My dad was a serious elk hunter starting in the 50’s—back when there was a small fraction if he elk we see today, and even smaller number of elk hunters.
I started following my dad elk hunting on pack trips as a kindergartener in the early 60’s. Killed my first elk in 1971. Killed my second elk with a Bear Grizzly 55lb in 1972. Elk hunting has indeed changed. The popularity of elk hunting is beginning to work against elk and hunters it seems.
As to the three ring circus that elk hunting can be, these last few pandemic years brought lots of people out of the woodwork who never hunted, or were occasional hunters at best. I think (maybe a hope), that some of this will subside. Especially as success has become more difficult in recent times.
As an added note, technology is adding to the impacts and visibility of hunters as we are out hunting. The advent and popularity of 4wd’s in the late 60’s, ATV’s, UTV’s, GoreTex, rangefinders, GPS, Google maps, all this tech is increasing the impact—on critters and us hunters in the field.
