Tazman

Folks I have an opportunity this year to hunt a portion of Virginia where the occasional Kentucky elk wonders over into Va. It just so happens that the gent I am hunting with has been seeing several of them where we will be hunting, including one 5X5 bull.

Neither of us have ever hunted elk before and the only elk I have ever read about hunting were out west where the terrain/climate is quite different.

Does any one have any experience in hunting east coast elk? If you do could you please share a few tips?

In the mean time I am going to peruse the elk hunting tips here.

Thanks in advance.

Bob H in NH

East coast elk hunting, other than game farms, is almost non-existant. Where it does happen it is by lottery with very low success rate of getting drawn. I know PA has a small elk hunt every year ,not sure about others.

Tazman

In Va. elk are treated just like white tails, Kentucky started a herd of elk years back and since elk do not understand state lines they cross over into Va. Va. is not very thrilled about it because they have a fear of CWD, so as far as they are concerned you can kill either sex as long as it is the deer season and the proper weapon. In other words you can kill elk of either sex with a bow during bow season, or blackpowder during blackpowder, or gun during gun.

Bob H in NH

Well if that's the case, by all means get em! Elk meat is the best around by far.

I've been on two elk hunts, got 1 bull. Differences from whitetail hunting that I see, are that its more like turkey hunting for a 1000lb turkey! They are not quiet when moving like a deer are very vocal when you get them going and are lots of FUN to chase.

Tazman

A 1,000 pound turkey!!! That is a scary thought!!I have to assume by the lack of replies that no one here has hunted wild Elk on the east coast, I would imagine that due to the difference in habitat that their behaviour would be different then elk out west, I know that elk cover much larger areas then a whitetail ever thought about and we are hunting 200 acres so I would imagine it would be almost shear luck to catch them passing through while deer hunting. Totally different then hunting them out west where you can travel for miles hunting them.

Bob H in NH

I have been hesitant to chime in, based on my massive two elk hunting trips with a guide I am not an expert, I LOVE it, but am not an expert. I would suggest you pick up a cow call, you can find a few easy to use ones in Cabellas, the two I have seen in use are one made by ELK, its about a 3 inch by 1.5 inch rectangle with elastics in it. You bite it closed on one end and blow lightly then release tension with the bite. The bite tightens up the elastic, its easy to use. The other is a Hoochi Mama, you just squeeze it. The ELK one can make more sounds, but the Hoocie Mama is fool proof. If you can, let loose with a bugle, I would GUESS that eastern elk will answer cause they are not chased often, if they answer, close in to around 100-150 yards, leave the caller behind you 30-50 yards and have him keep calling, should call the bull right past you. Well it worked for me, I got about a 4 yard shot

Tazman

First thanks for the info on the calls, I will have to check them out, I wonder how a white tail would react to it? Would a white tail take off or not care?

BTW I am not sure I would want an animal that big 4 yards from me unless I was hunting with a 50 cal.!

Bob H in NH

If you can work a turkey diaphram, you can probably work an elk diaphram, then grab your self about a 14 inch piece of 3 inch pvc pipe and you have a bugle tube, now start blowing!

Seriously! My guide in ID used a pvc pipe as his bugle tube and it worked AWESOME.

cravingame

Please don't try and hunt these majestic animals. Go hunt a huntable herd out west were there are plenty of elk to be had. NC, TN, KY, PA and other states are spending tons and tons of money, research and manhours, trying to establish a herd of elk in the blue ridge mountains. Maybe some day our children will be able to hunt elk hours from our homes instead of days away. If VA won't stand up for what's right maybe some of VA's hunters will.

Tazman

Cravinggame the reason Va. has been so dead set against elk in Va. is due to a fear of CWD, there is a rumor floating around right now that Va. may have had it first case ever this year, please note I said rumor. We will be hunting for white tail, but I will be honest and say that if I get a clean shot at an elk since it is legal I will take it. Va. has a fantastic and growing herd of white tail and I agree with Va., why take a chance on importing animals from areas with CWD just to where you can say "We have elk!". I for one do not want to see happen in Va. what has happened in other states due to CWD,