Post by: WapitiTalk1 on May 04, 2014, 04:31:46 PM
Post by: jrebel on May 04, 2014, 04:36:02 PM
Post by: bracer40 on May 04, 2014, 04:50:44 PM
Post by: EyeTooth on May 04, 2014, 05:23:55 PM
Post by: jackmaster on May 04, 2014, 05:28:52 PM
Post by: Nice Racks on May 04, 2014, 05:37:34 PM
Post by: kodiak06 on May 04, 2014, 06:41:51 PM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on May 04, 2014, 06:47:30 PM
I carry a roll of ribbon (flagging), reflective tape, and 150 reflective tacks for finding my way back and forth. Also helps get in and out when I don't have a gps with me. Oh, xtra flashlight and batteries.
I like the reflective tacks myself. They're money when going in/out in the hours of darkness with a headlamp. Nice tips sir.
Post by: Opportunist on May 04, 2014, 08:53:10 PM
Post by: 6x6in6 on May 04, 2014, 10:12:07 PM
Post by: huntingaddiction on May 05, 2014, 03:14:51 PM
Post by: kisfish on May 05, 2014, 03:39:15 PM
Post by: wadu1 on May 05, 2014, 03:41:28 PM
I carry a roll of ribbon (flagging), reflective tape, and 150 reflective tacks for finding my way back and forth. Also helps get in and out when I don't have a gps with me. Oh, xtra flashlight and batteries.:yeah:
Started using the flagging ribbon after leaving a deer in the bush at night. We strung TP and one orange vest in a tree to be able to find it the next day.
Post by: wadu1 on May 05, 2014, 03:48:57 PM
1. Cary old time whiteout to touch up the front sight bead or post.
2. Cary fingernail polish to seal caps, one small drop is all you need. Push the cap on and put the rifle in half cock, hold the rifle straight up and place the drop of polish on the edge of the cap. The polish will travel around the cap and nipple sealing the cap from moisture. It has even worked in rain like we had this weekend on the very wet side. The only drawback is you will need to peal off the cap with a knife or ?? :twocents:
Post by: Rainier10 on May 06, 2014, 10:51:49 AM
Never leave elk to go find other or easier elk, play the hand you are dealt and get after it, you have the entire off season to rest.
Pain is temporary, elk meat is always delicious.
Post by: tonymiller7 on May 06, 2014, 10:59:59 AM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on May 06, 2014, 03:22:11 PM
1. Practice your calling well before season. Practice, practice, practice.. it makes a difference for when you need to make the right sound during a particular situation effortlessly. Practice your calling in your truck on the way to work during the off season if need be. At a minimum, one should be be proficient in cow sounds/calf chirps, locator bugle, challenge bugle, and most importantly a nervous/popping grunt to stop bullwinkle in his tracks for a shot.
2. Take maps for adjoining areas to where you're hunting. You never know when you may venture a bit farther than you planned. They're cheap, light, and can pay dividends. On this same note, one should carry and know how to use a map/compass vs just using a GPS.
3. Can't remember if somebody mentioned it, but always have a B, C, etc. plan in case hunting pressure, or, lack of wapiti in your A area forces you to move locations. Been there a few times.
4. If you can swing it, do a "dry run" with all your hunting gear, even if it's in the back yard. Make sure everything you're taking to base or a backcountry hunt works like it's supposed to.
5. Use finger and main ridges as travel routes for ingress/regress in and out of hunting areas. They generally have some type of game trail on them. Remember, elk are seldom on the tops or on the bottoms, they're on the sidehills in between :)..
Good stuff.. Keep em coming.
Oops.. didn't follow my own thread rules. Was only supposed to be "one tip" :(.. OK, free for all. Post up a few tips :chuckle:
Post by: bowhunterty on May 06, 2014, 03:25:48 PM
Post by: Bullkllr on May 06, 2014, 05:02:12 PM
If you can see elk, you can get to them, get to hiking.
Never leave elk to go find other or easier elk, play the hand you are dealt and get after it, you have the entire off season to rest.
Pain is temporary, elk meat is always delicious.
I think this is really important if you want to be consistently successful- and those are rules I sometimes over-looked when I had only a few years of experience and hunted a good elk area. See elk, go after elk if conditions are favorable. That, and it only takes one elk to make your whole season!
Post by: raydog on May 06, 2014, 07:37:19 PM
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on May 06, 2014, 09:11:38 PM
If you think you SHOULD have enough T.P................................you don't
Yes sir!
Post by: Rainier10 on May 07, 2014, 07:24:52 AM
Ya, we learned this the hard way, saw some elk on a hillside quite a ways away and let my buddy talk me into going to look for some "easier" elk. Couldn't find any so he said let's go back to the others. They were gone. :(If you can see elk, you can get to them, get to hiking.
Never leave elk to go find other or easier elk, play the hand you are dealt and get after it, you have the entire off season to rest.
Pain is temporary, elk meat is always delicious.
I think this is really important if you want to be consistently successful- and those are rules I sometimes over-looked when I had only a few years of experience and hunted a good elk area. See elk, go after elk if conditions are favorable. That, and it only takes one elk to make your whole season!
Since then we have always gone after them and his estimate of how long it will take to get there is always off. He says 1 1/2-2 hours and it really only takes 30-40minutes to be in the hunt.
If you can see them they are not that far away.
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 07, 2014, 07:30:25 AM
Post by: JPhelps on May 07, 2014, 08:12:00 AM
Practice and be proficient with a locator bugle, cow call and challenge bugle.
Hear/see an elk, get close to the elk, call the bull into bow range.
Post by: MIKEXRAY on May 07, 2014, 08:30:09 AM
Be as ready as possible for the pack out & butchering. Don't get an elk a mile form any road and stand there with a small pocket knife only. Get a good video on meat prep, have the tools, game bags, meat pack etc .
Post by: rtspring on May 07, 2014, 08:45:14 AM
Scout, scout and scout more! Find feeding areas, escape routes, bedding areas. Learn their daily routines. And learn where they go when pressured. Elk find places they dont get bothered! Find that spot and kill one!
Rtspring
Post by: rsarkks on May 07, 2014, 10:14:48 AM
Post by: xXLojackXx on May 07, 2014, 01:45:03 PM
Don't OVERTHINK elk calling.
Practice and be proficient with a locator bugle, cow call and challenge bugle.
Hear/see an elk, get close to the elk, call the bull into bow range.
This.
And keep your knives sharp and your Broadheads sharper.
Post by: buglebrush on May 07, 2014, 09:25:30 PM
Get a good pair of boots and cover ground. If I am seeing more boot tracks than elk tracks I need to get further off the road.
I agree with this, but my tip is that further off the road isn't always farther from hunting pressure. Key in on those areas that access is just plain not fun. Sometimes it isn't that far from the road, but there is not gated roads, trails, etc.. and it is bloody steep and brushy.
Post by: NOCK NOCK on May 07, 2014, 09:46:16 PM
Get a good pair of boots and cover ground. If I am seeing more boot tracks than elk tracks I need to get further off the road.
I agree with this, but my tip is that further off the road isn't always farther from hunting pressure. Key in on those areas that access is just plain not fun. Sometimes it isn't that far from the road, but there is not gated roads, trails, etc.. and it is bloody steep and brushy.
X2
I have killed multiple elk within 100 yards of a major highway. Sometimes hunting were you least expect them to be is were they are.