Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 21+ First Time Elk Hunting Tips from Experts

If you're getting started on an elk hunting trip, you might look for someone who can point you in the right direction.

So I decided to ask 21+ experts the same question: "For first-time elk hunters, what should we prepare to increase the chance of success?"

Hopefully, these first-time elk hunting tips below can help you fill your tags. Here they are:
• Finding elk is 90% of the battle
• Knowledge
• Hunting where elk are is number one
• Absolutely relentless in finding elk
• Make sure your broadhead will finish the job
• Keep positive (never give up) mindset
• Practice a lot and be in a good shape
• Know your rifle, load and train to employ it quickly out to 300 yards
• Use a spotting scope more than boot leather
• Use a hunting consultant/booking agent
• Starts with planning
• Know which way the wind is blowing
• Know the terrain
• Get in Shape
• Using applications to create opportunities to hunt…

Source: https://archerytopic.com/first-time-elk-hunting-tips/

I. Thou shalt be in shape, for elk dwelleth not in the flatlands, nor where there is oxygen.

II. If thine ass resembleth 20 pounds of chewed bubble gum, bitter shall be thy lot.

III.Thou shalt not whine that the pace is too swift, or that thou cannot get thy breath, or that thou seeest stars, for thy guide shall care not, and mercy shall not be yours.*

IV. Thou shalt not stuff thy pack with all manner of goods. Thou needst it not, and it shall do naught but rob thee of thy breath and turn thy knees to Jello.

V. Thou shalt not slam truck doors, nor speak above a whisper, nor tramp through the forests like the hosts of Gilead, for thou art in the backyard of thy foe the elk, and sharp are his senses, and he shall flee from thee.

VI. Thou shalt practice thy offhand shooting, for that may be the only shot that thou receivest.**

VII. Thou shalt learn to shoot as swiftly as the hawk flieth, and thou shalt not fiddle-f*** with thy gear, nor adjust thy scope, nor set up thy bipod, for thou hast not time.

VIII. While the elk yet moveth, thou must shoot, for blessed is he who endeth the life quickly, and accursed is he who letteth an animal suffer for the sake of a one-shot kill.***

IX. Strong must be thy bullet; all else is but the dung of horses.****

X. The worst day thou shalt have hunting elk is better than the best day of whatever else thou doest.

I disagree. Between lottery hunts and quotas, 90% of battle is getting the tag to hunt in the 1st place. If you can't get that, the rest is immaterial.

WAM, Thou art wise beyond Solomon. Verily.

+1, get me a tag - I'll find the elk.

II. If thine ass resembleth 20 pounds of chewed bubble gum, bitter shall be thy lot.

Coming from a guy (me) who is quite a bit over weight but has managed to kill a fair share of elk, this rule is #1... A treadmill is far more important of a tool than the rifle used on an elk hunt.

Todd

this is gold!! and every word true. well done!

Those are the words of the esteemed curmudgeon David E. Petzal…

Xl. When thy elk is down and has been laid low, get thee on thine knees and belabor thy breath and wipe thine brow such that the young host with thee see to the work at hand. Such is the time to fiddle with your gear.

XII. Do not kill the wild bull when alone lest your joy turn to sorrow and your heart melt like wax and your body give forth many waters, and your back breaketh asunder.


(I doubt DP would disagree)

Pat McManus had some tricks for easy packing. One was a bottle of some kind of pills. When the hard part starts, you say 'give me a minute to take my heart pills' and your elk will be packed out swiftly with a minimum of effort......unless you were hunting with Retch Sweeney. He'd say 'you'd better take the whole damn bottle 'cause I ain't packing this elk out of here by myself'.

😀

Ole NoElkSlayer will be along shortly to straighten y’all out. 🤪

Retch Sweeney with his brother-in-law, Wirth Les P Cod back back at camp, drinking muscle relaxant, while arguing how they would have hunted that morning had they not overslept. 🙂

Argue not, nor shalt thou quibble, over the cartridge thou dost employ against the Monarch of the Mountain. Shot placement matters far more than cartridge. Shoot thy rifle most skillfully and listen not to those who will mislead thee as to magnums.

Glad you got some clicks. Some of your sources kinda ruin your message though....

My recommendation for first time elk hunters is always to hunt a cow and not a bull. There are a lot more cows than shootable bulls and the tags are easier to get. They also give someone an idea how big an elk is and what it takes to get it out of the field. If a cow is too much for you to handle then a big bull may not be advisable. Cows are generally better eating as well.

When you shoot an elk, sit on its rump and eat a sandwich. You're going to be there a while.

Time spent hunting is not deducted from one's lifetime.

NickSr,

Am puzzled about how "• Knowledge" works with first-time elk hunters....

I would say this is straight up SPAM.