How To Bow Hunt Elk

Want to know how to bow hunt elk? Elk may be large animals, but they can be very hard to hunt. The areas they live in are normally large and wild. They have keen instincts and very sharp senses which gives them an edge in the wilderness over the hunter, especially a bow hunter. This article will try to help the novice archery elk hunter start down his path.

Articles needed to hunt elk:

• Bow
• Arrows
• Broadheads
• Quiver
• Field points
• 3D elk target
• Camouflage
• Clothing appropriate to the weather and locale hunted
• Sturdy comfortable boots
• First aid kit
• Compass
• Hunting licenses
• Skinning knife
• Hydration unit
• Emergency supplies
• Food/snacks
• Research materials
• Elk calls

This list is simply a starting point. The hunter will add items as their planning, preparation, knowledge, and skills increase.

The new elk hunter will follow a path similar to what is outlined below:

1. Buy archery tackle. If the hunter does not already have archery equipment, this is the place to start. Visit a reputable bow shop and let them outfit you. The first choice you will need to make is the type of bow: recurve, longbow, or compound. The compound is perhaps the easiest to learn and get good with. The recurve and longbow take great dedication and practice to become skillful with.
2. Start an exercise regimen. If you are not in excellent shape, you better start walking, running and losing weight, Quit smoking if you do, if possible. Elk live in tough country. Sometimes this also means mountainous country. You will be walking a lot, sometimes climbing. Good cardio is going to spell the difference between success, and possible catastrophic failure, ever hear of a heart attack?
3. Practice, practice, practice with your bow. The archer owes it to the game they hunt to kill as humanely as possible. This means practice until you can hit the vitals of a target every time. Use of 3D targets is better for the hunter; there are no bull's eyes in the woods. It is easy to misjudge distance on a large animal like an elk. Find the range you are deadly at, and never shoot beyond it. This takes a practiced hand and eye, no shortcuts are allowed here.
4. Study your prey. Read and research everything you can about elk and hunting them. Elk are large animals yet hard to hunt. There are however successful strategies which can be used to hunt them, such as hunting the rut, and bugling or calling. Study these and find which work for you.
5. Practice calling.  One of the more successful elk hunting strategies is calling and bugling. Buy quality calls and practice with them.
6. Research areas to hunt. Elk are found in various areas of the country. Some areas will allow bow hunting of elk, some will not. Some will have special requirements. Research your areas and find out exactly what their specifications are for bow hunting elk.
7. Research reputable guides. Many areas require paid licensed guides for elk hunting. Research them, and find a reputable one. Make sure they have guided archery hunters before. There are great differences between archery hunting and rifle hunting.
8. Book your hunt. A bit of planning and preparation here will make a lot of difference in the quality of your experience. Book transportation and any accommodations well in advance.
9. Buy appropriate clothing and gear. Plan what type of hunting and camping you will do. What type of area will you be hunting in? You will need clothing and gear appropriate to the area. This is where a good guide can help. They know the area and what you will be getting into. At the very least make contacts and recon the area to find its requirements. Nothing is worse than hunting an area that gets nine days of rain out of ten at that time of year, and being unprepared for it.
10. Go hunting. Once you have practiced, planned, and researched, it is time to put it all together. Be careful and enjoy.

Remember, enjoy yourself no matter if you are successful or not. It is the experience that is important and will be remembered always. These sites might prove helpful.