Looking for some opinions but some background first.
I've been hunting elk for 5 years now. I've filled tags with the rifle but the last couple years have been focused on archery. I'd say out of all the hunting in the last 2 years that I've had close encounters 1/3 to 1/2 of the days in the field. By that I mean, a bull at 80 yds, a bull at 60 yds, etc. I've never had a shot but have been very close and most of the time get winded and the game is over. Last year I had bulls at 60 yds or less 5 out of 12 days but never a shot. Each of those 5 times the wind swirled and the game was over before a shot presented itself. These are all spot and stalk instances. Calling just hasn't seemed to work for me for some reason. Not yet anyways. Either the elk couldn't care less that I'm calling or it tends to push them away. And most of the time I'm talking early to mid September so maybe calling isn't the best approach just yet. Bottom line...I feel like I'm good at finding them and I'm getting chances but it just hasn't been my time yet.
So last year we run into a local guy in the area we've been archery hunting the last 2 years. This area is steeper than most I'd say. It's known to be steep. I'm not afraid of steep. Anyways, as we're talking to this guy he says all the odds are stacked against us because we are learning to archery hunt elk in the steepest of steep terrain. His argument is that maybe we should be getting some kills under our belt in less steep terrain. His suggestion was to move to another state to improve our odds. His theory is in less steep terrain the winds will be a little less erradic and improve our odds when an opportunity is there. I kind of call BS on this myself but thought I'd reach out and see what the rokslide experts have to say.
My reason for bringing this up now is because I'm toying with the idea of trying a new area in a new state this year. Do I stick with my current area that I am learning well and finding elk almost daily in multiple locations but where it's steep and the swirling winds seems to keep going against me? Or do I switch areas and look for something with a little more rolling terrain? I'm leaning towards sticking with the spot I have experience with. My thought is I'm blowing my opportunities probably more because I'm jumping in too close at the wrong time and I just haven't figured it out yet. Not to mention others are filling tags in these areas so that kind of blows the theory right there, right?
Any thoughts? Is this advice a line of BS or is there some sort of truth to it?
I've been hunting elk for 5 years now. I've filled tags with the rifle but the last couple years have been focused on archery. I'd say out of all the hunting in the last 2 years that I've had close encounters 1/3 to 1/2 of the days in the field. By that I mean, a bull at 80 yds, a bull at 60 yds, etc. I've never had a shot but have been very close and most of the time get winded and the game is over. Last year I had bulls at 60 yds or less 5 out of 12 days but never a shot. Each of those 5 times the wind swirled and the game was over before a shot presented itself. These are all spot and stalk instances. Calling just hasn't seemed to work for me for some reason. Not yet anyways. Either the elk couldn't care less that I'm calling or it tends to push them away. And most of the time I'm talking early to mid September so maybe calling isn't the best approach just yet. Bottom line...I feel like I'm good at finding them and I'm getting chances but it just hasn't been my time yet.
So last year we run into a local guy in the area we've been archery hunting the last 2 years. This area is steeper than most I'd say. It's known to be steep. I'm not afraid of steep. Anyways, as we're talking to this guy he says all the odds are stacked against us because we are learning to archery hunt elk in the steepest of steep terrain. His argument is that maybe we should be getting some kills under our belt in less steep terrain. His suggestion was to move to another state to improve our odds. His theory is in less steep terrain the winds will be a little less erradic and improve our odds when an opportunity is there. I kind of call BS on this myself but thought I'd reach out and see what the rokslide experts have to say.
My reason for bringing this up now is because I'm toying with the idea of trying a new area in a new state this year. Do I stick with my current area that I am learning well and finding elk almost daily in multiple locations but where it's steep and the swirling winds seems to keep going against me? Or do I switch areas and look for something with a little more rolling terrain? I'm leaning towards sticking with the spot I have experience with. My thought is I'm blowing my opportunities probably more because I'm jumping in too close at the wrong time and I just haven't figured it out yet. Not to mention others are filling tags in these areas so that kind of blows the theory right there, right?
Any thoughts? Is this advice a line of BS or is there some sort of truth to it?
