Where Are You From & Where Do You Hunt Elk?

[drjrobjr]

Live in Louisiana. Been hunting elk with a bow for about 10 years. Started in NM when it was easier to draw. Killed nice 6X6 (338) and another 6X6 (350) in the Gila. Dream hunt-Arizona!!

[Widux]

as said above i'm from WI- have hunted elk in MT- AB- BC- ID-WY-CO-AK and NM- this year I'm hunting them in BC & now in CO.-good luck to all in 04

[idaho]

The first time I ever hunted elk was when I was 14 years old and we hunted off the Montanna Road between Elk Cit, ID. & Darby, MT. Although we didn't get any that trip we did see a big bull. That was in 1951. I have been hunting every year since. Some years I get my elk and sometimes I don't but have fun just being in the woods. I have hunted almost all of Idaho from St. Maries south to the Salmon River but now since we have the zones I always get the Elk City Zone tag. I use a Savage 308 Model 99F Lever Action. I started hunting with a 30-30 and used a old springfield 30-06 a few times. My dream hunt is the hunt that is coming up this fall. I just appreciate that I am still able to get out and hike around the woods.

Bill

[Widux]

Bill-
You sound a bit like me- hunted AK for 25 yrs till moving to Wi in 98 now i spend most of year chasing game, fish, and fowl but care less each year if i bag it or not except as i use it all for sustenance-I've hunted ID twice- once out of Orifino with Moose Creek outfitters- poor outfit is later years- then went on drop camp with Daryl Alred of Sawtooth wilderness-great hunt i passed on all elk but had super time- they tell me wolves have killed off most elk in that area- would like to hunt ID again and might even bring our horses if I knew of a good raea etc. anyway enjoy and good luck.

[jaycocreek]

Born and raised in Idaho.The first time I was ever Elk hunting,I was two years old on a pack string in the Selway-Bitteroot in Idaho.I have spent my entire life working and hunting in the woods of Idaho and appreciate what we have here.I have done most of my hunting in central Idaho in the Elk City zone as it is known now and a lot in the McCall area where I lived and worked for 35+ years.Times have changed for sure.I got my first Elk with a 30-40 Krag and my last with a .300 Win Mag.With the 300 Savage-30-30 and the good old .270 also.My two main guns are the .270 and .300 Mag with a 45-70 un bloodied yet.I really don't have a dream hunt in mind as each year is a dream hunt to me just to be able to do it and enjoy the outdoors.

Bugleing is my favorite past time and I really enjoy seeing them so close up and it helps find the right spot for the season opener.

Best of luck.Jayco.

[Pottsy]

Oregon Born Lived here most of my life.
First time i went out elk huntng was in 1969 i used my old /06
I hunt on the place here and back up on the next ridge over from the house
For Elk.
I got my First Elk the Sec season though i just could not hold the gun steady
( buck fever ) the first time . Shame on me .
As for my gun/Rifle's well the X took and sold most of them .
Alone with my press's and reloading equipment.
I just started getting stuff again .
So all i have is my old 9.3x64 and a new 45/70 and a junker sks
Aside from my shotgun's that's it ....and a few handgun's.
Like Jayco i really dont have a dream hunt .
I wake up each day to deer in the yard and fish in the stream.
What more could a man want aside from another Xwife

Hi yas Jayco

[wyobiggamer]

Started bowhunting after football practice in high school. Been fortunate enough to hunt all over my home state of Wyoming for 13 years now. I've been lucky enough to take a couple trophy's, but it seems like the "One's that got away" are the ones that bring me back every year! I love September in the mountains, whether hunting from a remote camp, or from the pickup.

[bob2003cat]

Born and raised in north central WV. Been hunting everything since I was @7 yrs. old. Went to the GREAT state of WY. in 2001 to hunt mule deer@ Thermopolis. Killed a 5x4 w/ 22" spread. Not bad for first xmirrer out west on a do it your self hunt? Never Elk hunted Yet, but booked on late season gun hunt in Colorado this fall W/ Fossil Ridge Guide Sevice @ Gunnison for the third season at a spike camp. Will let you know how it went! Life time dream to Elk hunt in a spike or drop camp in the Rockies!!! Hunt Whitetail w/ 30-06 Rem. mostly, but also hunt w/ old Ruger 7 mag. and 300 Weatherby. :ren: :PETA sucks:

[ronnie]

Im from Arlington, Texas and hunt near Montrose, Colorado in the Uncompahgre National Forest. Archery only !

[Raftr]

from a little place called Hilmar California this year is my first elk hunt will be hunting montana if i'm lucky will also get my dreaM and hunt the 380 zone there for the BIG BULLS hunt mostly with bows have bear trx this year my rifle is browning 30-06 (but hardly ever use it).

[barel74]

Been hunting for years. Been hunting elk for 3 years, and I'm hooked. My first two yearswere succesful with a rifle. Last year I got skunked. Too much hunter pressure with a rifle tag in the area I go, so this year I'm using my bow. Earlier season, should be a little more vocal. I live in San Benito County, CA. I elk hunt in Idaho, south of Challis.

[jacnsty]

Jacnsty here from Colorado! Looking forward to another big elk hunt this year. Starting hunting in my early teens with my dad. Now he hunts along side me, armed with his camera to take pictures of all that is seen, and me with my Rem. 7 mm mag. My favorite units are 20, 18, and 28. Unit 1 is great also for elk hunting, but this year we'll be going to units 7 and 8. Fair amount of elk there, always have spotted in that area, but if you're like me, just cause you've seen it, doesn't mean it's come home with you Give me a shout if you have any questions about the great Colorful Colorado, I'll do my best to help you out.

[Woodbutcher]

Howdy all, Woodbutcher here from Wyoming!
Live and hunted here since 1977. I'm in the western part of the state, and at this time of year my neck is swollen. lol Waiting patiently a few more weeks to tip one over! I've harvested 22 elk in my life, never a big one. I hunt to feed my family and time is always short. Seriously, I take the first legal elk I see. Last year it was a yummy spike in the first hour of the season. Hauled it out on a old logging road with my wheelbarrow (half at a time), no kidding. A poor man's elk cart, but don't laugh, it works well and have used that method many times. Most all my shots are less than 100 yards, I hunt thick timber where they live! I love to get close. 7mm Rem is my weapon of choice, handload Sierra grand slams. I guided wilderness hunts for 6 years also. My wife has harvested 3 elk and 4 deer on her own. My daughter got her first a few years ago, and my son will be next in a few more years. A family that hunts together is a good thing!!
Thanks for reading, good to be part of this forum. TY host !

[gonehunting]

I am currently living in Cali, I have never hunted elk before, but I am heading to Colorado in a month to give it a try. I am already losing sleep over it. I shoot a .300 WSM model 70 and my dream elk hunt would be one of the limeted draw areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, or Montana. I will be sure to post how my elk hunt goes in Colorado.



Ryan

[firedog]

Just moved to Washington from Oregon. Have hunted Elk in oregon for the past 20 years. Hunted Montana and Oregon last year and Leave for eastern Oregon (Chesnimus) next week for this years hunt. I shoot either my .300 WBY remington Classic or my .280 Model 700 mountain rifle. Leaning towards buying a bow or a muzzle loader or both to try something new.

[35Whelen]

From Wichita Falls, TX. Went on my first elk hunt in 1987 when
I was 24. 12 mile pack trip to a drop camp in southern CO. I killed my first bull then with my Dad's Rem. 700 Classic in 7x57 with a 154 gr. Hornady bullet. No one "taught" me how to hunt; I just sort of tried to think like an elk and hunted them likewise. Hunted off and on in same area for 12 or so years more without any luck.
I hunted mostly with a Ruger 77 280 and a 160 gr. Nosler Partition. A few years ago I built a 35 Whelen and have since done most of my elk hunting with it.
This year my Dad and i drew into New Mexico where I got a bull with my Whelen. NM will be the state where I hunt from now on as long as I get drawn.
My dream hunt? Another hunt just like this year with just me and my Dad, two good riding mules, and my Dad getting a nice bull.

[bowhuntrrl]

I live in Massachusetts and started hunting elk about 17 years ago.I hunt
in AZ and have been drawn 3 times. My first bull was a 13 year old 7x6 that I got
by myself with no guide. I killed him with my .338 Win Mag. The second bull was a 5x4
and I got him with a .300 Win Mag. After 9 years, I drew an archery tag this year and
had a fantastic hunt. I was on big bulls every day and finally on my 5th day, shot a 6x6
with my High Country Ultra Force and a Slick Trick broadhead. I'll put in again this year
to get the preference point. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky

[oldelkhunter]

Californian by birth, Oregonian by choice for the last 45 years. Hunt mainly in Oregon but am looking at other states to increase hunting opportunities. Moved to central Oregon to be closer to preferred elk areas. May have to leave since jobs are scarce for technically skilled folks. Rifle hunt but bowhunted for awhile and learned a lot. Prefer varmint hunting, nothing to pack out of a steep canyon.
Since moving over here have had to do a panic stop to keep from hitting 6x6 bull elk just outside of Prineville. Have had to wait for 120 antelope to cross the road.
Don't see many deer. Wish we had prairie dogs.

[CA Karen]

Hi, I'm from southern CA. and I hunt elk in Utah. Been hunting deer there for over 15 years and 6 years ago my friends up there suggested that I try elk. Been putting in for elk ever since. I have been only lucky enough to draw cow tags so far, but I have been putting in for LE bull and collecting points...hope I draw soon. I have used a Browning A-bolt 30-06 for all the cow elk so far and have been lucky enough to fill the tag every time. This year I am trying muzzleloading with a TC Omega for both elk and deer. I am a self taught hunter in both deer and elk and my dream hunt is drawing the LE bull elk hunt in Utah. Below is a pic of my 2004 cow elk.

[eddiehsf]

I have hunted Elk in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, and New Mexico.

All have been Bull Hunts in General areas. I have taken a few, but nothing special.

good luck to all this season


eddiehsf

[ElkChaser]

I've chased after them more than killing them, hence the name. I'm in Colorado and have hunted elk with a bow, a muzzleloader and the big boom stuff. Anymore, I hunt an undersubscribed unit near my home during the muzzleloading season and pick up a leftover private land cow tag for the end of the year, also close to home.
My favorite rifle is my Winnie model 70 supergrade 7 mag spitting out 160 partitions or my Wthby 300 Euromark using 180 trophy bonded bear claws; have been particular to my T/C firehawk in 58 cal for the muzzleloading season. Just got a new T/C Omega so hoping to use it this fall.

[hornaddiction]

Hi I am from SW Colorado

I have lived and hunted elk in SW Colorado all my life. I also do some guiding from time to time! I hunt deer, elk, mnt.lion, bear & turkeys.

I didnt hunt myself but once I guided elk hunters near Chama,Nm.

[elkman7x7]

Hi
Live in az. Hunt in 5bs when i get drawn. Have cabin up there and do alot of pic taking. I also hunt in colo in unit 61. If anyone needs help in 5bs or 5bn in az there would be no need to get a guide

[kphunter]

Another AZ resident. Prior to last year, I had only hunted the WMAT (White Mountains Apache Reservation). Last year, I hunted 3C West, and hope to do the same this year.

KP

[GooseHunter Jr]

Live in Colorado and hunt elk in Colorado around SteamBoat Springs! I shoot a Ruger .338 Win Mag!

Dream hunt would have to be either in the CO trophy areas or New Mexico!

[gentile]

[mccoycoffee]

Where are you from and where do you hunt elk?
I am from Southern California (Downey); currently living in Baja (Ensenada).

Do you use a bow or Rifle? What kind.
Model 70 in 300 WinMag

Who taught you how to hunt elk and when was your first elk hunting trip?
Fall 2005 - Got lucky in CA

What is your dream elk hunt?
Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico - Dream Big.

[T.R.]

I live in Spearfish, South Dakota. They call this area the Northern Hills (referring to the Black Hills). Although elk are common, I can not get drawn for a license due to lottery issues that are outside of my control. So I hunt across the line in Wyoming as a non-resident. Once the border is crossed the mountains change name and are called the Bearlodge Mts. But it is still the Black Hills Nat'l Forest. Go figure.

Elk can be found along the Belle River as the long drought has dried up most other areas. Elk love to make muddy messes and frolic in their wallows. During the rut, it is not difficult to call a young bull into easy shooting distance. I've killed 3 bulls with my 30-30 carbine but I've been using a 35 Remington these past 4 years with great success. I've killed more elk with my .308 rifle than anything else and it has the reach for long shots.

Years, ago I hunted elk near Coos Bay, OR with a friend in the US Coast Guard. We each shot a large bodied bull that trip. I had my trusty .308 and he hunted with a brand new bolt action Savage 30-30 with an odd looking scope mount.

I'm amused by magazine articles that pretend elk are armor-plated. Vast majority of the elk I've shot weighed in between 550-650 lbs. and they'll topple over shortly after both lungs are destroyed. Even a big bull of 800 lbs or more is not armor plated either.
TR

[smhuntley]

Howdy all, new guy here. I just relocated back to SoCal after living in CO the last 8 years or so. I'm living in San Diego, but I split my time between SD and a place we have in Silverthorne, CO. Growing up in SoCal with nobody I knew that hunted didn't provide for much of an opportunity for doing any kind of hunting during my first stint here. I started when I moved to CO and have been doing it religiously since, with the exception of this last season's hunt which was cancelled due to my move. I guess a late start at hunting is better than none at all.

I've hunted elk, mule deer, antelope, and upland birds in CO and WY when I was in CO full-time. My definite favorite has to be elk though. It took me 2 seasons of hunting before I bagged my first one, a bull. One of my fondest memories is gutting that bull by moonlight and a headlamp in a park at 10,500' all by my lonesome. All around me in the timber I could hear the bulls bugling and the cows calling. I was hunting a wilderness area that I hiked into and had to pack it all out. I'll never forget that day.

My preferred elk meatgitter is a Savage 111FC in 7mm Rem Mag. I've been thinking about getting geared up for bow-hunting but haven't gotten around to it yet. I don't hold out much hope for elk hunting here in CA and I'll probably just continue to go back to CO for that. That's where I'm going this year. I wouldn't mind hunting mulies in SoCal though, even if they are pretty small and scarce.

Cheers,
Scott

[Hiker]

I mainly hunt Wapiti in Colorado. I've hunted most of the state but mainly units, 3,4,5,441,14,28,36,105,301,521, & 681. I have a MT Elk hunt planned this fall and as soon as I'm blessed with a NM, WY & UT Wapiti tag, I'll chase them there too.