How can I become a better hunter?

[corey006]

I forgot to add ..

In early/pre rut....

Try raking alone with no calls.

I have had responses by Bulls simply raking....but seems to work best in early rut.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

There’s always one.

maybe if you took the time to actually read my thread you would’ve seen that I got to work and put in over 100 miles with no luck. I’m just trying to avoid doing the same thing if I’m doing it in the wrong way.

Sounds like you're walking not hunting. Hunting involves walking, but walking isn't always hunting.

10% of the guys account for 90% of the harvest every year. Some guys get lucky, but the consistent killers often have these qualities:

1. They don't quit. They don't complain about blown opportunities, or not seeing shit. They switch spots, they keep going. They remind themselves it just takes a few seconds for it all to turn good.
Don't stay somewhere you're not getting into animals. If you haven't been into elk for 2-3 days it's time for plan B.

2. They often put more time into the preseason work than the actual hunt. There is definitely guys who just have very good spots and sometimes just seem to have all the luck. That's definitely a thing, but the preseason work makes it so that luck is far less of a factor.

Then after spending that much time working on patterning their main area. It translates to being able to find target species in any unit because the knowledge is mostly universal.
The only reason to not already have elk found before hunts is if you have to travel very far for the unit.

I arrowed a bull this week. It took me 6 days. I spent far more time than that scouting and patterning different areas all year.
Hiking cameras, and countless hours glassing. I can't tell you exact miles, but I've already almost ruined a pair of new salewa boots before the season even started.
People say "oh you killed quick." But don't see all the work that went into figuring out plans A-Z that lead to success.

No one will magically make you better at hunting. It's time spent and attitude. Enjoy the process. Learn new areas, learn animal behaviour, and don't be afraid to fail over and over. It only takes one brief encounter to change the tide.

 

[trophyhill]

Yeah. It's almost like I was doing that by asking others with more experience how I might improve. Nowhere did I bitch with an "I can't" attitude. I asked how I can. But you'd have to have spent more than 5 seconds reading to know that, so I understand your mistake. Even though the title is literally "How can I become a better hunter."

Ok so I didn’t get past the first sentence “I still suck” and “I’m wasting my time”. That came off as “poor poor pitiful me”. Thus the reason for my comment. However after going back and reading the op, I know it’s hard to hear, but you seem beaten.

covering ground up to 100 miles does not make one necessarily a successful hunter. Neither You or I are Corey or Snyder. Or 5MB. There are days I cover 10-12 miles when I feel it’s warranted, and days I will sit on the fringe of a bedding area waiting for the elk to get up and start doing what they do.

You are undoubtedly passing up a ton of elk on your way to doing that 100 miles. Slow down, read sign, learn how, when, where or if to call, and more importantly where the elk are and like to be. I’m certainly no great elk killer and have asked a bunch of stupid questions over the years but, I will never let a blown opportunity or failed opportunities or not seeing elk get me down in the dumps. The second you you let that happen you could have another opportunity staring you in the face but you’ll blow that because you are looking at the ground feeling sorry for yourself about what just happened and suddenly you blew 2 opportunities.

you have to have your head on a swivel, and have a short memory in the elk woods.

 

[Fatcamp]

Remember, Randy Newberg hunted elk for a long time before killing one. Some things take time

 

[Bigcat_hunter]

Interested in why. Do the bucks all congregate somewhere fairly far away until the rut? Is it based on a different type of food source, bedding, topography, etc?

Poach how? Hunt private land? I highly doubt that's the case as the guy is law enforcement. I have no reason to believe he's lying about hunting public lands because he talks about drawing controlled hunts or being stuck on public land(usually the latter). His mounts and pile of skulls that "didn't make the wall" don't lie. I physically see the animals he took as well as pictures of one's he either passed on or had a family member take instead.


Maybe he's just gods gift to public land hunting and I should stop using him as a reference.

Well I suppose which state you are in would make a difference. Oregon hunting is basically walking around in the woods with a weapon until luck happens. It’s tough hunting silent cagey elk. Some dudes get stuff every year but like I say, I’m suspicious. Especially if he is a cop. Some cops are above the law. I remember a sherif got fought poaching. It was his land but he just went out and killed whenever he felt like it.
Private land is a whole different matter. I could pay $1300 a year and hunt private and almost guarantee that I would kill every year. I’ve hunted some pretty awesome private in Oregon. It’s just too expensive for me. If someukills a bull and Nick every year in Oregon they are either a super hero hunter or a poacher in my opinion. Your buddy may be a super hero. I wouldn’t base any typed his success.

Edit- I have auto correct on and am too lazy to correct the post.

 

[TheGDog]

When you are at a particular location/area... are you executing your actions such that... when the end of each day comes... you feel confident that you've executed all the possible actions or tactics you pre-thought about before you travelled into there?

In other words, I hear you talking about all these miles put in... but over those miles you traversed.. do you feel confident that IF there was an Elk to be seen in there... that you'd have for sure seen it?

If the answer is YES.. well... then it just means that maybe right now.. where you're at... they just aren't picking to be in there at the moment.

Sounds like you've got the right mental preparedness to commit to logging as much distance as is needed. So to add to that I'd just say try to make sure you feel pretty certain that the area you are now trying to hunt... that you feel pretty certain that it's activity is dead. That there are none of the game animals I'm looking for here, at least not right now anyway.

All you can do is take the steps to ensure you'll be confident in the steps you have already taken. Did you execute them in such a way that Elk could NOT have given you the slip without you knowing it? If so.. well.. then it's time to move along and pick a new spot and start over.

Also when you mentioned Calling for a while... moving a little more... calling some more.

Like when it comes to predators... they tell you give it at least 10-15 minutes after calling has stopped before you begin to pack it all up and move. So let's say 30min calling....+ 15 to let things calm back down in that area.

Then... when it comes to moving to another area within that spot... are you trying to be Ninja Quiet while moving it over to the new spot? I'm asking because... from having been on sits where humans have passed by without them knowing I was there... oh man.... humans are soo crazy loud in the forest most of the time it's not even funny.

What ever you do.. don't quit man. That day you connect again will be glorious!

And I feel you too... because you've had that prior success.. it's like this compulsion that won't leave you alone now.. because now your psyche has a taste of what's possible, and that You actually Can do this! I'm currently in a slump like that regarding coyotes. Sometimes ya just gotta grind out the work only to be able to know that you've given it maximum effort over here and here... so now it must be time to try over there.

That reminds me of another thought. While you're there... have you seen any other sign that might make you think there's a high number of predators there lately and maybe THAT'S why you're not seeing any specimens yet?

What about your TrailCams? Are you in a state that allows them?

 

[TheGDog]

2. They often put more time into the preseason work than the actual hunt. There is definitely guys who just have very good spots and sometimes just seem to have all the luck. That's definitely a thing, but the preseason work makes it so that luck is far less of a factor.

^^^THIS!!!

The idea of the scouting all thru out the year and leading up to go time is that it's supposed to be... these scouting activities should end up giving you both sign AND _sightings_ , laying eyes on, so that you know for sure they at least were in there on that prior day you were in there.

The less work you want it to be, come hunting season... the more work you gotta put in off season.

You spoke of not seeing deer bucks. The first 1yr and 13days of jumping in to giving this deer hunting thing a go... I scouted minimum 2 weekend every month, usually 4 weekends each month that whole time.

I saw like 25 does across 3 different zones.. and NEVER saw a buck... EVER... until the day I finally took one. (in THEE lowest success rate zone in the state of CA)

One of the biggest reasons I finally got to see that buck and take him home with me? I committed to remaining on-point and ready... on my sit... until last legal light. 10 minutes prior I had contemplated calling it for that evening. But then the logical side of my brain kicked in and said "No G... stay til the last possible moment... that way you'll be able to know you did as much as you possibly could have." Cause you don't wanna have that doubt in your mind that you could have potentially taken a choice that thwarted your own success.

So I decided to try to be patient and wait some more. About 10 min later, I got that nagging feeling again and "Bump this man, haven't seen anything the whole day!" I got up from where I was sitting in this rock out-cropping and was about to put away a Tripod stool I wasn't using. With the "Rip!" of the velcro... I heard game sound! Froze... slowly looked in direction of sound. I see body and booty sticking out from behind a tree. From seeing all these other 25 Does... I'm like... Oh sh*t... I think that might be a buck! The butt muscles look substantially more beefy.

So I Ninja Quiet got myself under the rifle and aimed at that tree at about shoulder height.

Waiting and Waiting and waiting.... then?... he takes two steps...now? Just head and neck visible.. everything else is now behind this tree.. and he's staring dead at me! Doh!

First ever big game animal. Debating with myself should I try for headshot? Only 40yds, likely could do it.. but told myself... no.. no G... just wait... don't risk it. He could move last second and ya blow his jaw off.

At the very least... tell yourself no matter what that you got to be outside at least and got out from within those 4 walls! Our mental state can greatly influence our persistence.

 

[Doc Holliday]

... It's a real kick in the balls seeing this guy never come back empty handed from public land hunts. That makes me think I'm clearly messing up big time somehow. And it doesn't matter if it's elk, deer, or pronghorn. He's not just 100% successful, he's also very selective.

"Comparison is the thief of joy"

 

[fatlander]

Ask someone that knows what they’re doing to come to YOUR areas and show you the ropes. If they don’t want to hunt there, you’ve found your answer.


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[id_jon]

There's a reason some trailheads are full of the same pickups every elk season. I do my best to avoid other hunters as well, but at this point in time, if an area has zero other hunting pressure, it probably sucks.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

"Comparison is the thief of joy"

100%!

It can be hard, but worrying about other people's success only ***** up our own.

 

[mtwarden]

You don’t need the perfect, high tech camo, bow, the most popular call or a Nirvana drainage. You need some animals and perseverance.

this pretty sums up what I was going to say; lots of guys go at it hard for a couple of days, but it's hard to go at hard for weeks (Montana rifle season is five weeks long), but the pay off is usually (but not always) an elk in the freezer

perseverance- easy to say, hard to do

 

[DeePow]

Disappointing to see units I know screenshotted on here. In the future, make it less obvious.

The area you are hunting is getting an immense amount of pressure, even if you are “off trail”, the elk get pushed all over. Two years ago I did some preseason scouting the weekend before opener in one of your highlighted areas, saw two herds and my buddy and I took a chance opening weekend but there were four other trucks at the trailhead. Keep changing areas / units until you find them.

This area is booming because of COVID, as is hunting. Hopefully to a degree it is a phase with people having you experience and adopting your perspective. Success will come if you keep at it though.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Interested in why. Do the bucks all congregate somewhere fairly far away until the rut? Is it based on a different type of food source, bedding, topography, etc?

Poach how? Hunt private land? I highly doubt that's the case as the guy is law enforcement. I have no reason to believe he's lying about hunting public lands because he talks about drawing controlled hunts or being stuck on public land(usually the latter). His mounts and pile of skulls that "didn't make the wall" don't lie. I physically see the animals he took as well as pictures of one's he either passed on or had a family member take instead.


Maybe he's just gods gift to public land hunting and I should stop using him as a reference.

Have you put a tracker on the underside of his rig?
Seriously though I agree with finding a mentor, visit with your neighbor about the micro details, north slope, plant community, water etc.
when I was tagging along as a kid, dad would stop routinely and ask me what I saw. He wanted me looking at the small details. He would show me tracks, why do you think he went that way kind of thing.
I killed my first elk in 1967, I am still hunting that same area, kinda got it figured out, that helps. I have two neighbors who are are or were wildlife bios for the state, great sources of info, the better half was a field research scientist for the Forrest Service. Tons of little data from those mentors.
I also think your neighbor has found one of those spots. They do exist,
If your area is an average success in the mid teens or better, you need to get to know it better on a micro scale and things will come together.

 

[ElGuapo]

Definitely finding a good Mentor would cut way down on the learning curve. I started Mentoring adult friends through the years, that weren’t fortunate to grow up in the outdoors. It’s very gratifying to watch them grow in their skills and have those Aha moments…. Sadly, I think a lot of people don’t mentor others because of selfishness with their time or their “Spots”.

 

[Hall17]

Mentors - they can help you understand things more clearly than just reading forums
Scouting - the more scouting you do the better. You learn what good sign looks like over poor sign
Patience - even with perfect sign, etc. animals are animals and will trick you up
Real life experiences - the more you put yourself in good situations the better. Meaning this, the more you put yourself in front of animals the more you'll learn

 

[AaronMColeman]

I'm sorry I've missed a few posts in here. Here's what I think makes a great hunter. I have friends who will not sit still for more than 30 seconds and get an elk every year, I have friends who stalk the same monster year round and never come home empty handed.

- Scouting (pre-season and days before hunt): make sure you have some evidence elk are nearby, have been nearby recently, or use the area for passing through. I think most elk hunters make their first mistakes here. If you are in an area with no elk, who cares how good a hunter you are?
- Persistence: I've shot elk at first light, last light, and noon. Don't stop because of the time of day. Think about the elk's daily cycle and figure out where they may be during mid-day (plus see "scouting").
- Physical Conditioning: who cares where elk are if you can't get to them. Get yourself in the best shape you can so there are less places you can't get to.
- Pressure: know where other hunters are likely to be and use that to your advantage. sit in drainages they may push elk to, go in deeper than the average road hunter, do you best to zig when the other hunters are zagging.
- Learn about the species (year round). I spend all year admiring how amazing elk are, watching them when I can, and learning as much as I can so I can think like them. It's like military intelligence, the more you can predict the enemy's behavior, the better chance you have of beating them.

After all that, and maybe as a part of all that, calling is important. Not just being able to call, but knowing when not to, and knowing what the elk are saying when they call back. Those pieces will get you ahead of 95% of elk hunters.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Last thought, elk hunting is hard. I live where I hunt and I still can't find them sometimes. Don't be discouraged if you haven't seen much in 6 years. For most hunters that's really only 6 weeks in the woods. It's hard to become great at anything in 6 weeks spread over 6 years. More time and more scouting I think will be the keys to your success.

 

[Holocene]

Hunt where the animals are, not where you want them to be.

Find a mentor. You will learn more in one day with them than a year than hunting by yourself. This mentor should be someone who’s in that 10%. Make it worth their while.

Go on a guided hunt? You need to get good reps. Iterate. Feel what success is like and then repeat.

Ditch YouTube for a while. It generally isn’t a realistic depiction of what timing and nuance goes in to real hunting success. It’s like trying to pilot a jet because you watched Top Gun.

Keep at it. Some are slow learners. It might click one day. You might have an instinct for elk, deer, turkey — not all people hunt every species well. Sometimes you just sync with a certain animal. Write down your strengths and things you need to work on — spend most of your time fixing the weaknesses and see what happens.

Lastly, not everyone is good at hunting. Like not everyone is good at basketball, or golf, or organic chemistry, or writing essays. But if you enjoy it still, no reason to stop!

 

[sneaky]

Interested in why. Do the bucks all congregate somewhere fairly far away until the rut? Is it based on a different type of food source, bedding, topography, etc?

Poach how? Hunt private land? I highly doubt that's the case as the guy is law enforcement. I have no reason to believe he's lying about hunting public lands because he talks about drawing controlled hunts or being stuck on public land(usually the latter). His mounts and pile of skulls that "didn't make the wall" don't lie. I physically see the animals he took as well as pictures of one's he either passed on or had a family member take instead.


Maybe he's just gods gift to public land hunting and I should stop using him as a reference.

Him being law enforcement has nothing to do with him poaching or not poaching. I know a law enforcement guy who hunts with a known poacher every year...a poacher who has another court date coming up, along with his kids. The cop has hunted with them for over 15 years. Animals make people do stupid things.

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