Learning to Hunt. Starting from scratch.

[MarkCO]

Deer and Pronghorn are not that tough. Maybe a day to fill a tag (maybe another day for Buck deer) if you know what you are doing. The old fashioned way is to pick an area that you are comfortable driving to, with the types and means of accommodations and access you desire. Then you plan 3 or 4 weekend trips to go scout the area. I'd do one this month before the draw. Then you go in July, August and actually hunt with a camera. Get the lay of the land, find probable water, routes, etc. Some people use deer hunting to scout for elk. Like hunt 2nd season deer and 3rd season elk in the same unit. Buck deer like dry ravines, does stay closer to water and Pronghorn...just get some Binoculars.

Elk are different. They do not day cycle like deer and pronghorn, maybe 2-5 day cycle, during the hunting seasons. Of course the bulls are dumber during rut, but still harder than deer or Pronghorn. You have to really know the area well. Even though a lot of elk are shot near roads, they tend to be 1/2 mile or more from the roads. Getting in deep is the best way to fill a tag. After about 7 or 8 years of getting deer and Pronghorn, but never an elk, I packed up my pack and spent 3 weeks in a wilderness area learning elk habits. The eating off the land part was cool too. I got a 6 point bull that year and in the 23 years since, I have only failed to fill 3 elk tags, and one year I did not even get to hunt elk. When you push them out of a bed, where do they go...in your area? When they cross an opening or a road, how do they do it? Where are they with no pressure, with lots of pressure? Where are they when it is 0F, 30F, 60F, 2" of snow, 12" of snow, dry, wet? How do they feed before a storm, with and without moonlight.

While I would not say reading a book is not valuable, time in the woods is the best way to become a good hunter.

As for becoming a good field shot...get off the bench at the range. I like a 50 round box/day, light caliber to start is fine, even a .22. Sprint 20 yards, take 2 deep breaths, then shoot 2 offhand, one reverse kneel, one sitting, one prone, then do it again, at a 8" paper plate at 100 yards, no other support. When you can go 10 for 10. You are good. Then, if you are going to hunt with a bi-pod, monopod or sticks, work those, same paper plate out to your maximum. If that is 230 yards, then fine, that is your range, just don't push beyond what you can hit 10 for 10 at the range.

I used to take the orange polymer targets out and toss them in the woods where I hunt. I would practice ranging them and shooting them. Also beneficial. If you don't have to fret about making the shot, you can focus on the hunting.

Guides are not affordable for me, but if you make a ton of money, they pretty much do all the "hunting" part for you.