How long did it take for your first elk?

[kwyeewyk]

Good to know! My hunting partner and I are talking about going for OTC archery elk in Colorado in a few years... assuming they still have OTC by then!

set expectations. otc archery in colorado probably won't exactly feel all that "easy" in comparison.

but, boat loads of elk still.

Yeah colorado OTC will feel similar to wa due to immense pressure and a lot of nocturnal elk, but you can kill bulls and lots of elk by comparison. Sucks seeing big bulls and never being able to shoot them here.

 

[c0d95]

Sucks seeing big bulls and never being able to shoot them here.

Yes it does... I see big bulls ALL THE TIME. I wish I had been putting in for the bull tag the last few years but never even thought about it. This is the first year I'll be putting in for anything.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Yes it does... I see big bulls ALL THE TIME. I wish I had been putting in for the bull tag the last few years but never even thought about it. This is the first year I'll be putting in for anything.

Well I have about 14 points for quality elk and don't expect to draw anytime soon, but there's always a chance.

 

[Irrelevant]

Now here's a competition I'm sure to win.
14 years! I hunted over 50% of the entire season every year, many years the entire season. In those 14, I saw one legal bull and missed (year 12).

 

[c0d95]

Well I have about 14 points for quality elk and don't expect to draw anytime soon, but there's always a chance.

Yeah, I fully expect to NOT draw this year. I just want to get started on building up my points.

 

[c0d95]

Now here's a competition I'm sure to win.
14 years! I hunted over 50% of the entire season every year, many years the entire season. In those 14, I saw one legal bull and missed (year 12).

Does that mean you haven't gotten one yet? Or that you got one this year

 

[Dougfirtree]

Got lucky and shot one the first day I ever hunted for them.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Day 2, near tollgate Oregon, was 12. Bayonet distance 30/06

 

[Dinkshooter]

5 days.

 

[In2Hntn]

Day 3 of the first year hunting elk, along time ago.

 

[FREAK]

Hunted a couple days with some college friends in 12 but didn’t have a tag myself. The next season I got completely lucky and shot a cow the first day out in 2013. My now wife went out with me and was sitting behind me studying for a pharmacy exam. She carried a book thicker than a dictionary out to the area I wanted to sit, 20 minutes into the hunt a cow and calf walked up to 15 yards from us. I shot the cow and when I turned around her eyes were the size of saucers. It was a long night. Elk are way bigger and different than the deer I grew up hunting.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Hunted a couple days with some college friends in 12 but didn’t have a tag myself. The next season I got completely lucky and shot a cow the first day out in 2013. My now wife went out with me and was sitting behind me studying for a pharmacy exam. She carried a book thicker than a dictionary out to the area I wanted to sit, 20 minutes into the hunt a cow and calf walked up to 15 yards from us. I shot the cow and when I turned around her eyes were the size of saucers. It was a long night. Elk are way bigger and different than the deer I grew up hunting. View attachment 312479

Great story!

 

[c0d95]

Hunted a couple days with some college friends in 12 but didn’t have a tag myself. The next season I got completely lucky and shot a cow the first day out in 2013. My now wife went out with me and was sitting behind me studying for a pharmacy exam. She carried a book thicker than a dictionary out to the area I wanted to sit, 20 minutes into the hunt a cow and calf walked up to 15 yards from us. I shot the cow and when I turned around her eyes were the size of saucers. It was a long night. Elk are way bigger and different than the deer I grew up hunting.

Great cow! I was targeting cows this late season but didn't see any. DID see two bulls- unfortunately illegal for the tag I had.

 

[BenP]

About 5 minutes on my son's Nintendo Switch game. Real life, I've yet to have the chance to try.

The difficulty is part of the reason we are waiting a few years- 1. to gain more experience and 2. to get in better shape so that we can do whatever it takes to get to the elk and away from other people as much as possible.

Better be careful putting this info out, @Westelker - W. Colorado might scold you for hiking too far, wasting energy and making it too difficult.

 

[Irrelevant]

Does that mean you haven't gotten one yet? Or that you got one this year

I got my first elk in 2015. I actually got 2 that year.

 

[c0d95]

Better be careful putting this info out, @Westelker - W. Colorado might scold you for hiking too far, wasting energy and making it too difficult.

Good looking out! haha

 

[LuketheDog]

7 years, maybe 40-45 days in the field, the first 6 were OTC only, and my mind was made up that I was only going to kill a bull with my bow for my first elk. I had plenty of chances to kill cows, and some very close calls with bulls in that time that I would've played differently knowing what I do now about elk.

 

[Mallardsx2]

2 days.

My wife killed hers in the first hour and a half.

 

[FLGAcracker]

Great thread to read through and set/reset expectations of harvesting elk!

 

[TheTone]

First day I hunted my second year. Easy to draw cow tag in an area that doesn’t even have cow tags now