Posted: Thursday, November 07, 2024
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As the late summer sun radiates down upon your face with penetrating strength, as if the sun is not yet ready to yield its power to the inevitable autumn, a cool mountain breeze descends from the high country delivering with it a brief moment of reprieve as it rattles the now yellow leaves of the quakies, and through the subtle sounds drifts the almost indiscernible whistle of the end of a far-off bugle, and with it, your heart and your optimism are full again with the promise of your good fortune which must surely be near. To hunt elk in the mountains during the archery season of September is to be a part of the mountains at the height of their splendor. With the pleasant weather, the changing colors, and the onset of the rut, there may be no better time to be in the mountains, and for better or worse, this is no longer a secret. As more and more bowhunters answer the call of the mountain each year, there has been a noticeable increase in hunting pressure throughout the Rocky Mountains. But even as the number of hunters has increased, there remains nearly limitless hunting opportunities for those willing to put in the work.
Finding the Spot
With the increase in the number of hunters seems to have come a decrease in etiquette that had once been commonplace among sportsmen. There is more to being a successful hunter than simply killing animals and posting pictures on social media for the approval of strangers. First and foremost is respect: respect for other hunters, respect for the animals that have provided us with so much, respect for the environment, and respect for those who came before you. One of the most important unspoken rules of archery elk hunting is: you don't talk spots. There is a lot of work and time that goes into finding a spot that produces quality bulls year after year. One slip of the tongue in a crowded bar is all it takes for your hard-earned spot to become someone else's next hunt with three of their best friends. All of a sudden, the spot you found which was special to you, your own personal sanctuary and refuge and something you held dear, is now on some newcomer's brag sheet, and those perfect hunts where you got to observe undisturbed game in a pristine environment has turned into a game of outmaneuvering other hunters instead of focusing on the beauty of your surroundings, and with it, the real calling of the hunt is lost, and may not return for some time. So how do you find quality bulls if you're not supposed to talk about it? It's simple, you kill bulls with your boots and your binos. And, after many days of scouting and grinding and getting punished by the mountains, when you finally do find that bull with the ivory tips and the whale tales that's been running through your dreams all these nights, you keep your mouth shut.
Finding your own spot is part of the hunt, and you should enjoy the process. With a little bit of planning, you should be able to get a handle on what the elk are doing in a general area in a relatively short amount of time. I have found the best way to locate elk is to start from a distance and then dial down closer as you learn more. Many people like to begin their scouting on the computer. This is fine for gaining a general knowledge of road and trail access, but keep in mind, you're not the only one looking at the same set of information. Once you have located a general area you would like to scout, one of the most effective ways to locate elk is simply to drive the roads at first and last light and glass. Glass the high ridges and the edges of cover during the twilight when you can barely see through your binos. All you're trying to do is locate elk, any elk. Once you have put eyes on a few elk, you will have a new sense of confidence in your pursuit, it's always more encouraging to hunt elk you have seen than just hunting pretty scenery. Now it's time to put on your boots and dial down on the details. When hiking into a new area, you'll want to put yourself in a position to take advantage of the terrain, which usually means going to the top. Once you're in an area where you know there are elk because you have seen them, go to the highest water source on the mountain and become a ghost until you can put eyes on elk again. When looking at topo maps of mountains, you will usually find that most of the springs and stream heads emanate from the same general altitude all around the mountain. This is the zone in which you want to spend your time.
Making it Count
Now that you've done the work and you're in a position to maybe, just maybe, get a chance to fling an arrow at a big bull, it's time to execute. If you're calling elk and they are actively responding and coming in, the most common reason for getting busted is movement. Elk have an uncanny ability to pinpoint the exact location a call is coming from, and when they come in, their eyes, ears, and nose will be so intently focused on that spot that even the slightest movement can spoil your chances in an instant. So, set yourself up for success. Don't set up behind cover where there is no way for you to see the bull coming without bobbing your head back and forth behind a tree trunk. Instead, set up in front of cover that will break up your outline and allow minor movement. As soon as that bull is in range and looks away or steps behind a tree, giving you a brief opening to move, come to full draw and get settled. One piece of advice I can give on how to make a successful shot when the opportunity arises is to pivot from the hips for uphill and downhill shots rather than trying to adjust with your bow arm. Once you have come to full draw, any movement of the bow arms will disrupt the geometry of your form, likely resulting in a miss at farther distances. Although I generally believe the less gadgets you have on your bow the deadlier you will be in the mountains, a bubble level on your sight is almost crucial when hunting in steep uneven terrain. When you get settled at full draw, pivot from the hips to adjust, check your sight for level, and put that arrow in the air.
Taking Your Shot
There is a fine line between being a ghost and being aggressive when it comes to putting the moves on big bulls. Often times we rely on calling to bring an elk to us, as if they'll come in on a rope just like we envisioned. But sometimes, you need to get aggressive, and you need to use the surrounding conditions to your advantage for the moment. For example, if the herd bull you've been trying to outsmart all morning leaves the herd and walks into a patch of willows two hundred yards away from you to take a drink, what would you do? You could try your best cow call, and now every elk, including that bull, knows there's something that's just not right lurking nearby. Or you could drop your pack, grab your bow and sprint like a madman to within shooting distance. Common sense tells us that will never work, but I know from experience that nearly half the elk I've been involved in killing, both rifle and archery, have involved a sprint at some point in the final moments. Keep in mind that the odds are always stacked against you when bowhunting. Getting busted at the last minute and having hours of maneuvering blow up in your face is more common than not. Learn from your mistakes by watching how the elk respond to you and where they go under pressure. If you get busted enough, you might just learn where those bulls like to hole up, and that's some handy information to have when the hunting pressure increases…if you can keep it a secret.
