elk hunt - archery or rifle

[TheHammer]

September only comes once a year and it is captivating!!! It’s always a long 20+hr drive home, mentally planning n preparing for next season. A man only has so many September’s to live! My only regret was not using them sooner. Obviously archery gets my vote, especially in the scenario you listed. Sounds like a dream for the ages!

 

[Still Hunter]

Too many archery hunters! Rifle hunting is the way to go.

 

[Sammymusi]

I’m gonna second archery , I’ve been to Montana on public in 2020 and it was awesome, had bulls but just the wrong set ups and winds. Went to Wyoming public 2022 and killed my first bull with a bow at 17 yrds. It was freaking epic. To me shooting an animal at 200 to 500 yrds doesn’t do justice compared to getting up close and personal with a bow.

 

[EVD]

You could consider a middle path of muzzy, though I cringe a little typing that. Usually there are a couple times each archery season where there is no shot with a bow, but a muzzle loader would have had the reach (or possibly Cam Hanes).

Just make sure and practice! Over the years, have found several elk hit and never recovered by muzzy hunters.

 

[jpe5714]

Archery hunting sucks...until you kill one!
Then you won't want to ever hunt with a rifle again!

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[Binz17]

I did quite a few years of archery, shot a couple. Lately been going rifle, something about the snow, cold and a hot tent makes it my favorite at least for now.

 

[Ross]

If private access and september what is the question

 

[DanimalW]

Archery

 

[WBrim]

Like said above, success rates are going to be higher with a rifle, but you get such an incredible experience with archery.
If you are picky, maybe go rifle. As long as you’re not out for something very specific, I would go archery.

 

[Mish-pop]

I vote archery for closer encounters that are expected, hearing those bugles, and having private without the pressure will make your odds increase greatly!