Archery Keys To Success For New Elk Hunters: Tip 2

Elk are incredibly cued into their surroundings.  Their senses help keep them safe and as a herd animal there is a lot of vocal and scent communication that happens.  You will never beat an elks sense of smell.  As a western hunter I never worry about the scent of my clothes or anything I have in the field with me.

Playing the wind is of upmost importance.  When on a backcountry elk hunt for a week, you can imagine there is no scent elimination that will help.  A whitetail hunter is often limited to a smaller area and most likely does not have the opportunity to move around to keep the scent in their favor.  Thats what we have to do in the west, move into the position for our wind to be right.

When calling elk, You’ve most likely set up in a place where the wind is in your favor. In your face or coming in from the side.  As the bull gets closer to your position, your scent will end up being a huge factor.  If the bull gets by you, scent is going to be an issue. He might start working into your downwind scent stream.

When a bull is working to the calls, he is thinking he is coming into a herd. he will be listening, looking, and smelling.  There is a high probability he will want to work downwind of the perceived herd to catch a scent.  When he smells his own kind it will increase his confidence and security that what he is walking into is what hes hoping for,,, Ladies

I have witnessed bulls coming in on a string, straight lining into the call.  Then as he got to within 100 yards of the shooter he veered off course in the direction of the downwind side of the caller.  Wind direction is of upmost importance and when setting up consider the bulls desire to scent the other elk he is looking to find as he works into range.