Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: mcowie on February 20, 2008, 09:57:00 PM
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I know there are a number of elk hunting threads out there but I am looking for a few book suggestions. I'm very excited to be heading to Colorado in September to chase elk for the first time. This has been a dream of mine for some time, but I have to admit that I really don't know anything about elk hunting.
Anyone have any good reading material they can suggest?
Thanks for the help.
-Matt
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A Man Made of Elk - David Petersen
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Although he gets a little full of himself at times, Mike Lapinski has some good reads out there. One is "High Pressure Elk Hunting" another is "Solving Elk Hunting Problems". He also has several videos out. Gives you some good ideas on what to look for, where to look for it and how to hunt them.
Might I suggest.. Nearly all the videos show bugling and calling elk. If you are hunting public land, you might wish to keep it to a minimum, listen more than talk, so to speak.
ChuckC
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What Chuck said about calling/ listening. Good call Chuck!
As far as books go, PM me your address, I have a few you can borrow from me if you want. They aren't right in front of me, so the titles elude me, but they are yours to read and take notes from if you want.
Mike
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Mike I sent you a PM.
Thanks for the advice. Are there just to many hunters bugling on public land to make it effective? I have seen similar issues with grunt calls and rattling for whitetails in heavily hunted areas.
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It's not that there are too many hunters bugling, it that there are too many hunters that don't know how to bugle that try anyway.
On one hand, it's the only way they are going to learn to bugle, on the other, it makes the elk rut happen mostly at night.
The calling advice is solid.
I wish you the best. Were will you be hunting?
Todd
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Thanks.
I will be with a bunch of brand new (haven't met most of them yet) traditional friends in the Colorado State Park/ State Forest.
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I've followed the thread over on the ***********. I think you have some experienced elk hunters in the bunch. Follow their lead.The mistakes I witnessed first hand last season from obvious newbies were: hands and face bare,hunting in threesomes and walking right through the middle of parks-one bugling while the other two were squeezing their "Hootchie-mama" calls- overcalling- not "stalking" past range cattle when in close proximity to good elk habitat-Moving in on elk with no regard for alert mule deer between them and the elk.--Range cattle roam on most of the public land and are apt to spook and stampede when a hunter gets close. This will spoil a stalk on an elk everytime. An old mule deer doe will spoil your hunt by blowing and pogo-ing out carrying the elk with them. Tunnel vision will cost you an opportunity if not careful. The newbies I witnessed had the physical conditioning-young and moving all day. BUT they were spooking the elk out of the area thus forcing this old man to have to get up earlier to beat them out and hunt farther and farther from my camp to find the elk that had the newbies not been so lackadaisial/clueless we could have killed elk within 1/2 mile of camp.
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Dwight Schuh - "Bugling for Elk".
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I agree that Mike Lapinski has some good stuff. Tells it like it is.
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"The Elk Hunter" by don Laubach and Mark Henckel, geared more toward rifle, but the tactics work, and there's good info in it.
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If you have only ever hunted whitetail deer, you need to read and talk. Elk are different. Elk are big and a herd makes a lot of noise (at times) while just feeding along. A snapped twig is no big deal (usually...of course). Heck, a snapped 3" thick branch is often no big deal if there is a herd there. You can.. and should ... get away with a lot more than you can with a whitetail, but you cannot just walk around (they are not blind), you cannot let them get your scent (they have great noses. You can often move to draw, aim and shoot while the thing is right there, very unlike a deer.
Use your binoculars a bunch, go after em a bunch, try trail sitting, try wallow sitting, but the most fun of all is when they are vocal. That is what elk huntin is all about. If you get lucky enough to get close to a bull who is worked up and vocal you will NEVER ever forget that. More than one person I know has just... lost it... with a bull 20 yards away. They are impressive.
Last...my point of view.... try not to go out there with a "gotta get an elk at all costs" attitude or you will lose out on the journey. If that is your desire...get a guide.
Good luck
ChuckC
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Sounds like the same area I have hunted for about 35 yrs. If so, I know the area real well. I would need a better description of where you are going ( unit number, maybe mountain names, etc). I might be able to help you out some. If this is the same area, I have lots of GPS cordinates that might help. I have shot elk in that area.
If you are interested send me a note.
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By all means go and have fun. Elk are an incredible animal as all that have hunted can attest. As Chuck mentioned above, having a rut crazed bull in front of you will undo the best of us. I too know of several hunters(i.e. me) that have missed bulls at point blank (i.e. 10 yards) because they are an impressive animal. Again have fun and enjoy the music, you'll be hooked and have memories for a lifetime. And if lucky, mabey some elk steaks for a year. Good Luck!
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Take Gene up on his very generous offer! You can read all you want and watch all you can get your hands on and it will be no substitute for first-hand, guide-like experience.
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Thank you all so much for the help!
It's always amazing to me how supportive and helpfull this community is.
Thanks again.
-Matt
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No Problem, I enjoy helping others in archery and especially bowhunting. As I mentioned I have been shooting a recurve for 35 yrs. Yes, I am getting "OLD" ha. Check out the white mustache in the newest "Trad. Bowhunter Mag". I sent in a photo of a javelina I shot.
Gene