Coastal Elk

[Snoopy23]

Good evening all,

Let me start this by saying I'm a complete beginner when it comes to archery and elk. I've rifle hunted for a few years, but this is my first season archery hunting. Well, I didn't make it out opening day, but I did make it out for Sunday and Monday.

Here's what I saw:

Sunday: 1 cow elk, 1 herd of elk well after last light. Shined my light to see at least 13 elk looking back at me.

Monday: Started my morning to see a herd of 15-20 elk including at least 2 bulls about 200 yards from me, another small bull and his woman, a doe, and, believe it or not, a black bear! This guy was about 80 yards from me in the middle of the road! I went for my bow and he did a 180 and disappeared into the thicket. I guarantee you, I was more surprised than him.

I came away from this excursion unsuccessful.

Here's what I learned:

Archery is a whole new world as compared to rifle. One must get close without alerting the elk. I spooked off a whole herd into the "tearing down the forest panic." I tried sneaking up to the smaller bull, but he was long gone before I was even close. Sneaking up on a bull in dry coast weather seems impossible.

Id have been happy with a buck or bull, but obviously, I want that bull. I have no experience archery hunting, but I want to learn more. I walked for miles and I sat for hours. My problem, I think, was I did both at the wrong hours. I have no calls (though plan to buy some tomorrow), and again, have no experience.

Can any member here offer me advice or tips? I'd be most grateful. I figure this outing was blind luck for the level of activity I saw. I have unfilled tags as of now, but am looking to change that.

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[No_Regerts]

When rifle hunting elk, I will trail a herd. When archery hunting, get close, but then try to get the bull to come the last 10% if you can using calls.

 

[Snoopy23]

That's what I figure. I got within 50 yards before I spooked them. The unfortunate bit was there was a wall of trees separating me from them. I listened for about 2 minutes to all the communication...
Talk about amazing!

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

where at on the coast? i have lots of experience hunting the coast near hebo

 

[Snoopy23]

Santiam.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

ahhh youre thinkin cascade elk. very nomadic elk in the santiam unit.

 

[Flounder]

I used to guide on the Oregon Coast (Florence area) and spent a lot of time chasing elk and deer with bow there. Been many years, but my guidance would be 1) drive the logging roads and look for where they crossed recently, 2) only use cow calls and even then VERY sparingly (you hear them talking between themselves, but coastal elk seem to know who is a stranger and will shut up if they hear somebody new), 3) black bears are very common during elk season as they are either chasing calves or berries, 4) we used to start scouting 1 month before season to find the herds, 5) get a handheld GPS and keep in your pack (amazing how turned around you can get in the coastal rainforest and need to come out on a different road then you started on - also helpful when you get the beast down to find the nearest road), and 6) coastal elk hunting is a marathon and not a sprint (you can push a herd not hard for a few days before they really bust. If you bump a herd, back off and run parallel to them on a different ridge and see if you can get in front.

Good luck! It took many years before learning how to dial in specific drainages that could produce year after year.

 

[Snoopy23]

Trask unit is where I was,not santiam. Tired mind right there. So much good information from the members here. I appreciate people taking their time to reply.

 

[Snoopy23]

ahhh youre thinkin cascade elk. very nomadic elk in the santiam unit.

I meant Trask. Not sure why santiam came to my mind. I've never seen elk in the santiam unit.

 

[dplev4]

Regardless of what unit you hunted you were more successful than you realize. You were into elk your first day out. That is an accomplishment in it itself So next time look for a way to circle around or ahead, paying attention to the wind as much as possible. Cautiously follow if you cannot find another approach. Eventually you will find an opportunity to get your shot. The woods were very dry over the weekend.

I honestly can't give advice about calling. I think Alaskaflounder has it right. A few cow calls and wait and see. Our bugling on the Coast seems to work the opposite of what happens out east. The bull disappears, but other callers would tell you the opposite and that they call in coastal bulls. Best of luck.

 

[Flounder]

Many funny stories about bugling elk on the coast. 90% of the time it was other hunters. Yes, the coastal bulls do bugle, but most of the time you will spook the animals instead of bringing them in like the cascade elk (who seem more curious). Our thoughts always were that in the cascades the elk can see and smell from a longer distance (due to more open spaces) so are more curious. With the amount of bear and cougar (and humans) that can get so close due to the thicker forest, they dont take as many risks. One of our favorite tricks was to find other hunters and then get in front of them and have them push the herds towards us. Well used elk trails are very easy to spot (more like freeways) so get off the trail about 20-30 yards and just sit if the animals are moving past. Only have to make it past the lead cow then you are usually good. Like dplev4 said above, you were lucky to spot animals so quickly. We would spend the month before season cruising logging roads looking for major game trails, then about the week before season looking for any recent activities. If things are really dry, be looking for moving water where the animals will be going about every 2-3 days. Good luck!

 

[ColeInOregon]

Scouting and learning to call will be the 2 biggest helps at first. Also you are quite lucky to have been in them right away many a archery have spent years and not gotten as close as you have, and many more have spent longer and never even get a shot. Most of my elk experience is from the Bighorns in Wyoming, and the thing to do there is find a slash pile, hunker down, and wait, this is where the calling comes in. Anyway good luck to you I am new to hunting out here (Saddle Mountain unit) so I too am trying to figure out the coastal ropes.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I meant Trask. Not sure why santiam came to my mind. I've never seen elk in the santiam unit.

ah makes more sense. in the trask unit, i dont use calls a lot. if i do, i use a reed or a cowgirl as it can be a very quiet call.elk arent too vocal where ive hunted. if you get into a heard and they dont recognize the call they'll alarm bark you. one of the craziest things ive ever experienced is being barked at by a whole heard of elk.

most of the time ive hunted on then coast, the wind has been blowing downhill in the morning. its always good to play the wind.

 

[Rudedog]

Always check the wind. In favorable conditions you can get very close. I used "smoke in a bottle", my friend used a Bic lighter. Some good advice was given by previous posters.

 

[Spitpatch]

Two replies here to focus on with credit to the Members who said it first:

1) You were EMINENTLY successful. Re-calibrate your evaluation of your results. An elk on the ground the first morning out would not have allowed you to see (and learn) what you did. One kills in order to have hunted: not the reverse.

2) Calls very often don't work like they do on "television elk". The very first thing a call does is tell the elk precisely where you are.

 

[Snoopy23]

This is why I like coming to this forum. Everyone is so eager to share their experiences and tips. Thanks everyone for the good advice and encouragement.

 

[turq]

Oh my goshawk! You got into a lot of coastal elk. Success!
Find a trail (take notes for next year and 5 more in the future) stake out some shooting lanes from YOUR stand Learn the area It's a good one.
Learns the trail in; be there before light, scent, no movement , cover, cut trees Xmas size make your blind better, seating you won't have to carry in.
Learn to trust it's a good spot just stay with it when everyone else is gone.

 

[clearconscience]

Not my experience but what I have heard a lot from successful hunters.

Use a call sparingly, but use it. The elk in the parts don't make much noise, but can and will come check out your calls.
So call and be real still and quiet for a while.

I know several guys who have called, and then went to move and a spooked an elk sneaking in on them to see who it is.

It's amazing how quiet those beast move through such thick brush.