The treestand is mostly to blame, and is why many visiting elk hunters have a difficult time finding success. Elk hunting public land takes persistence and grit to get the job done, especially when bow hunting. Then Brandon returns during rifle season to hunt for his son’s first bull!” Too many elk hunters hunt heavily pressured public land, never see or hear any elk, and don't learn anything about elk hunting. A single cut might allow elk to move off a sharp ridge or mesa edge most easily, concentrating movement to an area easily covered from a blind or treestand. One of the worst cases of hypothermia I ever experienced was in July at 8,000 feet with a temperature hovering around 45 degrees. Unfortunately, smartphone batteries only last so long. Nevertheless, it was a good pain with no blood or bruises. Immediately the scree and dirt gave away, and instead of hiking down the slope, I skidded down to the creek bottom in a butt-skinning slide of terror. Public land elk country is unforgiving. A few aggressive state bowhunting organizations have even pressured game departments to institute restrictive rules that limit elk tags—especially for nonresidents. Set up and call in areas showing hot sign as if you’re calling predators. The St. Joe National Forest and the Clear-Water National Forest near the state’s southern Panhandle, are the best bets for high-success. A lot of their positive lessons have rubbed off on even died-in-the-wool western bowhunters. One of the trickiest parts of bowhunting public-land elk can be staying away from private property. The author has met many unethical hunters pushing beyond road closures on ATVs. I rarely leave a deboning site without one or two nicks to my digits, but knock on wood, I’ve yet to require stitches, unlike a guide I helped skin an elk with one year. That’s when I noticed I was leaking fluid, red fluid. I’m so excited to share all of my hunting adventures with you guys this season! In 23 years of outfitting and guiding, I shared a multitude of notable elk hunts, helped take a handful of behemoth bulls scoring up to 393, and many more scoring much less but no less memorable. Stand-hunting elk can also revolve around topography or feed. Just yanking a broadhead out of a quiver or fixing an accidentally deployed mechanical broadhead could slice you. Eastmans' Hunting TV:Bowhunting Public Land Elk, 2018. Darn, I thought again, but with more appropriate cuss words. However even with that said this is a great book for any beginner. Extra food and water, plus a survival straw to filter questionable water all play into safety methods to ensure unexpected is nothing more than a bit uncomfortable around a fire. On autopilot, I mewed with my mouth, and he slammed on his hoofed brakes to slide sideways in the duff for one last look at less than 30 yards. Bowhunting public land is all the rage these days, and rightfully so! He didn’t, but as he snaked his rack past at 10 yards, the whites of his eyes suddenly widened. Falling off a sun-soaked ridge and into cool bedding ground might mean wind that has been in your favor is suddenly spilling straight at your target bull. Some of these elk may embrace the new address while others could return to past, cushy digs under cover of darkness. our stories, videos and hard-hitting how-to's on big game hunting, 12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell, 10 Mistakes Adults Make When Hunting with Kids, Coyote Attacks Woman Jogging in Vancouver Park, North American Super Slam: 29 Big Game Animals You Need, Why January is the Best Month for Deer Scouting, The Benelli Super Black Eagle: One of History's Great Duck Guns, Three Giant Bucks in One Incredible Season. In most states it is the hunter’s responsibility to keep from trespassing without permission. Sweating during a hard hike into the backcountry or up an extreme slope can lead to hypothermia even in moderate temperatures. Editor's Note: Patrick Meitin’s 15-chapter book “Bowhunting Modern Elk,” endorsed by Randy Ulmer, Jim Dougherty and Larry D. Jones, provides more details of every aspect of bowhunting elk today, including techniques and equipment needs. Zing an arrow over a bull’s back today and he’s outta here. Mountain forecasts can change daily, if not hourly, so don’t hedge a bet. A deep saddle connecting two large swathes of prime habitat can sometimes act as an elk highway, constricting movement between wide areas to a concentrated point. Oh well, it was only one more memory of why bloodied and bruised is the norm for my public land elk hunts. Elk hunting public land takes persistence and grit to get the job done, especially when bow hunting.” I’ll take that any day over the off chance a bowling-ball-sized rock could slam me in the noggin on the gritty slide. © 2021 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved It includes an incredibly light power bank and solar panel in one convenient package. Most elk that haven’t hightailed it over the fence onto private lands look for roadless areas, dangerous canyons and steep slopes to separate themselves from divas in designer camouflage. Don't Miss: 10 Elk Hunting Tips from the RMEF. Timing is everything and overall, being aggressive is the name of the game. The second option is to invest in a solar charger along with a spare battery pack. If a cliff looks too risky, take a detour. All dangers don’t include a fall. He arrives prepared not only to work harder than the next hunter and go the distance but also equipped to shift gears and adapt to changing conditions or circumstances. This has made them more wary—sometimes downright neurotic. Don’t forsake limited-draw units. Bowhunters dream of big bulls bugling their approach while responding to the hunter’s cow calls and bugled challenges, but calling isn’t always the most effective hunting method. The duo allows you to keep phones and other small USB-powered devices charged when outlets are at a premium. And just when you think your accessorized side-by-side has the wherewithal to escape civilized settings, you’ll be equally as frustrated. To wit, when I started bowhunting elk, receiving follow-up shots after a close miss was commonplace. Don’t get me wrong — bugles and cow calls are still a viable part of elk hunting, but understand that if access is reasonable then hunting pressure is present. Bulls will begin to round up cows in mid-August. Be careful if you do confront any beyond-the-trail lawbreakers in this small-percent group. A bulldozer of a bull marched straight at me. We spend 9 days living off our backs and learn so much about elk hunting every single day of the hunt. A skiff of snow can become feet with a simple updraft along a mountain slope. This compilation of factors prods elk to leave suitable habitat in bustling zones and head to the danger — not ranger — district. An extra bonus is that our base camp is in the heart of whitetail deer territory for hunters looking to combination hunt. You can create a disturbing moisture event, and it’s a real danger in the backcountry. When your battery dies or you want a larger view, unfold the map and continue on course. Just make up your mind already, I thought, as the most recent bugle signified a significant change of course. Thankfully the author didn’t get too bloodied during this DIY public land elk hunt. 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