How realistic is weekend-only elk hunting?

[LandYacht]

Why wouldn't we be able to hunt Sundays?

Back east there are a few states left that it is still against the law.


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[ElkNut1]

Since living in the area & you are able to scout several times your odds just went way up! Find trails elk are using from possible feeding to bedding they'll be fresh tracks there, locate small watering holes, wallows & put a camera on them mid Aug & check them a few days before weekend opener. You'll find which ones elk are using right then! Place a treestand or create some sort of ground blind within your comfortable bowrange. Make sure you have the wind in your favor in your setup from where elk should come from. You should have no problem filling a tag once you locate areas elk are using. This can easily be accomplished less than one mile from a road, dirt or paved. Your scouting will find many suitable camera spots!

Look for spots like this!

ElkNut1

 

[bz_711]

I would trade weekend only hunting for the only 5 days I get each year living close to 1000 miles away. Enjoy getting to hunt a little in each phase of the season...once you get one down (or even get to help someone else pack an elk out) you will have the confidence you need to hunt up until late mornings on Sundays. You can do it.

Good Luck!

 

[avluey]

Look for spots like this!

ElkNut1

LOL - yes...if you find a spot like that do not ignore it!!!

I've hunted elk for several years using 7-10 days of vacation but am also moving to elk country this summer (Idaho). New job where I'm not sure yet what my opportunities will be to take a full week during the Fall. My guess is I'll also be primarily a weekend hunter. I'm hoping I'll be able to block several days off in a row, but I'm also looking forward to being able to scout all Summer!

 

[Felix1776]

Thanks a lot for all of the encouragement. I'm glad to know this is going to be doable.

 

[Bar]

Call in sick on Fri and Mon.

 

[beachbunny]

back east it really is not allowed

 

[Jon Boy]

Certainly doable. I did it all through college. I never did fill an elk tag then but I learned a wealth of knowledge on elk and areas to hunt and had a few shot opportunities that I screwed up. I would go into it with mind set that you may not fill a tag but will certainly learn a lot that will be very useful down the road. When I finally did get to take time off it didn't take very long to fill the tags. Last year I filled both of my elk tags in a day and a half. This year I had 3 shot opportunities in the first 2 days that I opted to pass. Get out and hunt hard, good luck!!

 

[5MilesBack]

It's doable, especially if you have no vacation time. It's a pain with all the driving back and forth, but doable. In 2009 I had surgery for a detached retina two days before the season started. So I missed the entire season........until my last appt the Wed before the season was over, and the doctor said I could go. So I loaded up the truck and headed out Friday morning. Set up camp and ate lunch, and shot a 6x6 10 minutes into my afternoon hunt that day just a couple hundred yards from the truck.

 

[DEHusker]

We have all been there.
Start testing the water at work to see if you can 'flex' your time.
Ask your boss if you can start earlier or work later and use that time on a Friday/Monday

If you're archery hunting, the 2nd weekend of season is Labor Day.
Thats 2 1/2 days right there.

It only takes a minute or two to kill an elk.

Sept 4 of 2015, I shot 2 elk with my bow in 20 minutes. And the pack to the truck was 200yds.
So yes, short hunts can happen


Archery Elk 2015 movie - YouTube

I'd say this qualifies as a "honey hole!!" LOL. Great story...and only 200yrds from the truck? Amazing....Cool video too.

 

[LongWayAround]

I had my best hunt of the archery season on a weekend only trip.

I got off work Friday, loaded up, and drove late into the night. I slept in my truck bed and struck out the next morning. That evening i located a herd and was able to get in on them Sunday morning. I had committed to only packing out a bull given the distance and time constraints (plus I had a full week of vacation coming up). I drew twice on him but couldn't get a clear shot through the dense vegetation. His cows passed by me at 10-12 steps, feeding through aspen saplings.

A better bowhunter would have killed that bull but I'm still climbing the curve. Anyway, one of the most intense hunts I've had wouldn't have happened if I said it was too far for not enough time.

 

[Felix1776]

It's doable, especially if you have no vacation time. It's a pain with all the driving back and forth, but doable. In 2009 I had surgery for a detached retina two days before the season started. So I missed the entire season........until my last appt the Wed before the season was over, and the doctor said I could go. So I loaded up the truck and headed out Friday morning. Set up camp and ate lunch, and shot a 6x6 10 minutes into my afternoon hunt that day just a couple hundred yards from the truck.

Doesn't get much better than that. Too bad you missed so much time in the field though.