Not seeing elk the whole trip

[Terrapin]

There is a group of guys from Wisconsin that drive out to where I hunt by my house. They pack in ground blinds and sit from dark to dark for ten days. Generally on saddles or trails. Every couple of years one of them will kill an elk. I feel sorry for them, so when I have to go by one of their blinds to get up where the elk live, I’ll bugle and break some branches... just to keep them going for a couple more days; make their donation seem worthwhile.

I prefer to bomb through an area and see if I can hear or smell any elk. They are big, noisy, stinky critters. If they are in a basin you usually know after a couple of hours. If they aren’t in there, I move on. Sometimes it takes ten spots to feel elky.

I have one buddy (logger) that won’t leave the rig unless he heard, saw or smelled an elk. He hooks for a line machine, so I don’t think it’s lack of fitness. He also has killed dozens of big (for N Idaho) bulls.


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[Moondoondude]

Not being mobile / adaptable.
Not being aggressive enough.
Not being physically capable.
Not having mental fortitude.
Not having an extensive plan.
Minimize your nots.

 

[4rcgoat]

Just remember, if your lucky enough to be in the mountains..........your lucky enough

 

[Dos Perros]

OP, why don’t ya do the crowd a solid and come back and post how your hunt went? By then you’ll be able to offer some “I wish I woulda’s” that someone else can benefit from next year. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Kcarlson63]

OP, why don’t ya do the crowd a solid and come back and post how your hunt went? By then you’ll be able to offer some “I wish I woulda’s” that someone else can benefit from next year. Good luck on your hunt.

Oh I’ll be right back here working on 2021 and trying to help someone who will be in my shoes next year

 

[Newtosavage]

I fully appreciate everyone’s posts regarding this. Honestly didn’t think it’d get this kind of response.

To me getting out of the flatlands of Florida being in that country alone is going to be worth the trip, yes getting an elk is the goal...as it should be for any hunt. But a large part of this for me is formulating a plan, putting in the time that I can 1700 miles away, and sticking to it.

For those saying don’t back pack in...to me that’s just part of all of this for me. Has nothing to do with cool videos on YouTube for me. Though they do look really fun. In 30 minute clips. I want to see if I can physically and mentally do it. It’s a challenge and goal type thing I set for myself.

But I truly do appreciate every single response. That’s what makes this site great.

Hey man, I get that. There is more to these hunts than just killing something. Get the experience YOU want and don't let anyone else tell you how to experience your hunt.

 

[Newtosavage]

We can all use a little luck too.

hell ya. After 4-5 days of solid hunting, I'm always game for luck.

 

[WAKAN]

Attitude...like the great Yogi quote...elk hunting is 90% mental the other half is physical ! A positive attitude keeps you in the game through the suck of endless blow downs or thick reprod, days of silent elk, and your hunting buddies negative nacy's.
A positive attitude will allow you to learn the area and find them even though all your onx spots are either over run with hunting pressure or devoid of sign. Stay positive and you will be hunting your best, with the most knowledge of the area and of the elk on the last hour of the last day. That hour is mathematically your best odds to connect on an elk.
Many guys give up and are at camp with a cold one or on the drive home a day early.

 

[Marble]

In what ways do you mean? I’m a lifelong WT hunter but even going into this outside of just knowledge of the woods idk that a whole lot translates over to me

I understand what hes saying. To me, hunting deer and hunting elk are two very different things. I struggled the first 2 years until I figured it out.

 

[Marble]

Attitude...like the great Yogi quote...elk hunting is 90% mental the other half is physical ! A positive attitude keeps you in the game through the suck of endless blow downs or thick reprod, days of silent elk, and your hunting buddies negative nacy's.
A positive attitude will allow you to learn the area and find them even though all your onx spots are either over run with hunting pressure or devoid of sign. Stay positive and you will be hunting your best, with the most knowledge of the area and of the elk on the last hour of the last day. That hour is mathematically your best odds to connect on an elk.
Many guys give up and are at camp with a cold one or on the drive home a day early.

This...

 

[chippewawarrior]

If I were to start again, I would be way more mobile in the beginning and I would have done more scouting/hunting during the rut as the elk are somewhat easier to find. Understand that statement is relative. As most have eluded to, if you are not hearing elk or seeing some FRESH sign, move somewhere. Up or down in elevation, or venture in another direction. Don't wait for them to show up. Repeat often until you locate the elk. Take lots of notes and really learn the area once you settle on one. Initially I picked poor spots, yet somehow I managed to stumble into elk anyways. Looking back, I was just plain lucky. I have now settled on a location. Through many failures, valuable knowledge was gained. I figured out where the elk are going to be, for the most part. Again, it has varied a bit over time, but in each experience I added reliable intel to my notes. It's now a physical and mental game with archery equipment. Can I get close enough, and then can I execute the shot? It's a bit different during rifle. It seems I just have to tolerate the colder weather and some hunting pressure because I know the area so well. I only backpack in to avoid a large uphill hike in the mornings. Most of the rifle hunters don't venture up over the top till mid week, and even then it's not till a midday ramble. I can wake up and start hunting immediately after I exit the tent. It just allows me to rest longer. It was a long process to get to this confidence level. However, even with being confident in the area and my abilities, I have still eaten tag soup.

Stay positive and have fun. That will serve you the most on your first trip.

 

[KHNC]

More elk for you to hunt if i stay away. lol

 

[Pepe55]

Went last year ,first time otc in colorado,,had a blast 8days. Interacted with 7 bulls, came oh so close, one bull called in 15 yds no shot, 5 ft tall oak brush, one bull 55 yds no shot. Never saw another hunter off the trail. Could have killed mule deer every day, no tag. Even had a large black bear come in 40 yds while eating lunch, no tag. Saw many guys driving roads and calling. Evem let a bull get by us because his bugle was sooo pathetic we thought it was a hunter, so we didnt call back . But in about 20 minutes he circled us and dropped down about 500 feet below us, duh, no hunter does that. Point is pick a top 20 unit and go hunt. Do the basemap thing and hunt, or onX.

 

[5MilesBack]

I always blame democrats.

Well, it would appear that more and more of them are in the field hunting as well. After a good long hard working elk hunt where they actually see the rewards of hard work, they'll either finally see the light and come around to the conservative side, or give up on all that work and never go elk hunting again. Either way it's a win-win for us.

 

[cnelk]

Point is pick a top 20 unit and go hunt.

Enlighten us how a person goes about picking a top 20 otc unit?

 

[5MilesBack]

Enlighten us how a person goes about picking a top 20 otc unit?

There's a little over 60 OTC archery units so one could throw darts and easily narrow it down to the top 20 pretty quickly. Whatever you hit is a top 20. But then you'd need to narrow those down as well, for the absolute top OTC unit in the state.

I remember about 10 years ago when Hunter's Fool and Eastmans both picked the same units as the "top OTC elk units" in the state. Well, those units were sporting single digit success rates, so not sure where they came up with their information or intel. I'm sure everyone flocked to those units and then realized that there wasn't an elk behind every tree, or any tree for that matter, and then quickly re-dispersed around the state for future years.

 

[KHNC]

Enlighten us how a person goes about picking a top 20 otc unit?

Maybe setup a stakeout on your driveway. Follow you around in late august to see where you are looking.

 

[cnelk]

Funny

In over 30 years of hunting Colorado otc, I’ve never heard of a ‘Top 20’

 

[5MilesBack]

In over 30 years of hunting Colorado otc, I’ve never heard of a ‘Top 20’

That's good..........sssshhhhhh!

 

[HondoArcher]

Elk summer, rut. and winter where they are safe and have the food they need. Find these safe places and you will find elk.