Why?

[Maxhunter]

Some great post on this thread folks! I think most successful hunters are persistence, never give up attitude, and also know there quarry well . If you put in the handwork and time you'll be rewarded pretty well every time! It goes hand in hand IMO!

 

[slim9300]

Conlan, you are well on your way to killing your target goal of 50 elk. I know from talking to you that you have what it takes. When a guy is willing to hike over to the next ridge when most others have started back to camp, or hike in 10 miles like you guys do to sleep with the elk, that is desire and confidence and curiosity and drive and alot of other adjectives needed. I think they call that heart my friend and few have it. Thats why the number is split at 20/80 or 10/90 whatever that # actually is.

Thank you for the kind words David. Only a couple more years and we will have the chance to chase them around together in some new country. By then I expect that you will be winning elk calling competitions and having to chase off the bulls with a stick. =)

 

[justin davis]

Lack of effort is a big one for unsuccessful guys. More time spent in the field increases you chances. I often tell new guys to hunting where I hunt, if you aren't sore your not elk hunting. Meaning your not hunting hard enough

 

[cmeier117]

This is all great info! I have been held back the last 2 years of hunting by going with road hunters and guys who like to go back to camp or the truck and take naps at lunch time. I finally have the gear and some knowledge from hunters like all of you to do what I want and hunt the right way. I agree with Justin's comment and if I am going to be away from my family and take time off from work I want to work hard and kill something! Some guys are just not that way! I even know a guy that had a guide take them into the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon, with horses, probably 7-10 miles or so and he told me how he was taking naps at camp! I would not be doing that If I paid a guy to take me in to Elk Country!

 

[slim9300]

This is all great info! I have been held back the last 2 years of hunting by going with road hunters and guys who like to go back to camp or the truck and take naps at lunch time. I finally have the gear and some knowledge from hunters like all of you to do what I want and hunt the right way. I agree with Justin's comment and if I am going to be away from my family and take time off from work I want to work hard and kill something! Some guys are just not that way! I even know a guy that had a guide take them into the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon, with horses, probably 7-10 miles or so and he told me how he was taking naps at camp! I would not be doing that If I paid a guy to take me in to Elk Country!

Don't discredit a good power nap on the side of a mountain with the sun shining on you (no need to walk back to camp). By day 5 or 6 it may be a necessity to stay on top of the game. =)

 

[flytrait]

Lack of effort is a big one for unsuccessful guys. More time spent in the field increases you chances. I often tell new guys to hunting where I hunt, if you aren't sore your not elk hunting. Meaning your not hunting hard enough

We go through Aleve like candy. Get up much earlier than we need to just so we can lube the joints. My wife still does not understand when I get back home the next few days are a time of rest. She always says why are you so tired you just were on vacation. I just look at her and smile..

 

[cmeier117]

Don't discredit a good power nap on the side of a mountain with the sun shining on you (no need to walk back to camp). By day 5 or 6 it may be a necessity to stay on top of the game. =)

True! But not if you are wasting 3 hours walking back to camp on day 1!!! Haha.

 

[gil_wy]

I chalk my success up to an excessive number of mentally challenged elk where I hunt...

 

[wapitibob]

Determination, drive, etc, doesn't do much good if there aren't any Elk in the vicinity. The people I know that kill Elk every year, hunt where the Elk are. Just because a guy is miles from the road doesn't mean there are Elk around.

 

[slim9300]

Determination, drive, etc, doesn't do much good if there aren't any Elk in the vicinity. The people I know that kill Elk every year, hunt where the Elk are. Just because a guy is miles from the road doesn't mean there are Elk around.

How does a DIY hunter find elk year in and year out on public land? I would say he doesn't 95% of the time without determination and drive.

 

[trophyhill]

How does a DIY hunter find elk year in and year out on public land? I would say he doesn't 95% of the time without determination and drive.

i agree. if you take away these intangibles and others then you are with the 80-90% adding water to their tag. if you have the intangibles needed you will be hunting where the elk are.

 

[wapitibob]

Determination and drive will get you over the hill but it won't make Elk magically appear. While the "determined" guy is walking 10 miles looking for Elk, I'm a 1/2 mile from my truck bugling 10 different bulls.
A guy living in the East that hunts a one week period every 3 or 4 years simply can't spend the time in the woods. He might get info from friends or luck into an area but that's the exception. Getting to know the area and the Elk in that area is the key. Going back year after year will enable you to get that info. You need to have multiple spots you can hit on a daily basis, providing multiple encounters that will yield a few shot opportunities over the hunt period. The problem is finding that area the first time so you aren't chasing your tail. If there were Elk behind every tree, all these "DIY, Colorado Back Country, Spike Camp hunters" would be killing a lot more Elk.
Life isn't fair and it trickles down to Elk hunting. Living in Elk country or an hour or two from it is a big advantage for those of us out here. The guy back East has an uphill journey. There isn't a shortcut to killing Elk every year. It takes time in the Elk woods, and that means time in the woods where the Elk are. How does Aron kill Elk every year? He's out there, all the time. He knows where they are before he gets there with a bow in his hand. He doesn't have to hike 10 miles to find them during season.

 

[slim9300]

How does a DIY hunter find elk year in and year out on public land? I would say he doesn't 95% of the time without determination and drive.

When I said this I was referring to scouting and hunting. I don't know what it's like to not live in elk country so I didn't even consider the perspective of the easterner.

 

[slim9300]

Determination and drive will get you over the hill but it won't make Elk magically appear. While the "determined" guy is walking 10 miles looking for Elk, I'm a 1/2 mile from my truck bugling 10 different bulls.
A guy living in the East that hunts a one week period every 3 or 4 years simply can't spend the time in the woods. He might get info from friends or luck into an area but that's the exception. Getting to know the area and the Elk in that area is the key. Going back year after year will enable you to get that info. You need to have multiple spots you can hit on a daily basis, providing multiple encounters that will yield a few shot opportunities over the hunt period. The problem is finding that area the first time so you aren't chasing your tail. If there were Elk behind every tree, all these "DIY, Colorado Back Country, Spike Camp hunters" would be killing a lot more Elk.
Life isn't fair and it trickles down to Elk hunting. Living in Elk country or an hour or two from it is a big advantage for those of us out here. The guy back East has an uphill journey. There isn't a shortcut to killing Elk every year. It takes time in the Elk woods, and that means time in the woods where the Elk are. How does Aron kill Elk every year? He's out there, all the time. He knows where they are before he gets there with a bow in his hand. He doesn't have to hike 10 miles to find them during season.

If I recall correctly your "situation" is different than 95% of public land elk hunters.

 

[bearguide]

some years you can get into them really good and other years you can not find them even in your best spot from the year before. elk are easy when you are in them and really hard when you are not. it does take some luck

 

[WyoBob]

I believe that some hunters are killers and some are not. Let me explain this statement. Recently, I witnessed a friend that could have killed a magnificent bull elk had he just killed him. Instead of doing what he had practiced for years, when the opportunity presented itself, he had to try ranging the animal one more time. The bull had not moved that much. The first time he stopped, he had a bush blocking his vitals. He went to full draw and hesitated, released his draw and ranged the bull when he took one step forward. Had he been a killer, he would have just shot the bull. The difference of one step did not alter the distance enough to have changed his target sight and he would have collected the bull of a lifetime.

 

[bearguide]

can't get them if you don't shoot

 

[Swede]

It appears to me that nearly all long term failures can be attributed to either a lack of knowledge, lack of confidence or a lack of patience. Yes, bad luck, equipment failures, momentary lapses in judgement, animals moving at just the wrong time, etc. can spoil an opportunity, but they are the exception and not the rule. In Wyobob's example, you can see "lack of confidence" written all over the person who missed a great opportunity. With web sites like this, books, videos and knowledgable individuals easily available, there is no reason not to be reasonably knowledgable on our hunts. Patience and confidence are more developed traits, but can be quickly gained with knowledge and solid preparation for the hunt. Like Wyobob, I have seen where a lack of confidence resulted in hunters failing to draw and shoot a very vulnerable elk. On the other hand, most of the failures I see are due to a lack of patience. Way too many hunters believe they must be moving on and on or they are not hunting. It is sad that these mistaken "runners and gunners" routinely return to camp to find a conspicuous note, left by some old geezer, which reads; "I need you at the Coyote Draw. Bring your packs". Don't misunderstand my point on running and gunning. That is a very effective tactic at the right time and in the right place. Paul Medel, aka Elknut1 explains the use of that tactic very well. When everything is said it still comes back to the same three things. Knowledge, patience and confidence. The skilled hunter makes his or her own luck.

 

[Chris Roe]

David Long and WapitiBob nailed my previous thoughts perfectly (knowing behavior and knowing the habitat to FIND elk...) and I think Swede summed it up well as far as the PATIENCE and confidence coming from knowledge and PROPER prior preparation (as opposed to just "preparation" - and there is a difference).

The one thing that has stood out for me reading this so far is that two other things that have worked well for me, and numerous others, outside of what has already been presented is - being willing to think outside the box (i.e. doing something different than what you have been, or what most everyone ELSE is doing), and being more committed to hunting the ANIMAL as opposed to hunting for a particular SCENARIO.

If you look at most of the "well known hunters" out there whacking BIG bulls each year (the Ulmers, Evans, Adams, etc.) - aside from them holding premium tags and hunting multiple States - the things they consistently do well, are "doing what it takes," and "thinking outside the box." Part of that comes from the dedication, commitment, physical conditioning, preparation, etc., etc., but a large part of that comes from having an open mind, no preconceived ideas of how things SHOULD be - and the ability to read how they ARE - and a willingness to try something new, and something maybe a bit crazy that might get the job done. ...to identify those opportunities and actually engage in them takes a calmness and level of "critical thinking" that I think SOME people DON'T have (not being critical, just being honest), MANY people COULD have (...just need to maybe adjust expectations, anticipations, preconceptions, etc. a little before and during the hunt), and that a FEW people DO have, and employ during their hunt.

Which leads into my second point. ...I run into - and talk to - tons of people each year that go into the elk season "excited to bugle that bull in", or... they bought a new cow call and can't wait to "call a bull in." Inadvertently, they predispose themselves to one "subset" of tactics, and that's what they stick with. Maybe they want a particular experience, maybe they have a narrower "skills-set" than others, but in either case, they end up - whether consciously or not - running across the landscape looking for a bull that will play THEIR game, rather than running across the landscape, finding an elk, and then playing that particular BULL'S (or cows') "game" in THAT situation. SOOOooooo many times I see people have success slip from their grasp ONLY because they were stuck with one mindset, one particular expectation, a narrow anticipation for a certain scenario, etc. - or - just didn't have the confidence or ability to change tactics on a moments notice to meet the needs of the animal they were working.

Neither of those things are "easy" to just "transition into" if a hunter is not already doing it, but it can be learned. I know we'll be spending a lot of time over on my website helping folks develop those skills, but if folks can even just start THINKING in that direction now, they'll be ahead of the curve when this season rolls around.

Chris Roe

 

[Swede]

Chris is right about trying different things. We all buy new toys or read or hear about some new tactic we want to try. I even come up with a few of my own, but when what we are doing is not working, it is as Chris suggests, "time to think outside the box". Try something different that does not violate solid hunting principles such as avoiding letting the elk scent you.