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

[bz_711]

Started archery when I was in middle school about 2004. Never got anything the few times I went tree stand hunting. Ended up traveling all over and doing everything except hunting archery. Now I'm trying to get back into it now that I own a business and can take time off. Went to Colorado last year. Saw one bull and I couldn't tell if he was legal even though he was 40 yards away. I was behind a tree and couldn't get out without him seeing me and I was shaking uncontrollably so it was hard to get my binoculars out without him hearing me. Also I had my dog with me lol. He is a service dog. Saw 5-6 cows and 2 little guys. Was about 5 yards away from one of the cows but again couldn't pop up and when I did she ran like hell.

Turns out god was actually looking over me and made sure I didn't kill something, because the only thing I was correctly prepared with was boots. The road to the trail was closed so I ended up hiking 11 miles in by myself. This year I have some spots that are close before I venture far off. Awesome experience. Any advice would be welcomed.

My advice to all hunters would be sleep in a tent. Even outside your truck. The noises you hear can help you. I heard bulls screaming at 3 am and I wouldn't have heard that. Heard a pack of coyotes. Was awesome. If you are in your truck you aren't helping anything IMO unless it's that cold.

You're definitely on the right track with getting some close encounters like that. Have you had the opportunity to tag any elk with firearm or be along with anyone else once they've tagged out? I think helping someone else break down an elk and pack out is the best way to get experience and see what you'd be capable of if hunting by yourself. There's also a big difference in getting a medium cow/spike bull off the mountain vs. a heavy 6x6 bull.

Help: I cant get over the gag reflex for the elk diaphragm. I took a class to see if that would helpful not great yet. I've heard are leave it in your mouth all day etc.....so working on that part. What else about NEW diaphragm calling? Tips are appreciated! (going on year 2 of archery hunting)

Man, still happens to the best of us...my first couple practice sessions each year always have a gag or two I seem to get used to it quickly and then never have a problem during season. As others suggested I think you could cut a better fit and eventually get it worked out for you. Also - I would agree that even if you just can't...you're fine using external calls. My first 3 bulls all came using external cow call and external blue reed bugle tube...they work.

Good Luck!

 

[1jeds]

What would someone suggest for a calling strategy (if any) when in grizzly country? Is it sufficient to rely on glassing and listening for bugles, or do you still use location bugles and cow calls as a primary method?

I'm learning to call now. I assume if I don't have it down pat by September, I shouldn't panic and can fall back on being patient, looking for elk sign, using my glass and listening.

 

[bz_711]

What would someone suggest for a calling strategy (if any) when in grizzly country? Is it sufficient to rely on glassing and listening for bugles, or do you still use location bugles and cow calls as a primary method?

I'm learning to call now. I assume if I don't have it down pat by September, I shouldn't panic and can fall back on being patient, looking for elk sign, using my glass and listening.

I've only hunted in Griz country once but I didn't change my approach at all. At least I was not aware that calling has any impact with Griz (I've only heard to adjust with wolves). I found griz scat but didn't not see a bear that week. The elk were calling/bugling plenty that week so it did not appear to make any difference to them.

And you're right, calling is only 1 tool in the belt...fresh sign and listening/glassing can punch your tag as well.

Good Luck!

 

[luckydraw2014]

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.

Year 6 for me hunting elk. 1 year in UT and 4 in OTC Colorado. Just added my oldest son and 2 more guys for this year, misery loves company . Took me 5 to get my first white tail on public land in IL. Thank you for putting this post together. If you really want to help just send me some GoHunt Pins .
Leave it all out there for all the newbies. Tag out or not the pursuit is amazing

 

[bz_711]

Year 6 for me hunting elk. 1 year in UT and 4 in OTC Colorado. Just added my oldest son and 2 more guys for this year, misery loves company . Took me 5 to get my first white tail on public land in IL. Thank you for putting this post together. If you really want to help just send me some GoHunt Pins .
Leave it all out there for all the newbies. Tag out or not the pursuit is amazing

Have you had elk encounters in those seasons? How close have you gotten? Top things you've learned or what do you think needs most improvement?

Let's see if we can get you next to a tagged elk this season.

 

[JDarchery]

Following this post

 

[MmmKa]

You're definitely on the right track with getting some close encounters like that. Have you had the opportunity to tag any elk with firearm or be along with anyone else once they've tagged out? I think helping someone else break down an elk and pack out is the best way to get experience and see what you'd be capable of if hunting by yourself. There's also a big difference in getting a medium cow/spike bull off the mountain vs. a heavy 6x6 bull.


Man, still happens to the best of us...my first couple practice sessions each year always have a gag or two I seem to get used to it quickly and then never have a problem during season. As others suggested I think you could cut a better fit and eventually get it worked out for you. Also - I would agree that even if you just can't...you're fine using external calls. My first 3 bulls all came using external cow call and external blue reed bugle tube...they work.

Good Luck!

What did you use for an external bugle tube that used a reed? I think I'm going to try that route for now and make it a goal for next year to get over the gag-

 

[JDarchery]

What did you use for an external bugle tube that used a reed? I think I'm going to try that route for now and make it a goal for next year to get over the gag-

I was able to see the Enchantress in action. You can connect it to their bugle tube and use it to bugle. Very beginner friendly imo. Check it out

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

• "You can't kill what's not there" - during your hunt do not waste time hunting country that does not have elk in it. It sounds painfully obvious but a lot of guys waste precious days in areas that "look sooo good" yet are devoid of elk. If you are not turning up fresh tracks, green turds, and best of all elk, move on.
• Learn "nursery talk" i.e. the cow and, specifically, calf chatter that is made by a family group feeding through an area. It might not be as cool as a bugling match but it plain works.
• To that point, while the goal for every hunt should be to harvest an animal, in your first season I think I pretty great objective is to simply get close enough to observe some of these critters in their undisturbed state. There probably isn't a better education for the archery hunter than watching 20 elk feed and interact inside of 100 yards.

 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Will be going on my 3rd year elk hunting this year. A few tidbits to take away from my experience.
1st year, archery, I was gently cow calling while walking up the bottom of a drainage early one morning, came up on an elk that was 50 yards away and a little bit above me, I could only see from its neck back. I still kick myself for not taking the shot, I would have been more than happy to fill my tag on a cow my first year, and over the moon if it had been a bull. Instead, I backed out, crept around and tried to call.
2nd year, rifle. I was scouting in mid September, walking around looking for sign, doing some calling. Had a good steady wind going down a drainage so I started from the top and was softly calling my way down. All of a sudden I seen 2 cows, looked at me and trotted back up into the bedding area. I figured, all right, maybe theres a bull nearby, did a location bugle, instant reply about 60-80 yards away. Raghorn came in fast, he raked trees, called and chuckled at me for 10-20 minutes at about 20 yards, while I just stood there dead still and watched. After a while, he stepped right out into a picture perfect shooting window 40 yards away, broadside, too bad I didnt have an archery tag at that time. A day or two later I was a mile or two away and calling with another bull in some thick bedding area, never got close enough to see him, but we called back and forth for a while and we were both kind of hung up, eventually he scattered off. My rifle hunt in that area did not go well after, it was mid 70's everyday with the rut pretty well dying down, I had one chance at a bull and I didnt put it together.
This year, I plan to have my best year yet, hopefully I can fill my first tag.

 

[bz_711]

What did you use for an external bugle tube that used a reed? I think I'm going to try that route for now and make it a goal for next year to get over the gag-

https://www.primos.com/hunting-calls/bugles/bull-horn-elk-call/PO-912.html
Have a couple extra blue reeds also as once they stretch they are done.

My single greatest day of rut fest action was with this simple bull horn bugle...multiple bull call-ins - simply a day in the elk mountains I may never match - that ended with a 300 inch bull (one in my avatar). This call works...I only went to a regular tube and diaphragm as I think i can make it sound better...but sometimes wonder why i don't just stick to the simplicity of the bull horn.

 

[bucksnbirds]

My advice? Do the opposite of most the things you hear on YouTube and podcasts. Some of it about thermals, food sources, calling, etc is sometimes good info. But remember there are about 300,000 other guys going to be listening to the same advice and hunting the same areas. Think outside of the box and the elk are always where you find them, but there are more elk where there's less pressure.

 

[bz_711]

Thought this was a pretty good refresher leading up to an archery elk hunt:

Attention ALL Rookie Elk Hunters

Dan is dedicating this entire podcast to rookie elk hunters and trying to help them avoid some of the most common mistakes made so they can have the best experience possible! As an elk hunter, you never know it all and you continue to learn each and every year. Hunting elk on public land is...

elkshape.com

 

[Kwa_bena]

I like finding old rubs/wallows...at least it lets you know they were there during Sept the prior year.

So what I'm getting is try to find some old sign and mark it down and then move on. I've had one area that was OTC and it looked almost perfect. I'm not able to make it out to elk country yet because I'm trying to get a business of the ground on top of working two jobs atm but should I do the same for bears, whitetail, etc?

Edit: Spelling

 

[___DAN___]

If you are in the elk, don't leave the elk. I've learned the hard way.

 

[bz_711]

So what I'm getting is try to find some old sign and mark it down and then move on. I've had one area that was OTC and it looked almost perfect. I'm not able to make it out to elk country yet because I'm trying to get a business of the ground on top of working to jobs atm but should I do the same for bears, whitetail, etc?

Wallows are about the only sign I mark on GPS for future reference...but high concentration of rubs are still good spots to start. I've also found same year rub and wallows with no sign of elk...meaning I was a couple weeks too late so you can't base a whole hunt around it.

Nothing beats fresh green scat and tracks (or actual visuals of elk)...once you get a whiff of the "barnyard" smell...elk are close and you need to slow down and hunt them immediately.

 

[bz_711]

Another common question I see on threads is asking what elevation are elk at.

Just my one opinion...but I've found nothing consistent with elevation during elk season on heavily hunted public ground. I think all things being equal (or if no pressure) elk prefer the high country (treeline and above) during Sept. But once pressure starts you will still find the elk where they are not being pressured and have water/food. Many of the units I've hunted range from 9000ft to 14000 ft...I hunted high mostly my first few seasons...once I notice no pressure down low I shot my first 2 bulls in back to back seasons all in the 9000ft range, and it was warm.

Overall, I'll start high in Sept if pressure not an issue...but don't be afraid to spend a day checking several areas lower that don't have pressure...you might just find all the elk holed up there.

 

[applesauce4000]

Thought this was a pretty good refresher leading up to an archery elk hunt:

Attention ALL Rookie Elk Hunters

Dan is dedicating this entire podcast to rookie elk hunters and trying to help them avoid some of the most common mistakes made so they can have the best experience possible! As an elk hunter, you never know it all and you continue to learn each and every year. Hunting elk on public land is...

elkshape.com

Listened to it on a drive to the bow shop the other day. Thanks!

I think what I mostly took away from Dan was; do whatever it takes to get into elk.
Call at night, don't hunt back to the truck/stay put until shooting light's gone if you're in a good spot/move at night (or middle of day perhaps), be willing to move drainages even if it means not sleeping much. Just do whatever it takes to get into elk. Don't worry too much about calling. As mentioned in this thread, it's a tool, not 'the' tool.

 

[Kwa_bena]

Any have any advice for late season archery/any weapon seasons? I've been looking into those since I have more time for myself at that time.

 

[HTNFSH]

I'm going into my sixth season since 2013. I've seen elk on every trip and have had encounters (within 100 yards) on four of them. I released just one arrow on a nice bull and missed it in 2016. As fate would have it, I called that same bull into a set-up on our last morning hunt five days later. My buddy put a great shot on it at 47 yards.

Last year, I went on a solo hunt with meager expectations and had a blast. This year, I'm taking a rookie and going to try to get him some meat. I'm hoping for an opportunity, but I'm still keeping expectations low and enjoying the process and learning as much as I can. I'm looking forward to expanding my knowledge about the same area I hunted last year.

Something I am curious about has to do with bedding areas. I stumbled upon 3 different locations and marked them for reference.
1. how likely did I push them out?
2. are they habitual and likely to use the same bedding areas year after year?
3. having located these bedrooms, best to stay well away and look for travel corridors to and from? ie, food, water?