Tag: Hunting Tips

Elk Hunting

7 Elk Hunting Tips to Follow

One of the most beautiful sounds in the world to a hunter may be the bugle of a male hunter calling his harem. These majestic animals often weighing up to 700 pounds are grazers that chew their cud. Depending on where you plan on hunting, you can hunt elk from late July through mid-December. Whether you go elk hunting regularly or are fixing to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, following some elk hunting tips will give you a better chance of killing a big elk. Know Your Weapon's Capabilities : Whether you choose to hunt with a bow and arrow or with a shotgun, it is important to know your weapon's capabilities. There is nothing worse than getting into the field on a beautiful fall day to discover that your equipment is not working properly. Many hunters discover that their accuracy greatly decreases after 100 yards, but they fail to wait with bated breath until the buck or doe is close enough. Practicing with your weapon at home ensures that you know how it operates and what you can trust in its reliability. Additionally, make sure to practice with any equipment that you plan on using in the field like rangefinders and shooting sticks. Practice in the position that you plan on shooting from when you see that majestic animal walk in front of you. Know The Habitat : If you do not live in the area where you plan on elk hunting, then get a topographical map of the area and study it before making your trip. Otherwise, get out in the field before hunting season begins and learn the territory first hand. Elk often uses grassy ridges as travel corridors between feeding and bedding sites. Mark wide flat valley areas that contain headwaters to small creeks and streams as elk often congregate there during the early hunting season. Consider hunting creek bottoms because elk love the variety of vegetation often found there. Determine the direction of the wind so that you keep it in your face blowing your scent behind you when getting into position. Most state wildlife divisions publish reports of estimated elk numbers, and reading these reports can often give you an indication of what part of the state you need to hunt in when possible. Get Into Physical Condition : If you are looking to go on an elk hunt, then you need to be in great physical condition. It is not unusual to cover at least five miles while hunting. Keep in mind that you will likely do it while carrying your gun, a daypack, and other supplies. While you may wish that the buck would choose the top of a hill with amazing scenery, they will often choose to stay more hidden, especially as the season wears on. Getting into good physical condition also means that you will not be so out of breath when he walks in front of you that you cannot take an accurate shot. Additionally, ensuring you have the right shotgun ammo is crucial for a successful hunt. Think About the Elk's Diet : Understanding what an elk eats will let you position yourself correctly depending on the season. If it is still summer when you begin to hunt, then look for them in grassy areas with lots of forbs. As the temperatures begin to drop, then they will be in areas where grasses are still present. Elk spends a lot of time grazing during the fall as they try to store up fat to get through the cold winter months. As the days become cold, they are opportunistic grazers who will feed on tree bark and small branches. After the first snow, they often avoid going into valleys, but they choose to stick close to the edge of wooded areas. Look for Signs : You will want to watch for signs that elk are in the area. If you are an experienced deer hunter, then realize that elk hoofprints are about twice the size of deer impressions. Additionally, their pellets are about twice as big as those of deer. Finding these signs are great ways to know that elk are in the area where you are hunting. While getting to a high vantage point can be rough physically, use it to your advantage as it will allow you to see elk from far away. Then, devise a plan to get there moving against the wind. This will often require you to circle the herd before closing in. Stay in the Field :   Many hunters choose to go hunting in the early morning and about the time the sun goes down. Staying in the field all day can result in you getting a big elk because as hunters return to camp, they often scare the elk toward you. This can take advance planning as you will want to stay warm throughout the hours in the field when you may not move much. Dressing in layers helps you adjust to changing temperatures. Wearing hiking boots with rugged soles can help you get through rugged terrain better. Pack a lunch in your daypack. Avoid using a campfire as elk can smell the fire and will stay away. Look Up : Many hunters spend the majority of their time looking at the ground. While this may be tempting while moving across rugged terrain, there are no elk located right under your feet. Instead, spend your time looking around you. That is where the large elk buck will be located. They may, however, try to hide from you, so paying attention helps you spot that glimpse of brown fur behind an object. At the same time, wear clothes that you can easily be spotted in and watch for other hunters in the vicinity. Use these tips to have a successful elk hunt. Before going, ensure that you have a way to transport the elk home because you will want to fill your freezer with delicious elk meat or donate it to a worthwhile charity. Read Also : Hunting Tips For Beginners Time For A Rush Of Adrenaline

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Hunting Tips For Beginners

Hunting is all about adventure and fun. But you might have to pay a price for even the smallest of mistakes. Whether you are an experienced hunter or a newbie, you will have to stick to certain rules and guidelines to make sure that you have a seamless experience. One can never compromise on safety – in fact, it is the most important aspect of hunting. Here in this article, we are going to offer all the tips you need in order to become a flawless hunter. Also, check out this article on how early humans used to hunt. Do not compromise on safety It is important to take a safety course. You can do it online too. The thing is that the test is not mandatory. But you should take the test very seriously nonetheless. This is to ensure that you have a proper understanding of everything. Thereafter, you can take part in a hunting field day, where you will be able to interact with real hunters. You will get to learn a lot by meeting real hunters. You need the help of an experienced hunter When it comes to learning, you learn fast when you silently observe. You should not ask too many questions. Instead, try to observe what the experienced hunter does. This way, you will learn important secrets. This is the most effective way to learn hunting techniques. Once you have been to an area accompanying the hunter, you will be familiar with it. As a beginner, you should first explore a familiar terrain. It will give you a good start. You need to get some gear It is extremely important for you to get some quality gear. It is about your survival, as much as it is about your safety. First and foremost, you need to do research on the devices you might require. Come up with a list. It is your duty to make sure that you have everything that you need. Invest in quality equipment as you don’t want the equipment to fail. You should get the best red dot sight which will assist you in hunting. Reach the hunting ground first The roads will be blocked for the most part. You may have to cover the most area on foot. In some cases, you can cover the area on a horse as well. You have to start the journey by dawn. Because of this, you need to be there by midnight. This way, you will enjoy the best hunting ground before others. Being the first one to reach there, you can take advantage of the vacant elevated spot. Getting accustomed to the food We are going to assume that you have already made your first kill. Whether it is beavers, raccoons, rabbits, or porcupines, preparing them could be a big headache. If you are not used to preparing them, then it is a tough task. We recommend you to look at this online. You will definitely get some help regarding this. Move at a slow pace Being impatient is never going to make you a good hunter. In fact, you will blow your chances to be a good hunter when you don’t show enough patience. You may have to stay still for a certain period. You might walk into something which will produce a sound. The best approach is to stay still for as long as you could. This will improve your chances. Picking landmarks Getting confused about your location while making a big circle is something you might encounter. We recommend you pick a unique object to make it easier for you. This will be helpful in not getting confused as far as the location is concerned. For instance, you can pick a huge rock in the vicinity as a landmark. You will also have to do the mental calculation as to where the animal would be headed once you have made a move. Clearing shooting paths When you reach the standing point for the first time, you need to practice shooting positions. You need to go in all directions. Then you need to get rid of all the distracting elements including branches in order to ensure that you don’t get into issues later on. You need to be able to stay in the location with very little movement or no movement at all. One has to ensure that your safety strap doesn’t restrict your movement. Read also: Five Essential Kinds Of Gear To Prepare Before Going To Shooting Ranges Conclusion Becoming a good hunter requires a lot of work and patience. You have got a lot of learning to do before you take a plunge. We have covered the important aspects you need to keep in mind in this article. The aforementioned tips will be helpful for you to groom yourself into a good hunter.

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