Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: RavensdaleYoungBuck on October 31, 2013, 09:19:16 PM

Title: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: RavensdaleYoungBuck on October 31, 2013, 09:19:16 PM: Hey Fellas, this will be my first hunt for Elk. I was just wondering if there are any differences between deer and elk hunting. Any tips or advice helps. Thanks
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: RB on October 31, 2013, 09:23:49 PM: Watch the wind Elk will bust out way before Deer in my experience
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: boneaddict on October 31, 2013, 09:24:23 PM: Deer are more sensitive to sound, elk their nose. When deer spook, they might go a ways and circle or hide. Elk tend to change zip codes. Use your ears even more when hunting elk. They make a lot of noise, which I think is why my first point is.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Button Nubbs on October 31, 2013, 09:48:50 PM: Elk are easier to kill
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: boneaddict on October 31, 2013, 09:52:28 PM: deer are easier to pack out
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Button Nubbs on October 31, 2013, 10:00:34 PM: :tup: true dat!
Quote from: boneaddict on October 31, 2013, 09:52:28 PM
deer are easier to pack out
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: bobcat on October 31, 2013, 10:18:31 PM: Elk hunting is more crowded. It's just harder to get away from other hunters. I think because elk are more concentrated in certain areas, while deer are in general more spread out. And there aren't any secret elk areas anymore.

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Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Mike450r on October 31, 2013, 10:22:33 PM: deer turn stupid people stupider, elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy. Good times
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: bobcat on October 31, 2013, 10:28:40 PM: Quote from: Mike450r on October 31, 2013, 10:22:33 PM
deer turn stupid people stupider, elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy. Good times

:yeah:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: snowpack on October 31, 2013, 10:33:01 PM: Quote from: Mike450r on October 31, 2013, 10:22:33 PM
deer turn stupid people stupider, elk turn the same people batsh!t crazy. Good times
:chuckle: bit of an understatement. Most people I know quit chasing elk during the craziness of the 'good old days' of the 70's--a few made their kids promise not to get elk tags. They tell me I must be a few mules short of a pack string to hunt elk in Washington and that it's been nice knowing me. :yike:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: 6x6in6 on October 31, 2013, 10:57:47 PM: Elk are 3 times larger.
Elk poo is 3 times larger.
Elk tracks are 3 times larger.
The gut piles are 3 times larger.
The taxidermy bill is close to 3 times larger.
:chuckle:

Otherwise, what boneaddict said.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: 6x6in6 on October 31, 2013, 11:00:58 PM: To add to what boneaddict said above, if elk bust because of sound, they have been known to circle so they can confirm what they did not discover via smell.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: usmc74 on November 01, 2013, 11:34:14 AM: If you are hunting close to home (wet side), the elk don't change zip codes in my experience

Elk hang out in bigger herds, more eyes to see YOU with.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Clancy on November 01, 2013, 02:51:25 PM: I pick the pace up. Deer hunting im always sneaky. Elk i mob and try to find fresh sign to fallow. :twocents:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Jonathan_S on November 01, 2013, 02:54:58 PM: Quote from: bobcat on October 31, 2013, 10:18:31 PM
\And there aren't any secret elk areas anymore.

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I think I have one. Let me post a picture of it with my iPhone.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: mlovely83 on November 01, 2013, 02:58:34 PM: My experience hunting the Westside Elk much easier than deer. They move in herds and leave plenty of tracks. Hour after first light and hour before dark the calves should be chirping.

Like everyone else said smell is your biggest obstacle. Keep the wind in your face. You find the elk, its worth a 3 mile roundabout hike to get the wind right.

I tend to not use calls cause in my opinion its better for them not to know where you are. FYI once you hear the bark its all over.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Buckmark on November 01, 2013, 02:59:15 PM: $3000.00
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Jonathan_S on November 01, 2013, 02:59:45 PM: I elk call more when I'm elk hunting :twocents:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: boneaddict on November 01, 2013, 03:36:49 PM: Its easier to eat elk :EAT:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: vandeman17 on November 01, 2013, 03:53:50 PM: deer I can hunt on either side of the state and elk only one or the other :bdid:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: elkinrutdrivemenuts on November 01, 2013, 04:10:56 PM: Deer hunting is like middle school and high school, everyone can get through it, elk hunting is like college, less people go, even fewer graduate! :chuckle:

Elk hunting, if done right, ie in the mountains, working hard, and getting off the road, is by far the most fun you can have in the woods, and way more satisfying when you are successful. :twocents:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Bullkllr on November 01, 2013, 04:31:33 PM: Deer get harder to hunt as soon as they know they're being hunted, but elk get WAYYYYY harder to hunt as soon as they know they're being hunted. It's best to avoid letting them in on that detail. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: CAMPMEAT on November 01, 2013, 04:35:16 PM: Elk hunting is for real men................ :chuckle: :sry:
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: WDFW Hates ME!!! on November 01, 2013, 07:02:41 PM: In my experience on the west side the deer see me before i see them, if i see them at all. I see elk way before they see me.

I have killed more elk than deer. I personally think elk are easier to hunt.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: Humptulips on November 01, 2013, 07:26:39 PM: First I have always hunted west side in fact only coastal.
To me a totally different hunting experience.
Deer hunting is more a matter of watching, walking, looking for deer and hopeing to see them before they see you. Mostlly hunt clearcuts, hunt one and take a break watch a hiilside while you snack at lunch. Usually a race to get in the morning to be the first at that spot you thought was your secret spot. Critical to be there at first light.
Elk hunting is a lot more dependent on finding fresh sign so I spend more time looking at the ground for tracks then I do looking for elk. I have always followed the tracks to the elk rather then spotting elk. That is changing though as a lot of the areas there is just no timber to follow the elk in to. With doghair everywhere it becomes more like deer hunting. I don't like that so I tend to hunt areas that still have blocks of timber.

Also elk hunting envolves stalking the elk a lot of the time whereas never that way with deer. Elk are bunched up so there are large areas where there is nothing. Deer you might see one anywhere anytime.
Harder to be successful on elk but you need to be prepared with the tools to get one out. Deer can come out in one piece so you don't need so much stuff.
Title: Re: Difference Between Deer and Elk Hunting
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on November 01, 2013, 07:37:48 PM: I only hunt Elk, deer are what I shoot while Elk hunting.
Because I am not a trophy hunter, I shoot the first legal animal that is dumb enough to let me get within range (recurve)
Deer are like rabbits, I seem to be able to get one almost every year, but Elk, used to be about every 4-5 years, now it is 7 without...
Thank goodness for deer !!