Elk Encouragement

[MO00]

I’m a pretty new member but have read this forum for quite a while. Does anyone have anything encouraging to say to someone getting started into elk hunting? Lol I have been on one trip when I was younger and we did have a couple opportunities on bulls. This was 10 years ago and we did meet some guys at the trailhead and we ended up cooperating and camping together since we had planned on going to the same spot instead of fighting each other for it. I’m planning some trips with friends and family coming up and it seems like everyone just makes it sound like a sea of people that don’t like each other. Started buying some points in some states about 6 years ago and even since then it seems like maybe the COVID era or something changed the attitude.

 

[huntnful]

There are definitely a good crowd of people that go after elk. I'm normally hunting deer, so I always stop and talk to them when I see them. They've always been great people with good intentions. Some hunt hard, some just go to go. If you want to succeed, you will succeed. Just don't pick an absolutely dog shit area. But elk hunting is generally pretty easy with a rifle. Cover country, look in the shaded draws off the main ridges, and stay consistent with effort. Especially morning and evening.

 

[Deerhunter6250]

Get in great shape, have good gear, make plans A,B,C, don't give up till the last minute, and Get In Shape!!!!

 

[Plainsman79]

Don’t just “Go elk hunting” Be an elk hunter.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I’m a pretty new member but have read this forum for quite a while. Does anyone have anything encouraging to say to someone getting started into elk hunting? Lol I have been on one trip when I was younger and we did have a couple opportunities on bulls. This was 10 years ago and we did meet some guys at the trailhead and we ended up cooperating and camping together since we had planned on going to the same spot instead of fighting each other for it. I’m planning some trips with friends and family coming up and it seems like everyone just makes it sound like a sea of people that don’t like each other. Started buying some points in some states about 6 years ago and even since then it seems like maybe the COVID era or something changed the attitude.

I'm not trying to come across as rude, but you've been buying points for 6 years and haven't stepped foot in the mountains yet something's up. Nobody should need encouragement to go, you either want to go or you don't want to go. You may need to ask yourself why you want to go and what you're looking to accomplish, maybe the motivation behind it isn't really that strong.

I will say this for encouragement. I understand as an NR it's confusing and a bit different to get started and go at it, but once you do the first trip with you spearheading the operation everything clears up and becomes much easier. You'll leave on your first trip driving home with a scramble brain of all the things you should have done that were obvious to you now and your 2nd year will build on that.

 

[MO00]

I started buying in college when I wasn’t able to go, have had babies born in the fall two out of the last three years and an antelope trip in between there. It isn’t that I don’t want to make it out there I’m just getting to the stage in life where I’m going to be able to do it consistently. Our family vacations have been geared around gaining familiarity with some areas I plan on going, I just haven’t purchased a tag yet.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I started buying in college when I wasn’t able to go, have had babies born in the fall two out of the last three years and an antelope trip in between there. It isn’t that I don’t want to make it out there I’m just getting to the stage in life where I’m going to be able to do it consistently. Our family vacations have been geared around gaining familiarity with some areas I plan on going, I just haven’t purchased a tag yet.

Understandable. Now git'r done!

 

[patagonialuke]

Fellow newbie here; started last year. Now have 2 archery seasons and 2 rifle seasons under my belt, all on public in OTC or zero-point units (for residents).

TLDR: almost everything is worth trying once. Give it a go, see what you think, and go from there.

It's definitely not for everyone. E.g., a close friend started at the same time as me, and his first elk season made him realize he has way more fun shooting ducks and riding his bike during the fall. But he's glad he tried it so he could figure out his own priorities.

On the other hand, I got fully hooked / obsessed. I don't regret any of the miserable hikes, late nights, or early mornings across the 50+ days I've been able to walk around looking for them.

I think my main advice would be to (1) set reasonable expectations / goals for what exactly you want to 'get out of' your elk hunts, (2) use your next hunt as a way to reevaluate those priorities, and (3) be realistic about whatever effort you need to put in to get the experience you want.

E.g., I've realized that I have a more enjoyable on-hunt experience when I see fewer people and get to enjoy being in wild places by myself or with a small group of close friends. But I want to hunt every year and don't have the budget or mindset for private / guided hunts. So, to get the experience I want, I know I'll generally have to put in a lot of miles on foot, and focus on units without tons of roads / easy access. In my limited experience, if I can get at least 2 or 3+ miles from a trailhead / road, the number of hunters drops off exponentially from there.

But that's just me. There are others who get away from people by setting up the rest of their lives so they can afford to hunt private, hire an outfitter, save up for high-point units, etc. And, based on the number of shots I've heard in areas with easy access, plenty of folks still find a way to harvest pressured elk. And I figure the presence of other hunters doesn't detract from those folks' overall enjoyment of the experience as much as happens to do so for me.

Even when I can't get away from other people, the vast majority of my interactions with other hunters have been great. Only exception I can think of is the goober who set up less than 100 yds from us on opening day of 2nd rifle this year, but most folks are at least respectful, and a lot of them are just as psyched as I am to simply be out there.

 

[huntnful]

Don’t just “Go elk hunting” Be an elk hunter.

You know this may seem like a simple bland statement at face value, but this easily the best advice you could get. I like it.

It takes time, you won’t just magically become and “elk hunter” after one day. But if you focus on that as a goal, you’ll put the important pieces together relatively quickly and success will soon follow.

 

[LCguy]

Get in great shape and don't give up.

Killed my first bull this year on the last morning because I kept at it even after several missed opportunities. This was a muzzleloader hunt with 14% success rate. But I kept working hard and all it takes is one.

 

[Plainsman79]

You know this may seem like a simple bland statement at face value, but this easily the best advice you could get. I like it.

It takes time, you won’t just magically become and “elk hunter” after one day. But if you focus on that as a goal, you’ll put the important pieces together relatively quickly and success will soon follow.

It was a great piece of advice I received and really changed how I approached all my hunting.