How did he do that?

[02350FC]

I've been watching amateur elk hunting videos and this may sound like a little brat but man! I have worked so much harder and walked so much further than a lot of these guys that are harvesting animals. Not huge bulls but they didn't eat tag soup! It makes me really think that I'm doing it wrong! I guess it's about staying the course and knowing that even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while!

 

[Goatshoes]

Editing. And they don't post their failures.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

A couple of things may be coming in to play. Are they hunting public or private? And as mentioned above, they may not show the 20+ days where they hunted without any shooting opportunities.

Another thought- working harder and walking further doesn't always result in more elk killed. Everyone seems to think you need to hike 10 miles back and cover a ton of ground to kill elk, but that's often not the case. Just look for good habitat that isn't being pressured by other hunters. Sometimes it's 10 miles back, and sometimes it's way closer to the truck than you think.

 

[BigGameDIY]

You never know how many times they eat tag soup and how much time they spend to make 5-10 minutes video. I like Randy's videos, they are honestly showing you all aspects of hunting, not just hunts when they shoot something. Watch Randy's videos and you will get more successful hunter. Working harder and walking further is not always making you better hunter. Working smarter and hunting in right areas is making you better hunter, first of all you need to find area with lots of fresh signs.
Good luck!

 

[Dougfirtree]

It's a self-selecting group that posts these videos. Kind of like going to a gathering of 100 year olds and getting mad that your loved ones seem to die in their 70's. The folks who struck out aren't posting as many videos.

 

[TahoeWesternHunter]

It's certainly not everything but the units they are hunting vs you might have something do with it. You're in CA, you're out of state on ALL elk hunts. I know area isn't everything but access to quality opportunities isn't the same for everyone

 

[Brendan]

Remember - most of the time videos represent the best parts of every hunt (Discounting guys like Fin, Rinella, Solo Hunter, etc)... Rarely do they show all the preparation and gritting it out to get it done. Maybe they are on great units, but there are also plenty of guys who get it done on OTC / general units every year, so I wouldn't be so quick to blame that.

With that said, have you taken the time to analyze your hunting? Asked for feedback on your strategies, how you pick locations, calling? Miles covered and time spent doesn't equal success if you're not hunting smart.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

I've been watching amateur elk hunting videos and this may sound like a little brat but man! I have worked so much harder and walked so much further than a lot of these guys that are harvesting animals. Not huge bulls but they didn't eat tag soup! It makes me really think that I'm doing it wrong! I guess it's about staying the course and knowing that even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while!

Ever watch a fishing show?

 

[ida homer]

Kinda funny, all of my non hunting friends always joke and ask how many tags I have left or how I always get something.

In my mind it's hilarious because I spent 11 days hunting, with a miss and many encounterless days before I "got one" or even got an opportunity.

If I was making a video, I would only show a little bit of the first 10 days and 90% of the video of that last day because it's exciting.

 

[jrod]

Sometimes its better to be lucky than good
Also they may be throwing out tons of apps and getting a couple every year and one or two may be successful

 

[windymtnman]

Ya, I watch a lot of Western hunting shows on the Sportsmen's Channel. They show people calling in Bulls & Cows all the time, as if a couple toots is all you need to bring'em in everytime. I see hunters setting up on Elk coming in, and LOOKING for the source of the calls. The hunter invariably gets a decent close range shot too. I've hunted Elk since 1989, and they see me HIDING from them. I live in Elk country and it's more often than not, Elk will see me a full 1/2 mile away.
That said, then I see guys sitting in lawn chairs watching a meadow, and the big Bulls show up, walk out in the open and get shot! This ain't my reality!

 

[Hookedonhunting]

My father and I are heading out on our first elk hunt ever this year. (Hunting buddies are taking us along with them). Of course my dad is watching every elk hunting show he can find on the outdoor channel. I keep telling him to stop watching that and just watch Randy's videos on YouTube. His videos seem to me to be the real deal. Most of the tv stuff doesn't seem to be reality to me.

 

[vanish]

If you've got a crew of 4 guys applying for limited entry elk hunts in 8+ states, chances are someone is going to draw a decent tag. If someone doesn't explicitly say its an OTC tag, I always assume they're hunting high quality units. Occasionally I'll see a show where they just act like this is a normal day of elk hunting ( and they're "the best elk hunters on the planet" ) and I recognize the area as a place that takes 10+ years to draw.

 

[1_pointer]

If you've got a crew of 4 guys applying for limited entry elk hunts in 8+ states, chances are someone is going to draw a decent tag. If someone doesn't explicitly say its an OTC tag, I always assume they're hunting high quality units. Occasionally I'll see a show where they just act like this is a normal day of elk hunting ( and they're "the best elk hunters on the planet" ) and I recognize the area as a place that takes 10+ years to draw.

Couple this with the willingness/ability to pay for access to large amounts of private land, regardless how hard the tag is to draw, can make elk hunting seem 'easy'.

I've killed two bull elk. Both have been on LE permits. I've done a whole lot more OTC hunts without punching a tag. I readily admit I'm not a good elk hunter, but even I can have success in a good unit.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

OP sounds like he's watching Youtube videos. Not hunting shows.


OP........I've always thought the real work is in scouting. The hunts should be easier. I've killed some elk when I could still see my Jeep parked. However, it took a lot of scouting to find those spots.

 

[Millsworks]

A wise old backwoods man told me one day a long time ago," ya can't shoot what ya can't see and ya can't find what's not there in the first place".
Scouting, choosing an area that hold elk, especially one that holds elk the time of year you plan to hunt, is not just good advice!
Elk usually migrate and some areas will always have at least some elk, others will seem as if they were never there.
Once in the spot that's on the spot , time and energy spent usually gets rewarded.
Even then ,lady luck could choose to dance with someone else.
That's okay , if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it.