Elk Etiquette; Does it Exist?

[FlyGuy]

One thing that I do to help lessen the amount of encounters in the elk woods is I wear a blaze orange cap during archery season. I know it’s not considered “cool” to wear orange when not required, but it helps. I believe the majority of hunters out there are just like me - they are out there to enjoy their hunt and not to meet new people. No matter what my plans are or what the elk are doing - If I can clearly see another hunter across the basin then I’m not going there. I’m going to get a new plan together and leave that guy be. I honestly think 99% of hunters would do the exact same thing - except they don’t know a hunter is there b/c they can’t see them. In archery the leaves are still on the trees, the elk are in the timber, and the hunters aren’t wearing orange… I can only change one of those variables. But I think my increased visibility to other hunters leads to less (unintentional) negative encounters with other hunters.

 

[Marble]

I dont wear the blaze orange cap, but i carry one or a vest with me. I'll usually just put it on a tree/bush near me while I'm sitting.

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[thegrouse]

This is my first year Elk hunting, this thread was depressing. I am going to try to hunt midweek and avoid opening weekend

 

[MallardSX2]

Jackson man hospitalized after hunting dispute

A Jackson man was severely injured along the Greys River Road on Saturday evening when two unidentified men beat him up during a hunting excursion.

www.jhnewsandguide.com

There’s a hell of a lot more to that story. You can bet your ass on that.

 

[taskswap]

This is my first year Elk hunting, this thread was depressing. I am going to try to hunt midweek and avoid opening weekend

I have never found a more detestable group of people than the mildest "nasty" gulch elk like to hide out in.

Some humans are frustrating. Some are so insanely helpful it's almost hard to wrap your head around how far they're willing to go to help you. Drag your ass up a nearly-vertical gully wall with an unwieldy bull head on your back, threatening to pull you backward with every bush it catches on, and humans will be the least of your worries.

Elk hunting is hard. If you want it, get after it.

 

[Coveyleader]

It’s gotten so bad out in some areas in OTC I hate packing elk out through or around people as the questions begin. “Hey you need help packing” no, I’m good!

 

[wytx]

There’s a hell of a lot more to that story. You can bet your ass on that.

It isn't pretty.

Elk Hunting Confrontation Ends with Assault and Robbery

Two men have been charged with theft, aggravated assault, and battery stemming from an incident that took place on Oct. 15 in the Shale Creek area of Greys River, Wyoming. Jared Michael Olguin, 35, of Elizabeth, Colorado, and Shea Patrice Sanchez, 30, of Green River, Wyoming, are accused of...

www.themeateater.com

 

[Aerosith]

In 2024 I drew a decent 2nd archery elk tag in NM.

The 3rd day of season I packed deep into a spot, I spotted a 260" type bull at first light. Then the weather went to crap after I set up camp to get out of the rain, I was completely exposed and had to run 6 miles to the truck to avoid getting struck by lightning.

I ended up getting sick and had a foot infection. 2 days later I started feeling better and packed back in there to check my gear and continue hunting. I caught up to a deer hunter packing into the same spot. We spoke for awhile and ended up camping near each other. We decided to glass together that evening when another hunter showed up at our spot. This new hunter was also hunting elk, we all got along well and the 3 of us all glassed together for the rest of that evening. The new elk hunter spotted a 310" type bull about 3 miles away. We agreed that the first person that spots a bull gets to decide if they want to pursue it or no. He was undecided if he wanted to pursue or not, but we would make a decision in the morning. That next morning we all got together again, the new elk hunter spotted a 380" bull pushing about 15 cows up a steep ridge. He spotted it first so he gets first opportunity, we all teamed up together 3 random dudes who never met each other until the day before. I helped the other elk hunter get into 50yds of the 380" 8x7 bull 2 times but he could not get a shot off or the wind busted him.

Unfortunately the bull was never seen again after the second attempt, it was clear that the bull was gone and a couple days later we all packed out. We all split our ways but stayed in touch. The other elk hunter ended up killing a decent bull on the last day, and I missed a 330" type bull on the last day because the arrow deflected off a branch.

We are now best friends and talk most days, we also have several hunts planned this year. I realized that even hunting competition can create great friendships if you handle things the right way and have respect. It was extremely hard resisting the urge to disregard him and chase that bull, but I made the right decision and we will be life long buddies.

 

[ianpadron]

Man, I'm glad I hunt where I do. Seems every fella I run into turns into a buddy haha.

Can't say I've ever had a negative interaction aside from a guy archery hunting last year that blew up my stalk on a bull blowing the worst sounding call I've ever heard.

 

[CoastalOR]

It is an unfortunate reality becasue hunters have so much more in common with eachother than 99% of the population but the competiveness of the hunt throws all that out the window. Big missed opportunity

 

[HilltopHitman]

It doesn’t exist.

 

[Marble]

This is my first year Elk hunting, this thread was depressing. I am going to try to hunt midweek and avoid opening weekend

I rarely have a bad encounter with a hunter. My comments are from 30 years of hunting, so keep that in mind. Ninety percent or more of the guys I run into are awesome to deal with. For example, last year on opening day in Colorado, I got to the top of the ridge an hour before shooting time. Over the next hour, we counted nine hunters total (three in my group). All of them were very nice and somewhat disappointed.

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[Marble]

There’s a hell of a lot more to that story. You can bet your ass on that.

One time I had a guy start cleaning my bull. I had shot it in the back of the head, splitting it antlers and then slit it's neck to bleed it out. Went 200 yards away to butcher the cow I had also shot. Woke cleaning the cow, a gun shot came from where my bull was. Got there an hour later and a guy was cleaning my bull. No major altercation, but it was very clear the bull had already been found, throat slit and partially staged for butchering.

I knew of the guy working on my bull and he was a grade A jackass.

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[MallardSX2]

One time I had a guy start cleaning my bull. I had shot it in the back of the head, splitting it antlers and then slit it's neck to bleed it out. Went 200 yards away to butcher the cow I had also shot. Woke cleaning the cow, a gun shot came from where my bull was. Got there an hour later and a guy was cleaning my bull. No major altercation, but it was very clear the bull had already been found, throat slit and partially staged for butchering.

I knew of the guy working on my bull and he was a grade A jackass.

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Unreal, I wonder what the gunshot was about? lol

 

[hudson19]

Its so bad we do everything possible to get away from other hunters