer after you've exchanged a few insults), then dive off to close the distance, set up and call him past you.

Starts with the biking/ hiking into an area that puts you away from the crowd.  Then the above. 

  My favorite spot allowed me to ride in several miles around one of the highest points in the area.  I would stop and bugle every quarter mile or so.  There were enough bulls there to be choosy as to which one you wanted to try for on a given day.  If you had worked one unsuccessfully, you could leave him for a couple of days and go after another.  Just worked my way around the knob and check the location of the "stock" first thing in the morning, starting at first light.  Find out where they ended up over the course of the night, and then set up the game plan accordingly.  That area is a three point min unit on the westside early archery.   One day I saw six legal bulls with stalks on 3 different large bulls that I wasn't able to close the deal on - getting as close as 20 yards, not to mention several encounters with cows and calves as close as 5 yds and not knowing I'm there. - That's an awesome day of elk hunting in my book.

That day was a Big Star day for sure! [If there is anyone reading who doesn't understand what it means to have a great bowhunt without ever putting an arrow in the air, Cylvertip just defined it beautifully. Bowhunting isn't just putting meat in the freezer; as important, if not more, it is the experience itself, for what you take from it stays with you long after any meat has been consumed and forgotten.]

  I used to think that same thing until I started being successful! 

I don't use the word hate often but I hate having a freezer empty of big game meat so bringing home some meat is a big part of why I archery hunt. I feel it's a combo of the experience and bringing home game meat that defines a great bow hunt to me. Obviously if the experience wasn't as a big part of it for me I would gun hunt but I truly feel I can more successful archery hunting than modern hunting and gain the experiences that come along with archery. That being said if I archery hunt elk and I get skunked but my partner connects and I get to bring home some meat I will be just as happy if not more happy than if I killed an elk. Now both of us killing an elk in the same trip...I'll let you know how it feels this September!

[AKBowman]

That being said, once my freezer is full I truly believe I would rather help others get their game or hunt with a camera

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

so why no calling the elk on the list ?

I guess I should of added it to the list. The areas I hunt are tough to call. A lot of pressure. I like getting after it and getting close then maybe trying some calling. Im sure there are areas that calling works great! I just wish it would work better in my area

Where I hunt I hear that from a lot of hunters I happen to meet, but I have always gotten good results from calling.
You might want to try toning down your bugles and cow calls, what works for me is calling very softly in prime areas, my bugles are low-key (Cow bugles)
I do not bugle from ridgelines, usually from 1/3 to all the way down from ridge, in the actual bottom.
And never from the road. 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Get elk nuts play book!!