Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: WapitiTalk1 on April 01, 2015, 02:44:00 PM

Title: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on April 01, 2015, 02:44:00 PM: I could write a book, really. OK, let's share some common elk hunting mistakes. When you do so, follow on with a way to avoid or overcome the mistake you mentioned.

Mistake: Getting busted by a silent bull coming in to a cold calling setup/advertising sequence when you decide to move on and leave the spot too early. I've also had them come into and locate bugle, looking for what "was" there, from the same spot I obviously had left too soon.

Remedy: Be patient in these types of setups (watching, listening, and even smelling for incoming elk) for up to 30 minutes or more, especially if you suspect there are elk in the area.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: rtspring on April 01, 2015, 02:47:10 PM: Walking through the woods towards an area that holds elk, not expecting to see any on your way into your spot. And then all of a sudden there is a big bull 30 yards away!

Always expect to see an elk, always be ready...
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: baker5150 on April 01, 2015, 02:51:53 PM: Quote from: rtspring on April 01, 2015, 02:47:10 PM
Walking through the woods towards an area that holds elk, not expecting to see any on your way into your spot. And then all of a sudden there is a big bull 30 yards away!

Always expect to see an elk, always be ready...

:yeah:
I always seem to see them when I least expect it, and close too.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: vandeman17 on April 01, 2015, 02:57:38 PM: During the rut, expecting a bull to bugle or respond to your calls but instead come in silent and have you pegged. Crazy how they can pinpoint where the call is coming from :yike:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: buglebrush on April 01, 2015, 02:58:31 PM: Not watching your back. Twice last year we were calling to some vocal elk about 100 yards away when another bull snuck in from the total opposite direction. We never saw him until he had us pegged. :bash:

Don't assume the only elk around are the ones making noise. There could be more anywhere.

The good news is that we killed one of the vocal bulls minutes after the silent boy came in.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Jonathan_S on April 01, 2015, 03:05:04 PM: Getting impatient & being too patient
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Solohunter84 on April 01, 2015, 03:05:49 PM: First elk I shot just stood there for what felt like days then he very slowly took a few steps away and rounded a corner but I could still see his rear end. So me being gung ho and excited I thought to myself... Well he isn't getting away from me! So I walked up to where I could see him... Turns out I was much closer than he liked and I gave him that boost of adrenaline haha. He ran uphill jumped a fence crossed some railroad tracks and ran through three sets of timber. Finally caught up with him in a clear cut and put him down before he got across it and into some private property! Made the pack job go from a couple hundred yards to about a half mile! Lesson learned. Patience. I know I made good shots but it was my first elk and I didn't want to let him get away. Should have waited it out. He probably would have bedded down right there and expired. Or even come back my way to the creek I was near. Who knows now. Good times tho! On a side note... A 3 legged elk can jump higher than I can!
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on April 01, 2015, 03:18:07 PM: Quote from: vandeman17 on April 01, 2015, 02:57:38 PM
During the rut, expecting a bull to bugle or respond to your calls but instead come in silent and have you pegged. Crazy how they can pinpoint where the call is coming from :yike:
yep. They can come from a long ways out and walk right to you. amazing
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: pianoman9701 on April 01, 2015, 03:41:07 PM: Moving to fast still hunting. If I had a set of antlers for every time I was moving too fast and busted into elk as a result, I could retire. And not using the range finder. Missed the bull of a lifetime the year before last because I thought I could judge correctly.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: kentrek on April 01, 2015, 03:45:54 PM: I've said it many times but.....in my mind it crucial

Don't get desperate

Desperate people do stupid things

...know that in any one moment from dawn to dusk can result in an opportunity of a life time....if you can maintain this level of focus and positive mind set there will be never be time to be desperate and or do something you regret
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: cbond3318 on April 01, 2015, 03:47:51 PM: For some reason and I did it with deer too, when I see an animal I immediately crouch. :bdid: 99% of the time they catch the movement and bust. Hard habit to break.... :bash:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: motg9_6 on April 01, 2015, 03:51:24 PM: well a couple things,
first dont take a 7 yr old along that cant sit still(it was still fun and he got to see me miss a huge 7 pt at 50 yds),
second wait till the after dark to leave your stand, those last few minutes of light can make a difference in kill or no kill
third as stated above patience after shot wait i waited 45 minutes then started tracking (shot was good) was tracking finding huges amount of blood not looking ahead and all of a sudden there he jumped up and looked at me from under a tree, he ran another 300 yds before falling over, the last 100 yds was purely tracking with blood only about every 50 ft. i really thought i was gonna loose him.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: pianoman9701 on April 01, 2015, 03:52:33 PM: :yeah: I lost one pushing into him. :bash:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Woodchuck on April 01, 2015, 03:53:14 PM: Follow me around, you will learn all the things not to do. :bash:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: buckcanyonlodge on April 01, 2015, 03:53:54 PM: Shooting the first 390" bull you see
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on April 01, 2015, 03:56:24 PM: Not seeing debris in between me and the bull at seven yards. Sent the arrow into no mans land.

Check for clear arrow path. Predict the trajectory.

Not drawing the bow at the right time.

Draw before the Bulls standing at your feet.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on April 01, 2015, 04:09:07 PM: Quote from: pianoman9701 on April 01, 2015, 03:52:33 PM
:yeah: I lost one pushing into him. :bash:

:yeah:

Timing when they die is tough. If you push to early they run. If you wait to long they spoil. Trusting the gear you use and having good archery equipment can make it a lot easier.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: trophyhunt on April 01, 2015, 04:17:49 PM: I probably missed 1,000 oppertunities when I was a kid not paying attention to the wind. The wind is the most important thing to NOT forget.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: HornHoarder on April 01, 2015, 04:24:34 PM: Quote from: cbond3318 on April 01, 2015, 03:47:51 PM
For some reason and I did it with deer too, when I see an animal I immediately crouch. :bdid: 99% of the time they catch the movement and bust. Hard habit to break.... :bash:

I agree... don't crouch down when elk are coming in. I have the instinct to crouch, or kneel down, but it makes it harder to see through the brush, and a harder position to shoot from. Now I try to have some cover behind me, and stand still, but upright.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: coachcw on April 01, 2015, 04:55:11 PM: if your calling alone move left or right twenty feet at least after calling last time , helps you not get pinned down.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on April 01, 2015, 07:03:48 PM: Quote from: cbond3318 on April 01, 2015, 03:47:51 PM
For some reason and I did it with deer too, when I see an animal I immediately crouch. :bdid: 99% of the time they catch the movement and bust. Hard habit to break.... :bash:

First bull I seen I dove on the ground. He was only like ten yards and didn't even notice. I stood up came to full draw and he caught my wind before he cleared the brush. Wish I had just drawn.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: pd on April 01, 2015, 09:09:40 PM: My mistake: I started seriously hunting for elk so late in life. I should have been paying attention earlier.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: bradslam on April 01, 2015, 09:37:15 PM: If you are stalking a herd in waning light and the conditions are not right, don't get desperate and throw caution to the wind. You'll probably blow it. Be patient. Come back the next morning and track them down when you have plenty of time to make a good stalk.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Dan-o on April 01, 2015, 09:57:03 PM: Don't screw around blowing a bugle - even in the middle of the day - if you're not ready.

The memory is still fresh after all these years.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Shawn Ryan on April 01, 2015, 10:42:20 PM: I've made so many! Put the camera down and draw the bow. Missed taking a shot at a nice six point because I had been busy filming him fight another bull. Which, basically, is: be ready more often.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Todd_ID on April 01, 2015, 11:45:39 PM: Only hunting morning and evenings is a mistake when calling, but it's a good move when in a stand. Noon to 2 pm is the perfect time to find the bedded herd by calling. You're better off calling from 4 am until 5 pm and heading to camp to be able to get enough rest to sustain the full season of hunting; the elk has every advantage during an evening calling encounter. All they have to do is wait a few minutes, and you can't see to shoot: so they do just that, and we're most often left holding the bag with a good story and an educated elk.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: RadSav on April 02, 2015, 12:29:31 AM: Not knowing elk anatomy is a big mistake. How many stories have you read of guys shooting an elk "perfect", only to hear the rest of the story about how far they had to track it.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Bean Counter on April 02, 2015, 01:28:12 AM: This guy :hello:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: WapitiTalk1 on April 02, 2015, 08:00:11 AM: Mistake: Having long distance conversations with a bull.

Remedy: It's very cool to bugle back and forth with a distant bull but it really gets you nowhere. If you hear a bull bugle, and you have a general idea of where he may be, there is no need to toot your horn. Chances are, he'll sound off several more times on his own as you close the distance to his location. Once in tight, within 80 yards or less, then it's time to decide if calling is needed to potentially get a shot.

This same principal should be applied to hunter locate bugling also. If you get an answer, there is really no need for follow on calling until you close the distance. If you're sitting on a point at night, getting ready to do some night time locating and hear a bugle down in the draw or on an adjacent sidehill, you're done.... no need to toot your horn just to see if he'll answer back. Come back in the morning and he'll still be there, most likely letting you know where he's at or going with his singing.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Mike450r on April 02, 2015, 08:09:49 AM: Overthinking it.

If an area has elk they can literally be anywhere. Many times all you have to do is get 50 feet off the road into the timber and it's game on.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: Seahawk12 on April 02, 2015, 08:51:47 AM: A ton of really good advice here. I haven't hunted elk in a decade or more, but I know some mistakes I made early on. One thing I haven't seen yet is that it's a mistake to enter an area blind. If you're going to hunt a new area then make plans to go on a scouting/camping trip earlier in the year. It is incredibly frustrating spending valuable hunting time going through areas that you've only seen on maps and figuring out that what looked good on paper is a terrible spot to hunt. The more time that can be spent in your area of choice early in the summer just walking around the happier you will be come hunting season.
A general mistake I have made was the night before heading out I laid out all my gear. Clothes, tents, bow, camp equipment, etc. First thing in the morning I loaded everything in the truck and made the five hour drive to camp. I set everything up and realized that all my perishable food was back at home hundreds of road mile away :bash:. Future fix: I now make a list and check things off as I load. :tup:
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: RadSav on April 02, 2015, 09:30:35 AM: Don't let a woman load your boots in the truck!

While she may know every style/color of ladies Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Taryn Rose she likely can't tell the difference between a 10" left boot and a 6" right boot or see any difference between a green boot and a grey one. I've made that mistake twice!! No matter how you lace them, two left boots won't make a right >:( >:(
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: vandeman17 on April 02, 2015, 10:31:25 AM: Another thing I have learned which has kind of been mentioned is the value of a cow call or even going in silent once you have an idea of where the bull is with his cows. We blew a nice bull out one year in montana. He was screaming and we would bugle back and close the distance. Before we got a look at him he busted out and went quiet. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: TheHunt on April 02, 2015, 11:27:36 AM: If I had to put together a list of lessons based on importance based on MY type of hunting. I chase them and call. I only hunt from a blind if I am exhausted.
1. Check the wind
2. Check the wind
3. Check the wind

4. Elk are lazy animals and will take the lease resistance path to you when calling them.
5. If a bull replies to your location bugle, run at the bull and cut the distance in half. BUT if it is closer than 200 yards close the gap but look at the terrain and estimated where the encounter will happen. It is hard on the West side to pick any shooting lanes prior to them wanting to play. When estimating the path keep the wind direction in your mind. If he has cows there will be cows as well hanging out. Get down and move low.
6. Be quiet but it is OK to snap a branch that is a normal sound of elk. As you move keep an eye out for elk. If you cow call move at lease 15 yards left or right immediately as the animal has pegged your location within feet. Do not blindly cow call and continue walking through the woods. Set up the calling sequence and move quietly to give you an advantage if you hunt alone like I do. IF you hunt with a buddy put the buddy 80 yards minimal in front of the caller. A bull will come into a caller within what he thinks should be visible. Most of the time it is at least 60 yards.
7. If you hunt alone... YOU best be accurate with your bow out to 60 yards.
Title: Re: Elk Hunting Mistakes
Post by: blindluck on April 02, 2015, 08:47:21 PM: Not knowing the damn laws, I walked up on a 3x5 bull it was spike only, he bedded down at 30 yards for 10 minutes stood up walked away, his 3 pt side was a 4 foot curved spike with brow tines below his ears. he qualified as a spike I learned later that day.