Monday, June 25, 2012

Comprehensive Bow Cleaning and Maintenance - Refurbishing the Bow You Already Have

By Kurt Geist

Every year we look at our hunting set-ups and decide what we need to do get ready for next season.  New arrows, new sight, new rest, new set of strings, or maybe a whole new bow. Something that tends to gets overlooked is just a good ol' cleaning and maintenance inspection! Now, it’s not as easy as running to the car wash and giving the old girl a turbo wash. While a thorough cleaning isn’t hard to do, if you don’t have a good bow press and a very good working knowledge of how to tear a bow apart, take your bow to your local Pro Shop for this service. Typically running about $65 at most bow shops, the money spent is WELL worth it!

First off, the obvious maintenance: start with the string, and work your way to your accessories and then the bow itself. On the string, check your d-loop for wear, and check the string around the peep. If you use a peep with tubing, change the tubing. Look below the center serving for wear, especially if you hit your arm. Check all the serving for separation and/or breakage. Do you need a new string? If your string and cables are in good shape, wax them making sure to heat the wax up by rubbing quickly between your thumb and forefinger. Next, check your accessories.

Often times the decision on whether or not to upgrade your accessories is usually due to something failing you last year, or that outright broke during your last hunt. If that’s the case, don’t necessarily replace it with the same thing; if it failed once, you have to ask yourself, "Will another one of the same thing fail me again???"  Be critical. Get out and beat the bushes to see what other hunters and shooters like, and why. Places to get this information are the archery range and the Pro Shop. A word of caution: while checking out new accessories can be highly beneficial, make sure whatever you look at is of good to high quality, and not just a “shiny new penny” that will leave you in a bind later on down the road!

Once you’ve gone through your accessories—both checking them for physical problems as well as giving them a thorough cleaning—start taking a careful look at your bow itself, and consider tearing it down to it’s basic components for a complete inspection, and thorough cleaning as well.  Again, if you don’t have a quality bow press that will allow you to take the limbs off, or don’t have the confidence or knowledge to do a tear-down safely and/or properly, take your bow to a reputable bow shop and have them do this next part for you.

To demonstrate what I do for a complete cleaning, Chris let me use his WELL-worn PSE X-Force—a bow that was in SERIOUS need of a good cleaning, and maintenance inspection! I have 10 years experience working in the busiest Pro Shop in Colorado and have a bow press in my garage.  Again, if you don’t have the knowledge or proper tools to do this, take your bow to a good Pro Shop for this service or you may be getting a new bow this year after all.

Before I begin, let me start off by saying that often times I hear folks saying that they’re leery of this kind of tear-down, worried they won’t get that old “mojo” back. While that fear can be understandable, especially if you’ve never done a complete cleaning and maintenance tear-down before, keep this in mind: I know several top Pro archers that will completely tear their bows down in the motel room the night before a major tournament, just to make sure everything is good-to-go before they have to head out and perform at their absolute best. A good set-up can almost always be duplicated, and usually for the better; if you’re “mojo” is good now, the “new” mojo might even be better! If you do this now, you will have months before the hunting season, giving yourself plenty of time to adjust to the new improvements, IF you need any adjustments at all.

If you haven’t already done so, begin by taking all the accessories off the bow. Take notes if you need to so things go back together correctly. By pulling your accessories, you can clean each piece more thoroughly, as well as break loose any rusted bolts. By waxing the threads of the mounting screws, it will combat both rusted bolts and loose bolts on your bow. Wipe down all accessories and set aside until it’s time to put your bow back together.

Next, you will remove the string and cables, back out the limb bolts, and remove the limbs from the riser. Disassemble the limb and limb pocket. This is the only way to get in there and remove dirt, grit, weeds, and other crud that collect in the limb pocket. Because this is the only area that uses grease, it WILL be dirty.

The cams/idler wheel assembly is next. IMPORTANT: Pay close attention to how the spacers are installed, so they go back the same way!!! I will wipe down the axle with a light oil, but will always wipe it clean with a towel. Oil will collect dirt and dust that will keep cams from rolling over smoothly. If anything looks bent, cracked, loose, or otherwise “not-quite-right” in any way, replace the part with a new one; these parts are critical for the performance—and safety—of your bow, so make sure these items are in top condition before putting everything back together.

After a close inspection of all parts to ensure everything is in tip-top shape, it’s time to put things back together (Note: extra parts are a BAD thing!). Apply a small amount of grease to the threads of the limb bolts. This will ensure a nice smooth rotation for draw weight adjustments. Some limb pockets will also require a small amount of grease. Reassemble cams/idler wheel, again, paying close attention to the spacers on either side of the cam. Check the e-clips as they go back on to be sure of proper fit. When in doubt, replace with new clips; new e-clips will only cost pennies.

Once the limbs and cams are attached to the riser, take a clean rag and wipe down the whole bow. None of this will do any good if the first trip out, you clog everything up because of excess oil and grease. Re-install the string and cables, and re-time the cams. Sight, rest, quiver, and stabilizer finish out the reassembly. Before you draw the bow, go over everything one more time to be sure you did it right.

You are now ready to tune your “new” bow. Depending on how long you have neglected this cleaning, you very well may find that you’re “old friend” feels like a brand new bow!!! All that’s left now, is to ensure a proper tune, and you’re back in action. Consider giving your bow a thorough cleaning and maintenance inspection today; a little TLC today, might be the difference between success and disappointment tomorrow!

About the Author:  Kurt grew up hunting and fishing, and began his love for archery in 1999. While his first bow was bought for hunting, he quickly realized how beneficial target archery was to his hunting skills, and just how fun it could be.  In short order that "fun" turned into a passion. Since then, he has won tournaments at the local, State, and National level, including the World Archery Festival in Las Vegas, Big Sky Open, six consecutive State Target Championships and five State 3D Championships.  Kurt hunts exclusively with archery equipment, and has harvested everything from small game to bighorn sheep.  He is currently the President of the Rocky Mountain Archery Association and travels around Colorado giving archery lessons and tuning seminars. Working part-time at one of Colorado's busiest archery shops keeps him abreast of all the latest archery technologies. Kurt currently makes his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Jay Scott Outdoors: Field Judging Elk and Scoring Elk Antlers

Ok - so I know that MOST of us out there hunting elk aren't "worried" about whether or not a bull is "high 360's vs. low 370's" (most of us are probably in the realm of, "Is he a big bull?  Yes?  Then SHOOT!!!), BUT...if you ARE, or you're at least as fascinated by antlers as I am, this post is for you!

Jay is one of the few guys that I know who KNOWS what he's talking about when it comes to looking at a bull, and guessing the score.  Scoring animals on the hoof is definitely an art, but like with all "art," the more "practiced" you are the more skilled you become.  Jay guides in AZ for some of the biggest bulls that roam the planet, and has a tremendous amount of both "time in field" and "time in hand" looking at, calling, hunting, and measuring, big bulls.

If you want to learn how to field judge trophy bulls, check out what Jay has to say:

Jay Scott Outdoors: Field Judging Elk and Scoring Elk Antlers

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Jay Scott Outdoors: Hunting Boot Care and Maintenance 2012

Some GREAT advice that I need to follow-up on for MY boots!!!  Get them re-conditioned now, and keep them in top shape this summer, and you'll have far less problems this fall.  Take a look at this latest article by Janis Putelis, and then take a look at YOUR boots...

Jay Scott Outdoors: Hunting Boot Care and Maintenance 2012

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Winter Conditions and Your High Country Deer or Elk Hunt - Part 2 of 3

By now most of us know whether or not we drew that limited deer or elk tag we hoped for, or whether we’ll be back to hunting in our general, “over-the-counter” areas again this year. As we start planning our hunts, one of the questions we should ask ourselves is: “Will animals be where I ‘expect’ them to be this year, and if so, how many?” As I outlined in Part One of this article, late-winter and early-spring mountain snowpack can significantly impact where animals might be in the summer and into the fall.

For many hunters, 2011 was a year of extremes. Some hunters had a rude awakening after arriving at their high country deer or elk camp; many folks found fewer animals than they expected based on past experience—if they were lucky enough to find any at all. Others folks were covered up with animals, and had one of the best seasons or their lives. Some elk hunters experienced almost no bugling and no “visible” rutting activity in September or early October. Others had elk screaming their heads off, cows running all over the place, and bulls working calls almost every day of their hunt. And then there were those who wondered what all the fuss was about because they experienced a normal year in their area: the same numbers of deer and elk, all active the same time of the year, and in their usual spots.

Why the disparity of experiences between folks hunting the same areas year after year (thus having experience over multiple years to pull from in their evaluation of what they saw, heard, and experienced)? Why did some folks report hunting experiences and conditions that were markedly different than “usual”? And we’re talking about folks across multiple western States, not just one region per se. So, what was different? Many folks tried to attribute their localized experiences to “rut timing” (i.e. a “late” rut), moon phase, hunter pressure, etc.... When we take a close look at those factors, however, we end up seeing that none of those really seem to be consistent enough across the board to cause the changes most of us were seeing. So then what was it? What would have a wide enough reach to affect so many hunters in so many different places? Was it the weather? Well… let’s look at that.

When we ask, “Was it the weather?” most folks refer to the weather they experienced during their hunt, or immediately preceding it. Those that do think a little more long-term might extend their ponderings out to the weather conditions a month—maybe two—before their hunt. But how many of us think about spring and early summer conditions? While a significant September or early October snowstorm can definitely impact elk activity and movement—sometimes overnight—rainy weather typically doesn’t move elk around that much, if at all. While excessively dry conditions can cause elk to move out of an area (and we’ll talk about that in the next article), most of us weren’t dealing with excessively dry conditions last year, so—what was it? Could the changes and differences that many of us saw last year have been related to “weather conditions” that preceded our hunts by a month or two – or even more? Probably.

Calving Areas and Summer Ranges

A two to three-day old elk calf bedded in a well-used
traditional calving area at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation
in the White River National Forest of central Colorado.
In the first article, I discussed how winter severity and longevity affect body condition of animals coming out of winter. If we continue the seasonal progression for deer and elk living in the high country, we invariably find ourselves at fawning/calving time, when most animals have moved out of their wintering areas, and are soaking up the warm late-spring/early-summer sunshine higher up the mountain. By mid-May to early-June, most female deer and elk have moved into their trusted annual fawning/calving areas, where food, water, and safety all pack into the smallest area as possible, and where they successfully started their little ones off in previous years. At the same time, the boys are heading up the mountain to their own little pockets of heaven, where they can pack on the pounds, and rack up inches of bone—no pun intended. For both sexes, most individuals are heading up the mountain to their “summer homes” in search of ample, high quality food, cooler days, and fewer worries about predators, humans, and other “annoying” disturbances. Except when they can’t…

A cow and her calf bedded between patches of remnant snow,
in early June, in the heart of a traditional calving area
—at approximately 10,000 feet in elevation—in central Colorado.
Depending on that year’s snowpack and spring temperatures, “spring” can be a fickle thing. In “normal” years, deer and elk can look forward to a late-May or early-June where most snow remains in patches in the timber, and spring green-up is in full swing. But throw in an exceptionally snowy winter and spring like the one we had in 2011 in many places, and “spring” moves from May to July! While most vegetation can sit patiently under the snow waiting for the warm rays of the sun to start the engine of production, deer fawns and elk calves are on a different clock—one that was set in motion months before winter really figured out what it was going to do!

A two to three-day old elk calf "hiding" from the author during
the Upper Eagle River Elk Study, in the White River National
Forest of central Colorado.
In years when spring hits the snooze button—repeatedly—and significant snowpack lingers across the traditional spring range, deer and elk have to switch to “Plan B” and find different areas in which to spend their time waiting for warmer, more productive, days. For the ladies, that means they have to find new areas to give birth, and for the guys it means seeking out new areas in order to pack in the protein. Depending on the area, and depending on the year, these “Plan B” forays into new territories may be temporary, and relatively close to where their originally intended areas were, or may be permanent (at least for that season) and in completely different basins, or on completely different mountains altogether.

While the new areas may work out for the animals just fine, for the hunter heading into their “usual” hunting areas, their season just turned into a crapshoot. For those hunting in those areas where the animals went to, it can turn into an absolute mind-blowing season: deer and elk everywhere, bulls screaming, cows running everywhere, and more shot opportunities than you can shake an arrow, or boom-stick, at! For those hunting where the animals wanted to be, but couldn’t get to, well…they might be better off with a tag in their pockets for crickets, because entire mountainsides and basins can be devoid of anything larger than that! Ok, maybe a marmot…but no deer, no elk, and a season spent burning more boot leather than there’s boot!

That was 2011 for many people.

In the graph below, you can see what the snowpack looked like for each of the major basins here in Colorado* in 2011. For an apples-to-apples comparison between 2011 and 2012, we’ll be comparing the May data sets here in a minute, but take a look at June 2011 first. For all but the basins in the southwest part of the State, most deer and elk were DEFINITELY operating on “Plan B!” While in some areas, deer and elk make made their way back into “traditional” areas by late summer or early fall to a certain extent, there were a number of areas where deer and elk never returned at all. In some areas, if the sheer snowpack left on the mountain didn’t keep animals out of their traditional areas, raging rivers did. And while 2011 is a year that is still fresh in our minds, it isn’t the first year where conditions like this have affected animal movement. Anecdotally, many “old timers” swear that years ago, a similar winter like that of 2011 occurred in the southwest part of the State and moved deer and elk out of several premiere units—perhaps and even out of the State—wherein the bulk of the herds never came back to traditional ranges, even in subsequent years.

The Colorado Snowpack Summary for 2011 is compiled by the NRCS and can be found at: ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/monthly/2011.gif. In all but the southwest basins (the Rio Grande and San Juan et. al. basins), each month had above-average snowpack, but the truly significant detail here is the snowpack percentages for the month of June. With an average snowpack of more than 250% above normal across the central and northern mountain areas, deep snow precluded many animals from making their way back to their traditional fawning/calving and summer areas.

*NOTE: Colorado data is presented because the Colorado offices of the NRCS have the best depiction of their data in graphs such as this, making understanding the data sets easier to understand and compare.

So, what does 2012 have in store? A quick look at the same graph for 2012 reveals we probably aren’t going to be having any issues with animals having “access” to their traditional fawning/calving and summer ranges! However, given the level of contrast, our current conditions might still affect deer and elk movement and overall habitat use—but that’s the topic of the next article.

The Colorado Snowpack Summary for 2012 is compiled by the NRCS and can be found at: ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/CO/Snow/snow/watershed/monthly/2012.gif. Note the stark difference in snowpack levels for May between 2011 and 2012! As bad as that is, June is on track to be even more dramatically different. For 2012, access to traditional fawning/calving areas and summer ranges for deer and elk won’t be an issue.

While the graph only shows what’s going on in Colorado, this pattern is fairly consistent across the board for most of the Great Basin and the central and southern Rockies, as can be seen in the following contrasting maps of western snowpack as of 1 May 2011 and 2012. As the maps’ Legends show, if it isn’t green, blue, or purple, it’s below average. Within the areas of red and dark red in the Great Basin and southern Rockies, the red hash-marked areas are areas where the snowpack is essentially gone! What a difference a year can make! The only ones that are seeing a similar pattern as last year are the folks living in the Pacific NW and those living in SW Colorado and northern New Mexico. For what it’s worth, the vast majority of reports I received last year from hunters who were “scratching their heads” wondering what everyone else was talking about as far as a “crazy deer and elk season,” came from folks who hunted in SW Colorado where the seasonal conditions were “normal.”


The mountain snowpack across the western U.S. as of May 2012 compiled by the NRCS can be found at: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/support/water/westwide/snowpack/wy2012/snow1205.gif. Note how little snowpack is left in the southern Rockies as opposed to that found in the Pacific NW and the northern Rockies.

Given this level of contrast, it’s safe to say that for most animals across the western U.S., access to traditional fawning/calving areas and summer areas isn’t going to be an issue. Where does and cows were dropping fawns and calves on the fringes of their winter ranges last year, they’re dropping their little ones on their high elevation summer ranges this year. As I write this, our annual elk calf monitoring efforts have already shown more elk up on summer ranges that are usually reserved for July rather than late May and early June, with calves being dropped on alpine tundra—above 11,000 feet—as opposed to the willow bottoms and aspens 2,000 feet below.

A cow, her newborn calf, and likely her “daughter” from last year already in the alpine tundra – nearly at 12,000 feet – by late-May, 2012. This trio was actually traveled over the ridge behind them, heading straight toward the author before this picture was taken.  Upon seeing the author, the trio – along with several other cows – moved back over the ridge out of sight, and to higher ground.  Given the size of the calf and its level of mobility, the calf was likely only five days old or so, and given the presence of other cows in the area that were very close to parturition, was likely born at this elevation. 

Deep in the heart of traditional “summer” range above 11,000 feet, this cow’s behavior suggested she was VERY close to giving birth when this photo was taken on 30 May 2012.  Note not only the lack of snow on the slope the cow is on, but also on the steep north facing slopes in the background. 

Cows and calves weren’t the only ones getting comfortable in their alpine summer ranges by mid- to late-May this year.  This bachelor group of bulls was one of several that were seen above timberline at the end of May 2012, and still heading up in elevation! 

While we might not have to worry about excessive snowpack keeping deer and elk from reaching traditional late-spring/early-summer areas this year (except maybe some of you hunting the Cascades in WA and OR…), it’s something that we all need to have on our radar screens each year as we plan our hunts and put in for tags. And while access may not be precluded this year, “overly accessible” access to everything so early in the season may bring about its own problems that we’ll discuss in Part Three.


About the Author:
Chris Roe is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, behavioral ecologist, an elk behavior and vocalization specialist, and a passionate elk hunter based out of north-central Colorado. Chris operates Roe Hunting Resources where he offers advanced online educational resources for hunters interested in learning more about the animals they’re after. Concepts discussed in this article and many others can be found in Roe Hunting Resources’ Elk Module, or in The Elk Hunter's Strategy App available through the App Store or the Android Market.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Hunting Pressured Elk

Colorado is known for having the largest elk herds in the United States. Unfortunately, along with that distinction comes another one—the highest numbers, and greatest concentrations, of elk hunters in the United States each fall! And while all those hunters take thousands of elk home with them every year, hundreds-of-thousands of elk live to see another year,  and learn valuable lessons that they’ll put to good use in coming encounters with those of us intent on putting them in the freezer and on the wall! While Colorado arguably has some of the best elk hunting in the West, we also have some of the most pressured, and highly-educated elk. If you want to go home with an elk this fall, keep the following in mind should you end up dealing with difficult, pressured animals during your hunt:

Safety First! 

How often have you heard that phrase? It gets pretty tiring sometimes hearing it over and over, doesn’t it? Well… here it is again, but this time, in a little different context.

Regardless of the season, elk need three things for survival: food, water, and safety. While most of the time we probably think of "shelter" being the third item on that list, elk don’t really need “shelter” from the elements, and can get along just fine without it. Safety, however, they CAN’T live without.

For most us, we’ve been conditioned to look for the likely feeding areas in and around the places we hunt—often focusing on those areas in the early morning and late evening hours, hoping to catch animals up on their feet and possibly out in the open. While in many cases that can be a sound plan—one which accounts for lots of animals being harvested each fall—pressured elk seldom step out into the open, or even start heading toward “traditional” feeding areas during legal shooting hours.

If highly-pressured elk live in habitats where the highest quality food is out in open meadows and parks, in the vast majority of cases those animals will feed under the cover of darkness. Fortunately for elk (and unfortunately for most hunters) there are truly very few places like that in Colorado.

The reason I put quotation marks around “traditional” above is because in many of Colorado's elk habitats, quality forage can be found in a variety of places, and pressured elk are masters at finding food in those less than obvious, and definitely not open, places. From pockets of grass, forbs, and browse within expanses of dark timber, to the thickets of aspen shoots and tall grass filling in many of our beetle kill areas, pressured elk are going to find food that’s tucked back in those places that offer them what? Safety!


The same goes for water. While in drier years, the lack of water can help to concentrate animals and overall habitat use in some areas, elk don’t necessarily need wide-flowing creeks or open lakes and beaver ponds to get their water. They will definite use those water sources, but they’ll also use that tiny, nasty smelling wallow tucked back in the dark timber that holds a pool of water the size of a dinner plate or that simply fills their tracks in the mud. They’ll use that trickle of water that seeps from the side of the mountain that flows above ground for 10 feet before soaking back into the soil, down in that impossible-to-get-to hole that no sane person would dream of trying to pull an elk out of. And if they have to use that flowing creek, or open beaver pond, that happens to lie out in the open? You guessed it—they’ll use it under the cover of darkness.

For pressured elk in many of Colorado’s units, food and water can be found in a variety of places, so safety becomes the number one factor in their daily lives—whether we’re talking about early archery season, or the last few days of the 4th rifle season. And if safety is their number one consideration on a daily basis during hunting season, it definitely should be your number one consideration during your hunt!

Where or where has my little dog ELK gone?

Nine times out of 10, when asked, “Where do elk go when they’re pressured?” most hunters will tell you: “The deepest dark timber they can find”—or something to that effect. And while they’d be absolutely right if that sort of habitat characteristic can be found in the area you’re planning to hunt, what if it doesn’t? While elk will definitely bury themselves in thickest, nastiest, darkest timber they can find sometimes, “safety” goes beyond that.

Now… if deep, dark timber does exist in your hunting area, let’s knock that one out right off the bat. How do you know, you ask? If you’re hunting middle to higher elevation areas (often times the timbered habitats roughly between 9,000 and 11,500 feet), “dark timber” can often be found on north-facing, or northeast-facing slopes. Before you head out this season, take a look at Google Earth, Google Maps, Bing, TerraServer, or any number of on-line satellite imagery resources, and pick your hunting area apart. If your area has north or northeast-facing slopes that have patches of thick pines across them (indicated by dark green colored trees that are all packed together tightly), then your area likely has “dark timber” tucked away in there somewhere.

For elk “safety” purposes, the thicker the better, and the steeper the better—especially if those steep, thick pockets have a bench or two tucked away in them. Use your topo maps to find the steep areas (or use the Google Earth feature that lets you “angle” the view of your satellite image), and look for places where the contour lines diverge momentarily, indicating a “flat” spot on the slope, or at least an area that’s less steep. Thick pines, on steep slopes, on north or northeast-facing slopes, with benches scattered across them can be GREAT areas to find pressured elk. Make that area difficult to get into, scatter in a few open pockets with good forage, and a wallow or spring seep or two, and it’s a safe bet that’ll be one of the first places I’ll be looking if I’m dealing with—or anticipate dealing with—pressured elk.

The author with a heavily pressured bull he harvested deep in the middle of a large stand of thick timber.

But what if you don’t have that in your hunting area, or those areas aren’t that difficult to get to and everybody and their brother’s uncle is going in there looking for elk? What then? Well, evaluate…

If your area doesn’t have traditional “dark timber” like that outlined above, but it does have areas—or expanses —of thick cover (whether it be slopes with thick oak brush, beetle kill areas coming back in stands of thick, impenetrable aspen and grass, etc.), start checking there. Like I said above, if the area is thick, hard to get to, steep, and has benches scattered across it, it’s a likely area for elk to burrow into and hole up for safety. And in thick oak brush or aspen areas, elk are literally surrounded by food, so if they have any source of water available to them within that thick, nasty stuff, they literally have no reason to leave. And often they don’t!

If your area doesn’t have thick pockets of cover that few people get into, then start looking in “overlooked” or “out of the way” places that other hunters aren’t thinking about. Sometimes it might be off a small point along the ridge that everyone simply walks by because “it doesn’t look like much.” With the emphasis these days on “backcountry” hunts, and “getting away from the road,” sometimes the least pressured areas are by the road, or right off the trailhead. In some areas, while 98% of the hunters are “heading back in,” the elk are sitting there silently – watching hikers, hunters, and even traffic go by, and going completely undetected.

When dealing with pressured animals, the bottom line is – go wherever other hunters AREN’T, even if to you the area doesn’t look like much. What you think might be a “good area,” and what an elk might think is a SAFE area, might be two different things! Think outside the box, pay attention to where the other hunters are going, where they’re not going, and how they’re hunting. Find the places they’re overlooking, and maybe even hunt the elk a little differently than how everyone else is, and often you’ll be headed out of the hills a little a LOT heavier than when you went in!

The author with a great bull taken within a stone’s throw of the main pack trail on a small point everyone else had overlooked. Highly pressured, and all alone, this bull hardly made a sound that would carry more than 100 yards through the thick oak brush as the author worked him in to 30 yards for the shot.

A couple of tidbits on tactics for pressured animals

We could spend a week talking about tactics for pressured elk, but in general, keep these things in mind:
  1. Often, pressured elk aren’t very vocal (if at all). When a group of cows has their bull, and they finally find a place to escape the hunter pressure and pressure from other elk, many times they’ll simply “mind their own business” and be content with the group they have. Bulls will stay silent not wanting to attract attention from hunters and other rival bulls, and cows will be suspicious of any other “elk” sounds they hear that don’t either accompany an animal they actually see or at the very least smell, and will often move away from elk sounds they deem suspicious. If the cows leave, the bull is going to follow—and most of the time without a peep! For late season hunts, when bulls are off on their own, bulls will often times remain motionless and wait for the “other elk” they hear to walk into view, or they’ll silently circle down-wind and scent check any elk sound they hear before even thinking of coming in.
  2. Pressured elk are often nocturnal. If they have to move (stressing “have to,” given what we talked about above in that in some areas elk don’t have to move, and therefore won’t), most of their movement will be under the cover of darkness. Elk talk more when they’re moving, or just as they “arrive” in a new area. Given that, stay out after dark and listen (or even call to get a response) to see if elk sound off after everyone else is back in camp and gone to bed. Figure out where the elk are under the cover of darkness, and you can be positioned to capitalize on the animal(s) you heard better than everyone else come first light. Also, nocturnal animals can often be “active” during mid-day hours. They may not move much (if any), and may not say much (if at all), but they can get restless. Find where they spend their mid-day hours (those “safe” areas), watch the wind but get in close, and sometimes you can have an elk wander a few steps away from the group and wind up in a freezer.
  3. If you want to call, be strategic! Most other hunters out there calling will be “generally” calling. Pressured elk QUICKLY learn to avoid “general” calling. Take time to learn how to be specific in your calling efforts (Lost Mews, Assembly Mews, Long Mews, etc.) and use them sparingly and only when those vocalizations are absolutely needed in order to get the elk to do or say what you need them to in order to position them for a shot. Often times with pressured elk, less is more—so don’t overdo it. Also, if everyone on the mountain seems to be cow calling, don’t be afraid to try some strategic bull vocalizations. If a bunch of hunters are out there hammering away with bugles and bull vocalizations, maybe try more cow calls. Being different in these instances can sometimes yield results. And if you’re hunting the later seasons, even after the rut, don’t leave your bugle back at camp or in the truck; even in the last rifle season, sometimes a "contact" bugle can be THE thing that gets an elk to step out and offer a shot, or to vocalize back and give up their location (remember what I said about listening and calling at night?)!
Keeping those three tips in mind on your next hunt will go a long way in helping you fill a tag should you find yourself dealing with pressured animals. For more tactics, consider checking out the Elk Hunter's Strategy App on our website (available in the Elk Module-Plus and Annual Subscription) or, if you happen to have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android device, in the App Store or Android Market. The Elk Hunter's Strategy App is full of calling strategies and tactics that can help you capitalize on tough, highly pressured animals wherever you may encounter them.

Pressured elk aren’t easy, but they ARE harvestable. Given that many of Colorado’s elk these days seem to be growing increasingly “educated,” learning how to deal with these elk will go a long way in helping you fill more elk tags each year than the other hunters you’re out there competing with. By thinking “Safety First,” and keeping some of these tactics and tidbits in mind, you’ll be well on your way towards minimizing the amount of “tag soup” you’ll have in your diet!


About the Author:
Chris Roe is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, behavioral ecologist, an elk behavior and vocalization specialist, and a passionate elk hunter based out of north-central Colorado. Chris operates Roe Hunting Resources where he offers advanced online educational resources for hunters interested in learning more about the animals they’re after. Concepts discussed in this article and many others can be found in Roe Hunting Resources’ Elk Module, or in The Elk Hunter's Strategy App available through the App Store or the Android Market.