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

[bz_711]

I'm addicted to archery elk hunting.
I want more hunters to know the same...which equals more support for hunting and elk habitat. Yes I know tags are already hard to get...but that's a better problem than no elk hunters to fight on my side!

Who has already hunted 2+ seasons and still looking to bag their first archery elk (my only experience is archery so that's what I'm sticking to)...and is planning to hunt elk again this fall?
Do you think you're getting close or still a ways off?
What are your biggest questions or shortfalls as far as you're concerned?

I didn't punch my first tag until my 4th year. I hunt 1 week (usually 5-6 days hunting) each year and I'm still learning. Let's see if we can help some guys/gals punch their first archery tag this year!
Feel free to PM if you don't want to reply on this thread...but I hope this thread leads to some great tips...Rokslide helped me a ton in my early days.

 

[JK47]

I have a feeling this will be an awesome thread. Newbies that haven’t killed one and seasoned hunters alike will likely pick up some good info.

I’ve only hunted elk for the past 2 years. First was a rifle hunt, didn’t even see an elk. Last year was my first archery hunt, and I filled my tag. Was just a smallish 5x5, but is a trophy for me being my first ever elk, AND my first kill with a bow as I’ve only been shooting for 3-4 years now. And it was public land.

Needless to say, I’m addicted.

 

[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.

 

[Mish-pop]

If you are going after first elk no need to plan a hunt miles deep. Just do truck camping. More mobile and you can find elk within a mile or two of the road

 

[camelcluch]

I help 3 to 4 people every year get started. My wife thinks I’m nuts because I spend more time helping than hunting. I feel like I’m paying back/forward for people helping me.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I could sure use the help! I'm going into my 12th year of archery elk hunting and have yet to kill my first one. Sad..I know. :-(

 

[Dirtscoots]

I could sure use the help! I'm going into my 12th year of archery elk hunting and have yet to kill my first one. Sad..I know. :-(

I hope you’re applying for other states as well. Oregon has become our very last back up plan.

 

[Elk97]

A thousand things have to go just right to kill a bull elk with a bow. My son is an experienced hunter and has killed several bulls with rifle. Resident of MT. Took him 7 years to get his first archery bull and he hunted long and hard. Finally got it this past fall by himself. We had a bunch of close encounters (4 yards, no shot, long story) and one missed shot over that time but it just didn't happen. Friend of his moved to MT and hunted as a resident for the first time last year. Yep, got a nice bull by himself. Another guy I know never SAW an elk for 10 years using a guide and then killed a 350" bull. I lucked out and my son called one into me opening day of my second year bow hunting. So go into it with the idea that you are going to hunt hard and maybe the gods will shine on you, but don't let it ruin the experience if you go home without connecting.

 

[Jaquomo]

Understand that elk are living and traveling where they aren't bothered by people. That can be 20 miles back in, or 1/4 mile off an Interstate.

 

[OkiechasingElk]

I definitely qualify. I'd welcome any feedback.

I successfully killed a Bull in an OIL Draw in the Wichita Mountains in 2017. But the success rates there are ridiculous, and it took very little true hunting experience to accomplish. So we can toss that out.


I've coached Little League Football for 12 years, so hunting Elk out west, was on the backburner. 2022 we got eliminated from the playoffs early of my last season, and I decided Spur of the moment I wanted to go Elk hunting. Had no idea what I was doing. Bought an OTC tag. I was ill-prepared. Had limited knowledge of the hunt area. I saw elk and tons of Muleys. It was a start. And that mattered more than anything.


Year 1: 2022 CO - 2nd Rifle for Elk (Bull tag). I hunted 4 1/2 days. Only had 2-3 weeks of planning. Had no idea what I was look at E-scouting. Just can't fathom what the side of a mountain looks like with just topo lines until you see the side of the mountain. Learned a crap ton every day.
1st full day hunting, i found fresh sign on a seep in a meadow, set up on it that evening and saw a lone cow feed out in front of me. Saw elk again on Day 4, a herd of 20 or so Elk, working across the opposite ridge. I was set up and ready, but never had a Bull step out.


Year 2: 2023 CO - Archery. I hunted 6 1/2 days. 1st 3 days Solo, Days 4-5 with a non-hunting partner. Planned for this one for 6 months. Tons of OnX and Google Earth E-scouting. But still very difficult to compare what I'm seeing on OnX to real world based on limited time in the Wilderness.

Day 1: Hunting top of a mountain near treeline. Heard a Bugle first thing in the morning, saw glimpse of a bull. Lots of fresh sign throughout the day.
Day 2: Same area. Early morning Bugle same bull. I bugled back. Couple exchanges, they I heard him bolt. I'm 100% confident, I botched the Elk talk test.
Day 3: Down the mountain, different area. Stumbled in to a meadow that had fresh sign/bedding. I set up, and had 3 Cows come through. Took a long shot at a Cow, misjudged distance, clean miss.
Day 4: Work down a mountain from middle to drainage below with the "main road" in it. Saw a Nice Bull with small herd of cows. They saw us first, and bolted. We tracked for a 1/2 mile. Long gone. Found a well used saddle/travel corridor.
Day 5: Got in early and setup on the travel corridor. Saw nothing, heard nothing. Weather got bad. Spent time in the truck with my buddy who knows the area. That Evening we went to another area with a big valley at the top of a mountain. Scouting around found fresh sign. Saw heard of elk moving inside a treeline across the valley.
Day 6: Hunted the big mountain valley. Setup and had a bull come in, but bail about 100 yards out. Found a nice Muley dead head and Elk Wallow. Got in a calling contest with another hunter. Tracked fresh elk tracks all the way down a hillside.
Day 7: Last Day Morning Hunt. I went back up the mountain from Day 1. Worked in to a Bench in the thick stuff on Northside. Again in fresh sign. Had an elk chuckle at me after I bugled. But nothing else.

I'm on here year round. Elk Hunt, Elk Talk, Cutting the Distance Podcasts have replaced my Football Podcasts. Worked through Elk201 course. etc. I've already spent dozens of hours on Onx planning for Sept. I'm even taking my teenage boys to CO next weekend to camp/scout/hike for 3 days just so I can get back out there and see what else I can learn. I "should" have a 0PP Archery tag in South CO this year, and I drew a Big Game Combo for Montana. Will make a 10 day trip to CO in Early-Mid Sept. And a 7 day trip to Montana in November.

Self-Assessment......I've primarily based out of a friends cabin with 45-90 minute ATV rides from there to my hunting locations. I get in right at daybreak, which is too late. I've mostly hunted very thick stuff. Which with my limited to poor calling ability isn't ideal. Spent too much time chasing "Tracks". I'm impatient on "setups" bcuz I don't trust my calling ability, and I can't see shit in thick stuff. I typically do 5-6 miles in a day, so not afraid to cover ground.

Changes: More hunting time. CO trip will be solo. MT trip I'll have my old son with me. Truck/Base Camping this year in an area I can glass from camp, or can hike to an effective glassing location. (It's more basecamp, but can be broke down in less than an hour, to move and relocate if necessary.) Be on location 30 minutes before sunup. Work to find elk before dedicating a day(s) to a thick mountainside hoping to find some. Call much less. Focus on Cow/Calf calls. Focus on Finding Elk.


I'll take whatever critiques, ideas, encouragement you got. This thread or DM. I'm a guy trying to learn anything and everything I can. Best learning is in my boots on the ground. But anything I can do between trips to the mountains to get better, I'm here for.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I hope you’re applying for other states as well. Oregon has become our very last back up plan.

This year will be my 2nd time hunting out of state. First time was 3 years ago. Hunted ID in the elk city zone and was one of the worst experiences of my life. Hunted solo for 6 days and only saw one cow elk. The zone is considered "low elk density" by the local bio. And dang, was he right!

This year I'll be hunting the Weiser River zone and hoping for better luck.

In regard to Oregon archery elk; I've got a lot of self-pity excuses for not being successful: Not enough time in the field, bouncing around from unit to unit and not learning one area, hunting the coast, not going in deep enough, giving up on an area too quickly, not focusing on the right things, blah blah blah....all excuses. It all boils down to me not being a good hunter. It's been 5 years since I've even killed a turkey, which is an embarrassment for how many opportunities I've blown over the years.

I do enjoy the hunt and enjoy my time out in the field, but it would be nice to take home an elk. I'm sick of everyone asking me how I did and saying I didn't get anything. Actually, hardly anyone asks anymore because they already know the answer....unsuccessful.

 

[bz_711]

I have a feeling this will be an awesome thread. Newbies that haven’t killed one and seasoned hunters alike will likely pick up some good info.

I’ve only hunted elk for the past 2 years. First was a rifle hunt, didn’t even see an elk. Last year was my first archery hunt, and I filled my tag. Was just a smallish 5x5, but is a trophy for me being my first ever elk, AND my first kill with a bow as I’ve only been shooting for 3-4 years now. And it was public land.

Needless to say, I’m addicted.

Congrats on the archery bull! Any particular details of that hunt that you think helped lead to punching your tag?

 

[bz_711]

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.

I can see how it's just as much fun helping as it is hunting. I sat out one year in 2020 for my son's first hunt...it was rough, but everyone's gotta start somewhere...and I have 3 boys building points that I hope to soon capitalize on with the knowledge/spots I've built up.
You helping a newby is the greatest cheat code for those guys...Good Luck!

 

[bz_711]

If you are going after first elk no need to plan a hunt miles deep. Just do truck camping. More mobile and you can find elk within a mile or two of the road

Great tip! I give this same tip often...There's so much to learn first unless you have years of backpacking/backcountry experience you are better off keeping it simple at first. Keep covering ground close to roads until you find elk sign.

 

[bz_711]

I help 3 to 4 people every year get started. My wife thinks I’m nuts because I spend more time helping than hunting. I feel like I’m paying back/forward for people helping me.

Good on You! Those people are lucky - shortens the learning curve big time.
If it wasn't for an experienced elk hunter (now great friend) that I met online inviting me out to his camp...I might still be trying to plan my first hunt.

What are your top things you focus on for the new elk hunters to help find success?

 

[bz_711]

I could sure use the help! I'm going into my 12th year of archery elk hunting and have yet to kill my first one. Sad..I know. :-(

Give me some more details.
Have you hunted the same state/unit all 12 years?
Have you had any close encounters?
Have you harvested other big game with archery?

 

[bz_711]

I hope you’re applying for other states as well. Oregon has become our very last back up plan.

Not a bad idea - more states, more options...there are definitely tags that up your odds of success without having to wait years for preference points.

 

[bz_711]

A thousand things have to go just right to kill a bull elk with a bow. My son is an experienced hunter and has killed several bulls with rifle. Resident of MT. Took him 7 years to get his first archery bull and he hunted long and hard. Finally got it this past fall by himself. We had a bunch of close encounters (4 yards, no shot, long story) and one missed shot over that time but it just didn't happen. Friend of his moved to MT and hunted as a resident for the first time last year. Yep, got a nice bull by himself. Another guy I know never SAW an elk for 10 years using a guide and then killed a 350" bull. I lucked out and my son called one into me opening day of my second year bow hunting. So go into it with the idea that you are going to hunt hard and maybe the gods will shine on you, but don't let it ruin the experience if you go home without connecting.

Absolutely...gotta enjoy the whole journey!
Congrats to your son and friend...and yourself...getting with a bow is always a challenge.

Any similarities on each of the successful hunts...that might have you guys seeing more success now?

 

[NEPkaspot]

I'm in. I've been on three elk hunts. 0 for 3 so far. Keep trying to do it the DIY hard way due to funds. I have mad respect for those that get it done on those general tags and welcome any help!

 

[bz_711]

Understand that elk are living and traveling where they aren't bothered by people. That can be 20 miles back in, or 1/4 mile off an Interstate.

100%

Aside from being mentally & physically prepared...my #1 tip is usually around finding areas humans don't go and looking there first for fresh elk sign. My early years I spent days 3-5 miles from the truck.

I've now taken 4 bulls with my bow in 3 different units at the following distances from my truck:
.3 miles
.2 miles
.75 miles
1.2 miles

Elk are where you find them!