Learning From Failing

Every year, thousands and thousands of elk hunters will take to the mountains with big dreams and lofty aspirations of putting their tag on the bull of a lifetime.  Some will succeed with this endeavor, but sadly, the majority will fail. The harsh reality of elk hunting is that the majority of hunters do fail [...]

Hunting the Rut

I always enjoy hunt talk and my favorite topic has to be elk hunting during the rut. September is a special time for us bowhunters and lucky rifle hunters that have the opportunity to hunt during the bugle season. One of the questions I’m often asked is in reference to hunting techniques during the course [...]

Meat Care in the Field

The shot was good, the blood trail was wide, and your bull is on the ground!  Now what?  The simple answer is: Get the animal/meat taken care of as quickly as possible!  Below is how I care for my Elk meat in the field so that I assure it is ready for the dinner plate.
1) [...]

Decoys for Elk

The sage crackled and released its pungent scent with each step through the low-lying shrubs. An occasional bugle drifted toward us through the blackness which taxed our senses even more. As the morning darkness gave way to the sliver of light growing in the east, our trio quickened its pace toward our quarry.
It was early [...]

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 [...]

Solo Elk Hunting

I had always dreamed of hunting elk out west. Coming from a small town in Michigan the closest I came to hearing a bugling bull growing up was in Outdoor Life and Bowhunter Magazines. Michigan whitetails kept me extremely busy back then, and I still love to hunt them, but I’m here to tell [...]

Calling Big Bulls!

It is awesome to think that we are about a month away from the start of the rut.  What a magical, unforgettable time of year it is!  I can distinctly remember the first time I called a bull in and shot him with my bow on that aspen choked hillside back in the early 90′s.  [...]

DIY Gear – Top 3

As a bivy style hunter I spend several nights on the mountain every year. Hunting this style takes lots of patience and a drive to go farther and deeper than any other willing person. Over the years I have found 3 items that have made life on the mountain and going the extra mile possible. [...]

Gear Failure

If you hunt or spend any amount of time in the mountains chasing wapiti a gear and/or equipment failure is inevitable. I know some of you will find a few of my gear failures humorous and many of you will probably be able to relate to a couple of them.
My hope is that you will [...]

How Are You Preparing?

By now, we all know what elk tags we have drawn for this fall and are busy making plans. Maybe you drew a tag for your favorite area or maybe a unit in another state that you’ve never hunted before. Even if you have a tag for your favorite unit, don’t be complacent about getting [...]

Judging Distance

I remember my first encounter with archery. I stopped at ACE hardware while heading home after one of my college football games. We had played WV State that day and since the field was only 25 minutes from home, I headed home to get some squirrel hunting in before dark. I was [...]

Building Confidence

It’s hard to believe how fast the rut in closing in on us. The late spring we are having here in the west seems to be blanketing the reality of how close elk season truly is. With only three month away it’s time to start honing our skills – we need to get outdoors and [...]

Shed Antler Tactics

Itching to Get Out?
Ooh here we go! This is one of my favorite times of the year. The snow is steadily melting, the streams are rising, hillsides are getting greener everyday and as you read this a fresh brown elk shed is probably hitting the ground. There are several reasons to get out and [...]

Shed Hunting

April 2nd, 2011, was one of my best days shed hunting for elk antlers, also probably one of the most physically demanding days I’ve ever spent in the mountains. I went with my buddy Isaac, and we found over 20 elk sheds, 14 of which were worth keeping. About five miles into our hike, we [...]

My Best Day of Shed Hunting

Nothing Right…
After sitting for a day and a half in a stuffy hotel conference room with fellow bowhunters, my impatience was surfacing.  It wasn’t the company or the topics of the weekend; it was an eagerness to stomp around in the hills and enjoy the spring weather. 
The evening before Montana’s annual state bowhunters convention I [...]

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