How to stalk an elk.

[sayitfast]

Here is the deal. I have been out 7 times and have seen at least one elk (usually more) 6 of the 7 days out. The first couple times they were well off in the distance and as the days go by I find I am closer and closer to them. I went out this morning before daylight to a spot where I have been seeing elk consistently. I don't know what bull elk habits are when the rut begins but this bulll seems to stay in the same general area. I managed to get several yards in to the tree line and then stopped moving for about ten minutes and heard branches breaking about 12 minutes before the first legal shot could be made. I just wanted to buy time until then to keep them around me (not sure how many there were). Being a first time hunter I heard something I have never heard before so it took me a few thoughts to figure it out. A cow mewed and the bull bugled about 150 yards (best guess) down in the thick, dry, trees. Thats when the noise startled me. The bull was just thrashing a couple trees with his antlers and I was so close I was suprised by how loud it was. I have seen a bull in this area days earlier and I think he is a 4x5. I used his noise making as cover and tried to get closer but the tree whipping stopped. He couldn't have winded me because I checked the air with a talc bottle before I attempted to move in. I got nervous when the noise stopped and I could hear more branches breaking but more distant now. I cow called and he bugled back so I waited. Nothing happened after 20 minutes so I bugled to him. Still nothing. I got back to my pickup and drove down to the bottom of the ravine and hiked in 1.5 miles to a clear cut 350 yards below where they were. I never seen or heard them again. I am running out of time to hunt and I am trying not to get frustrated but it's hard not to. It's so dry and I feel I'm wasting valuable time picking a spot and waiting for them to hopefully walk by. I am doing everything I know and have taken experienced hunters advice and I'm just not getting it done. I also read about the moon phase in another post and the warmer nights making it more difficult to catch them on the move during daylight hours. They don't appear to be in full rut yet and I have only seen one herd with about 25 head which is making me think the bulls are beginning to round up thier ladies but real competition isn't happening just yet. I feel like am am doing almost everything right but something isn't happening to let me finish the hunt.

[Sunset]

You are simply going to have to be more agressive. I take a LOT of inexperienced hunters (not sure why....just seems to work out that way) and they are ALWAYS freaked out about how much RUNNING I do this time of year. Yes....RUNNING.....You've got to do what you've got to do to get close to them. I'm not saying you RUN right at them, but running to get in front of them is an absolute necessity. As long as you have the wind right, you'll be OK....they are less concerned about noise than they are about your scent. Your scent will KILL all situations if it is not in your favor.

The other thing I do (If I want to try to stalk in quietly) is to take my shoes off and hunt in my socks. You will be amazed at how quiet you can get hunting in your socks. It is almost like you can make LOTS of noise or NO noise at all.....the "in between" seems to disturb them A LOT!

I would stick with the cow call in close as you have described and keep them soft. They can hear VERY well so it doesn't take much when you are in close.

I've learned that you have to MAKE it happen at this time of year. Those bulls are a bit distracted right now and you can get away with a lot more than you think. The cows are more apt to bust you than the bulls.

Last year, I got on a heard and had a great situation develop....I split the herd bull off of the cows and had the wind in my favor for the herd bull. He hadn't smelled me so he was willing to come right through me (after about 20 to 30 minutes) to get to his cows. I ended up screwing things up with him(18 yards with no clean shot at his vitals) and got into a stupid chasing game. I had been paying attention to the herd while all of this went on and figured out where they were headed. After my chase on the herd bull, I ran about 2/3 of a mile down through a draw, up on the ridge above where they were headed to and around them so I could come in on them from the downwind side. Didn't quite make it on my first "drop in" so I had to pull out, run back to the top of the ridge and go another 400 yards and drop in a second time.....AND BINGO WAS HIS NAMO.....shot a NICE 5X5. He was my 11th bull.

The point is this.....you have to MAKE it happen sometimes. A lot of times you have to go against ALL of the traditional quiet, sneaky hunting techniques that we are so entrenched with and be willing to MAKE things happen. It takes a LOT of time to learn and after hunting elk for 25 years, I still make tons of mistakes and try to learn from them. I think you are already onto your mistake of being too passive....Therefore you are learning just like the rest of us.

Good luck and keep working at it,

Sunset

[sliverslinger]

Talking about using socks, I have 6 pair designated just for hunting. I out on all 6 pair and you can run down a gravel road without ever making a sound. I need to come up with something like that for my shoes. After about 1 mile or 2, you can start to feel the rocks, ouch!

from what I know, you have to push them this time of year. Get in there and tick him off and he will either come and get you or he will run. Its a chance you have to take.
Good luck getting him,.

[No Fences]

Originally Posted by sliverslinger

Talking about using socks, I have 6 pair designated just for hunting. I out on all 6 pair and you can run down a gravel road without ever making a sound. I need to come up with something like that for my shoes. After about 1 mile or 2, you can start to feel the rocks, ouch!

from what I know, you have to push them this time of year. Get in there and tick him off and he will either come and get you or he will run. Its a chance you have to take.
Good luck getting him,.

Try glueing carpet to the bottom of your shoes.

[Uncle ted]

Originally Posted by Rob Kaiser

Try glueing carpet to the bottom of your shoes.

i have one word for you all moccasins

[spottedhawk36]

ive got a pair of moccasins my cousin made for me, i bet they would be good for stalking.

[Uncle ted]

Originally Posted by spottedhawk36

ive got a pair of moccasins my cousin made for me, i bet they would be good for stalking.

if made right they do work very well

[DominantPrey]

I agree with what Sunset said. I was one of those inexperienced Rut hunters when I started bow hunting and I thought they were nut's when right after a bull bugled back to them, these guys would flat out run towards the bull and cover 1 to 2 hundred yards at a time before calling again.
It's not going to work every time, but the odds are in your favor. You got to get close to them quick!
Good luck!

[QH's Paw]

Originally Posted by Rob Kaiser

Try glueing carpet to the bottom of your shoes.

With carpet on your boots/shoes you lose the sensitivity factor. Part of the reason socks work so well is because your feet are more sensitive to what you are stepping on.

Originally Posted by Uncle ted

i have one word for you all moccasins

Moccasins, been there and done that. They are too slick in areas where there are pine/fir needles which is any heavy timbered area you chase elk.

Overall, socks are best from my experience. Just don't be cheap, throw them away when it is time. You're spending $10+ a shot for arrow and broadhead. Use a decent sock.

As for making noise and being aggressive...that's what the elk do, isn't it?

[nakoa]

[quote=sliverslinger;2177983]Talking about using socks, I have 6 pair designated just for hunting. I out on all 6 pair and you can run down a gravel road without ever making a sound. I need to come up with something like that for my shoes. After about 1 mile or 2, you can start to feel the rocks, ouch!

from what I know, you have to push them this time of year. Get in there and tick him off and he will either come and get you or he will run. Its a chance you have to take.
Good luck getting him,.[/quote
when i was a kid hunting out of chemult my grand dad would were mokisins

[DogZilla15]

Sunset is right on.

When you think you're being quiet you really aren't. The best thing to do is sound like another elk and that means going out of your way to make extra noise. Never bugle at this phase of the stalk but cow call, always facing away from the bull. Use a grunt tube when cow calling to control direction and to make it sound like you are farther away than you actually are. Swing your head back and forth as you call to paint the woods with the sound. The bull won't be able to pinpoint your location with this method. When you get close, angle off to the side of the bull to make him come to you. If he hangs up, move away from him and continue to call so it sounds like you are getting away. Then quickly move back closer to him but be silent and don't expose yourself.

Yes, the rut isn't in full swing as little if any actual breeding takes place this early. Most cows are bred the first week of October but as it get closer to this time the herd bulls will get more possessive of their cows and much harder to approach. During this stage you will literally have to run down the bulls and challenge them to a fight. They may go for miles before turning to defend their turf. Can make for some hairy hunting.

Some bulls have a point where they will hang up and not come any closer before moving back where they're comfortable. When the bull moves back to his comfort zone, call some more and quickly move into his hang up point.

[RiverMan]

Don't worry so much about sound while hunting elk, they are very large creatures and are used to hearing branches break, pine needles crack, rocks move, etc. So long as you are downwind and not sounding like a truck coming through the woods they will hardly pay attn to you.

When the bull answered your cow call that was the signal that he was interested. I always start out with cow call because this is the least threatening of all calls to another elk. If the cow call works, stay with it. Cow call once, if he answers wait maybe 20 seconds then cow call two or three more times. Mix it up, make it sound like several cows are there. If you wait too long between calls he will lose interest and move on. At the same time, don't call every second, wait and listen, if he's moving good toward you don't call. If he stops and bugles he is probably trying to locate you, cow call again. Listen to his voice, when he gets excited it will be far more growly and scratchy sounding. If he starts coming, choose your set up very carefully, don't over-conceal yourself so you can't shoot but don't be in the wide open either. I like to be between small trees or have a small tree just in front of me. When you see antlers, draw the bow and hold until he gives you a broadside shot.

One other thing, just because an elk doesn't answer your calls or moves on doesn't mean you did something wrong. Wait a day or two and try him again. If the elk are moving in a particular direction, circle out and around them, watch the wind, and try to guess where they will pass for a close shot.

Bowhunting is tough, elk are smart, and you typically need 10 or more of these types of scenarios before you will get an opp to shoot. Keep moving, keep hunting, be more aggressive with your calling, watch the wind, you will get a chance.

RM

[Duckwheat]

Welcome to Elk hunting.

The best memories I have are of close encounters and failed to connect. They zigged, I zagged. Getting myself in position and not able to change and hear it breathing feet away over my shoulder............ It goes on and on.

They are smart buggers and you earn everyone you take home.

Enjoy the chase and the sounds. Elk can sound like a freight train going throught the woods or not make a sound.

Big 5 point in NW Colorado came by me in the Pinion trees with his chin about 2" off the ground. Not a sound for critter that big, mind boggling....

Running up the road in your socks? Have not heard that one before. A good laceration may shorten the season.

DW

[SalmonJeff]

sounds to me that this post should be titled" anyone with a filled tag want to call in a bull for me"

it sounds like you got the biggest part of the battle under control ( finding the bull) just get a young guy who is an elk addict to call one in for you!

[sayitfast]

Originally Posted by SalmonJeff

sounds to me that this post should be titled" anyone with a filled tag want to call in a bull for me"

it sounds like you got the biggest part of the battle under control ( finding the bull) just get a young guy who is an elk addict to call one in for you!

As great as that sounds, part of what intrigues me is the difficulty factor of taking an elk with bow and arrow. I don't mind asking for advice when I feel stumped but in the end I won't feel the same sense of accomplishment if someone came out and tried to make it easier for me. I have been wanting to archery hunt for years and finally was able to make it happen so I'm a pretty late bloomer for just starting to hunt at 36 years old. I will be dissapointed if I don't fill my tag this year but I will accept it because I know the success rates are not high.

[STRUTTIN-1]

Originally Posted by SalmonJeff

sounds to me that this post should be titled" anyone with a filled tag want to call in a bull for me"

it sounds like you got the biggest part of the battle under control ( finding the bull) just get a young guy who is an elk addict to call one in for you!

Do not think he even insinuated that.I his asking for advice.Most seasoned hunters I have talked to havent even seen an elk this year.He is not asking where to go or some hidden secrete.Being he has been this far I would like to see him close the deal.Even if he doesnt this season is still a success.Even if someone does call for him far from quarateening him sucsess. .What he is asking could take years and years to learn.A little This might work advice goes a long ways.Remember KARMA always has a way of coming back around.


Good luck on doing it yourself elk hunting this year.I do agree get a little bit more agressive.