So I've been starting my preparations for an upcoming DIY/OTC hunt in Colorado and in just about every video and podcast that I've watched, someone makes a statement similar to this: "It won't be easy, but you can find elk in that unit if you're a good hunter." What the does that even mean?? I consider myself a "good hunter" in a lot of respects, but it seems like the people saying this have a particular idea of what that entails. Does it just mean I need to be prepared to climb higher, walk further, glass longer? What do you guys think being a "good hunter" for elk means?
Being a "good hunter"?
- Thread starter bdykes66
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pre6422hornet
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- May 21, 2015
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- 525
mentally/physically tough. you need to accept the fact that there will not be an elk in every draw or hillside. Be prepared to go the extra mile, climb that steep ridge, drop down into the thickest stuff to find them.
Bigjav
Active member
I've done the OTC elk tag in colorado both during rifle and archery and it's tough! It's obviously physical because the terrain is steep and rough, but more mentally because I never saw an elk and very little elk sign. When you put that much work into it and continually come up short it's discouraging for sure, so be prepared that might happen.
Smtn10pt
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- 63
Being able to capatilize on your opportunities. You may only get one during your hunt, can you make it happen or are you always the "he needed to take one more step" guy. You have to put in maximum effort at all times and make the right moves in crunch time to get a shot. If you can consistently do that you are a good hunter!
Duck-Slayer
Well-known member
There are a lot of things that go into being a "good" hunter.... its different for every other hunter you ask, in my opinion it's different for each "type" of hunter, meat or horn etc... the only opinion that matters is yours....
Matt
Matt
Knowledge of the animal you are pursuing in addition to being willing to "go the extra mile" help to make up my image of a good hunter. If you don't know the habits and the habitate which your prey is going to be located in, then you can walk alot of country without much success.
On these OTC rifle hunts in CO, I feel like the people who tend to kill more elk are the people who don't give up. May sound simple but its easy to get really discouraged seeing lots of hunters and not much game. I've hunted the same area in CO for 1st rifle(draw) and 2nd rifle(OTC) and it was like hunting 2 totally different areas. First rifle there were lots of elk and a not that many hunters while 2nd season had tons of hunters and very little game. I'm not sure what it really means to be a good hunter in this situation, but if you have an idea of how elk respond to lots of pressure and/or can figure out how to use other hunters to your advantage then you may have a better chance. You may have to adjust your plan or figure out a totally new plan on the fly, which is tough mentally and with elk hunting it is usually tough physically as well. It is a good way to gain a lot of knowledge about elk hunting though. I feel if you can kill a bull in and OTC unit in Colorado you can probably kill one anywhere! Cheers
This. You can be superman physically. As tough as it comes. But if you don't know what you're looking for, if you can't "talk" elk, if you're unfamiliar with thermals and wind in general...nothing else really matters. Coming from the Midwest I thought I was a good hunter. And I may have been for where I'm from. But elk out west is a whole new ballgame. One I thought I was prepared for. I had no problem with altitude, no reservations about going over that next ridge. After 3 days I learned I wasn't a good elk Hunter yet. And there's nothing wrong with that. By the end of that first hunt we were on animals every day.
I suggest defining what a successful hunt is. This often is drastically different person to person. Being a good Hunter isn't about what's on the wall. Think as hard as you work.
A couple of years ago my brother in AZ had an any elk tag in a "limited opportunity" area which meant there are very few elk there. We hunted everyday from before daylight till dark and we saw zero elk of any kind. We finally found them on day 11 and he scored on a great bull. You have to keep at it as long as it takes.
elkduds
Well-known member
Don't overthink it. It means elk are harder to find in that unit than in some others. Probably means you'll have to get out of your truck or off your atv, cover some miles on foot.
Doublecluck
Well-known member
Sometimes it means all of those things, sometimes it just means being a little smarter or having more patience. In only 5 years of elk hunting I have taken 5 elk and helped friends/family/and random people I met in the field to get 6 more. All were on public land, all were within 3 miles of a road and all were in high pressure areas with otc tags.. I am far from a expert elk hunter, or expert anything hunter for that matter. The principles of being a good public land hunter for me are the same if I am hunting elk or ducks.
Time- spending enough time in the field to get it done
Patience- a good portion of my life has been spent waiting for a duck to drop in. Better believe I will sit on a fence line all day if I believe that bull on the private is going to jump it.
Behavior- Both of the game and other hunters, my biggest bull to date was driven right to me off of the private by two clowns on atvs.
Time- spending enough time in the field to get it done
Patience- a good portion of my life has been spent waiting for a duck to drop in. Better believe I will sit on a fence line all day if I believe that bull on the private is going to jump it.
Behavior- Both of the game and other hunters, my biggest bull to date was driven right to me off of the private by two clowns on atvs.
Bigjav
Active member
Being lucky never hurts either
Thanks for all the advice guys! Looks like I'll be studying elk behavior for the next couple of months in addition to my physical training. If anyone has any advice for the 70's units in the southwest corner of the state, I'd love to hear it. I haven't picked a unit yet, just that general area...
BlakeA
Well-known member
I think the mental aspect of DIY elk hunting is what separates "good elk hunters" from the average elk hunters. Sure, it's easy to go through the grind for 2,3, even 4 days but how about day 7 after not seeing elk or not having any opportunities? How is your attitude? Are you going to start talking your way off of the mountain and giving yourself excuses for your unpunched tag or are you going to get up at 5 a.m., lace the boots, and keep trucking believing that your opportunity is going to happen that day? Being relentless and mentally strong is what it takes to consistently kill elk. Some people have it and others don't. There are some of the best elk hunters in the world on this forum and I would bet they all share the same mental toughness trait.
