Lessons learned this season

[canthitbombz]

Ctitus's post got me thinking. What are the lessons you learned from this year? I once had a great man tell me that he had never failed at anything, but he had plenty of lessons learned.

My two biggest lessons learned
1. Always be ready for " Go Time ". I had a bull bust me this year because I hadn't set up before I bugled at him. I bugled, he leapt a 4 foot downfall and came to kick my arse. I was still standing in the middle of the trail and he busted me because I had nothing to break up my outline either behind or in front of me.

2. After spraying Cow in heat on your preferred vessel ( boots, wick, arm guard..etc ). DO NOT under any circumstances...wipe your nose with the hand you just sprayed the urine with........ gagging noises tend to spook the elk.

 

[Gerbdog]

1. I wont walk into the area i suspect bulls will be, in the dark anymore... cant shoot whats sitting in there when its not shooting hours it turns out

2. Dont count on your brother to remember the bugle tube when you leave the truck

 

[MThuntr]

1) improve calling abilities...even though you think it sounds ok the guy on the other ridge can be heard laughing at distance

2) don't be too mobile. Sure staying in one spot is bad but trying to cover an entire mountain or unit will burn you out and you may have missed a quiet bugle.

3) don't be shy about calling...sometimes a little aggression (not too much though) makes a bull want to come investigate.

4) hunting with friends in a general unit is more fun than hunting alone in a special draw area

 

[Danny Hoey]

Put a second one in him....

 

[CAElkhunter]

It is always wise to not stop shooting until they drop.....They are tough bastards....many an elk have disappeared to the "I know I hit him good with the first shot, I don't want to ruin the meat...."

 

[deerhunt1988]

Just because you spook them a time or two doesn't mean they vacate the country. Was very surprised how tight the elk held to their areas even after hunting pressure kicked in. We took two out of a spot that been hunted every day for a week straight. Another spot held a really nice bull and one of our crew went after him most days. Camp neighbors ended up killing him. That good bull never left his core area in 10 days of being hunted.

All the internet talk would make you think if you bust em or they smell ya once, they hit the horizon and don't stop til the next county.

 

[njdoxie]

Just because you spook them a time or two doesn't mean they vacate the country. Was very surprised how tight the elk held to their areas even after hunting pressure kicked in. We took two out of a spot that been hunted every day for a week straight. Another spot held a really nice bull and one of our crew went after him most days. Camp neighbors ended up killing him. That good bull never left his core area in 10 days of being hunted.

All the internet talk would make you think if you bust em or they smell ya once, they hit the horizon and don't stop til the next county.

I've never had that experience, when I spook them, they're gone for good, it's a ghost town.

 

[Brian_Holcombe]

A couple of many:

1. Wait your calling out longer if it’s quiet. It may take 1-2 hours for a bull to come in silently. We got busted by a bull last week that came in quiet an hour after we started calling, and five minutes after we decided to move on.

2. If backpack or bivy hunting, pack fresh, real food in the cooler in the car in case you move mid-hunt. Fried chicken and a Coke hit the spot after four days of trail food.

 

[Ctitus25]

I learned to wait for the opportunity to present itself, don't force it and be patient. (Not saying to not be aggressive, just to let things play out).

 

[5 shot group]

Have a second pair of boots ready to go and broke in. I blew out the stitching on one and had no spares ready. Made me move to flatter country with a lot less public land and a lot less elk.

 

[Colby3]

1) When planning your hunting route , don't count on high mountain streams on the map to have water. Take plenty of water and plan for success.

2) Nutrition, eat the right foods all day long to keep from bonking.

3) Have a packer lined up just in case

4) You can't be in to good of shape. Workout year round.

 

[Garryett]

1. Hunting water is tedious, but worth it.
2. Bugling in a high pressure unit doesn’t work to bring bulls into you.
3.Meat bees are annoying as hell.

 

[jpe5714]

bring a spare sight if you're in the backcountry. my buddy had his MBG delrin/plastic snap after his horse laid down on the bow scabbard. He was luck I was tagged out and I had a MBG also. after seeing that I'm getting a Spott Hogg. No plastic in those

 

[hubbs77]

I havent even been on a hunt yet but I have learned the amount of info on the internet/rokslide is endless and the more you know the better opportunity you give yourself for success in the field. I look forward to getting out there for my first hunt in 2021!!

 

[crosey5]

Don't be afraid to be mobile. If the spot you are in is not hot with bulls. Pick up and move to the next.