Late Season Elk Hunting Tips

[Piperdown]

Sounds like a promising first day, good luck and keep us posted!

[EELK]

Find sign , follow it into the timber. Worked for a buddy and myself 2 weeks ago, bring your pack board.
bosrd

[slowjo]

any shots fired yet??

[slovakien_12]

"if you would shoot it on the last day of the season then shoot it on the first day of the season"
biggest thing I have ever learned

[Wolfkrieg]

"if you would shoot it on the last day of the season then shoot it on the first day of the season"
biggest thing I have ever learned

Yes, surely a tough lesson served cold and nasty.
Unfortunately the immediate traction came to a startling halt starting on Day 3. I had read that once you set a goal for hunting, to stick to it even though it will be challenging when the easier opportunities present themselves. I had my easy way out and could have tagged out first thing on the first day, but for once in my hunting career I decided to risk the meat for a more sentimental and significant reward. The combination of months of staring at a large bull bugling on my laptop wallpaper, my grandpa passing recently, and the constant physical training and reading about this animal endlessly made me strive and stick to my guns. But sometimes the pieces are misleading and don't fall neatly into place as you anticipate.

Needless to say, Day 3 and 4 were daunting and frustrating as our friendly pack of Elk had decided to boogie out of town. Hour's of glassing the previously active clearing in -30 and wind howling, toes freezing and beard hanging icicles, and no sign.We finally decided to attempt a drive from the other end of the treeline which took hours, hoping to push any remaining elk towards an opening we were watching - nothing. Still-hunted the track infested tree's but only signs of a few vacant beds and lot's of barbed-wire with tufts of hair on top of the snow.

I continued to walk the 2KM hike in morning and evening over top of my old footsteps that were no longer visible due to the howling snow and wind drifts filling them instantly.

In the end, myself and my brother both learned quite a bit about these sneaky animals. And after a few "I told you so!!"s and feeling shitty about my decision, we still enjoyed our last night and the drive home was filled with laughs. It's shit like this that keeps me obsessed and even more driven for the next trip. Fortunately, my freezer's still full from a great deer season so I'm not hurting, but the Elk meat would have definitely been welcomed. I hate to sound cliché but hindsight is definitely 20-20 and you live and learn!

Thanks to everyone who generously offered tips and advice and it is all burnt into my brain for the next endeavor.

Cheers,
Matt

[Johnnyexcavator]

That's too bad you didn't get your bull Matt! I am heading up there in a week for the first time and must say I was sure rooting for you! Especially after such a positive first day. It sounded like you and your brother still had a great trip that you will remember for years to come!

[Backwoods]

Right on Matt sounded like you had a great hunt and experiences spent with family!! Just that is valuable, gaining knowledge and experience for the future will be rewarding for you! I ate my elk tag this year and had two legal bulls within range but got caught off guard and couldn't make an ethical shot! Still pisses me off lol!!! -PS you should've dumped that wolf!! Lol do us all a favour up here take as many as those critters as possible! Especially if it's land you plan to hunt in the future, maybe them wolves pushed your big 360" bull out of there haha!!! All in all sounds like a good late season trip!
-Backwoods

[Sitkaspruce]

Yes, surely a tough lesson served cold and nasty.
Unfortunately the immediate traction came to a startling halt starting on Day 3. I had read that once you set a goal for hunting, to stick to it even though it will be challenging when the easier opportunities present themselves. I had my easy way out and could have tagged out first thing on the first day, but for once in my hunting career I decided to risk the meat for a more sentimental and significant reward. The combination of months of staring at a large bull bugling on my laptop wallpaper, my grandpa passing recently, and the constant physical training and reading about this animal endlessly made me strive and stick to my guns. But sometimes the pieces are misleading and don't fall neatly into place as you anticipate.

Needless to say, Day 3 and 4 were daunting and frustrating as our friendly pack of Elk had decided to boogie out of town. Hour's of glassing the previously active clearing in -30 and wind howling, toes freezing and beard hanging icicles, and no sign.We finally decided to attempt a drive from the other end of the treeline which took hours, hoping to push any remaining elk towards an opening we were watching - nothing. Still-hunted the track infested tree's but only signs of a few vacant beds and lot's of barbed-wire with tufts of hair on top of the snow.

I continued to walk the 2KM hike in morning and evening over top of my old footsteps that were no longer visible due to the howling snow and wind drifts filling them instantly.

In the end, myself and my brother both learned quite a bit about these sneaky animals. And after a few "I told you so!!"s and feeling shitty about my decision, we still enjoyed our last night and the drive home was filled with laughs. It's shit like this that keeps me obsessed and even more driven for the next trip. Fortunately, my freezer's still full from a great deer season so I'm not hurting, but the Elk meat would have definitely been welcomed. I hate to sound cliché but hindsight is definitely 20-20 and you live and learn!

Thanks to everyone who generously offered tips and advice and it is all burnt into my brain for the next endeavor.

Cheers,
Matt

Congrats on a great hunting trip Matt!!!

Sounds like you experienced the ups and downs of chasing elk, especially in the winter!!!

Thanks for sharing your hunt!!

Cheers

SS

[Squamch]

Sounds like a rewarding trip anyway! I'm sitting in a hotel room in PG, gotta stop at wholesale tomorrow then head on up! Where did you guys stay?

[Wolfkrieg]

Sounds like a rewarding trip anyway! I'm sitting in a hotel room in PG, gotta stop at wholesale tomorrow then head on up! Where did you guys stay?

We stayed at The Lion Inn in Chetwynd.
Paid around $109.00 a night for 2 queen beds and kitchen.
Rooms were clean and newly renovated.