Noob Needs Advice

[Hawkk33]

My first year bowhunting for elk and let me tell you its alot harder than what I see on the Truth videos. Elk are tricky creatures, and that rut ..well it isnt going on like I thought it would.

I am hunting in Eastern Ore, have been out pretty regularly but being a novice its difficult to find em, walk quietly and sh*t like that without being taught how to hunt with a bow. A friend of mine turned me on to some of his spots and I have been into them alot jus never close enough to see what the hell is running away from me. I did see a bull busting through the brush (twice) the first time was a fluke, the second time I should have cow called and tried to get him to come out the clump of trees he stopped in..well needless to say he slipped away unseen and unheard while I tried to figure out what to do.

I did manage to get some responses by a cow, and did call in a calf to like 5 yards away but either the weather is too hot, I really dont know what I am doing or the elk are up to something besides the rut who know.. gonna keep trying though 6 more days left in the season but with 88 degree temps all week I dont know if they will be out much except at night.

Question is how many of you had a ZERO kill season when you started out ? and did it get better ?

 

[StickFlinger]

I've been hunting them rascals along time with my bow. Does it get better? It probally gets worst. You learn more each year and just when you think you have the situation figure out something else happens. It took several years for my first kill and several years inbetween each succussful hunt. But I would have it no other way. Good luck and keep at it.

 

[c3]

Zero for 11 years since my last buck. I've never killed a bull elk in 22 years of bowhunting them.

Two years ago I spent 65 days hunting two nice bucks on the wasatch front only to find that when the big snows came that year someone else dropped them. Then I missed the biggest buck I've ever seen on the hoof at 35 yards, no it's 45, no 35, not 45.... whoosh over his back. LOL. He was exactly 34 yards.

I had the third largest 6x6 bull I've seen in the woods at 25 yards this season, drawn and ready no less. I picked the left to approach him. The wind decided to change from that direction right at that moment. He winded me 4 steps from the opening I was going to drill him in.

How many more stories you want to hear from 20 something years of NADA?

I wouldn't have missed it for anything though

Cheers,
Pete

 

[OregonArcher]

well ive been skunked every year so far. mostly due to my own screw ups lol like said before you learn more and more each year and it does become a little easier but there are always aspects of it that you cant control or are just plain gonna be hard to do. i wouldnt give it up for nothin' though. ive learned more trying to teach myself to bowhunt than i ever learned rifle hunting. just stick with it and sooner or later youll have some success.

by the way what part of Oregon are you from?(if at all lol)

 

[BBWALLOW]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-24-03 AT 12:43PM (MST)[p]IT IS NEVER EASY JUST WHEN YOU HAVE THEM FIGURED OUT THE WIND WILL CHANGE OR ANOTHER ANIMAL WILL COME IN. I HAD MY BROTHER CALLING AND MY SON VIDEO TAPING THIS WEEKEND THE BULL CAME IN SO FAST COULDN'T GET SET UP RIGHT. HE CAME IN AT LESS THAN 10 YARDS AND COULDN'T FIRE AN ARROW INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT MY BROTHER HE STOPPED AT ABOUT 7 YARDS LOOKING STRAIGHT AT ME. SO GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING. BOBBY

 

[sampson]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-24-03 AT 03:14PM (MST)[p]At least you are getting into them. You are probably doing a lot better than you give yourself credit for.

Keep trying, someday you will connect and make it all worthwhile!

 

[Hawkk33]

Man you guys are great, I posted for help in the ELK category and none of those bigshots even bothered to respond.

Went out this am ( got there late , navigator didnt read map right) Spooked some more elk, called a calf in and he walked right by me like within reaching distance, stopped beside me and kept callling then walked up hill finally my knees couldnt take it anymore and i stood up. we looked at each other for a sec and he busted outta there. was kool as hell.

On the long walk back up hill, I followed a old road and was calling and listening , and I spooked something I assume was a bull cuz that sucker went right through a decaying log to get away his track crossed the road a little ways from me.

Does the insanity ever subside ? laying awake at night thinking of what I did wrong and how to properly hunt an area. Not wanting to be at work, thinking about how my elk are and where they are ?

BTW I am from Eastern Oregon, lived here all my life but just got into hunting last year and got lucky an shot a 6x5 with a rifle, this year I think I am paying for the beginners luck.

owell live to hunt another day

 

[Bambistew]

Sounds like you are doing something right... You're at least getting into em. My first couple of years I spooked alot of elk too. One thing that I changed is how fast I walk in the woods. I move at a snails pace always looking, and make sure I have the wind in my face at all times if possible. What has happend since made a huge difference, not only am I not blowing elk out, but am actually walking up on em. I don't know how many times I have walked right into a bunch of elk, and some times I was well with in shooting range.

I guess the two biggest things I can tell you are slow down when you walk through likely areas, and keep the wind in your face. You will see more elk, its just a matter of time before you connect. My first year bowhunting, I stumbled into a heard, missed one of the biggest bulls I have ever seen since, that was 8 years ago. I have taken three bulls since with bow tackel, and have helped frinds take another 3. All because we slowed down.

Good luck

Ivan

 

[Hawkk33]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-25-03 AT 10:05PM (MST)[p]Bambistew- you are right about the slowing down bit, I do tend to go thru an area to cover as much ground as I can. I think if its one thing I will learn from this first year is the need to develop patience. That and paying closer attention to my surrounding when coming into an area that would make good bedding/feeding areas cuz the elk I spooked wednesday stayed put even after I rolled a rock downhill.. and didnt get up until I sat down to get something from my pack and coughed. They were bedded below a nob I couldnt see around.(another lesson learned assume elk are everywhere when you see good sign)

Gonna be hell waiting another year to try it again.

Thanks for all your replies and tips fellas