HOW TO KILL AN ELK EVERY YEAR ON PUBLIC LAND | ELK HUNTING TIPS & TACTICS

I've killed dozens of elk. In this article I'm going to share with you the top tips and tactics I've learned in my last 33 years of elk hunting so you can put more elk in the freezer.

Now by themselves, a lot of these tips seem like common sense, but with less than 10 % success rates elk hunting over the course of the Western United States, apparently, we need to put more of these tips into practice.

Tip number one is to e-scout and scout more thoroughly.

Don't wait until opening morning to figure out where you're going. Your scouting begins long before boots hit the dirt. Using tools like OnX, Google Earth, and Topo Maps can help you to study the lay of the land. My favorite is OnX. We like to pick out ridgelines, saddles, water sources, north-facing timber, feeding areas that transition into bedding zones, travel corridors, and then we try to get boots on the ground whenever possible, getting trail cameras up as icing on the cake. The more familiar you are with the terrain and likely elk zones, the more you'll be able to identify where cows are hanging out and attracting bulls early in the season, for archery hunters and the faster you can adapt when the pressure starts pushing elk in rifle season.

Tip number two that goes hand in hand with studying your area is understanding elk behavior and habits.

Elk aren't random. They're patterned creatures, especially when unpressured. And also, after they've been pressured later in the season, they like to seek refuge. Understanding their routines, where they feed, where they bed, and how they travel is like having the cheat code. In the early season, you might find them feeding high and bedding in the timber. During the rut, bulls are following cows, bugling, defending harems. Post rut, they're recovering and heading to thicker cover as far away from pressure as possible. Learn what they do and when in your area, and you'll find yourself amongst elk a lot more often.

Tip number three also goes hand in hand with learning elk behavior, and that's to learn to read elk sign.

Reading sign is the difference between hunting blind and hunting informed. Tracks tell you which direction they're moving and how recently. Know the difference between mature bull elk tracks and young bulls and cows. Fresh droppings and urine puddles, elk are nearby. Know the difference between small round cow droppings and the poop of a mature bull, which will be much larger and have a dimpled, concave end. Rubs on trees, especially high ones, can indicate bulls or bigger bulls during the rut. Wallows are hot spots when bulls are trying to cool off, mark their scent, and cover themselves in mud for display of dominance. The key is not just spotting it, but interpreting it. Don't just walk past a rub; ask yourself, why is this here? What time of year was it made? Why did the elk come through this area? Where did they go next?

Tip number four is to hunt elk during peak activity times.

Elk are most active at first light and last light. If you're still sipping coffee when the sun comes up, you're already late. You've got to be in position before the sky turns orange. Likewise, don't bail early in the evening. Bulls often move just before shooting light ends. If you're going to be successful, you need to grind through the slow hours to capitalize on active windows. Early in, late out. That's how tags get punched.

Tip number five is practice shooting proficiency.

While the prior tips were all about finding elk, knowing elk, know, learning their behaviors and patterns, when it comes down to it, shooting proficiency has to be one of the most important things that you can take care of. And oftentimes comes as something that we take for granted and don't put enough time into. And so there's so many variables, so many things that can go wrong when it comes down to the moment that when that bull steps out, there won't be time for a practice round. Whether you're shooting a bow or a rifle, you've got to be dialed. And not just from the bench at the range. Practice from kneeling, seated, uphill, downhill, with your heart pounding and your breath short. Know your effective range and respect it. A wounded bull is a heartbreak you don't want to make. I've been there, everybody's been there. But you want to try to get so proficient that it's second nature. Because when the adrenaline hits, your preparation is the only thing that's going to keep your aim steady.

Tip number six goes hand in hand with shooting proficiency, and that's to prioritize physical fitness.

Now this one's near and dear to my heart. I've been a professional coach for almost 30 years, almost as long as I've been hunting elk, and a semi-professional athlete, endurance athlete, been a national qualifying bodybuilding athlete before that. But even with that background, I've found myself lacking in the back country, not going, not having the confidence to get as deep as I could have or should have and which would have really improved my odds of success. Elk live in steep unforgiving country and they don't care if your legs are burning or your lungs are gasping for air. You want to get to them? You're going to have to be ready. Trail miles, elevation and packouts are no joke. Preseason, you've got to train like your success depends on it because it does. Hit the weights, do the cardio, hike with a weighted pack. The more fit you are, the more ground you'll cover and the better decisions you're going to make when it matters most. Elk hunting isn't just a hunt. It's a physical test.

Tip number seven, which goes hand in hand with being physicaly fit is be prepared to venture far from roads.

Again, Elk success rates are pretty low across the West and that's because they don't hang out typically by the trail hit unless they're rookies too. When the shooting starts, they push deep. The guys who fill tags are often the ones willing to go where others won't. That means leaving the roads behind and committing to hard miles. If you want solitude and elk, you have to go remote. Build your legs. Prepare your body and mind for long days and sore feet. And don't be afraid to bivvy hunt or spike camp. Deep country equals higher odds, but you have to be ready for it.

Tip number eight is to stay mobile and cover ground.

If you're not seeing sign, move. Don't waste a full day in dead country hoping things will change. Elk are always somewhere in your area and you're not married to one ridge. Be smart, but don't be static. Covering ground doesn't always mean hiking miles. It means adapting quickly. Check drainages, move, check different glassing knobs, relocate midday if needed. Elk hunting rewards persistence and oftentimes, motion to get to where they are or where they're going.

Tip number nine is to utilize glassing from vantage points.

Eyes before legs is the motto. Instead of bulldozing through country hoping to bump into elk, get high and glass. Find a vantage point overlooking likely bedding areas, meeting areas, transition areas. Use quality optics and take your time. You'll not only spot more elk, but you also learn how they move and where they go at first light, when pressured, last light, when they're hungry or when there's other elk around. A good morning behind the glass can set up an entire day of strategic stalking or learning where you want to be for an ambush the next day. A bull I killed last year, for instance- I found him later in the season, had some opportunities at some bigger bulls, didn't work out in archery all the way until the end of rifle and it was time to make it happen. On the second to last day I had to hunt, I saw this bull feeding on a grassy knob and he had worked his way down into some timber and I finally made a play on him. Took me over an hour to get there and I just couldn't find him. I had seen where he'd gone up a ridge up into his bedding area but didn't want to pressure him. So, the next morning I got in there assuming there was a good chance he might do the same thing because he hadn't been pressured for a few days at least. I got in there early and sure enough, he tried to make the same play. I was there waiting on him and that was that. So, it really paid off glassing the day before, seeing where he had come from and where he'd gone.

Tip number 10 is to develop effective calling techniques, especially for archery hunters.

Calling elk is both an art and a science. Blow the wrong call at the wrong time and that bull will ghost you. But play it right and you might bring him charging in. Learn the difference between location bugles, challenge bugles, cal-muse, and possibly estrus calls. Practice until they're second nature. Most importantly, know when to call and when to shut up. Sometimes it's subtlety that seals the deal.

I don't pretend to be an expert elk caller but I am proficient at locating them, manipulating the situation where I can sneak in closer, and occasionally I do get them to walk into my lap. Some of my favorite elk callers to learn from are Corey Jacobson at Elk 101 and Paul Metal, the Elk Nut.

Tip number 11 is to master wind and scent control.

If there's one thing that'll ruin your elk hunt faster than a bad shot, it's being smelled. Elk have one of the sharpest noses in the wild and they'll be gone long before you ever lay eyes on them. If the wind gives you away, you're done. Always, and I mean always, know your wind direction before you make a move. Use scent-free soaps, keep your gear clean and avoid wearing anything saturated in campfire smoke or fuel. Pack a wind checker and use it constantly. Understand your thermals, what the wind's doing in the morning versus what it's doing in the evening. No call, camo, tactic, or scent cover spray will make up for poor scent discipline.

Tip number 12 is to be patient and persistent.

Here's the truth: Elk hunting will test you. You'll hike all day and see nothing. You'll call your lungs out and hear only silence. You'll miss, you'll blow stocks, you'll question everything. But the ones who keep showing up, the ones who get back in the game after every failure. They're the ones who punch tags. Elk don't care if it's your tenth day or your first. Patience and persistence are the unsung skills of the successful elk hunter. Stay in the game and stay positive. If you put your best effort into mastering the tips in this video, success could be just around the corner, you just have to stick with it.

Tip number 13 is to learn from experienced hunters.

You can learn more from a seasoned elk hunter in one weekend than in years on your own. Find someone who's been there, who's packed elk out of hell holes and learned the hard lessons. Listen more than you talk. Ask questions. Offer to help on their hunts. The knowledge transfer is priceless. And even if you're a few seasons deep, keep learning. The best hunters stay students of the craft. Success leaves clues. Don't be too proud to follow them.

Even after 33 years, I'm constantly watching videos, listening to podcasts and reading articles from successful elk hunters to add more tools to my kit. What seems to be most valuable are the stories of both success and failure that helped give me more situational knowledge because there are no one size fits all elk hunting scenarios.

Now our last tip, number 14, is to reflect and adapt after each hunt. That's not just after each season, but after every day you spend out there chasing elk. Every hunt. Whether it ends in meat or a tag sandwich. It's a chance to level up. When the season ends or the day ends, review everything. What worked? What didn't? Where were the elk and why? What gear failed you? What moment caught you off guard? Write it down. Study it. Own your mistakes. Build off the losses and the wins.

This reflection is how you go from hopeful to consistently deadly. The mountain is a great teacher, but only if you're willing to be a humble student.

There you have it. 14 of the most critical tips for becoming a more effective elk hunter. If you made it this far, you're not here to dabble. You're here to get better. And that's what Backbone Unlimited is all about. Relentless living in the wild and in life.

If you found value, please let me know in the comments which tip hit home for you or what you'd add from your own experience. Thanks for reading and all the best.