Elk Etiquette; Does it Exist?

[trophyhill]

When i first started hunting elk in NM and CO. It indeed existed. Now? Very few practice it. Especially with the influx of hunters both new and old. Some Guys who used to get it, have now joined the ranks. Mostly out of necessity I suppose.

How about some tips on the subject so we can enjoy our hunts?

 

[shootnrun]

Don't be an asshole. Idk that it is that difficult or we need a list of tips and tricks.
I've had someone cut down trees to block a road they wanted to themselves opening morning, yell to scare a bull that I apparently beat them to, and in AZ more than once literally RUN past me to get to a bull that was bugling. These are just a couple egregious ones that come to mind, but I'd guess I have 5+ poor hunter etiquette experiences a season.

I dont want to deal with it so I just go elsewhere and find other animals. People know that they are doing what they are doing. It is a society problem. I've tried speaking calmly to folks and they always have their own justifications. Whether they believe them or not, I have no idea.

 

[sndmn11]

yell to scare a bull that I apparently beat them to

AZ more than once literally RUN past me to get to a bull that was bugling.

What's the difference between someone running past you to a bull and you beating someone to a bull?

 

[Weldor]

It went from hunting to a competition and sportsmanship went out the window. The Sheriff has been called out more than once the last couple of years over brawls in the NF. Crazy.

 

[Weldor]

Or did you mean do Elk have etiquette? The ones in my front yard don't, they eat my grass and poop all over. LOL. Not to mention they chase my Greyhounds on occasion.

 

[shootnrun]

What's the difference between someone running past you to a bull and you beating someone to a bull?

Well, in both instances I was unaware that I was in a race. The yelling incident, I presume I was already closer and when they arrived in the area and saw I was there got pissed and started yelling. He was torching off on his own. If I know someone is working a bull I move along. Running after a bull to beat someone else isn't my idea of hunting..
I dont consider most things in hunting a race as far as other hunters are concerned. But if it happens unknowingly, whoever got there first beat the others. Let them have it and move along. But in this world, if I dont get some, no one does. Apparently...

 

[Gpw]

People do crazy shit when it comes to elk!

 

[sndmn11]

But in this world, if I dont get some, no one does. Apparently...

That's how your post came across, and that's why I asked about the difference. It read to me as the only difference in the two scenarios being which end you were viewing it from.

How about some tips on the subject so we can enjoy our hunts?

My advice is that this is all supposed to be fun. None of us out there are omnipotent, and if someone finds themselves in a situation where another hunter causes them stress, take a deep breath and be a good sport about it, help them pack meat, pick up the calling, etc. Each hunter is trying to stay hidden and/or pretending to be an elk. There are bound to be accidental interactions, and there's no reason to get upset over someone doing the same thing you're out there doing.

The view that every hunter chasing the same bull as you is an intentional, selfish, crazy turd, while you stepping on any other hunters is a complete accident, is setting yourself up to be quick to anger.

 

[shootnrun]

That's how your post came across, and that's why I asked about the difference. It read to me as the only difference in the two scenarios being which end you were viewing it from.


My advice is that this is all supposed to be fun. None of us out there are omnipotent, and if someone finds themselves in a situation where another hunter causes them stress, take a deep breath and be a good sport about it, help them pack meat, pick up the calling, etc. Each hunter is trying to stay hidden and/or pretending to be an elk. There are bound to be accidental interactions, and there's no reason to get upset over someone doing the same thing you're out there doing.

The view that every hunter chasing the same bull as you is an intentional, selfish, crazy turd, while you stepping on any other hunters is a complete accident, is setting yourself up to be quick to anger.

Verbiage probably could have been better. I agree with your points. Ive also run into folks and had quality conversations and offered to sit back and call while the other group makes their move, helped break down animals, and put folks on animals I was aware of but not interested in to see their success. But their approach and demeanor is far different and much more rare than the majority of interactions and experiences. Hence my opening sentence.

 

[TaperPin]

Everyone loves aholes nowadays and it shows in what they listen to, who they hang out with, and vote for. Etiquette is simply a reflection of the guys who hunt - they are the same jerks at home the other 51 weeks of the year. Luckily this is an extreme time and as it becomes less in style to act like idiots things should go back to normal. Historians say it’s like a pendulum over time swinging back and forth between extremes.

 

[Mojave]

Here is my most recent hunting asshole issues.

I am disabled, and was hunting deer during a disability deer season. Also corresponded with a rifle elk season. I was parked on this lake at 5 am, and watching this pond, trying to find a deer. I can walk, but sometimes I have problems.

About 20 minutes into sitting there I see some guys and a woman walk down a hill across from me and sit up on the water. They noticed my vehicle and me and started waiving their flash lights at me for me to move on. I sat there until 8 am. Must have been flash lighted for 45 solid minutes before they gave up. They walked up to my vehicle and tried to cuss me out. I told them to F-off, they were from Texas, and all dressed alike in Sitka head to toe.

They said it was their water, and one of their team had a bull tag. So I came back through at 4 am and sat it again, only to see the same assholes at 5 again. No deer, no elk. This time they tried to cuss me again. So I just hit the horn for 20 minutes and through Brodies in the road.

I had a guy shoot a Coues deer over me and my daughter at about 800 yards also in the great state of New Mexico. No orange requirement, I never saw him and I didn't see the deer until he was shooting at it.

No one has to be a dick, some people just to choose to.

I was sitting on a big park later in the evening on the first elk/deer issue about 2 miles down the track and I had another vehicle come out. There was 2 dads and 2 kids. The kids had youth tags. Both of them just started shooting these fork horn bucks that weren't legal.

I just drove away.

Public land, public land experiences.

I really like private land hunts.

Here in Europe on public land hunts, hikers are worse dicks than any hunter can be. And they have the right to be, even though hunter harassment laws are a thing here too. You know you will never be protected by a court here.

 

[BBob]

People do crazy shit when it comes to elk!

Bad behavior isn’t restricted to elk hunters. It’s also nothing new, might be worse these days but it’s been around forever.

 

[Coveyleader]

Seriously is public land elk hunting even fun these days?

 

[Hnthrdr]

It doesn’t exist in the woods anymore outside of my hunting buddies that’s for sure… also there is the if someone is at a trailhead/ pull off I hunt I don’t think it means that I don’t get to hunt there anymore. If Co you would spend 3/4 of the season looking for an empty trail head

 

[Mojave]

Seriously is public land elk hunting even fun these daysI

I don't hunt opening weekend unless it is super low quota area, I have scouted and I show up on Tuesday morning at 4 am. If I hunt opening weekend I am there at 4 am on the trailhead.

Low quota hunts I try to get it done as close to the opener as I can. If snow storm is coming I want to be out the day after it happens. That is really the only thing to push my schedule around.

My last elk tag was in 2019 in New Mexico. Had a deer tag in 2020, that was the last one in New Mexico. I killed an antelope in 2021 or 2022 in Wyoming. 2023 we moved to Germany so no draw hunts that year.

2024 Killed 5 deer here in Europe 3 roe deer and 2 fallow deer.

I am hunting Red deer and fallow deer on a presidential estate September 1 in Slovenia and red deer on a military training area on the 26th of September. I am going to be ruined for public land elk forever I think.

 

[Coveyleader]

I don't hunt opening weekend unless it is super low quota area, I have scouted and I show up on Tuesday morning at 4 am. If I hunt opening weekend I am there at 4 am on the trailhead.

Low quota hunts I try to get it done as close to the opener as I can. If snow storm is coming I want to be out the day after it happens. That is really the only thing to push my schedule around.

My last elk tag was in 2019 in New Mexico. Had a deer tag in 2020, that was the last one in New Mexico. I killed an antelope in 2021 or 2022 in Wyoming. 2023 we moved to Germany so no draw hunts that year.

2024 Killed 5 deer here in Europe 3 roe deer and 2 fallow deer.

I am hunting Red deer and fallow deer on a presidential estate September 1 in Slovenia and red deer on a military training area on the 26th of September. I am going to be ruined for public land elk forever I think.

I’ve killed a lot of elk, but I can’t remember it ever being really fun. Elk hunting is hard, then you throw a bunch of morons into the mix? I’ve sat there in the backcountry asking myself is this worth vacation days more than once.

I drew a good tag this year, but I still expect your typical elk hunting.

 

[sndmn11]

Ive also run into folks and had quality conversations and offered to sit back and call while the other group makes their move, helped break down animals, and put folks on animals I was aware of but not interested in to see their success.

I have more fun doing that stuff than stuff (except the calling, I suck) than anything else.

 

[Beendare]

Interesting topic David.

Personally I have bumped into hunters a few times while chasing the same bull- one was Tom Miranda, his guide and a cameraman- in 16D NM...and I usually tell them I will back out as two sets of guys going after the same bull is silly, unless you decide to work together- almost never happens.

Now I have been on bulls and realized there was another hunter bugling at them and I have worked into position silently to try and get a shot at the bull either while he was busy or trying to escape the other hunter. I don't see anything wrong with that.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

It doesn’t exist in the woods anymore outside of my hunting buddies that’s for sure… also there is the if someone is at a trailhead/ pull off I hunt I don’t think it means that I don’t get to hunt there anymore. If Co you would spend 3/4 of the season looking for an empty trail head

Yea this is one thing that’s changed for me over the years. Used to if there was a truck or two somewhere I’d keep going. I’d never walk through a camp. Now days, I see people setting up camps weeks in advance, tents that no one is ever in, and trucks everywhere. Generally I go where I want to go no matter what’s there and funny, I usually don’t run into the people in the spots I’m going. Now I’m not going to park by someone’s tent, but I’ll park down the trail a bit and walk through a camp now, especially in CO.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Yea this is one thing that’s changed for me over the years. Used to if there was a truck or two somewhere I’d keep going. I’d never walk through a camp. Now days, I see people setting up camps weeks in advance, tents that no one is ever in, and trucks everywhere. Generally I go where I want to go no matter what’s there and funny, I usually don’t run into the people in the spots I’m going. Now I’m not going to park by someone’s tent, but I’ll park down the trail a bit and walk through a camp now, especially in CO.

There is a group of people by my family’s place that sets up their camp on the dang NF road 2 big outfitter tents on either side of the road and 3-4 trucks parked around them, basically to try and keep people from going through/ hunting an area, they are friendly enough but I’ve known them for a few years now, definitely not a cool thing to do IMO…