Alberta Elk Hunters

[Mike3291]

Hello all,

I am new to Rokslide and bow hunting. I live in central/southern Alberta and am blessed by all the hunting and fishing opportunities near where I live. I was hoping to connect with other Alberta bow hunters to create community and hopefully lessen the learning curve. I am planning on joining some local archery clubs which also comes with a membership to the Alberta Bowhunters Association. If anyone has other recommendations like a conservation group/club or something to join to meet people please let me know. Thanks all

 

[House21]

Welcome! I’m a fellow Albertan myself, a little further North I would guess. Joining an archery club is a great idea, I found once I joined I ended up shooting way more and especially way more 3D which helped with my in field shooting. Shooting a target in your back yard or a field is great practice but it’s better to practice with different angles on animals from quartering shots, up hill and down hill and the works! Good luck and if you have any further questions just reach out

 

[Mike3291]

Welcome! I’m a fellow Albertan myself, a little further North I would guess. Joining an archery club is a great idea, I found once I joined I ended up shooting way more and especially way more 3D which helped with my in field shooting. Shooting a target in your back yard or a field is great practice but it’s better to practice with different angles on animals from quartering shots, up hill and down hill and the works! Good luck and if you have any further questions just reach out

That’s great advice, thanks!

 

[House21]

I shot a elk calf last year. This is my 6th year hunting elk. Still have the general elk tag so here is to hoping i get a shot on a bull or cow still.

Good luck finding your mentor. It can help immensely.

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You’re hooked now lol, I was 3 or 4 years before shooting my first one and once I found a spot with elk and no people I’ve got an elk every year since. Good luck the rest of the season, I’m tagged out but still have to get my wife out for her elk

 

[Mike3291]

I shot a elk calf last year. This is my 6th year hunting elk. Still have the general elk tag so here is to hoping i get a shot on a bull or cow still.

Good luck finding your mentor. It can help immensely.

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Good luck to you as well!

 

[Xavier]

Hey welcome to Rokslide and the addiction to bow hunting. It’s an addictive drug man and I just can’t get enough of it. Joining a local club is the best way to get involved in the community. I’d also recommend going to a local pro shop and get to know the folks there. Other organizations you can check out are:

-Alberta bowhunting association
-Alberta conservation association
-alberta backcountry hunters and anglers
-Sarcee fish and game

Something else you can do is hone in your technique. By just shooting reps in the basement or garage and just shoot into a block. Yes shooting distance is super important. But so is getting your technique down and making it muscle memory. So when you have a screaming bull coming in hot. You’ll be ready to put an arrow right into the boilermaker.

All the best in your future hunts buddy.

 

[Grownupcandy]

Welcome and good luck.

 

[Mike3291]

Hey welcome to Rokslide and the addiction to bow hunting. It’s an addictive drug man and I just can’t get enough of it. Joining a local club is the best way to get involved in the community. I’d also recommend going to a local pro shop and get to know the folks there. Other organizations you can check out are:

-Alberta bowhunting association
-Alberta conservation association
-alberta backcountry hunters and anglers
-Sarcee fish and game

Something else you can do is hone in your technique. By just shooting reps in the basement or garage and just shoot into a block. Yes shooting distance is super important. But so is getting your technique down and making it muscle memory. So when you have a screaming bull coming in hot. You’ll be ready to put an arrow right into the boilermaker.

All the best in your future hunts buddy.

Great advice, thank you! I have found that shooting in my garage at roughly 6 yards my arrows are entering at a slight angle but when I get the opportunity to shoot 10 yards or further they are going in straight. Any thoughts?

 

[ndhuntermanND]

Great advice, thank you! I have found that shooting in my garage at roughly 6 yards my arrows are entering at a slight angle but when I get the opportunity to shoot 10 yards or further they are going in straight. Any thoughts?

What angle and what kind of target are you shooting?

 

[Xavier]

Great advice, thank you! I have found that shooting in my garage at roughly 6 yards my arrows are entering at a slight angle but when I get the opportunity to shoot 10 yards or further they are going in straight. Any thoughts?

Yes, what’s the angle your are shooting into the target???? If the target is not parallel at that distance you’ll that will happen.

 

[Mike3291]

Might not be perfectly square to target but it would be the same stance as when I shoot 10+ yards. I assumed it was a form issue but when it straightens out at 10+ yards it started to confuse me. I am working hard to be able to shoot with both eyes open. A lot of times I’ll squint initially to get my aim and then open both eyes and then quickly squint again to confirm that I’m focusing out of my dominant eye. Then I typically need both eyes open to get my bubble alignment and then I shoot. I’m also using a Stan resistance release. Not sure if any of this is helpful but I thought it best to give more information than not enough. Thanks for the help.

 

[Xavier]

How long have you been using the release for?

It might be a form issue. However, it could also be an arrow tuning issue. Are all your arrows doing it? Or is it just some of them? You may have to tune your arrows? As that’s been my issue in the past.

Shooting with both eyes open can take a minute to transition too. Especially when it comes down to killing that big bull. But it’s well worth it. After I made the transition to shooting with both eyes open. I found that having a large field of view when killing animal is so much more beneficial.

 

[Mike3291]

How long have you been using the release for?

It might be a form issue. However, it could also be an arrow tuning issue. Are all your arrows doing it? Or is it just some of them? You may have to tune your arrows? As that’s been my issue in the past.

Shooting with both eyes open can take a minute to transition too. Especially when it comes down to killing that big bull. But it’s well worth it. After I made the transition to shooting with both eyes open. I found that having a large field of view when killing animal is so much more beneficial.

I have only been shooting for a few weeks. A friend recommended a hinge or resistance release to start so I would develop bad habits with a typical trigger release. It does this with all of my arrows. I don’t know how to tune arrows.

 

[Spraynine]

I realize this thread is a couple years old. I’m in a somewhat similar position now that you were in a couple years ago and I’m curious what you found most beneficial to progressing as a bow hunter? Was it any of the advice mentioned above or have you found any other suggestions that might be useful to a new bow hunter?