The Elk Thread

[rhendrix]

Got it done in NM

That's awesome. Which unit?

[texas shag]

stud bull! Great fronts and mass, and he has the body of a horse!

[Captain39]

Questions for you veteran Elk hunters. Me & two buddies are hunting 10/15-10/20 in Northern Colorado. How many coolers do you take each in case you kill something? Do you take dry ice?

[bear]

[3L outdoors]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site and this is my first post. I can't start a thread yet so I figured this was the best one to ask some questions. I bought a small piece of property a little over a year ago that has free ranging exotics including elk. Being from west Texas my knowledge is primarily on whitetail hunting. I really want to learn the in's and out's of not only hunting elk, but keeping them attracted to my land. I've spent the last year getting the place ready to hunt and want any tips I can get to help me get some elk in this year. We have trail pics of numerous elk but they are sporadic. I assume hunting elk in Texas is far different from say colorado. I guess my main questions would be, is there certain feed or attractant that draws them? I feed corn, protein, and throw out alfalfa. Also I've read the rut is late September early October, is calling effective in texas? Do the elk bugle and respond here? Are there any tactics I can try to get on an elk? What type of calls if any work? Do decoys work? The land I hunt is very hilly, thick and rocky, I'm assuming the bottoms are my best best? Sorry to ramble any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and good hunting.

[TradAg02]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site and this is my first post. I can't start a thread yet so I figured this was the best one to ask some questions. I bought a small piece of property a little over a year ago that has free ranging exotics including elk. Being from west Texas my knowledge is primarily on whitetail hunting. I really want to learn the in's and out's of not only hunting elk, but keeping them attracted to my land. I've spent the last year getting the place ready to hunt and want any tips I can get to help me get some elk in this year. We have trail pics of numerous elk but they are sporadic. I assume hunting elk in Texas is far different from say colorado. I guess my main questions would be, is there certain feed or attractant that draws them? I feed corn, protein, and throw out alfalfa. Also I've read the rut is late September early October, is calling effective in texas? Do the elk bugle and respond here? Are there any tactics I can try to get on an elk? What type of calls if any work? Do decoys work? The land I hunt is very hilly, thick and rocky, I'm assuming the bottoms are my best best? Sorry to ramble any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and good hunting.

Is the property west Texas (native free range elk), or hill country (escaped from a high fence)?


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[unclefish]

Questions for you veteran Elk hunters. Me & two buddies are hunting 10/15-10/20 in Northern Colorado. How many coolers do you take each in case you kill something? Do you take dry ice?

A good sized bull will not fit in a 110-120 cooler.....even fully processed. You will need a big one and a smaller 72 quart would work. But we don't usually take enough coolers if everyone kills. Where we hunt we have a store fairly close to buy one if we need it.

As far as dry ice.....10 lbs will only last about a day. It's great for the trip home in trying to keep something frozen but it won't last long in elk camp. I just got back from CO and my 10 lbs of dry ice was almost gone when I rolled in to my house.

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[3L outdoors]

Free ranging.

[TradAg02]

Free ranging.

Year round water sources and a location for them to make a wallow. Based on your description of your property I assume an irrigated food plot is not possible. Other than adding a good plot your feeding regiment seems fairly solid, especially the alfalfa.

If your property is small, I'd try to keep pressure down and stick to hunting a wallow or trail. I'd be afraid that any pressure would push them out.


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[Buck Down]

I was surrounded by 8 bulls last night. They wouldn't come down.. They were about 100 yrds we moved probably 3 or 4xs to get closer.. the last time a bull appears from no where my guide drops on his face.. I took a knee.. I had no shot and couldn't see him. Immediately changed my sights to 30yrds.. I couldn't range find him because he was 40 yrds walking straight at us.. The bull stops the guide does a cow call .. He walks another 5 yrds behind two pine trees and a bush.. Guide calls again he walks from the Bush and he immediately sees me. I release the arrow and it Flys right over the guide and the elks back.. We stepped it off and it was 20yrds.. It's crucial to range find but I don't know how I could pulled it off... That was the 6th day last hr.. I crumbled under pressure I guess... This trip tops all my hunts... Those bugles at 20 yrds are something. These experiences is what keeps me coming back..

It was a big 5x5
Heard over 500 bugles in 6 days
Hiked over 20 miles


Man I love elk hunting


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[Wits_End]

I'll take the next shift. Wife and I are blazing blacktop, on 25 right now outta Rockwall. Munching on homemade Hawaiian tuna jerky and pretzels with peanut butter in them(these things are addicting). Spending several days hiking, breweries, and sightseeing with her, then dropping her off at the airport and hauling butt to the mountains for a first time DIY 6 day archery hunt. Excited is an understatement.
Cow mews are driving her crazy.

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[Buck Down]

I need to try some of that Tuna jerk.. Im on 25 and Clayton. The wife flew back tuesday.. I left last night and took a couple of power naps.. I think of the mixture of my feet and mule deer in my jeep is keeping me wide awake now.

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[tbeak]

Spent 5 days out in unit 55. Only heard 3 bugle which I think we're people and saw almost 0 new sign. Was a hard 5 days hunting with no elk down.
It was warmer temps, bright moons, atv/utv everywhere combo may have had an effect. Saw some beautiful country though.

[3L outdoors]

Year round water sources and a location for them to make a wallow. Based on your description of your property I assume an irrigated food plot is not possible. Other than adding a good plot your feeding regiment seems fairly solid, especially the alfalfa.

If your property is small, I'd try to keep pressure down and stick to hunting a wallow or trail. I'd be afraid that any pressure would push them out.




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Thanks for the info, you are correct about the plot, I think it probably wouldn't work. When you say create a spot for them to wallow, do I need to keep an area semi flooded or at least wet/damp?

[TradAg02]

Thanks for the info, you are correct about the plot, I think it probably wouldn't work. When you say create a spot for them to wallow, do I need to keep an area semi flooded or at least wet/damp?

Mud hole with some standing water on it to keep it wet. I've seen them wallow in the muddy edge of a pond as well, but I personally believe they prefer a stinky mud hole.


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