YOUR success rate on elk.

[orelkaddict]

Out of 18 years bowhunting I've taken 14 elk, out of 5 years of rifle hunting before archery I took 5 elk. This year I'm going to try a muzzleloader

 

[Wapiti1]

29 years since I could first buy a license. 27 since my first bull kill, a raghorn when I was 14.
Since then:
24 elk
11 archery, 12 rifle, 1 ML
Only one cow shot with my bow at age 16.
I did miss 4 seasons: 2000-2002 due to relocating and starting work after college. Last year I spent my vacation hunting Alaska.
Some years I shot no elk, others I shot one or two in different states. My success rate is probably 50% if you look at each outing as separate hunts. I usually do two 7 day hunts as an out o'stater. Indiana has a dismally small elk herd so I spend my time elsewhere.
All were on public, and all save one (ML bull in NM) were OTC or the non-resident equivalent (MT).

Interesting thread.

Jeremy

 

[11boo]

30 years chasing elk. Used a rifle for 26 years and piled up 19. Now with a bow, zero.

 

[squirrel]

Now I feel old...
32 years since that first cow with a bow. How did THAT happen??

31 bulls/ 14 cows during those years
all public DIY
archery ML rifle
some years 30-40 days, other years not so much

Gazillions passed on over the years looking for better, usually settling after tired legs make a rag look bigger!

 

[timekiller13]

2 years chasing elk. OTC archery public land. 6 days hunting per year. No elk killed yet. Shot opportunities both years, just could not make it happen.

 

[gbflyer]

Elk? What is this mythical creature of which you speak?

 

[bruceleroy]

- Years hunting: 5
- Elk taken: 5
- Archery, Rifle, ML?: 2 Archery, 3 rifle
- Public land or private: Public
- OTC or draw?: OTC
- Days per year spent hunting: Approx 4 or 5

 

[Bandit]

3 years 0 elk
All archery 0 pp draw units in CO
5-7 days per year

 

[GeoHunter]

"Adult Onset Hunter" here. This upcoming season will by my 5th try at it.

So far 3 for 4 on draw (that's all we have in NV) cow tags. Average 5-6 days per hunt

0 for 1 on a 0 point draw tag in CO.

Hoping to be 1 for 1 on NV bull tags by the end of this season!

 

[dangerousD]

- Years elk hunting: 5
- Elk taken: 2 total - one by me, one by partner, hunt as a team. Passed one sure shot on a cow (had calf with her and I didn’t feel right shooting it)
- Weapon: All Archery
- Public land or private: Public
- OTC or draw?: OTC
- Days per year spent hunting: 10 avg., some years multiple states with 15+ days in the field.

Still learning. All years but one we have drawn our bows with near shot opportunities that didn’t pan out.

 

[jspradley]

Started elk hunting 2 years ago. I've been twice, blew my only opportunity on my first trip (NM rifle cow, landowner tag, public land) and saw nothing but elk poop my second trip (CO Archery either sex, public land)

So running 0% as of now lol

 

[geriggs]

I have hunted off and on for 20 years but the last 10-13 I have hunted harder with bow. I usually have a partner. We tend to get at least one with a bow every season but maybe one or 2. Personally I have taken 2 elk with a rifle and 5 with a bow. I run about a 30% success rate with a bow on elk. 1 every three years is about right. Sometimes i Have taken elk back to back years. I dont think i hunt as hard as most. Im not as in good shape as most bow hunters. I know my limits but I know where the elk are and I know my hunting partner helps drive me to hunt smarter/harder. I usually go home with meat because one of us bags something (generally elk but sometimes deer). All hunts public land National forest. I hunt maybe 10 days a year for elk.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Elk rifle-100%
Elk bow-0% and sick from eating tags

 

[Wapiti1]

Cook them with bacon. You still get sick, but the bacon makes them taste a lot better. I've also tried washing them down with booze, but I get sick faster.

Jeremy

 

[weekender7]

12 years elk hunting spread over 30 yrs
2 bulls killed
archery
1 draw, the rest OTC
usually hunt 12 days per year
LOVED EVERY MINUTE!

 

[Brendan]

Elk - 2 for 4. 2 for 2 when I've hunted solo. One of those was bow, one was approximately 10 seconds into the rifle season in WY, broadside at 40 yards in front of me Add in one Montana whitetail to that list, and passed up on a mule deer that was too damn far back and not big enough.

Drive from Massachusetts, 10-11 days each of the last 4 years. All hunts public / general tags, DIY.

 

[young7.3]

- Years hunting: 5
- Elk taken: 2
- Archery, Rifle, ML?: 1 Archery, 1 rifle
- Public land or private: 4 public hunts. 1 semi-public in KY
- OTC or draw?: 4 OTC. 1 draw in KY
- Days per year spent hunting: Approx 8-10

 

[Btaylor]

0 for 2 on elk. Have roughly 8 full days total hunting time, some whole days and some half days. In elk 5 of those days, missed a shot trying to get my wife where she could see the elk, busted by wind twice and got picked off by some I didnt see on another attempt. Got lots of learnin's in a short period. That's code for I can screw 'em up as fast as anybody.

Backpacking in this year for opening week.

 

[williaada]

First time last year- 5 days tag soup passed on 6x6 at 420 yards never saw another elk.

 

[ChrisAU]

- Years hunting - 2
- Elk taken - 1
- Archery, Rifle, ML? - Rifle
- Public land or private - Public
- OTC or draw? - 0 Point Draw
- Days per year spent hunting - 5 full days each year