Elk Hunting – A Hunter’s Greatest Challenge
Elk hunting has long been thought of as one of the most challenging trophies a hunter can seek. Because of their highly sensitive and cautious nature, elk can often sense danger well before the hunter realizes there’s even an elk in the area. The elk hunt requires great skill and patience on the part of the hunter; he often must hike several miles off of the beaten path, be extremely quiet, and if he prefers to bugle the elk in, he’ll need to be patient and practice the art of bugling with just the right finesse to draw the elk in and not scare them away. With all of these things in mind, one might wonder why it’s worth the effort at all. For the hunter who prefers an easy kill, it probably won’t be worth his time, but for the hunter who likes a challenge, there’s nothing like breathing the cool morning air while waiting for your quarry to step into view.
A hunter must study elk behavior extensively before stepping out into the field on opening day. It’s imperative to be familiar with elk behavior; where they feed, bed down, and spend their days grazing. Elk habits depend on many things, including the time of day, the temperatures, and the time of year. While it’s important to know all of these things, much of what will be learned will often go out the window during elk season. This is because the preferred time to hunt elk is in the fall, during mating season, or what’s also known as the rut. Elk, especially bulls, are often vastly different from their normal selves; with high levels of testosterone pumping through their bodies, they are often unpredictable and aggressive. They are also not as concerned with danger and the senses are dulled, which is why hunters prefer this time of year.
There are many different methods a hunter can choose from to hunt his elk. Rifle hunting is the most common, but some also prefer muzzleloaders, or even bow and arrows. Each of the methods will take great time and practice to master before getting a shot off at your trophy. The perfect shot often only comes once a season, so a hunter must have complete confidence that it’ll bring the creature down. Hunter’s also often prefer to enlist the help of a guide. The guide will be a great asset to any elk hunting trip, and many times they will tailor the adventure to the type of weapon the hunter will be using. Guide services also offer a variety of amenities to the hunter. Some provide the whole nine yards, from licenses, to lodging and food. Others provide only the guide; in this case the service can often give recommendations for places to stay in the area. The elk hunter greatly boosts a location’s economy, and many small towns have come to depend on the influx of hunters each year. Many hunters return year after year to the same area because of the wonderful level of hospitality, and because the elk hunt is an experience unlike any other.