elk hunt - archery or rifle

mdfanatic1980

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 8, 2016
Messages
128
Location
Abilene, TX
Hello All

I'm having trouble making up my mind on rifle vs bow elk hunt. I've gone on 2 elk hunts, headed out for my 3rd. On my prior 2 attempts, I've taken one nice bull in Nevada with rifle. This will be a guided hunt. I've not gone with archery gear before for elk, so this would be my first. I can't decide to go that route, or go a later rifle season. The archery would be on private ground and the rifle would be on public; which for this unit is the way it usually works out best.

Thoughts? Tips?
 

Finn16

WKR
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May 9, 2017
Messages
313
Location
Seldom Seen Saddle
If filling a tag is your goal, go rifle. If the experience itself is more important, go archery. Archery will provide screaming bulls and close encounters but not always the shot opportunity even when bulls are in range. Being able to locate bulls by their bugling is an exciting part of the hunt and greatly increases the odds you will be into elk daily. Being on private for the archery hunt, is an advantage as well. September weather and fall foliage are the cherry on top. For all these reasons and being you have already killed a bull with your rifle, I'd go archery.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
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Colorado Springs
I rifle hunted for 25 years, and have bowhunted for 17. IMO it's not even a question........go archery. I killed a lot of elk during rifle, but I've also killed a lot of elk during archery. And September hunting is so much more fun for me, and getting on bigger bulls more frequently through the season seems to be more the norm than during rifle. So I guess if you want the bigger challenge with less fun, then go later rifle.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
2,032
I’m an archery guy so I would choose that. If you enjoy rifle then hunt that. I would say it’s more about the way YOU like to hunt. It would be tough to go archery if that’s not what you enjoy or vise versa.
 
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
348
Well in my limited experience you may see more elk in archery and they are typically vocal which can lead to more sightings.

Rifle hunting (post rut) can be a challenge. If you or your outfitter do not know where they are or their migration routes, you could be in for a long week.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 

Fullfan

WKR
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
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971
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Nw/Pa
Rifle hunted elk for many years. Just started bow hunting them 10 years ago. I wish I would have made the switch 35 years ago.
 

failwagon

FNG
Joined
Jan 26, 2023
Messages
9
I would also error toward whichever opportunity will yield a better chance at filling your tag in the specific scenario
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2022
Messages
52
Location
Wyoming
Hello All

I'm having trouble making up my mind on rifle vs bow elk hunt. I've gone on 2 elk hunts, headed out for my 3rd. On my prior 2 attempts, I've taken one nice bull in Nevada with rifle. This will be a guided hunt. I've not gone with archery gear before for elk, so this would be my first. I can't decide to go that route, or go a later rifle season. The archery would be on private ground and the rifle would be on public; which for this unit is the way it usually works out best.

Thoughts? Tips?
The private land would be a game changer IF they were on that private land all year long. But, something about being in the mountains in September with perfect weather, elk talking, cooling your feet in a stream and watching little brookies swim around AND having a awesome base camp set up has a nostalgic feeling to it.

Late season rifle can be tricky too, Elk like to retreat to private land and hard to get to areas. They wont be talking as much, weather will be brutal. But, you find those pockets and you could be rewarded. If your gear is top notch, rifle will be fun too. But, if your gear fails you and you're cold at night; it will be miserable. Ask me how I know.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
Numbers don’t lie. Success rates are higher with a rifle for obvious reasons. So… for fun archery, for better chances of punching your tag rifle.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2022
Messages
52
Location
Wyoming
Numbers don’t lie. Success rates are higher with a rifle for obvious reasons. So… for fun archery, for better chances of punching your tag rifle.
I don't disagree with you, but, I would love to know what percent of those rifle tags were filled on private land, wouldn't you?
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
I don't disagree with you, but, I would love to know what percent of those rifle tags were filled on private land, wouldn't you?
I don’t think about that. I’m sure archery tags are filled on private too. Regardless across the board success is always higher with a gun.
 

Fullfan

WKR
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
971
Location
Nw/Pa
I have done both, My elk rifles have not moved from the safe for the past 10 years. Have you ever called in a spring gobbler ? If so now imagine that gobbler weighing 800 pounds w horns...
 
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