Let's help some guys/gals get their first archery elk!

[bz_711]

Just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone who posted to help us guys and gals who haven't got our first archery Elk. I am happy to report that I finally got my opportunity to sling an arrow at this beautiful spike and made it happen! My son was happy to help get the loose meat all cut up and packaged. Starting on the quarters this afternoon. Thanks again everyone!

Welcome to the Club! Congrats!

Thanks for sharing...this is exactly why I started this thread.

 

[JDarchery]

Welcome to the Club! Congrats!

Thanks for sharing...this is exactly why I started this thread.

Thank you!!

 

[vladkgb]

Hi all,

Fng posting live from the field.

I've been in elk almost everyday and have called in 5 bulls. Had one at 10 yards hang up behind a tree quartering to while I was drawn, no shot, others didn't walk into my shooting lanes.

Like this morning, I was on the upper third of a ridge and had several bills bugling at my cow calls, I chose to pursue the one that sounded the closest, he was just below me. Its thick PJ country, I got him to close the distance, he must have been 40 yards behind some trees below me. I had 2 shooting lanes about 30yards each. I kept cow calling and he kept responding but he wouldnt come out behind the tree! So I switched it up to a over the top challenge bugle after he responded to one of my cow calls, we had a screaming match back and fourth but he backed away. I followed and continued the sequence, he found another tree, even raked one, and wouldn't step out. I could see his antlers going back and fourth. I ended up spooking him because I tried to get closer.

Ive heard calling them uphill is hard, should I have got down to his level first? Any advice on how I can get them to come out? I'm calling solo

 

[bz_711]

Hi all,

Fng posting live from the field.

I've been in elk almost everyday and have called in 5 bulls. Had one at 10 yards hang up behind a tree quartering to while I was drawn, no shot, others didn't walk into my shooting lanes.

Like this morning, I was on the upper third of a ridge and had several bills bugling at my cow calls, I chose to pursue the one that sounded the closest, he was just below me. Its thick PJ country, I got him to close the distance, he must have been 40 yards behind some trees below me. I had 2 shooting lanes about 30yards each. I kept cow calling and he kept responding but he wouldnt come out behind the tree! So I switched it up to a over the top challenge bugle after he responded to one of my cow calls, we had a screaming match back and fourth but he backed away. I followed and continued the sequence, he found another tree, even raked one, and wouldn't step out. I could see his antlers going back and fourth. I ended up spooking him because I tried to get closer.

Ive heard calling them uphill is hard, should I have got down to his level first? Any advice on how I can get them to come out? I'm calling solo

I think there are a few options here:
1) set up: may need to be in thicker cover to make them want to close the distance even more...if they can see where they think the call is coming from they will not come any closer.
2) could try calling then immediately sneaking up yardage so they are focused behind you where last call came from - would need to be quiet at that point.
3)Once you have them responding - no more calls - and just use ninja skills to sneak in and shoot


Good Luck - share those pics!

 

[Ross]

Two things, they rake you rake and call the other direction. Also, if they are raking aggressively they cannot see which is a good time to be ninja like and close in for a shot. Mimic their action they do not like it

 

[Dirtscoots]

Two things, they rake you rake and call the other direction. Also, if they are raking aggressively they cannot see which is a good time to be ninja like and close in for a shot. Mimic their action they do not like it

I use the same protocol with my wife before a hunt! Get her dam ready for me to be out of the house a few weeks! Minus the raking, she can barely keep cactus alive. Raking in our house would get a fist full of thorns.

 

[bz_711]

Two things, they rake you rake and call the other direction. Also, if they are raking aggressively they cannot see which is a good time to be ninja like and close in for a shot. Mimic their action they do not like it

Yes! Calling behind you another great tactic...I almost always do that once close with elk (and turkeys)...seems to help. Raking is another pro tip more guys should try.

 

[Actionsqueak]

Should I go solo or just scratch 2024 off the list? Was planning another trip out west this season but my BIL bailed and no other options with this short of a notice. This would had been my 3rd trip and we got pretty close, but not close enough, the previous two years. As I'm sure we all do I felt like this would be the year that I get it done. If it wasn't for the pack out I wouldn't hesitate to go in solo.

Any tips for solo rookies? bad idea?

I’m heading out solo this year. First year out hunting elk with the bow. If you are still thinking about going and looking for a partner let me know!

 

[applesauce4000]

Rookie archer here. Got soooo close this weekend.

Saturday morning, hiking up a bowl off trail, hear a bugle to my right down in the timber. I head toward the bugle, going down and side hilling into a bowl now, but the herd is essentially above me, so wind is good. Get below them with wind right. Start moving in, herd bull still bugling every 10 minutes, hear cows yapping, I yap back, we have a great conversation, but no one bee lines to me. I get closer to herd, and realize they are within 40 yards, but the timber is thick. I keep calling back and forth with the cows and see the herd bull's horns come in front of me at 20ish yards, bugling, but thick timber between us. I have no shooting lanes at all. The herd sounds like it's moving up slowly, so I try to inch forward and around down trees, but I got caught. The whole herd bailed in a second.
I suppose I should've waited longer, and been more cognizant of timber thickness during my approach.

Sunday morning, I slept in until 7am on a random ridge, which felt taboo to me . It was quiet all night except for some coyotes at 2am. Wasn't expecting to see or hear anything. As I ate, drank coffee and packed up camp, I saw a cow come into an avy chute maybe .67 mi away, but lots of vert in between. That got my spirits up and I headed that direction, down into a drainage I've explored only once before. It was stormy Sunday, so the wind was swirling quite a bit, never really that predictable. I cow called every 5 minutes or so as I made my way down into this creek/drainage. I sat on a down aspen about 50 yards from the creek, and cow called against the wind. And a few minutes later I heard the distinct loud cracking of what was an elk drawing near. I was fairly in the open, stood up, faced up hill, ranged a few trees quickly, put the rangefinder away and saw horns and a head, and then a body at what I believe was about 36-40 yards away. I did my best to count points, but couldn't quite figure it out. As the bull's head went behind a tree, I processed that he looked like he could be about a 4x4, brow tines might be long enough, I drew my bow (for the first time this season) and prayed he'd come out from behind the tree. I still needed a better look at the points, and I needed to aim. I held my draw for a few seconds and then he turned tail and ran. I smiled though. I wore myself out the day before, but that was redeeming and inspiring.

Not sure if maybe he actually saw me, or with the wind swirling, maybe he winded me.

Overall, as a second year hunter and first year archer (with no kills), this is the closest I've gotten. I was shaking like a mad man on Sunday morning when that bull ran out. Better luck next time.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

^doing good, sauce! I enjoyed reading that. It's only a matter of time now.

 

[hoosierhunter11]

First elk hunt and was fortunate to punch my tag on a beautiful CO bull. Thanks to those who shared tips here as they really helped me out. I had several close calls the first 7 days of the hunt and sealed the deal on day 8.

 

[5MilesBack]

This year could very well be the 4th year in the last 5 years that I won't have an elk tag because I've been helping others with their tags. This year will be a brand new bowhunter that I got into archery last year. He's going to have a pretty good tag, and I'm looking forward to that.

Last year I got the youth pastor in our church all set up with a bow and everything he needed to get started in archery. He and his wife do so much for our youth and our church, it was the least I could do. He was already a ML and rifle hunter but I knew he would take to bowhunting like a fish to water, and he did. So this year he applied for a decent archery elk tag and drew. We headed up Sept 9th and set up camp. We had bugling bulls every time out. He passed on a few smaller bulls, had some issues getting a shot on a few better bulls, and it finally came together last Sunday evening the 15th.

I had told him that these days I pretty much know whether I'm going to shoot or not based solely on how the encounter goes. Well, this encounter was a good one. The bull came out hot and was ready to fight, he was looking for the bugling bull (me). He came running out of the timber so fast that we got stuck out in the open. He was screaming and all we could do was wait, as he was 112 yards across an open meadow. After a few minutes of him bugling and pacing back and forth, he turned away from us and moved further up and finally got behind some brush to rake at the far end of the meadow. I took the opportunity to turn and run further back about 75 yards with plenty of cover between him and me.

I raked hard and screamed back at him, and he did the same. I cut him off with a very high pitched scream. I couldn't see any of the following because of all the cover between us, but he was now coming after my scream. My buddy misjudged the distance or got the shakes and sent an arrow over his back. The bull turned and trotted up the slope away from him and miraculously I just happened to bugle right then. The bull turned around and came right back. This time he hit pay dirt......THWACK! Hit a rib hard going in with an Exodus head.

 

[bz_711]

First elk hunt and was fortunate to punch my tag on a beautiful CO bull. Thanks to those who shared tips here as they really helped me out. I had several close calls the first 7 days of the hunt and sealed the deal on day 8.

Last year I got the youth pastor in our church all set up with a bow and everything he needed to get started in archery. He and his wife do so much for our youth and our church, it was the least I could do. He was already a ML and rifle hunter but I knew he would take to bowhunting like a fish to water, and he did. So this year he applied for a decent archery elk tag and drew. We headed up Sept 9th and set up camp. We had bugling bulls every time out. He passed on a few smaller bulls, had some issues getting a shot on a few better bulls, and it finally came together last Sunday evening the 15th.

I had told him that these days I pretty much know whether I'm going to shoot or not based solely on how the encounter goes. Well, this encounter was a good one. The bull came out hot and was ready to fight, he was looking for the bugling bull (me). He came running out of the timber so fast that we got stuck out in the open. He was screaming and all we could do was wait, as he was 112 yards across an open meadow. After a few minutes of him bugling and pacing back and forth, he turned away from us and moved further up and finally got behind some brush to rake at the far end of the meadow. I took the opportunity to turn and run further back about 75 yards with plenty of cover between him and me.

I raked hard and screamed back at him, and he did the same. I cut him off with a very high pitched scream. I couldn't see any of the following because of all the cover between us, but he was now coming after my scream. My buddy misjudged the distance or got the shakes and sent an arrow over his back. The bull turned and trotted up the slope away from him and miraculously I just happened to bugle right then. The bull turned around and came right back. This time he hit pay dirt......THWACK! Hit a rib hard going in with an Exodus head.

Love it when a plan comes together...thanks for sharing the success!

 

[bz_711]

Fellas,
This thread has been great for me as well...always good to freshen up on all tips and tactics...no two hunts are the same.

I went solo for the first time this year...and lucky for me I got to make four round trips packing elk off the mountain solo as well

Biggest difference this time was that I left my calls in my pocket. I usually call a fair amount especially once I'm on a bugle. But signs told me to be patient this year and only call as a last resort (mostly due to pressure and with being solo).
Being solo allowed me to climb to the top of mountain and stay after dark the night prior to listen for bugles (usually I'm hustling back to car/camp to meet others). I heard 2 faint bugles on back side of mountain but knew I needed to get there in the morning. I worked my way up close to this basin by 11:00am and heard my first bugle right then. Over the next 4 hours I only worked my way 100-150yds...and for those last couple hours I was within 100yds of this bull but could never see him. He bugled about every 20 minutes...and would occasionally rake trees. At 2:45 his cows started feeding and 11 cows/calves made their way up a rock chute I was overlooking and hoping they would use. At 3:05 the 6x6 followed the cows trail and I shot him at 48yds. (9/20/24)
I got him broke down and hung in game bags by sunset and took a hefty load out that night. I finished with 3 round trips the following day. Weather was gorgeous and I was in heaven! Got out of there just in time as snow covered the high country the next 2 days.
Just ate some of the elk with the family last night and can't wait to do it again.

Good luck to all those still chasing!

 

[applesauce4000]

Fellas,
This thread has been great for me as well...always good to freshen up on all tips and tactics...no two hunts are the same.

I went solo for the first time this year...and lucky for me I got to make four round trips packing elk off the mountain solo as well

Biggest difference this time was that I left my calls in my pocket. I usually call a fair amount especially once I'm on a bugle. But signs told me to be patient this year and only call as a last resort (mostly due to pressure and with being solo).
Being solo allowed me to climb to the top of mountain and stay after dark the night prior to listen for bugles (usually I'm hustling back to car/camp to meet others). I heard 2 faint bugles on back side of mountain but knew I needed to get there in the morning. I worked my way up close to this basin by 11:00am and heard my first bugle right then. Over the next 4 hours I only worked my way 100-150yds...and for those last couple hours I was within 100yds of this bull but could never see him. He bugled about every 20 minutes...and would occasionally rake trees. At 2:45 his cows started feeding and 11 cows/calves made their way up a rock chute I was overlooking and hoping they would use. At 3:05 the 6x6 followed the cows trail and I shot him at 48yds. (9/20/24)
I got him broke down and hung in game bags by sunset and took a hefty load out that night. I finished with 3 round trips the following day. Weather was gorgeous and I was in heaven! Got out of there just in time as snow covered the high country the next 2 days.
Just ate some of the elk with the family last night and can't wait to do it again.

Good luck to all those still chasing!

Major congrats!

 

[applesauce4000]

Well, my first archery hunt ended in an unexpected way.

Long story short is I called a calf in to 5 yards on Sunday (9/29). Arrow was knocked but the little guy came in so fast, I was not ready. We stared at each other for a good 10 seconds and he turned and trotted away. He wasn't spooked, just unsure. So I cow called and he stopped, head behind a tree, tight shooting lane, 18 yards.

I ashamedly rushed aiming, didn't take my time, and then I did a lazy duck to try and shoot under a branch. I ended up shooting a branch and the arrow went... somewhere. I couldn't tell if I had shot the calf or not as it ran off. I took that shot at about 645pm, and ended up searching for arrow and blood until about 9pm. I didn't find anything. I was out of food for the weekend hunt, and was supposed to work the next day and took a bad route back to the truck. I was cursing myself the whole long hike back, wondering why I rushed, why I didn't try calling it to come back, thinking about what a jerk I am for having just wounded this beautiful calf.

I went back the next day, taking my BIL with me. Long story short again. After hours of searching, no calf found, no blood found, no arrow found. My hope is that if I did hit the calf, it was not a severe wound.

Big lesson learned. Take my time. Why did I rush a shot? There's no need. There's no need. Dang, tough lesson to learn when it may have cost a calf a wound. And I had thought about if I would shoot a calf if the opportunity presented itself. But I never made a conscious choice. Another mistake. I should have made a clear choice to shoot or not shoot before the season even started. To be clear, it was a deer sized elk. So, it doesn't feel wrong to me, just weird I guess. It's not really what I'm there to do, but it was the opportunity I was presented with.

Thanks for listening. More patience and dialed in shot sequence next year.