Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: BRONZ on March 29, 2009, 04:01:00 PM
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The Good Lord willing, I'll be heading to NM to chase elk in Sept. Got any "do's or don'ts", tips you've learned along the way, stickbow tactics that have worked for you...
I don't have the luxury of time to figure things out on my own and the hard way. I need to be loaded with as much knowledge as possible.
Thanks in advance.
:campfire:
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http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=059344;p=1#000000
:thumbsup: :campfire: :archer:
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1. Keep moving until you find reaking sign. Talkin barnyard here.
2. Identify best you can beforehand on a map spots/basins/heads of drainages etc. that will most likely reak with elk, based on water, north exposure, dark timber etc, remoteness.
3. Using Gps and a good headlight get comfortable hiking 2-3 miles before first light. Being careful about Grizz encounters. Oh yeah, scratch that...your goin to NM. Morning hunts are mostly a race to get in on-em before the thermals start swirling and/or there learned behavior shuts them up 2 hours before they used to stop bugling. :banghead:
4. Take a back pack you can carry out the first quarter in.
5. Advice above is for hunting pressured public land elk. If hunting private land disregard all advice, sleep in, dont carry a pack at all if you dont feel like it...etc. :jumper:
Most of all...dont twist your ankle on the first day hiking in the dark for miles...oh yeah and have fun...that the only easy part ehh.
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Hunt them more like turkeys than whitetails.The hardest thing for me about hunting elk was loosing the whitetail mode.I now hunt elk alot more aggessive.
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Be ready to hike a lot and they generally wont come to you. The last thing is for the last five to six years they are quite and I never heard them coming in at all till they were right on top of us. Hunt high if ya can as the big bull like the high country. Good luck.....
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Don't get stuck in one place early. Move around a lot right off the bat and cover country looking for fresh sign and water that is being used heavy. There is a lot of country that looks good but doesn't have an elk in it. Also get some good binocs if you don't have them, and get on a vantage point early and glass, elk cover a lot of ground.
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Watch the wind closely them buggars can smell better than deer.The wind in the high country swirls bad.I tie either a very small feather on a string or a fine cotton string tied to my bowlimb to keep a constant eye on the direction.The Primos hoochie mama is the easiest cowcall to use and it is effective.
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Have Fun!!!
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I know this sounds a little dumb but remember that they are elk and not deer sized. My mind shot for a deer sized target and the arrow went low. It was much farther than even my subconscious thought. That's what I get for not practicing at bigger targets. So remember they are big.
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Move until you find them.
The wind will get you every time.
Don't hunt them like whitetails.
Enjoy the country they live in!
Nathan
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Keep it coming...
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Don't hunt them where you've heard wolves the night before. Frank
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Depending on what part of NM your hunting in water can be the key. We hunt the north part and finding the water holes is the first job. Next is keep track of the weather during July and August for the rain fall in your area. With good rains the grass and acorns will be plentful. If it is a dry summer find the greenest vegitation and start there. Cover a lot of country, fast, until you find the fresh elk sign. Once you find them do everything you can not to spook them and you could have a few good days of hunting in the same area before they move out. Glenn
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DON'T OVER CALL!!!
Bugle once to locate em' then go to them. Too many so called hunters out there have made them call shy by bugleing way too much. If you find a bull with a herem, get yourself inside his comfort zone then bugle, and BE READY, cuz he's comming.
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All good points and that previous thread is loaded with good info. To help you with the mental and emotional side should you decide to hunt alone, my new book "One with the Wilderness" (Passions of a Solo Bowhunter)has a balance between success and finding reward in failure. The attitude you take with you is very important. Mike
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/MittenM/hero/OnewiththeWilderness-cover-1.jpg)
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Bronz, "Keep It Simple"
This being your first or close to it elk hunt it isn't necessary to be the best caller out there or the most knowledgeable in the field about elk habits & mannerisms. But what you do work on have it down well.
I would seriously concern yourself with "setups" I call them "Cold or Blind Calling" setups. These are very easy to master & more importantly highly effective yet very doable for newer elk hunters.
Setups as this can accomplished by yourself or with multiple hunters by being 20-30 yards apart. Start with light cow calling as if you were a small herd feeding & milling around a designated spot where elk sign is found & hopefully they're still within earshot. By injecting a single cow whine in the mix using a pre-estrus sound 3-4 in a 15 second span you are now showing other elk that there is a cow in the mix possibly feeling urges of the rut or coming into heat. Add some light stomping & rustling branches & brush to make it real. This can attract both cows & bulls a like as elk are a herd animal & can become very curious as to who these others are in the area that they're not familiar with.
After 5-10 minutes of this off & on communication of this supposed group of cows, now inject a small bull or cow bugle. Yes, cows bugle in small groups as this, other elk know this!
Do your best to setup where the wind is in your favor as to where you feel elk should approach from. When possible I like setting up where I have obstructions or large openings behind me where the wind would give me up. Elk generally will avoid openings or these obstructions on their way over. Too, make sure your setup is one where elk must come within your effective range to see where the sounds are coming from, you need cover here! You need to stay put in one place for a good hour & allow things to develop, be on full alert as elk can show at anytime sometimes silently! You can do 3- 4 setups as this per day.
Setups as these are highly productive. They can be used all day or part of the morning & evening near feeding areas or transition areas between feeding/bedding.
If a good water source is known or active wallow this could be a great midday or evening place to set a treestand or ground blind. Between these 2 types of setups/hunts you can really up your odds for success with little experience.
If unsure of particular sounds to use at these setups or wallow setups consider Vol-4 Worse Than Wolves we have. It has this setup I mention in addition to sounds & activity to use at wallows themselves!
Concentrate on achievable setups as this & you'll really enjoy your hunt. Don't concern yourself with knowing all the sounds elk make & trying to understand them all, that can come in time as you spend more time in the field & want to learn more!
Here's 5 point bull my son took at 12 yards with this exact "blind calling setup"
ElkNut1
(http://elknut.com/files/Paul_II_bull_elk_2004.jpg)
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Wear boots that are already broke in,
and take large bandaids for blisters
just in case.
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Step one: Buy Elknut's book and read it
Step two: any other questions, refer back to step one
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I really appreciate the info!!