New to elk hunting

[sniperbait]

I am new to hunting and am thinking of getting an OTC tag for Utah this year. Not really looking for a monster bull this year, just thinking of getting out.

What advice would you have to someone new to elk hunting?

 

[one_dryboot]

If you dont care about a monster I would consider Colorado. You would have alot better chance of finding elk in colorado and killing one. Utah is very tough on the OTC public land tag.

 

[Califelkslayer]

And just do it. When I first started, I only saw elk once or twice a hunt/season.

 

[JACO]

I second the opinion to consider Colorado. I've hunted elk in both Utah and Colorado, and can tell you that you will see way more elk in Colorado on a general season hunt. Utah's general elk season is very tough, there's a lot more hunters than there are bull elk, and most will not even see a branch antlered bull during season, especially if they are a beginner/new to the area. Colorado has a lot more elk, and their season structure divides the hunters so they are not all in the field at once.

Nocked N Loaded

 

[sniperbait]

Wow! Only 3 responses?!?! And two of them telling me to go to Colorado. If I had a couple of grand to blow on a hunt, I just might take that advice. Like most of you (Im guessing here) I dont have the couple of grand to blow on a hunt like that. If I did, trust me, I would consider it. Im not asking for your honey hole or anything like that. Just asking for advice that you wish you would have been given before you started elk hunting.

So much for all the preaching of sharing your passion with the next generation of hunters, right?

 

[wyomule]

I think they are giving you advice that they wish they would have been given before they started elk hunting. I would make sure you scout your areas well and understand the size of these animals is not close to a deer. You cant drop off in a canyon and think your going to drag one to the top. Make sure your in shape and know how to quarter one up even if you dont think your going to have to.

 

[cmbbulldog]

Go with someone, learn how to hunt them, and they will probably be into more than elk than you would be. DO that for a couple years while you build points.

 

[sniperbait]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-10 AT 10:30PM (MST)[p]>I think they are giving you
>advice that they wish they
>would have been given before
>they started elk hunting. I
>would make sure you scout
>your areas well and understand
>the size of these animals
>is not close to a
>deer. You cant drop off
>in a canyon and think
>your going to drag one
>to the top. Make sure
>your in shape and know
>how to quarter one up
>even if you dont think
>your going to have to.
>

Wyomule, thanks for the advice here. This is the kind of advice I was hoping for. I know that physical condition is very important for me in being able to get to the elk. I know they arent going to be found on the side of the road and I will need to spend some time and energy hiking to where they are.

Anything anyone else wants to add other than "find someone else to hunt with" or "get a guide"? Honestly, if I dont get an elk, Im not going to be disappointed. Yes, I know it takes years before some even get a shot at one. I'm going ahead and putting myself into that category.

 

[one_dryboot]

Actually you can do a Colorado elk hunt for a lot less then 2 grand !!

You wanted advice, I gave you the best I could with little detail you gave about yourself. For all I know you live on the moon and you would be coming to utah to hunt elk. So, I told you colorado would be better. Sorry, Next time I will give you crappy advice.

Utah, Hmm... Public land, not alot of elk. Lots of hunters. Even more road hunters. I have hunted the otc for about ten years. The best thing you can do is get as far away from the roads as you can. Alot of times other hunters will push the animals to you so take it slow. If you see elk tracks and crap then your probably in a decent area. I like to hunt the thick, steep areas and take it slow and glass under all the trees looking for bedded elk or any part of them. You can hunt all day long doing this. If you see an elk, make sure it has horns,, sorry antlers, if it does, put up your gun and shoot him til he is dead.
If your not seeing any sign or animals keep moving and looking over different areas until you find what your looking for.
If it is open enough to glass spend the first few hours and the last few hours glassing.
Thats all I have to tell you. If its not good enough im sorry. thats what works for me and I kill elk most years. But I spent years learning where and how to hunt.
P.s. I will give you a hint. Its the uintah mountains. I dont know how to spell it but you get what Im trying to say.

 

[justr_86]

Canyons with a road on top and a road in the bottom usually won't have elk in them. Stay remote and be willing to go farther than the last guy. Take your time and move slow, in thick timber I like to take 5 steps and use my binos, look for an ear or a leg maybe part of an antler. You will very rarely see the whole elk. Pay very close attention to the wind!

I could keep typing but as said before see if you can go with someone that would be your best bet.


NO GUTS, NO STORY!!

 

[cmbbulldog]

>LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-10
>AT 10:30?PM (MST)
>
>>I think they are giving you
>>advice that they wish they
>>would have been given before
>>they started elk hunting. I
>>would make sure you scout
>>your areas well and understand
>>the size of these animals
>>is not close to a
>>deer. You cant drop off
>>in a canyon and think
>>your going to drag one
>>to the top. Make sure
>>your in shape and know
>>how to quarter one up
>>even if you dont think
>>your going to have to.
>>
>
>Wyomule, thanks for the advice here.
> This is the kind
>of advice I was hoping
>for. I know that
>physical condition is very important
>for me in being able
>to get to the elk.
> I know they arent
>going to be found on
>the side of the road
>and I will need to
>spend some time and energy
>hiking to where they are.
>
>
>Anything anyone else wants to add
>other than "find someone else
>to hunt with" or "get
>a guide"? Honestly, if
>I dont get an elk,
>Im not going to be
>disappointed. Yes, I know
>it takes years before some
>even get a shot at
>one. I'm going ahead
>and putting myself into that
>category.


Wow. I wish I woudnt have given you the advice I did give you. If your looking for help, then go berate the help you get, good luck. Whats wrong with going with someone and learning how to hunt these animals? You will have A LOT more fun, I can guarantee you that. What advice do you want? I have no idea what you even know. Heres some advice - aim behind the front shoulder, 1/3 of the way up the body, and dont use a .22 on elk.

 

[sniperbait]

>Wow. I wish I woudnt have
>given you the advice I
>did give you. If
>your looking for help, then
>go berate the help you
>get, good luck. Whats wrong
>with going with someone and
>learning how to hunt these
>animals? You will have A
>LOT more fun, I can
>guarantee you that. What
>advice do you want? I
>have no idea what you
>even know. Heres some
>advice - aim behind the
>front shoulder, 1/3 of the
>way up the body, and
>dont use a .22 on
>elk.


Sorry for the snarky remark earlier. I posted this on here the same time i posted it on another forum. I was a little discouraged by the lack of response that i got here. The other forum I got what i felt was good advice for a DIY hunt, which is what i was looking for. I dont have a lot of money to go and do a hunt in CO, or a guided hunt here in Utah.

I want to 'get my feet wet' so to speak. I have seen other people ask these same types of questions regarding other species and have had a lot of advice. I guess I was expecting/hoping for the same type of response here.

Again, my apologies.

 

[cmbbulldog]

No problem. Have you ever been hunting period? I think if you could get someone to take you, you would learn more in 2 days than you could in 5 years of going out by yourself. Offer to be a pack mule for someone. If will be cheaper, you will get into a lot of elk, and you will have the time of your life.

If your set on going solo, do some research on google map. Find a trailhead in a wilderness area, and try to locate some remote country (5+ miles back), and go for a couple walks this summer and do some scouting. Once you locate some elk, or sign where elk have been, you will know elk are in the area. That would be a good starting point, and you can go from there on your hunt.

If you need help on what gear you need(or anything else), search the archive forums here and you will find everything you could ever want to know. Once you start narrowing your search down, ask some specific questions and people will help you. Its really hard to answer such a generic question. Good luck.

 

[sniperbait]

I started hunting deer last year, so my hunting experience it a bit limited at this point. I know I dont have all the gear right now, but I am in the process of acquiring what I need.

I am not really set on going solo, I just dont know anyone that hunts elk, hence the post request for advice.

Thanks again.

 

[2lumpy]

Without any desire to be sarcastic or condescending in any way.

If you live in Utah, are willing to travel a hundred miles or so in any direction, are willing to hunt yearling bulls or antlerless elk I will circle 5 drainages on a Forest Service map for you. Your job will be to visit the drainages prior to the opening of the elk hunt. On the highest location on each drainage you will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to daylight with the best optics you can afford, or borrow. Watch ever meadow, pond, spring and opening you can see from that location. Stay put until 10:00 AM. Mark your map if you see any elk and watch what they do, where they came from and where they go.

At 10:00 AM, eat something, take a nap, take a hike, look for a different vantage point where you can see different terrain. Go fish a creek, whatever, just relax and enjoy the outdoors. At 90 minutes before black dark be back on the same vantage point, set up and watch those meadows, ponds and springs again, record the elk you see on the map again, after it's so dark that your eye's hurt from straining to see in the low light, look for 10 minutes more, pack up your optics, dig out your light and head for camp.

Spend three days on each of the five locations and you will know where elk are. After you know where elk are your skills as a hunter will determine your success.

If your going to hunt elk without a guide you pretty much need to do the same thing the rest of us have had to do. I'm willing to get you pointed in the right direction here in you Utah but there is no free lunch for any of us. Time and effort equal success, more time, more effort produce more success, cool?

Let me know if your interested, ball is in your court.

DC

 

[Outdoorsman51]

I was in your position only a few years ago, so I can understand where you are coming from. My first year I went with someone (archery) and got a feel for glassing, walking into the wind, and some more of the very basics. Since then, I have been doing it myself the last few years. Yes, it would be better to go with someone, but sometimes you may just not have another person to go with yet you still have a passion for it. I admire this. Utah OTC is very difficult as everyone has said. Not many Elk, lots and lots of people. In the past three years I have seen a couple cows and a 3x4 the night before opening day and that is it. It really is important to do some scouting with OTC. On opening day, all the pressure pushes the Elk away from the roads and into private land. Your best option is to get away from the roads and into the backcountry. If you don't have horses, and are by yourself, then this can be difficult because it sure will be tough to get it out (but since your just starting I am sure you are young like me and can put a few more miles in). However, this is your best chance. Try to read and learn as much as you can in the offseason to learn the basics that going with someone would teach you. Before the summer, get with someone you know or work with and they should be happy to point you in the direction of an area where you can do some scouting (for the most part, the honeyholes are getting few and far between anyways). Again, scouting is important so that you are set up opening morning where the Elk will be. Once the guns start going off, your chances severely decrease as they head for the private land. Some people will just set up on the edge of the private land where they know the elk will head...that's one option but I don't really consider that hunting. Plus, most of these people will have been doing it for years and get very very territorial (they just might think you have some antlers on you). I have been considering Colorado after this year as well. It really wouldn't be expensive if you think about it, other than gas to get to the place and the tag may be a little more. Once there, you camp just like you would here. If you aren't looking for a trophy, then you can always apply for an easier draw unit that has a high success rate (this is the way I am going now, I just want a bull so I don't need to wait 40 years to get a 370). You would probably draw within 5 years on some of these. You would still want to do OTC though while you wait so you can learn and get a feel for it. Nothing worse than to draw a tag and waste it by having no idea what you doing. You could also get an anterless tag if you would like the meat and just want the experience. Your odds greatly increase (you can usually draw with 1 or 2 points). In the end, whether you get one or not, it is about the experience and I can guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy it. As they say, a bad day hunting is better than a good day of working.

 

[MuddyBoots]

First and foremost be prepared. Good binos, a couple knifes, bone saw, back pack with hauling capability, and a pick up or something similar to haul home a 600 lbs. critter are a must. I would second trying an antlerless hunt or a spike hunt. You are much more likely to SEE elk. On the OTC any bull hunt you may be hard pressed to even see a single elk, let alone get a shot at a bull. There are several good spike units in southern Utah to try and while you become familiar with the area you can start building points towards a limited entry hunt there. Elk hunting can be days of bordem, with a minute of shear adrenaline filled excitement, followed with hours of back breaking work. But it is well worth it. Good luck!

 

[sniperbait]

2lumpy - PM sent.

 

[2lumpy]

Got your PM.

PM me an address.

Which hunt are you most interested in, archery, muzzleloader, or rifle? Spike or cow?

Elk are in different places during these hunts so I can give you a little better spot if I know which time of year you want to hunt. Elk are in different locations prior to the rut and generally move again after the rut is over, then again if you are going to apply for an antlerless elk tag (these are not over the counter tags, you will need to apply for a unit), that's whole different deal and will depend a great deal which hunt you draw and the snow fall next fall.

Regardless of what hunt you choose, I'll send the map with the drainages marked as promised.

DC

 

[2lumpy]

sniperbait,

PM sent

DC