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Thread: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    903

    First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    I'm starting to look at where I might go for archery season for my first time. I've been rifle hunting for a few years now without success so I figured I would try something harder

    Since I haven't had any big game luck yet I will be happy with a chance at anything legal but my main goal is an elk.

    Any tips on areas to try and do a bit of scouting or what part of the province would be better for a beginner if any?

    I don't know if I will be fully geared for backpack hunting by then but that is the main goal eventually. I hope to have a shelter, sleeping bag and pad by then but I hate buying things I will want to upgrade later so I try and save for the good stuff. Other than those 3 I'm pretty much covered gear-wise if that matters.

    I'm in Mission if anyone wants to meet for a beer or two and chat.

    Cheers

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  3. #2
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    Mar 2013
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    Surrey, BC
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    You've been rifle hunting for a few years without success and now you want to give yourself even lower chances of success.
    Am I reading this right?
    1. Human over population
    2. Government burden and overreach

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by adriaticum View Post
    You've been rifle hunting for a few years without success and now you want to give yourself even lower chances of success.
    Am I reading this right?
    I think you are... But every dollar spent towards our hobby is a good dollar spent, so buy away ^^ who knows, maybe the fact that it's more difficult will be the motivation he needs to go that extra mile to bag his first big game animal !

  5. #4
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by RyoTHC View Post
    who knows, maybe the fact that it's more difficult will be the motivation he needs to go that extra mile to bag his first big game animal !
    I think success is the greatest motivator
    1. Human over population
    2. Government burden and overreach

  6. #5
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    Feb 2013
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by adriaticum View Post
    You've been rifle hunting for a few years without success and now you want to give yourself even lower chances of success.
    Am I reading this right?
    Sort of. I will still be rifle hunting later in the season. Maybe my math is wrong but I figured if I added the 10 days of bow hunting season to my year it would equal a greater chance of success overall. I'm also a sucker for punishment. The lack of success is making me try harder.

  7. #6
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    Jul 2013
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    East Kootenay
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    1,364

    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    This is really a hard time to plan! Soon enough there will be more information. It is fair figuring to get an Excalibur crossbow and use archery seasons to add time. Best to study hard, scout harder and learn your area and species!
    All of sudden those success rates increase. But for me, some of my most successful days afield involved no killing.

  8. #7
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    Feb 2013
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    903

    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    I already have a bow and have been shooting it since last October with this season in mind.

  9. #8
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    Dec 2007
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    In the bush near a lake
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Can’t help with elk spots

    The advantage to early season is that dumb spike buck that has never been hunted. If you pick and area with high deer numbers odds of finding one is good.

    Bowhunting is not as hard as many make it out to be. You just need to hunt in away that causes close encounters. Ambushing in timber is way more productive then glassing and stalking clear cuts

    90% of failed shot opportunities for myself are getting busted on the draw. This is the time you really need to be sneaky

  10. #9
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    Mar 2011
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    Southern West Kootenays
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Good on you to try bowhunting, or was it archery hunting? It will require a lot of scouting and patience. Wherever there is an archery season is a good place. As I said, lots of scouting to first find elk and second find exactly where they move and hang out. Wallows and springs are great places to set up blinds or tree stands. Early season, they may not readily respond to calls. Calling may help in locating them. Learn to move without making a sound. practice shooting from sitting, kneeling, and elevated positions. Chances are, if you are not in a tree stand, you will be kneeling behund a blind or bush and at an awkward position when the shot presents itself. Be very choosy on the shot. Completely avoid the straight on shot. I know there will be people chiming in that they were successfull, but in my experience, most of those shots result in lost elk. Elk are VERY TOUGH. They will go far even with a perfect shot, so be prepared to track. Hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle will reveal blood quickly. I wish you luck. It's hard enough to get elk with a firearm nowadays. Oh, lastly, go where no one else goes - again involving hours/days of scouting.
    "Target archery is seeing how far away you can get and still hit the bull's eye;
    Bowhunting is seeing how close you can get and never miss your mark."

    "A man's got to know his limitations"

  11. #10
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    Sep 2016
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    Re: First time bow hunter planning the upcoming season, elk tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by KBC View Post
    Sort of. I will still be rifle hunting later in the season. Maybe my math is wrong but I figured if I added the 10 days of bow hunting season to my year it would equal a greater chance of success overall. I'm also a sucker for punishment. The lack of success is making me try harder.

    Thanks for reaffirming my original thoughts ^^ and adding ten days to your season will absolutely increase your odds, even more so when it's before all the gun shots start, well... most.

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