YOUR success rate on elk.

[Dos Perros]

First elk hunt was in 2014.

Three OTC CO archery hunts
One Kansas draw, pretty steep odds
One Montana archery permit tag
One WY leftover archery tag
On WY limited entry archery tag

Killed two 6 points in WY with archery tackle and then one cow with a rifle here in Kansas for an overall success rate of 43%.

Aside from the first year have had good opportunities to kill every other hunt. Have certainly put in the effort having hunted 10 days or so average each year. Last year I hunted 15 days, the last week solo, before I finally arrowed a bull.

Elk hunting has a good mix of effort skill and luck required to be successful and for that I really enjoy it.

 

[HuntKreutz]

1 year elk hunting
OTC
Public Land - Idaho
Archery
4 bulls seen within 70 yards and I screwed up on last one
Rookie move but definitely learned for future hunts

 

[nphunter]

Started archery hunting in 2009, I’ve killed 4 bulls, First was a spike the rest have been 6 point bulls. Have passed up multiple bulls every year waiting for a big bull. So 40% for archery elk, All OTC in OR on Public Ground.

Rifle hunted for 13 years. Killed 6 cows and 5 spikes might be a couple more cows don’t really remember that far back. So like 85% for rifle elk all OR either OTC or Cow tags a couple cows have been on private

Hoping to start archery hunting ID next year too. My goal is to have killed at least one bull for every year I’ve hunted with my bow. I have a little catching up to do. I haven’t applied for a rifle tag since starting archery.

Archery 15+ days a year when possible, lots of scouting too!! Rifle probably 5 days per year.

Shot a 6 point for the third year in a row with my bow. That puts me 50% hoping for two elk tags in 2021 really wanting to reach the 1 per year I’ve hunted goal.

I also turned in my archery tags for damage cow tags and shot cows the years I didn’t fill my archery tags I didn’t add that to the percentage but it would make my elk % close to 100 in the last 10 years. I’m not sure a damage control cow tag should count though, kind of like fish in a barrel.

In 2020 my wife also killed a cow and my son a 5X6.

2020/2019/2018

 

[RO1459]

40 years Elk Hunting
20 Elk taken
20 years private (12 Bulls, 1 cow)
20 Years public lands. (7 cows)
OTC areas, Colorado
Almost all of my elk were taken either the first two days or the last two days. Only three taken the last two days.

 

[JLane330]

Myself- 67% success
9 years
5 bulls (1X archery, 2X ML, 2X rifle) and 1 cow (rifle)
3X tag soup - archery (although 2X I passed on easy shots on cows and small bulls...16 yds from sleeping 4x4 for example)
All DIY on public land draw
2X taken on opening day, rest on last or next to last day of hunt (length depends on weapon/unit/etc)

My son- 33% success
3 years
1 bull (ML) (4th day)
2X tag soup (missed a cow with rifle, no shot on other hunt)
All DIY on public land draw

My GF- 100% success
5 years
4 bulls (3X rifle, 1X ML) and 1 cow (rifle)
4X DIY on public land draw, 1X DIY private tag

 

[14idaho]

I guided in Northern Idaho for 12 yrs , mostly elk,deer and bear. Our clients rate of kill was about 60 percent. Many misses every year. I could easily go 100 percent if I wasn't guiding. Most years I didn't kill an elk, that would be taking money out of my own pocket. This was prior to the wolves and bears. Different dynamic now. Going to hunt area next year.

 

[grossklw]

I've been on 4 archery elk hunts and have killed 4 elk; so 100%, all on public land DIY.

2 general WY tags- 270" 6 point and a small 5 point
MT Gen- raghorn
ID OTC- cow (2nd biggest elk though haha)

Will hopefully be headed to MT this fall to shoot for 5/5.

 

[MThoundhunter]

I've shot one bull, now have moved on to mule deer.

 

[Sam's dad]

I've hunted for about 20 or 25 years. I've killed somewhere between 20 and 30 elk; I never kept count. I'm 100% on rifle hunting, but with the caveat that that success was from the Rockies, where I grew up, and knew the areas and where the elk were really well. For the past five years, I've archery hunted exclusively and in Oregon. Quite a different experience. I've killed one elk with my bow in 5 years. Archery elk has been a learning experience, but I love it and all it's challenges.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

I've shot one bull, now have moved on to mule deer.

Get ready, that addiction is a strong one. Chasing muleys is super fun.

 

[14idaho]

Going out on a limb here but I think if a good hunter in an area that holds elk spends enough time and effort they can kill an elk. Usually the killing isn't the problem, finding the animals is. I hunted in an area in Idaho that is hunted hard by the locals and non resident hunters usually with little success. The truth is there were tons of elk that hunters never saw. Everyone talks about elk fleeing and moving to the next county. In the thick brush country of Northern Idaho most elk will hunker down and the hunters never see them. Isn't interesting that Fish and game estimates elk numbers throughout the state except in Northern Idaho. Why? Because they have no way of estimating them. Usually they fly over the wintering range and count the elk. Some areas are just too thick to do this. I've personally seen hell holes in Northern Idaho that held dozens of elk . I was in the country from April till snow chased us out. And I can honestly say the number of elk would surprise you. During spring bear season you'd see plenty of elk all over the place. I often wondered where they went and finally decided they were there, we just weren't seeing them . If you're moving and glassing good luck. We had to go after them in the thick brush, and we kicked up nice bulls and killed a few. Now the sad ending. This was all prior to the wolves. Currently the elk numbers are a fraction of what the used to be and the hunting pressure has increased. Those were the good days of elk hunting, I remember them well.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Going out on a limb here but I think if a good hunter in an area that holds elk spends enough time and effort they can kill an elk. Usually the killing isn't the problem, finding the animals is. I hunted in an area in Idaho that is hunted hard by the locals and non resident hunters usually with little success. The truth is there were tons of elk that hunters never saw. Everyone talks about elk fleeing and moving to the next county. In the thick brush country of Northern Idaho most elk will hunker down and the hunters never see them. Isn't interesting that Fish and game estimates elk numbers throughout the state except in Northern Idaho. Why? Because they have no way of estimating them. Usually they fly over the wintering range and count the elk. Some areas are just too thick to do this. I've personally seen hell holes in Northern Idaho that held dozens of elk . I was in the country from April till snow chased us out. And I can honestly say the number of elk would surprise you. During spring bear season you'd see plenty of elk all over the place. I often wondered where they went and finally decided they were there, we just weren't seeing them . If you're moving and glassing good luck. We had to go after them in the thick brush, and we kicked up nice bulls and killed a few. Now the sad ending. This was all prior to the wolves. Currently the elk numbers are a fraction of what the used to be and the hunting pressure has increased. Those were the good days of elk hunting, I remember them well.

Stop telling everyone where to find them jeez lol

 

[gabowhuntnfool]

5yrs out of the last 7 no kills. hopping this is the year

 

[Jkuhn22]

2 years hunting
7 days per year
0 elk
DIY public land archery-Montana

 

[14idaho]

2 years hunting
7 days per year
0 elk
DIY public land archery-Montana

 

[14idaho]

Keep at it, learn from your mistakes. You'll score.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

From my experience, and why I feel I've been so sucessful, I focus ONLY on thick nasty dark ugly timber after 8:30am.

If you don't catch them heading to a bedding area and you're areas like North ID as my example, my advice is lighten up your pack and leave all the optics at camp, and play brush ninja.

You might be shocked to see how many elk are just bedded down in the most ungodly hell holes and they anchor down like a pheasant in a rice field.

Edit-Rifle season post rut.

 

[th0r]

0/1
NM Public Land
Archery
6 Days

 

[WRO]

Archery elk success rates run 10-12%. Rifle success often runs 12-25% depending on area.

I'm curious what some guys here run.

I'd love to hear:

- Years hunting
- Elk taken
- Archery, Rifle, ML?
- Public land or private
- OTC or draw?
- Days per year spent hunting

I suspect we'll see some interesting trends out of this if enough hunters chime in. My bet is that 20% of the hunters are taking 80% of the elk.

- Years hunting- 18 or so for elk
- Elk taken - 25
- Archery, Rifle, ML? Archery and rifle
- Public land or private - Both
- OTC or draw?- Both
- Days per year spent hunting- 40-50 but maybe 10 for elk..

 

[bsnedeker]

Been hunting elk for 4 years, first 2 as a NR spending 2 weeks per year during archery, last 2 years as a resident, 30 days or so per year, archery and rifle. Took my first cow with a rifle last season.

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