What Are the Best Elk Hunting Tips for Beginners?

Beginners may think elk hunting is not a big deal or as easy as hunting a goat, because Elks are huge in size and they would not be able to move fast. All hunters should know that shooting an Elk and even finding one can be more challenging than you can even think. At this point you need some elk hunting tips for beginners to start with.

Shooting mostly depends on your skills and aim but finding an Elk is very tricky. As a beginner, if you can learn and adopt the tricks of Elk hunting accurately, then you will find Elk hunting very tempting and irresistible.

You also need to know that there is no such magic trick for Elk hunting you just need to understand their pattern. One thing you need to accept that you will fail and make mistakes while Elk hunting, but this is totally fine, just be patient and keep on trying.

Elk Hunting Tips for a Beginner

Now without wasting time let’s learn some tips and tricks of Elk hunting for beginners which can help you with hunting Elks easily and efficiently.

Buy Suitable Boots for Elk Hunting

If you go through some of the Elk hunting tips you will see that you need to buy so many confusing equipments for this activity. These lists of equipment will make you go crazy and confused.

The most important gear you need for Elk hunting is a good pair of boots. Remember you need to walk a long way to hunt Elk, Elk hunting means walking for miles therefore good pair of boots; perhaps the best elk hunting boots are very much essential for hunting.

If you buy boots which are not good enough and not durable you will suffer a lot with blusters or torn-up boots.

While choosing your boots make sure you choose a subtle colored boot that does not attract Elks.

Also make sure to buy boots suitable for dirt tracks and rough roads.

Other than that, you need some common equipment which you need for any type of hunting like: rifles, bows, calling equipment, camouflage, etc. using the proper items is important tips for hunting spike elk and other kinds of elks too.

Be Fit with Elk hunting Fitness Practices

As you will be walking for hours and you also might have to stay in the same place for days; you need to be fit enough and should have the strength to fight any circumstances. You also need to have enough confidence that will give you the courage and strength to be patient and to be strong while Elk hunting.

To be fit and strong you need to start doing some physical training for outdoors and hunting. You also need activities to run for marathons, and you can also go for morning jogs for a couple of miles; these activities will also help you increase your stamina.

Practice Long Distance Elk/Target Shooting

If you are not a good shooter then you can never hunt Elks. Having short distance shooting skills cannot always help you hunt Elk; you also need to have good command on long distance shooting in order to be a successful Elk hunter.

Practice for Elk Hunting with Rifles

Suppose you have spotted an Elk 200-300 yards away from you. Now you are a fit hunter who is wearing good boots and carrying proper rifles, but you do not have good command on long distance shooting, how will you hunt the Elk?

Therefore, practicing beforehand is very necessary for long distance shooting. Make sure to practice long distance shooting till you acquire adequate command on this.  

Practice for Elk Hunting Archery

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You can practice elk hunting archery too if you are interested in archery hunting with compound bows. Because it is also a technique that needs proper techniques and experiences. And proper experience comes with proper practices.

If you are using a powerful compound bow, for quick hunting, you should practice long distant archery for animals. Use proper arrows, perhaps the carbon hard arrows with maximum speeds.

Hunt After the Rut: Trick for Elk Hunting

This trick is one the best trick for Elk hunters; be that a beginner or an experienced one. You should always go for hunting after the rutting season. Rutting season means the mating season of Elks and this season come for only 6 weeks every year.

Immediately after this season Elks become very weak, and this is when you want to start your hunting as they will not be able to run or move fast. In the rutting season, the Elks even get involved in dangerous fights which are also a reason for becoming weak. It is one of the easier and yet powerful elk hunting tips for beginners.

Find their Food to Find Elks

as we already know that finding an Elk can be very difficult and we also know rutting season makes them weak and slow; therefore, if you can find their food source and choose the spot for your hunting then you can easily find and get your prey.

For finding their food you need to know what they eat, mostly Elks eat alfalfa. Try to find a patch of this food, this can increase your chances of finding Elks.

Sometimes you can also find Elks near streambeds as Elks like water vegetation. Try to maintain a safe and fair distance from the food source so that Elks do not see or sniff you.

Always Scout: Search Hunting Trails to Find Elk Spot

Scouting will also help beginners while Elk hunting. If you have the opportunity to see the hunting zone in the offseason; then do not miss the chance, go and do research on the hunting trail and try to locate the spots. While scouting you can also choose your waiting spots.

Also, remember Elks mostly choose dense bushy areas and south facing areas for sleeping. If you think you can scout just before the day of hunting, you are wrong.

Your smell, the sounds you will make while walking will alert the Elks and for which they will move from their place; so, the end result will be the next day you will find zero Elks in the spots.

Also remember, Elks do not always stay in the same position, they change their home often. The spots you have found Elks in your earlier hunting sessions cannot always help you; therefore scouting is a must for Elk hunters and for beginners it is mandatory. 

Elk Hunting Wind Tips: Obey the Wind

If you discuss Elk hunting with experienced hunters you will see people go for hunting after researching about wind condition and direction of the wind. Earlier, hunters of elk did not know about the use of wind flow and how to utilize it for Elk hunting.

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This is one the best tricks for Elk hunters and for beginners as well, make sure you do good research on the tactics of utilizing wind flow so that you can hunt Elk without obstacle.

Dodge Scent and Sight of Elks

Elk has some features or qualities which are not present in most creatures, such as sharp vision, strong hearing, enhanced smelling sense, etc. Never use fruity or strong perfumes that can attract Elks easily.

If possible, try to rub on some mud dirt or grass on your body to eliminate human body smell.

Also, maintain pin drop silence and limit your movement as much as possible otherwise you will end up attracting Elks which is a negative hunting skill.

Funnel the Trail: Follow Proper Elk Tracking style

Canyons or valleys are some favorite places of Elks. They sometimes like to walk in canyons and valleys in groups. If you have a map of the trail then try to find these places. If you see canyons and valleys leading to food sources then you can blindly choose these as you hunting spots.

As these places tend to be wet, you can also track them through their footprints, and for doing this you need to have knowledge about Elk’s footprints and Elk tracking style.

Also remember canyons can also keep the proof of your presence which can alert Elks, therefore make sure to not make this mistake.  

Choose Proper Elk Hunting Spot

If you are planning elk hunting Colorado trip, you should check the seasons and perfect elk hunting place for it. For many reason, you should choose proper elk hunting spot. Like if you are choosing off seasons or early Elk hunting seasons then you might want to choose high areas of the forest.

 If you are choosing late hunting season then you should choose lower parts of the forest as Elks usually choose those places after rutting season. Alfalfa usually grows downhill; therefore, Elks come downhill for food after rutting.

To choose proper spots in off seasons, 1^st you need to understand elevation properly, otherwise, you will not be able to choose proper hunting spot for the selected time.

Patience is the Best Elk Hunting Tip for Beginners

Patience is the best key in the hunting world; there are many spacious which are hard to find if you lose your patience you cannot be a successful hunter. Patience is an important tip for Elk hunting as well.

Plan with proper dresses and elk hunting packs, that lets you hunt the target all day without worries. It is more important for the hunter than it seems at first.

All other hunting tips will go in vain if you lose your patience. Elk can be sometimes very slow and inactive; there are cases where Elk hunters had to wait for even several days in the same spot to hunt his prey. Therefore, prepare yourself for the worst case and try to as patient as possible.

Last Few Words

The tips and tricks mentioned in this article will not only help you as a beginner hunter but also will make you a pro within a short period of time. Elk hunting is a bit tricky, but after earning proper command on almost all the tricks you will be able to hunt Elks very easily.

Make sure you carry some safety measures while going for Elk hunting; make yourself comfortable in the zone and let the Elks be comfortable as well.