Elk the “Golden Goose”?

[cole96]

For me, elk has always been the ultimate animal. I think sheep and stuff are cool too just so incredibly expensive. But elk are an icon. At least for us east of the Mississippi. Whitetail are not nearly as smart or finicky as the elk I experienced, but that’s my opinion.

To me they’re just the ultimate. Not sitting in a stand, the bugle, the size, the country. All of it

 

[D_wit22]

For me, elk has always been the ultimate animal. I think sheep and stuff are cool too just so incredibly expensive. But elk are an icon. At least for us east of the Mississippi. Whitetail are not nearly as smart or finicky as the elk I experienced, but that’s my opinion.

To me they’re just the ultimate. Not sitting in a stand, the bugle, the size, the country. All of it

I agree…except if you want to experience smart whitetail, come on over to my area. I’ll be glad to show you some

 

[StupidLightweight]

I agree…except if you want to experience smart whitetail, come on over to my area. I’ll be glad to show you some

 

[HenDawg3]

The fact that CO issues OTC tags for bull elk and a HUGE number of non-residents come out in a pretty big group and only a few have the fortitude and experience to hunt hard and have success is what skews the success rate numbers. For example where I hunt 3rd or 4th season cow hunts in otc bull units there are many groups of out of state hunters. If there are 10 guys in camp only 3 or 4 are even out there hunting every day. It is like a cool vacation and camping trip. I would 100% be into that with a good group of buddies. It is fun and not everyone can or wants to grind every day. If a couple elk come home they prob have a split among the group.

Not trying to be high and mighty at all - just a possible explanation of why the numbers look so dismal (factoring in NR hunters out here on camp trip). I personally do not think elk hunting is easy and would never be so arrogant. Some years I am in elk every day and eventually close the deal. Some years I don't see an elk. Weather and pressure vary each year and I have gotten lucky the last few.

You’re completely right, and rheees ko fault to it most people are just out there to have a vacation in the woods and be away. Majority of people aren’t pressing to kill or doing as much research and such as some other. Most people want to just be in the beautiful backcountry and away from the daily stresses of life they aren’t pressing to kill an elk or worried about it. Which there’s nothing wrong with it, just statistics can be jaded according to ehat the unit holds and who is hunting it. Just being in the country during those times is enough to make people want to be out whether it’s the worry free attitude of being out there and not worrying about your work phone, or catching fish and cooking over a fire or whatever it is. I enjoy all those things. My success has just come from something to push me to another level of shape and achieving something and also non resident tag and price bringing back some of the best meat you can find. That’s even as someone who raises and butchers cattle, you can’t beat it.

 

[HenDawg3]

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Whitetail are flighty, they’re hard to hunt and the big boys don’t really show themselves how you think even during the rut but they’re easier to pattern. Elk are just a different animal on how much ground they can cover and how fast they can do it, how they know the mountain, etc. They’re the ultimate animal in in my opinion to chase not only due to how keen. They are but their migration habits and how they adapt and they move so fast plus you’ve to think about migration and tons of other things I could list but people would quite reading. They are a great animal to chase and it changes season to season which is another dynamic. Not to mention whether food or bullets they are tough as can be. I’ve seen a bull stand up and walk 5 yards and eat a bunch of bark off a tree and lay back down because he had pressure on him. It was pretty impressive