Once again, I have failed my family!!!

[bsnedeker]

I just got back from 9 days solo on Montana public land on the General tag...3rd elk hunt overall, second archery hunt, first solo hunt, first time hunting Montana...still sitting at zero elk. I wasn't able to connect but I was able to get in on the elk and had a number of great opportunities...a switching wind killed my best chance when I was 40 yards out and about to pull my bow back. I feel like this year I was really "hunting" them as opposed to last year when I was more or less just stumbling into them and hoping for the best. It feels like progress!

It's awesome seeing all the success you guys have had so far and seeing some of the monsters the Instafamous folks have been putting on the ground! I've got a standing invitation to head back to Montana for rifle season, this time on a good chunk of private land. If I go it would be a freezer filling expedition, but I'm about 90% sure I'm going to do it. Even though my wife is amazing and supports me whether I'm successful or not, I have this nagging guilt about spending so much time and effort on elk hunting when I am, so far, the only person who gets anything out of it. If I can put some meat in the freezer for them I will feel much better about myself I think!

Just wanted to share that with you all. I've gotten a wealth of information from this group in the short time I've been a member and greatly appreciate this group for their willingness to help newbies from flatlands!

In the meantime, Archery deer opened up here almost 2 weeks ago, time to put a hurtin' on some whitetails!!!

 

[HardcoreHunter]

It's all about keeping after it. Go on that hunt, harvest the game, and build that confidence. Besides, opportunities on private land are not a bridge you want to burn.

 

[KHNC]

Elk hunting is hard!!

 

[wannakillabigbull]

last year when I was more or less just stumbling into them and hoping for the best.

This made me laugh out loud. Perfect description for how I felt my first few years of archery, and how I still feel from time to time!

 

[dangerousD]

Some years, what I wouldn’t give to just stumble into them from dumb luck. Keep after it!

 

[Flatgo]

Hunting elk is hard. I started hunting when i was 12 and took me till 20 to kill my first bull elk, and i hunted a lot more than 9 days in a season. It is really easy to compare yourself to insta people, and forum members, but there is a lot more people not posting dead elk then posting dead elk. good luck and be happy your in the elk woods!!

 

[oldgoat]

Trust me, families get used to it!

 

[OFFHNTN]

There is a reason elk hunting success rate is 8-10%, it's not easy. I went on 4 archery hunts before I was successful. It will be sweet when it happens for you!

 

[oldgoat]

There is a reason elk hunting success rate is 8-10%, it's not easy. I went on 4 archery hunts before I was successful. It will be sweet when it happens for you!

It gets even rougher with a struggle stick!

 

[dangerousD]

It’s extremely frustrating and depressing when you have had early success in your elk hunting career and then struggle with a couple years of drought. I’m a much better hunter now (I think) but could use some dumb luck again. Ha!

 

[Ross]

The satisfaction is much better on something hard earned it helps stoke the fire.....keep at it

 

[crunchy]

know the feeling. I feel like I might have blown my only chance this year

 

[Airborne1]

I can totally relate to feeling like you have let family and others down. My good friend and I were splitting any meat we harvested and I shot right over his back at 60 yards Sept 13 and that was the only chance we had for 8 days. I am 0/3 archery. All 3 I have gotten 1 chance and biffed the shot on all 3 occasions. They were longer shots 50-60 and 70. Finally hunted them this year as well and figured out a spot on day 6 of 8. You should absolutely go for rifle. I meet quite a few really nice people in SW Montana this year on public land and to have someone offer for you to come onto their land speaks volumes for those kind of nice people . One of them gave my buddy and I a older 5 point shed, pretty awesome. (oh there's some people that hate out of state hunters, we got yelled at one day getting gas, told to go home. Cough cough Hamilton)
Best of luck filling that freezer!

 

[5MilesBack]

I've seen statistics that say it takes on average 7 years for an archery hunter to kill their first elk. That's a lot of years of learning, but when it finally comes.......it will come more often.

 

[Beendare]

Then you see the series by Cory Jacobsen [Elk 101] Roughcut....where they kill one a day for each of their guys.

[poor film work, BTW]

 

[davsco]

yeah the shows sure make it look easy! i'm hopeful with colo first rifle that i'll be able to find something out of sight (their sight of course, not mine) and smell and have a decent shot. can't imagine going out there first time, with a bow and having to find one AND get within arrow distance!

 

[topher89]

This upcoming season will be my 6th year hunting. I was able to get dialed into deer and antelope pretty quickly, 3/5 for antelope and 4/5 for deer. Still working on elk though. I am 1 for 5 on elk and took at cow a few years ago.

Keep at it! Every time I have been out I learn a little more and get better.

 

[jvonbank]

Keep after it. Learning how to hunt elk is far from easy, especially if you grew up hunting white tails from tree stands like me! Western hunting is certainly very different from that. Like others have said, success will breed success and with each missed opportunity you will get a little better. Most years now I am able to put myself in a position where I have an opportunity at an archery elk, however many of them still end unsuccessfully between cows, swirling wind, getting caught moving, or just plain missing from elk fever! All that effort just makes it that much rewarding when you eventually connect. Once you've sure you have it figured out, they'll humble you again....

Jared

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[elkguide]

You just have to love elk hunting.

 

[Northernpiker]

It sounded like a very successful hunt to me