Know of any good elk hunting books/magazines so I can educate myself?

[7man]

I already picked up the book

"Elk and Elk Hunting"
your practical guide to fundamentals and fine points
By Hartt Wixom​

I like the book and I want to learn more, so I was wondering if anyone out there knows of some good magazines, books, or sites geared towards elk hunting? I'm planning on hopefully doing some bowhunting for elk this fall if I draw.​

 

[winmag]

Eastmans and Bugle(RMEF). Also Eastmans and Primos both have how to video selections.

 

[SPlisken]

The Complete Book of Elk Hunting Tips and Tactics for All Weather and Habitat Conditions Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sam Curtis, published by Lyons Press 2005. This covers the whole range of elk hunting. Pretty much required reading on the subject IMHO.

The Ultimate Guide to Elk Hunting by Bob Robb and Gerald Bethge was interesting reading as well. This one is more stories and strategies from various hunters. Not a required read but worthy.

Last but not least...Heartsblood by David Petersen. Focused on hunting in general but heavily flavored with bow hunting for elk in Colorado. This is more of a philosophical look at the ethics of hunting but also required reading, again IMHO. Just want to set expectations appropriately as many here may not agree with the opinions in this particular book. Like it or not there is much to learn from it and as a bow hunter you would appreciate it regardless I suspect.

Hope you like'em!

 

[chrisw]

I like the books by Don Laubach and Mark Henckel: Elk Tactics, The Elk Hunter, and Elk Talk.

Amazon.com: Elk Tactics (9781560446828): Don Laubach, Mark Henckel: Books

 

[mtelkhntr78]

I second the Don Laubach books. They are what I keep in my hunting library.

Also a +1 on Eastman's Hunting and bowhunting journal. There are some great stories in that magazine but also some really great info. The magazine features a section called the MRS(members research section) and it will break down all you western states and the details of hunting big game in those states. The MRS covers everything from application dates and prices to which units have the best sucess for a trophy, for each and every state. It is a phenomenal resource for the hard core western big game hunter.

And of course "Bugle" is a great publication as well. As the Jacksonville chapter chair of the RMEF I have to put my plug in for the foundation. Bugle is a great read and joing the RMEF will get you a subscription. Join up! It is a great cause!

 

[Chas1]

mtelkhntr78, when I saw Jacksonville chapter chair of the RMEF, I thought could that really be Jacksonville Florida? So I did a search and came across this link:

Jacksonville Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Are they one in the same?

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Chas, It is true! They are the same. In fact you reminded me that I need to get on and update the website.
Are you in Florida or the South?

 

[Chas1]

Just south of Jax. What about you?

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Chas, I live in Jax near mayport. PM sent

 

[7man]

Thanks for the awesome information guys! I've got some good reading to do now!

 

[kellyzier]

I already picked up the book

"Elk and Elk Hunting"
your practical guide to fundamentals and fine points
By Hartt Wixom​

I like the book and I want to learn more, so I was wondering if anyone out there knows of some good magazines, books, or sites geared towards elk hunting? I'm planning on hopefully doing some bowhunting for elk this fall if I draw.​

No offense, but I wouldn't waste too much time on books. If you want to learn about Elk, spend a lot of time in the woods. Go find deep drainages that are roadless and plan on hiking a bunch. Evenings and Mornings are the best time for movement and plan on coming back to camp in the dark.

If you're one of those guys that likes to be in camp before the sun goes down, you will cut your chances of seeing Elk by 50%. Spend every free moment you can in these kinds of woods and you will learn the ways of the Elk.

If you don't like to huff and puff from hiking, you won't see to many elk. In idaho, if youre seeing wolf tracks, you will be into Elk. They spend their lives tracking them. Bring a side arm also when you're scouting. We never used to, but we see so many tracks now adays, it would be prudent to pack a gun.

Hope that helps..
kz

 

[cross]

+1 on Eastman's. I always turn on my BS detector when they're hunting in Idaho and haven't found anything wrong with their advice yet. I assume that they're giving you the straight dope in all other states as well.

Also, +1 on KZ's assessment of finding wolves to find elk. Listen for the wolf howls, especially at night in camp, and they'll put you on the elk.

 

[7man]

I find the same here in wisconsin. I hunt public land here and where I find the deer, I also find the wolves. Maybe I should just be looking for wolves? Our great lakes wolves aren't as big as your rocky mountain wolves, but I don't ever feel like being a main course so, I pack Mr. 44 with me.
That's great advice. Getting back to camp in the dark is nothing out of the ordinary back here either. The only problem I have is I'm not able to scout in the field for elk for obvious reasons. What I've been doing a lot of lately is aerial scouting on geocomunicator
GeoCommunicator

I love this site! As a forester here I have a decent GIS background and this site kicks ***! I can look at topo maps and aerial photos and get a good idea of where to go, but that's about all I can do.

When I'm looking at these topos I'm looking for featurs I think are favorable. Creek bottoms, dark timber, and open grass on south facing slopes. And where all three of them come together. Now, is what I'm looking for important for locating a potential good elk area? Or am I wasting my time looking for features like these?

 

[kellyzier]

I find the same here in wisconsin. I hunt public land here and where I find the deer, I also find the wolves. Maybe I should just be looking for wolves? Our great lakes wolves aren't as big as your rocky mountain wolves, but I don't ever feel like being a main course so, I pack Mr. 44 with me.
That's great advice. Getting back to camp in the dark is nothing out of the ordinary back here either. The only problem I have is I'm not able to scout in the field for elk for obvious reasons. What I've been doing a lot of lately is aerial scouting on geocomunicator
GeoCommunicator

I love this site! As a forester here I have a decent GIS background and this site kicks ***! I can look at topo maps and aerial photos and get a good idea of where to go, but that's about all I can do.

When I'm looking at these topos I'm looking for featurs I think are favorable. Creek bottoms, dark timber, and open grass on south facing slopes. And where all three of them come together. Now, is what I'm looking for important for locating a potential good elk area? Or am I wasting my time looking for features like these?

Don't know much about geocommuincator....but Google Earth is the cats meow. I always use topo maps with my Garmin, but when I incorporated this with "Google Earh" ..wow....This is an awesome tool. Nothing beats scouting on foot, but when you incorporate this with Google Earth it is an awesome time saver. I can't tell you how many scouting hours I have saved with Google Earth.

I will also take way points I have saved on my Garmen and then when I get home, I import them into my google earh page. I would tell you that if anyone ever hacked into my Google Earth with all of my way points, they would have some killer Elk spots.

And lastly, If you can shoot consistantly to 1,000 yards and you know how to use google earth and you spend time scouting, you open up a whole new world of huting.


Chow,
kz