How many years before you got your first bull?

[Mattg1720]

Great info guys, this is my first year elk hunting so I’m soaking up all the knowledge from you guys!

 

[Brian Fahs]

As a pennsylvania resident I've only ever hunted elk one time. Drew a new mexico unit 16E bow tag way back in 1999. Killed a 6x7 bull on my second day of hunt out in the grasslands. Hunted diy with my cousin who had hunted elk quite a bit. I had the bull mounted and my wife said that's nice but we don't need any more of those in our small home.......lol.
It was a fun experience, I had no idea how fortunate at the time I was to draw such a tag and kill such a bull.

 

[deerhunt1988]

First elk hunt last year on a good archery NM tag. Closed the deal on day 4 and drew back on bulls every day. Headed to WY on a general tag this year and have ~11 full days of hunting. Fully expect to be successful again.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Growing up we mainly hunted Saturdays because my dad had work all week, and we didn't miss church. That said, I took two cows before I turned 21, and killed my first bull with a longbow at 21 years old. So I guess that would have been 9 years? I know it was 7 years of archery seasons.

Don't do what I did, and only hunt a few weekends a year. If you give it hell for a week or more in an area with elk you have much higher odds. And as you gain experience those odds just get better.

 

[MattCO]

My first elk was a bull, 3rd year hunting. That was 5ish years ago, haven't gotten another bull, but have gotten 2 cows and 3 bucks. Nothing last year, working on changing that for this year.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

About 3 days, my first couple of years I wanted the meat and to be successful so I went with rifle seasons. Traveling 20 hours across the country with a bow just doesn’t make sense to me if you really want an elk unless you’re an expert at archery and calling elk.

 

[Gerbdog]

About 3 days, my first couple of years I wanted the meat and to be successful so I went with rifle seasons. Traveling 20 hours across the country with a bow just doesn’t make sense to me if you really want an elk unless you’re an expert at archery and calling elk.

Archery is just icing on the elk hunting cake, its a hobby all on its own! I love it as much as I love being in the woods

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Archery is just icing on the elk hunting cake, its a hobby all on its own! I love it as much as I love being in the woods

Totally agree. Its on another level, I just prefer to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible and that is with a rifle. I archery hunt mule deer because Its close by, but out of state hunts I bring the rifle for now. Once I live in an elk state it will be a different story....

 

[Gerbdog]

Totally agree. Its on another level, I just prefer to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible and that is with a rifle. I archery hunt mule deer because Its close by, but out of state hunts I bring the rifle for now. Once I live in an elk state it will be a different story....

Yea I can totally get it, the odds are bad enough as is without adding another element on top of it, good luck this year and may as well come out to the elk states with the rest of us

 

[Tony8108]

I started hunting elk 4 years ago, I have been lucky enough to get one with a bow all 4 years in Montana. Headed back out this year.

 

[Finch]

Shoulder shot and did not recover a nice bull last year which was my 3rd year hunting out west. Going back next month to actually try and seal the deal. Good luck!

 

[Lefty26]

I killed my first bull on my second day ever elk hunting, a 300” 6x6. That was last year, we will find out this year if I was really lucky or I’m good at elk hunting. I’m leaning towards really lucky.....

 

[HankNM]

1st hunt,1st morning, 50 yards from camp. 5x5. Back in 75'.
Did have a 6 yrs tag eating period passing on 320+ bulls looking for Big Hank....then got my 4th bull 600 yards from my front door 3 years ago. Nice 260 6x6. 1st morning of hunt.
LOL, that afternoon another Big Hank showed up to watch me bbq my trophy tenderloins. Lil 380ish guy...lol.
Lots of cows in between too.

 

[Deadfall]

10 percent of hunters harvest 90 percent of game...kind of an aging saying, but I think mostly true..

Question to ask youself...why is that true....why are success rates so low....why do some consistently fill tags when most dont....

What are the few doing, tgat the majority is not??? Answer that and your odds will raise dramatically...

P.s. just go horn hunting and take your bow for a walk...

 

[Rangerpants]

My one any only time hunting bulls, I got a spike on day 12 of a 13 day rifle hunt. I learned a lot and am hoping to move up in the world this year. I think persistence is the main reason I connected, but luck definitely helps!

 

[ElCapitan]

got lucky on my first trip but i would say everything fell into place for me. i had a few blown encounters with no shots before i got it done. my advice would be to slow down and focus on water if you are hesitant or inexperienced with hunting in general. i have experience with muzzle and rifle but was new to bow at the time. the more i hunt the slower and more efficient i am. if you dont see elk or fresh sign dont be afraid to move locations.

good luck!

 

[Wheels]

Killed my first bull on my 3rd hunt out west over 25 years ago and a few since. Strictly archery hunted for elk, and for the most part in trophy units ever since. Don’t go as often as I would like, but have had some incredible encounters and retiring soon, so plan on cashing in points in a few states and then I’ll go OTC after that. Since that first bull, I can honestly say that I could have killed a legal bull on every hunt I’ve had, but in the areas I’ve hunted, it’s hard to end a hunt when you don’t know what’s over the hill, and I’m fine with eating a tag for the experience.

 

[Bugle2me]

I shot my first bull the second day of season when I was 12. Killed my second on opening day when I was 13. Did not kill another till I was 19. Killed my last one at 47. With 10 bulls and 3 cows scattered in between. I had a gap in there from 1999-2008 where I only killed 1 bull and 3 cows. From 2009-2019 I killed 7 bulls. In the mid 90’s my hearing started to get bad. Got hearing aids in 2006 but didn’t get them quite tuned right till 2009. Most of them have been archery. My next bull will be 2021. Or so I think.

 

[Praxeus]

First year out...archery 6X6.....Wolves were in the area. Had a lot of help from above.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Even as a resident it took me years to get it done, especially in general areas. However once the first bull was killed they kept coming every year.