“Growler” is Dead

About a decade ago when giant bulls still wandered many back-country hideaways here in North Idaho, I matched wits with a monster of unforgetable proportions.  These were the days when it was not uncommon to find huge rubs on trees of eight inches or more in diameter and pie plate sized hoof prints in the [...]

Aggressive Elk Calling

I mopped my brow as I descended the steep and unforgiving ridge  in the hot midday sun.  My purpose for subjecting myself to this torture is no more peculiar than why I bugle in my sleep. I’m an elk addict. There was a bull bugling his head off way down on the other side of this hell [...]

90 Days and Counting…

Tick, tick, tick……… For some of us, that’s the sound of time slipping away for elk season preparation. Others may say; Ah we’ve got lots of time….. Almost three whole months before season starts! Which one are you?
Regardless if your an over-achiever or procrastinator, the count down has begun. I always feel when June first [...]

Bugle, or slip in silent?

Ready to take the plunge into the Idaho backcountry!

For most of us, being an effective elk killer is no “overnight success”. Years of patience, hard work, and learning from trial and error molds the hunter we are today. The old adage states “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”, and this can’t be [...]

“My Elk Rifle”

 
Traditions
“My elk rifle” – This phrase is undoubtedly the beginning of many debates. Most hunters hold their trusty rifles in very high regard, even above ones wife…….All kidding aside, I can say we all have a great pride and respect of our own firearm and its ability to function during crunch time. Some of [...]

Getting “The Low Down” – Phase 2

Ok so we have all of our notes, maps, advice from former hunt tag holders and game biologists – it’s time to dig in deeper.  I spoke last time of hitting the ground hard and finding  old rutting grounds and other areas where elk frequent.  Now Austin and I returned to those areas looking for current [...]

Getting the “Low Down”

So, you have drawn a limited entry elk tag!  Where do we go from here?  Whether your hunting witha bow or a rifle, drawing an elk tag for an unfamiliar unit can be overwhelming, but here are some tips to get started.
This year, my son and I have drawn elk tags for a controlled, trophy [...]

Calling all Quitters

I have lots of advice.  Whether your going to buy a new 4×4 truck,  or going out for dinner, I can usually put in my “two cents”.  But as far as elk hunting goes, I have narrowed it down to my favorite two tips.
CALLING ELK
No matter what elk hunting forum you choose to search for [...]

Dirk’s day pack

My day pack consists of many of the same items that most hunters carry.  Some are more crucial than others and I will try and highlight them.

I’ve used the Black’s Creek “Hunter” Pack for the past couple years, but this year I’ll be using the Sitka Ascent 14 pack.
 MUST HAVE ITEMS
- 2 KNIVES AND A [...]

Working toward Elk Season

This time of year while talking to friends, I frequently hear the comment ” I cant wait till elk season”!  And that gets me thinking “why wait”?  There are so many preparations to be made in the next couple months, we can’t wait until a week or two before opening day to throw all our [...]

The Count Down Begins

The final 90 days are upon us before the season opener. This is when I shift from “Slacker Dude” into “The Elk Killer”.  I work 60 to 72 hours in my normal work week, so it’s hard to find alot of time for physical conditioning. Here are a few things that help me get rid of some of [...]

Lucky Thirteen

  2007 archery elk season had started off with a bang.  Opening day found my brother Lance and I, at a favorite “low country” hunting spot.  The evening before while scouting, we had some cows cross the road in front of us. Since we had poor luck in having a bull return our bugles, it made [...]

Defining Moments

  As elk hunters most of us can think back to a moment, scenario, or hunt that changed you or your approach to hunting.  Some of us have been influenced by our fathers, uncles, friends or just a unique circumstance. We all have visions of who we are, and who we want to be as hunters, [...]

Hung-up on Bull Elk

  Every season we look back and reflect upon what we could have done differently on a particular elk hunt.  The scenario goes like this - ” I called back and forth with a bull for at least an hour.  He charged in, only to hang up just out of archery range.  Sound familiar? Especially those of us who hunt [...]

Calling for success

The year was 1989, I was fifteen and wanted to hunt elk with a bow.
My Dad had long since lost his drive to “beat the brush” as he called it. So I was on my own. Being an avid hunter I wanted to take advantage of the early season that archery hunting offered. I new nothing about calling elk. My best friend Randy ( now my brother in-law) Wise also wanted to get involved. We made a pact. We would learn to call elk no matter what the obstacles , we would learn.

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