YOUR success rate on elk.

[*zap*]

100%, 0 for 0......

 

[BuzzH]

This season, due to other tags, mainly a sheep tag I only had 2 days to elk hunt for myself.

First day I didn't leave town until about 3 PM had an elk shot by 6 pm and in the truck by 7 PM.

Hunted the last day of general season, left town at 5 AM had an elk shot by 8:30 AM and to the truck by 11:30 AM. Had my choice of 7 bulls and 40-50 cows. Picked a cow on the edge of the herd that didn't have a calf, no reason to clutter the rafters with more raghorns.

So 2 elk in about 3 or 4 hours of hunting...still have a tag left that goes until the end of January. Doubt it will take more than a few hours if I want another elk. We'll see...

 

[S.Clancy]

21 years and 15 or 16 elk. 50/50 bulls to cows. All but 4 w/a rifle, all OTC except 2 archery permit 6x6. Biggest was 330+, smallest was a 1 1/2 year old cow. All in MT. I would say I averaged 7-10 days elk huntung per year. Some of the years I didn't shoot an elk I passed elk, others I just never had an opportunity or messed them up.

 

[Kmarkwardt]

Well fine, I’ll bring the averages back down.

Years hunted: 5
Elk Taken: 1; 1st year. Mostly luck. “Holy shit, an elk!”

Picked up a bow the last 4 and have had some blown opportunities, but have gone 0 for 4. Going to change up tactics next year.

 

[Extrapale]

35 years of elk hunting. A couple of those multiple states. A couple years with no tag. 17 bulls and one cow. The biggest from NV, with a muzzy, the rest with a rifle. All but three in Oregon.

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[ELKhunter60]

I've been 100% successful.
11 elk hunts - 11 awesome experiences!

Somehow I ended up being the caller on all but two of my elk hunts - allowing others to get in front of me to do the shooting. I think this happened mainly because I was the best caller out of the group and was more focused on "us" harvesting an elk - than me doing the shooting. I've been able to call bulls in for other folks to shoot. My first elk harvest was in 2017. Archery OTC Colorado. My best friend had back problems and couldn't go, and my son had just started a new job and couldn't get the time off. I went by myself and had a complete blast. 4 miles from the trailhead and packed it all out myself.

The next year (2018) I drew a good elk tag in Wyoming and shot a good 300" bull 11 miles from the trailhead. Had help hauling out that one! This year I ended up being the caller for the group again. A few close encounters and one missed bull. It's ALL good!

 

[rodney482]

Been at it since 2005 (14 years) I live in Indiana. (Only hunted 10 seasons)

Killed 7 elk
4 bulls .. 3 rifle 1 bow
3 cows ... 2 bow 1 rifle

Montana, Wy and ID
Some OTC and some draw
All public

 

[Grundy53]

Started hunting elk in 2003. I killed a cow in 2007. I've killed a branched antler bull every year since. All with a rifle except this year I got one with a muzzleloader. All OTC except the cow permit. All Western Washington either public land or industrial timberlands.

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[Xtorminator]

Been hunting elk for 25 years. I’ve taken 21 elk, 15 bulls and 5 cows with archery and 1 cow with a muzzleloader. All have been OTC and public or timer co land. I have never kept track of the number of days in the field. I’ve killed a few on the first day and some towards the end of the season. Just get out as much as possible.


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[Marble]

Some of my numbers are guestimates.

Years hunting 18
- Elk taken ~20 bulls ~15 cows. Also called in 2 roosevelt bulls for buddies. I think I may have actually killed a few more than my numbers indicate but I'm really not sure.
- Archery, Rifle, ML? 1 with archery, the rest rifle.
- Public land or private. All public
- OTC or draw? All OTC
- Days per year spent hunting. 9 normally for rifle. 2 days for archery this year, 9 days last year.

Two years since 2001 I haven't killed elk. One year I passed up 5 or 6 opening day then ate my tag. Last year I passed on small 4x4 and a cow. Just a lapse in judgement.

 

[2peterhunter]

I have been hunting elk for 9 years, 17 tags in 5 states.

I have shot 11 elk, 6 with a bow and 5 with a gun. Around 12 hunts were public land the rest private land trespass except for one guided. I also wounded one elk and called it quits with a bow. This year we went 8 for 10 on the hunts I was a part of. Colorado was tough this year. We went for my wife’s deer tag she drew and bought elk tags so elk were not the only focus.

One thing I have found interesting as my success rate has gone up dramatically it hasn’t mattered if I was on public or private land. You just naturally get better at finding and killing elk.

Coming from Minnesota it took awhile to get comfortable hunting elk, every year I get better and more excited to chase them again.

 

[Ross]

For fun will use the 2000 decade all otc national forest service land oh to be young again went anywhere and never worried about location or distance ...grew up with a hardcore meat hunting crew and they could not understand why I would not shoot cows or pass on little guys just not my thing. For me like looking at dark chocolate 6pt racks.
All north Idaho and cabinet range of Nwest Montana
2000 Idaho opening day rifle 315 6 pt
2001 Idaho approx 7 days hunted 5x6 bow
2002 Idaho approx 15 days hunted 6x7 310 rifle
2003 Idaho opening day rifle 5x7 first year idaho offered 2nd tag ate it
2004 Idaho 6x7 300 archery day 4 2nd tag Idaho opening day 6x7 340 going for trifecta first time Montana rifle raghorn day6
2005 Idaho rifle opening day 300 6pt ate 2nd tag
2006 Idaho rifle 3rd day 310 6pt ate Idaho 2nd tag Montana rifle opening day 5pt
2007 Idaho archery day 7 300 6pt, 2nd tag Idaho rifle opening day 5pt, Montana rifle day 8 5pt
2008 Idaho rifle day 7 6pt, 2nd tag Idaho rifle 7 days 5pt
2009 Idaho archery day 7 330 6pt, Idaho rifle 2nd tag day 4 315 6pt, Montana day rifle 1 5x6.....

enjoy the days out the decades pass Quickly

 

[Wiscohunter]

1 year (this was my first)
Archery
Colorado public land
Zero elk were harmed.
5 days hunting
I think I learned a lot, 1st thing is public land elk in Colorado seem to bugle less for me then the guys on YouTube (or not at all) . 2nd thing I learned, treat blisters immediately

 

[wyosam]

I’ve been hunting elk for about 27 years I guess. Had a few years I didn’t go- Too busy with nursing school/ lack of time when my daughter was little etc.

I think I’ve killed a dozen or so bulls- most of my focus has been on meat. I did buy a cabin that is itching for a euro mount though, so my focus is going to change the next few years.

Cows? No idea. Don’t remember a year I’ve not taken a cow other than those I just didn’t have time to go. Usually 2 elk a year- I kill all our protein.

Last 6 years since they are easier to remember-

2 bulls
9 cows.

Time on the field depends mostly on how much time I have. I can usually, but not always get it done quickly if needed. All DIY (all solo other than my wife and a friend helped pack out one cow out of that list). All public land OTC (Wyoming General license) or type 6 cow tags. I’ve never put in for a special draw area for elk.


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[Jkrugster]

Been out 3 times in the last 14 years
1 time archery
2 times rifle
public land
Draw
Bout 7 days each trip
No luck yet but learned a lot each hunt

 

[ShortMountain91]

Wow this thread is still going strong. When I first posted a year and a half ago I had been 0 for 1. Now I'm 1 for 3. All 3 were draw tags. 2 rifle and 1 archery and I killed my bull on the archery tag. However the archery tag was a much better tag / unit than the 2 rifle tags

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[Coveyleader]

Add 4 more since first response archery Colorado.

 

[Dr. Rx]

I’m interested in this observational study..
Hope you tabulate results

Hunting for 5 years..relatively new at the game
Zero elk
Arrowed one this year but not a lethal hit
In elk in most days..except first year- thanks to my hunting partner. Nothing like a good buddy to hunt with.
All OTC archery
One year draw in Wyoming archery
Hunt 7 to 10 days per season

 

[deerlick]

21 years 17 elk. Started at age 13 for elk.

 

[roosiebull]

this was my 20th season, and I have killed 15 roosies with my bow, all public land OTC.

I was skunked for my first 4 seasons, then went 15 in a row until this year, switching to a recurve and missing 4 bulls at point blank range.

I wish I hadn't went so "all in" on the recurve, and kept my rx-1, because i'm not proud, and I would have picked that up after the second week. shoot my recurve well, but apparently not with a bull in front of me.

looking forward to starting a new and longer streak next year