Which came first, deciding to hunt elk or elk media

[Ralphie]

Almost no one is going to admit that they wanted to hunt because of SM. The poll is going to get skewed results. Just like the country vs city poll. If you believed that poll you’d think the majority of people live on the edge of the frontier never go to town and don’t even know what neighbors are.

No one wants to brag in a poll that they live in suburbia and the city which most people do.

Same here almost no one is going to admit that ol newberg and the hush life convinced them that they want to hunt.

But everyone wants to brag that they wanted to hunt while in the womb and never even heard of the internet.

 

[Ross]

If you used once of these elk calls you grew up elk hunting and learned all by trial and error….alot of errors you then became a book of knowledge

 

[Usi05]

I always had a casual interest in elk but was more interested in Mule deer and being out west. My uncle turned me on to that. One day he mentioned how awesome elk hunting was.

Then later I read an article about it. Shortly after that I searched it on YouTube and was obsessed. Went on my first trip later that year.

So I think it’s fair to say that social media pushed me over the hump to try it. It was really the bugling action and hearing about how good the meat is. Growing up in Michigan I had no idea how awesome the mountains are other then hearing it from my dad and uncle.

Was lucky enough to have a couple local boys take me out a couple times and now I can’t help but wish I started 12-14 years ago!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ndbuck09]

My theory is:

There's millions and millions of whitetail deer hunters given that it comprises the bulk of the country's "big game." As elk hunting social media began to pick up speed in circa 2014, it began to reach those that were hunters but could only go after whitetails. The cool factor really took off on social media and voila, those millions of whitetail guys, were enlightened about elk hunting. The industry of hunting has followed suit and the growth is exponential, but I'd put forth that it's driven not by guys truly in the west, but the masses newish to elk hunting as the media for it all grew.

Guys who already hunted for things like whitetail wouldn't say they began trying to get elk tags because of the increase in media, but like any marketing, it drove that and people don't even know the marketing worked on them.

 

[CCooper]

My older brother and I grew up with it. Started going with Dad as soon he could leave the diaper bag at home. When we were old enough to obtain youth tags, he would take weeks off work and take us out of school to take us on our hunts. First bull I helped pack out I was 11 and used a Bi-mart special pack frame. Never have known any different, grew up wanting to be just like Dad and hunting was in the genetics. I believe I had to be 12 to hunt back then, those years between 10-12 took what seemed like forever to pass until I could get a tag of my own. Dad bought me a Rem 700 BDL .270 Win and a VX-1 3x9 for my 11th christmas. I was the proudest kid in the world of that gun and it killed a lot of critters. It sits in the safe nowdays, but wouldn't sell it for any amount of $.
I can honestly say social media has had 0 effect on hunting for me.

 

[gobears870]

My theory is:

There's millions and millions of whitetail deer hunters given that it comprises the bulk of the country's "big game." As elk hunting social media began to pick up speed in circa 2014, it began to reach those that were hunters but could only go after whitetails. The cool factor really took off on social media and voila, those millions of whitetail guys, were enlightened about elk hunting. The industry of hunting has followed suit and the growth is exponential, but I'd put forth that it's driven not by guys truly in the west, but the masses newish to elk hunting as the media for it all grew.

Guys who already hunted for things like whitetail wouldn't say they began trying to get elk tags because of the increase in media, but like any marketing, it drove that and people don't even know the marketing worked on them.

This applies to me on top of what I wrote earlier. Growing up in Texas I was fortunate that my dad had us on deer leases. But flash forward 20-25 years and with population growth and property values here, deer leases now fetch astronomical prices and keep a TON of folks from having private land access.

It was also kind of a “stage of life” thing for me as well. Even if I could find and afford a good lease, I probably wasn’t going to get as much use out of it as I hoped with a baby and toddler running the place. That realization hit me right when the elk media wave arrived.

Taken together my 7-10 days out West each year scratches my big game itch.

 

[awbowhunter]

Decided years ago as a kid I was going elk hunting..
That was " Back before microwaves ovens when a girl could still cook and still would"....

 

[SWOHTR]

I got the bug ten years ago. My formative years were deer hunting in Wisconsin's driftless region (Gays Mills for those familiar), at my mom's suggestion to my dad when I was five years old. Hunting consisted of my dad and I walking those hills - "steeper than a kitchen sink," according to one of my dad's friends. We saw few and took even fewer deer those first years (the 1990s). I remember my dad taking a nice atypical 9-pointer with the iron sights on his .30-30. I also remember a year when we had nine deer hanging on the tree - most everyone in the party had tagged out by opening afternoon.

I took Hunter's Ed at age 12. I remember that first year carrying a rifle and getting so excited at the sight of a doe. I could barely find her in the scope. The shot was a miss. My first deer was at age 14 in my grandparent's farm marsh - "Call me if you get anything, but don't hold your breath." That was a great phone call - "Dad, I'm standing on blood."

"You're kidding." That was a basket-rack 8-point whitetail.

Years go by, I continued deer hunting. Joined the Navy and met Jake from Buhl, Idaho. He said, "You'd like Idaho" and regaled me with elk hunting stories.

That was in 2013 and the fire still burns today.

 

[madtinker]

For myself, I hunted a couple of years as a teenager then bounced around several western states. Finally settled in New Mexico and realized I was again a resident of a good elk state with no preference point system. Coincidentally I re-read every Patrick McManus book at the library, and decided to put in for the draw. Last year was good, but this year will be better.

 

[glennsgunstuff]

My parents loaded my brothers and I up when I turned 13 and we headed to Colorado, right outside of Mancos, for a few years in a row to hunt elk and mule deer. Then life happened and I didn't go back until last year. Social media played a significant role I'm me deciding the heck with looking and waiting for my friends and family to put in for the draws and go, and I just put in and went. Going back this year and every year after that I can get a tag and get my tail out there. From Texas. Always hunted, but love the spot and stalk with a bow, and the solitude of the mountain.

 

[DAOutfitters208]

It’s a family tradition, there is no deciding to hunt when it’s in your blood.

If you are making elk media you are not focusing on the hunt, you are more worried about the media.

 

[Backofbeyond]

When you grow up in North Idaho everybody elk hunts.

Deer and bear are targets of opportunity, but you’re out there for an elk.

 

[Andrewlonghi]

How was the hunter crowd's in the 90's and early 2000's vs now?

 

[Hnthrdr]

As an aside to this thread, went to full draw last night in Denver. I had been several years prior.

Definitely had a different perspective tonight after listening to a bunch of hunt quietly stuff.

I liked a couple of the more DIY videos, but still people even saying what state the hunt took place in seems to just have an epic cascade effect of folks getting in line to do it too. I get it a lot of the cinematic and visuals were amazing, sucks to be a resident of said state who regularly hunts that spot.

A couple of the videos were super high priced paid for tags with outfitters when a guy talks about “I decided to buy” the tag, there needs to be a note about how much that hunt costs. People get this idea in their head that elk hunting is like hunting the rut with an outfitter in the sawatch unit in Utah… it’s largely not.

Some definitely feel good family stuff which is great, used to be a lot more of that at FD. Not sure if I’ll go back.

It sucks cause it is fun to watch hunting media, cool to see new spots or tactics or even just critique or think critically about what you would or should do in a similar situation, but at what expense? Seems like we are throwing fuel on the fire that is burning our playground to ashes…. No idea what the right answer is, except to come to Rokslide to talk crap and stir the pot

 

[Hnthrdr]

How was the hunter crowd's in the 90's and early 2000's vs now?

Good question, would need someone a little older than myself, but wow seems like a lot of high fashion gear and flat bill and jeans that are too tight these days… I get it I wear fancy merino PJ’s to hunt, and “tech pants” they are comfy and keep me comfy but dang it seems like we have entered into a new era of consumerism maybe it was always that bad?

 

[Ross]

When I started elk hunting in 1980 north Idaho rifle season the camps were all 5-10 strong and there were 10 times the number of hunters than today. Season started 10/1 as I recall, cow season was most of the season and it ran all of October. Opening day you could hear many shots off in the distance. Many times in our camp we were then packing for days as our group were meat hunters. The big camp grounds would have 10-20 camps and we knew many of the other hunters. These days I see plenty of rigs on the road but have not met another hunter back in for several years. Seems like more archery hunters as everyone wants to call in a bull as it is easy and every day is action packed

 

[T-town]

Squirrels, Doves, Quail, deer and turkeys growing up. Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, Bowhunter, Sporting Classics fed my desire to hunt critters I couldn’t chase at home. Made it out west for my first elk hunt in 2010. The sky was falling at that time because the wolves had gotten a strong start after reintroduction.

 

[Buglebrush]

The real question is how much media has changed Elk Hunters. "Steep and Deep" is often more crowded than day hunting from the truck, and everyone carries a bugle and knows how to use mouth reeds. That's a huge change from even just ten years ago IMO, and I think media plays a huge huge role.

 

[T-town]

The real question is how much media has changed Elk Hunters. "Steep and Deep" is often more crowded than day hunting from the truck, and everyone carries a bugle and knows how to use mouth reeds. That's a huge change from even just ten years ago IMO, and I think media plays a huge huge role.

Now I have listened to about 8-10 hours of Elk podcasts while driving/ flying in the past week and that easy access to media has taught me a lot I didn’t know about elk.

 

[String&stick]

Didn't see my option either. . . Buddy's dad had been a few times and when we were in our early twenties we decided to head out on a cow elk hunt. Didn't kill but had a blast and actually had a few bulls in close. That sealed the deal, we have gone every year we could since then!