A lot of times when bow hunting the wind is wrong in the afternoon for where the elk are. But rather than trying to creep closer, just go back to a safe distance wait. You know where they are and often the wind drops just at dusk and you can make your final move. Good video Cliff.
I agree 100% on everything you've mentioned! It's so refreshing to watch a hunt tutorial without encouraging (elk hunt example) the "run over as many mountains as possible and constantly bugle", which drives me crazy! In a nutshell, patience and hunting smart kills elk and other mountain game!!
@@CliffGray Western Wyoming local here, I`m 29M and seeking the adventure of my first elk hunt. Never really been a hunter as I have been somewhat against it due to poor management and greed oriented decisions made by these managements. Elk herds of North America were estimated around 10 million before the arrival of the settlers, now is managed around 1 million at most. Your videos have proven to me that there are good hunters out there whom believe in the tactics that I have planned to embrace my first excursion into the Wyo Range. You seem to want to give the elk as much of an advantage as they can have (not push them to a buddy, no trying to hunt or spot from vehicle, or lure of any sort etc) which is quite respectable. You are my most valuable mentor for this seasons Adventure, so thank you.
Swirling winds is the best thing to seek. Of course in an area of bedding, feeding and water proximity. When I am out scouting, I look for a place that swirls. I used to look for places that , to me, looked like perfect elk habitat, but in truth, the winds/thermals didn't favor the elk's ability to be aware. Almost every bed I encountered, had inconsistent wind. It was like the elk had cameras up for every direction.
On the flip side, I’ve killed bulls on a ridge that consistently (for the most part) blows west to east. That’s elk hunting for you though… one guy says something then the next guy says something the opposite, and both are right.
Biggest laugh I've had in a long time was the thought of someone blasting their TV while trying to dry fire practice in-home. Thanks for all the advice and entertainment.
I really liked the point of checking glassing points to make sure you're not missing something better. I marked a spot in on x, then hiked to said point and realized that ten feet higher (literally) made for 5 times the distance I could see. Great point!
Thanks for these videos! I'm prepping for my second season of elk hunting and your videos have helped a lot. One thing I'll add on marksmanship is to shoot competition. PRS, NRL, or even NRL22 will help you get comfortable shooting from all sorts of different positions, and shooting on the clock might be a decent substitute for the excitement of a hunt. You can usually pick up some good tips from the really good shooters too.
Cliff, I really appreciate you making these videos. I'm new to western hunting and trying to learn as much as I can. Im glad you emphasized the importance of glassing. People on forums tell me I dont need much glass at all during archery elk. I think ill trust the guide's information on that one! Thanks again!
The reason people say that is it's kind of pointless to glass elk 800 yards+ away unless you can move to that location quickly via vehicle or be there the next day ahead of the elk (assuming the elk haven't booked it 10 miles down the road onto the private). Inside that range you're often better off with bare vision (if you're eyesight's decent). I've spotted plenty of elk at greater distances but crossing the country and closing to them isn't going to happen without spooking them 99% of the time (because you'll be in open country or willows or dense timber at least once during that closing of distance). Inside that you have a chance to get close and I've missed more elk with glass than without at those ranges. You're milage may vary but it's the drumbeat for a reason-no results.
This one goes with marksmanship. Practice, practice, practice at all distance your comfortable with and know the ballistic/trajectory chart for your ammo. Factory boxed ammo isn’t all the same in form of consistency so shoot as much of it as possible and don’t bring just enough when sighing in. All great info in your videos keep it going👍
Ammo gets serialized by the batch so always buy enough of one and the same batch of that specific type for your entire season. There's a number on the ammo box, so make sure that's the same on all your boxes/consistent. Just quickly picking up another box in the next town over a month or two later is exactly where the trouble starts.
Cliff, just want to thank you for all the info and your encouragement. I am a new elk hunter who was a so so deer hunter from the west coast. I've learned a lot from your video's & see elk hunting is a real challenge that needs to be learned well. I will be 60 at my 3rd year trying for elk in My new resident state of Idaho. Last year I was able to get close to some cows but not a bull. I'll get my butt in shape as best as I can because your right about being ready for high country. Thank you again for all your video's!
Something I screwed up was doing all of the e-scouting, picking all of these glassing locations, then getting out there and realizing that it was a death march between each location because I didn't account for how long travel takes with elevation and having to hurdle over downed trees. Almost all of my scouting was rendered useless immediately. The line distance on OnX is a VERY small part of the story so look closely at the terrain when planning routes.
This is a very good point. Whenever I make 'E-trails' to scouting locations on OnX I switch to hybrid map and pay very close attention to the elevation lines. I encourage anyone to take a course in traditional overland navigation using a topo map and compass before getting into OnX. Once you have the basic analog skills, it makes Onx a far more powerful tool. Its the same thing as learning to do multiplication tables before using a calculator. Its good also to have a backup if your phone goes down and you can find your location with triangulation if needed.
Thanks for putting many of these videos together with some great advice! In addition to the 3 main points you highlight here, I would add to really learn elk behavior, what their focus is during different times of the season (rut vs late season), and what habitat features they really key in on. There's tons of good resources available today in many formats. Additionally, after you've done quite a bit of "pre-scouting" get ahold of the local biologist or warden to gain some extra insight in that unit. Thanks again for the videos, and good job!
Thank you for the info. It reinforced much of the last 8 months of prep I've been doing here in Fl for my Wyoming hunt next week. Ive been hiking (3-6 miles per day) with my pack mostly around 80 lbs of weight for quite a while then shifted to my actual hunting set up. I shoot after each hike while under duress between 20-70 yards 60 will be my max shooting distance outside of sending a second shot if needed. One thing i have done for prep is finding the very rare angled elevation is i hike by over passes. I find the biggest overpass and zig zag up down, back and fourth in intervals it helps allow with putting pressure on your feet and soft tissue with stress that only a mountain can provide. The biggest improvement i have found is strengthening my feet toughing them up and breaking in my gear. No stair climber or any other gym effort can create the angles and stress that this does under weight. this also helps with all the other obvious items.
Yeah, this was a great watch! I watch tons of videos, but they are mostly the hunts. This video covered a lot of basics that, to be honest, as a novice western hunter, helped me out considerably. Thanks!
I totally agree with you on the big three, if I would add anything to it they can make or break a hunt is your fitness. I had always stayed in pretty good shape but 3 years ago my fitness got moved to a black burner and I spent 2 days of my 10 day hunt with leg cramps and wasn't able to access the areas I felt like were holding the elk.
I spent a lot of time shooting my bow at 80 yards and shot great and had a lot of confidence but in reality where I hunted the likely hood of getting a shot at even 40 yards was slim. I could have used some of that time for more cardio or researching the land.
It sounds weird but you can actually practice glassing with a 4K TV. Get a 4K nature show with some high angle long distance shots and you can sit you your couch with your binos and use them to look around the TV. I found this on accident when I first got my binos home and had them on the couch with the TV on and was looking around the room and ended up looking at the TV. Its surprising how realistic it is and its almost like having VR glasses on.
Congratulations on 100k! I swear I was watching some videos just a few weeks ago and you were at 40k. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. I appreciate your insight and humility. Looking forward to your TV show.
Cool videos Cliff, I like to listen while I’m doing other stuff. What you said about gear dependence is huge. Basic is best because if you can master that weapon and it’s gear, then it becomes a top of the line piece in your hands. One thing I think is huge for public land hunters is since it’s public, it’s always open so there’s no excuse to not know the area you plan on hunting like the back of your hand. Every week I am “hunting” my areas and following all the tracks I can find and sitting in my glassing spots at different times of day to watch ALL the game not just deer. Every time I feel like I am not going to see something new or discover a new track to a new bed or feed spot I am always pleasantly surprised, even in the small area I’ve chosen to hunt this year. I always have my bow with me in my truck so even if I pull off into some new track or something I can take shots at flowers or stumps or even just carry it while I hike ridges or through the brush in any wind and weather, which we have an abundance of in WA. Another thing is when I find a new area, I’ll hike to a ridge and glass jus to see the lay of the land and to try and think like a deer, even if I don’t think I’ll ever hunt there or go back. Jus to give my mind something to do while I’m there or I feel like I’m wasting time haha
Here is my number one 80/20 tip for some guys that blow my mind when I see them hunting : "Get out of your f...ng truck and put your feet on the ground before you say that there is no elk or you are not lucky". Cliff, love your videos
@huntingsimple. No man, don't tell them to leave their trucks! I plan my hunts so as to be as far away from roads and trailheads as I can. I don't want more competition... ;} The only thing worst then swirling winds is swirling dust from trucks and ATV's.
i was taught by ex-marine sniper in reading diffrent wind speeds without an anometer and then comparing with our results with a ketral wind meter . We had heaps of time sitting at aerodrome waiting for skydivers so that helped. reading mirages just slight ones but this can help accuracy at long range. Also dry fire at the target a few times when finally in position for your shot.
Thanks Cliff, I live in Utah and last year was my first time hunting bull elk, I shot one cow a few years back in December. I'm trying to learn more and more about elk. I saw one small bull last year but some other hunters had spooked him and a cow staight down a ridge across from where i was. I barely had time to confirm antlers, before they were out of sight. I hope to be able to harvest an animal soon.
Archery elk hunting is 80% a mental game. People underestimate how mentally challenging elk hunting is especially for those of us that dont live in the western states.
Gray points and another great video keep them coming I'm soaking it all in and getting ready to start scouting for Mule deer as that is what's in my area
Just coming back from Wyoming glassing is not a great option in the country we hunted. Location buggles put us on elk time and time again. It filled one tag of 3 and small mistakes cost us from tagging out. We are still learning and thank you for the help
Another great video man. In a little self reflection on what I waste too much time on... E-scouting. It's tough to get boots on the ground a lot of the time, especially with Biden's effing gas prices $$ so E-scouting is super helpful. But I have a tendency to overthink everything and I just end up getting overwhelmed. Honestly I rarely end up actually using a glassing spot or area that I E-scout while hunting because it ends up being a bust and usually end up finding animals in spots that I didn't E-scout. This is likely because I suck at hunting and e scouting lol. I just don't intuitively know the 10% of the land where 90% of the animals go. That's a tough skill to learn and I have found that some people are just skilled at it. So it takes more time in the field with boots on the ground for me to find them. But my point is that I appreciate this video because it helped me realize this. And I've definitely been guilty many times of gear masturbation. So thanks dude. There are definitely better uses of my time. E-scouting is useful but probably not in that 20%.
Hey man, great point. I totally agree with you on E scouting. I don’t think your experience with it is abnormal. I’ll put a video together on it - I get questions all the time about it. I have mixed feelings about it’s value. Many folks get obsessed with it… I gotta flesh out my thoughts on it. Thanks 👍
I appreciate the comment on not worrying about doing the perfect call. What I'd add though is folks need to understand the language... Again, probably don't need to be an elk whisperer... but know the differences in the type of bugles and mews.
Great points in the video. Thanks for the great content. I am hoping to get it done on my first Elk this fall. For me personally I am working on what I consider to be my biggest weakness which is fitness as the number one thing for fall.
love your videos man! would you use elk tactics for mule deer as well, or do use a whole different approach? I’m telling all my hunting buddies about you channel, your getting slept on!
Yeah man, all this stuff applies to mule deer hunting also… except for the stuff on calling. It really applies to all mountain hunting. I just find that most folks are looking for elk hunting info. Thanks so much for the support!
To your point on shooting, I have started only shooting with my bino harness and pack on once I get my rifle dialed in. It’s helped me get used to shooting how I will when I’m hunting bc I don’t have the time and money to shoot 100’s of rounds.
Hi cliff I'm enjoying your advice but can you make video about how you glass and hunt in thick countrys.like in utah we have thousands of acres (south slope ) and other units in north which very much your glass doesn't work in my opinion! I love elk Hunting and wan know more about it thanks.
He’s a little right on glassing and a little wrong. I’ve been high up, yeah, you can see a lot. But being lower, at times, gets you closer to where you know they run through and increases that picture in your binocs and you run a better chance at either skyline the critter or having a chance to shoot from where you glass. I’ve done both lower and higher elevations in different places for different reasons. I’ve had guides above me completely miss what I was looking at. I wish I could post pictures here. Higher is good, but views change as do chances when lower sometimes. Play all angles and see what works for you.
Going on my first Elk hunt this Sept. you really hit home the gear masturbation.. Lol! I want to be prepared but Holy crap you watch these Elk gear bag dump video's and its overwhelming for a Midwest whitetail hunter! Love your no nonsense vids thanks
I would add to the kit/gear that also using it, knowing it's functions AND break in. boots, clothing, packs. definitely need to break it in. you pack your stuff 2km and how you got it set up or that pack may feel like it murdered your back or boots ate your feet. knowing your limits with your weapon system but also know your weapon systems limits. I shoot PRS matches the last couple years, I can hit 1100m with a 140 grain out of a 6.5x47 - it wouldn't kill a large animal out that far without a perfect vital placement with no bone hit! so does your system have the take down ability at the range you are shooting is important. awesome videos, really.made me think about some things for the elk hunt coming up (first elk hunt). hunted deer all my life, but never an elk. cheers!
I would love to see a video from yourself regarding e scouting and field scouting. Similar to your glassing video, but possibly the step before that. Any thoughts on putting a video like that together?
Hi Cliff, was wondering if you could touch base in a video. While Hunting/cleaning game/ what to do if needed to spend a night in the bush in grizzly country.
@@CliffGray Great thanks Cliff, really appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge. I'm pretty sure you have some grizzly country stories. And from those experiences I think could help others deal with situations. Prevent run ins, what to do if you have a run in etc. Thanks Jason
Really enjoy the knowledge you share in your videos. I am hunting right now. 2nd rifle season in unit 27 in Colorado . What do you suggest for hunting units that don’t have alot of glassing spots? Very thick timber. The gore pass dividing unit 15 & 27 is the highest point. Thick timber. Found tracks and have been waiting for elk to come by. Just seen deer. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Like to be in the 5% that kill 95% of the elk.
Usually there are some decent glassing spots somewhere... but might be rough to get to. If it is just thick and thicker, just meticulously look for sign. If you are hunting in a group in thick country, considering driving small chunks of timber. Good luck!
@@CliffGray Thanks! Hunting solo. Found a great glassing spot this morning. After seeing a couple cows cross an opening last night. Following their tracks, I found a burn area can see for a good distance all around. Glassed this morning. Nada yet. Thanks for your response and the great info!
Cliff, in one of your videos you recommended a course for western style long range rifle shooting. I believe you said the course helped with different levels of elevation. I can't find the video now but was wondering what courses you would recommend?
It’s been quite awhile since I took a course. Now there are tons - just focus on one where at least part of the course is not shooting off a bench, includes angled shooting and shooting off field rests. You can try Ward Brien of sniper tools. Good guy, lots of technical details and incredible angled range in Utah. I believe he may be back to only doing military courses - but worth checking out. Hope that helps!
Hey Bryan, I’ve had very little luck hunting timber. I think particularly as a guide, multiple people moving together, it’s just too hard to move without being too loud. It’s tough, and I’m always concerned about bumping bedded elk out of the area. I know some folks have some success with it, particularly if they post guys outside the timber in escape routes.
@@CliffGray - I'm very quiet. :) I hang out in areas with good sign and spend more time listening and watching than moving. I may be spending too much time tho in great areas with great sign, but where pressure has buggered the elk out.
It's super thick and steep up where I live with clear-cut patches here and there. The key things we use are, be prepared to hike and then hike some more. We move slow and while in brushy areas, listening and maybe cow calling a bit before we move through brush that we know is going to be loud. 9 of 10 times we spook a heard with smell and often it's unavoidable, but really try to work with the wind. Some of our best shots come from acrossed drainage when we wait for the elk to cross an old clear cut or the growth is old enough that there is minimal underbrush.
I agree but when you hunt units that get a lot of pressure, it is good to realize that everyone is going to be thinking the same way and end up in the same places. Anyone can use Google earth but not everyone is comfortable in the deep woods a long ways from a trail on a map. That is the one skill that has put more meat in the freezer for me. The country I hunt you can’t glass and that is why I hunt it. It is also why the animals are there. The more they are seen, the more they are harassed. They will change their actions until they are no longer harassed and that puts them where I hunt and have the skills to capitalize. Not bragging, I am a moderate hunter at best but cover country and fulfill my role in natural selection as I weed out the dumber animals that make mistakes.
Add wealthy guy who can afford hunt. You can’t teach him anything because he already knows it. He’s out of shape, he has no skills because every task in his life has been hired to do everything in his life, including up to even raising his kids. Now , of course he knows everything because he’s wealthy I mean that goes without saying. I’ve been on hunts with these guys. They haven’t practiced shooting, they live on their ipads when in camp. I couldn’t outfit for any reason simply because I’d have to deal with this type of individual.
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A lot of times when bow hunting the wind is wrong in the afternoon for where the elk are. But rather than trying to creep closer, just go back to a safe distance wait. You know where they are and often the wind drops just at dusk and you can make your final move. Good video Cliff.
I agree 100% on everything you've mentioned! It's so refreshing to watch a hunt tutorial without encouraging (elk hunt example) the "run over as many mountains as possible and constantly bugle", which drives me crazy! In a nutshell, patience and hunting smart kills elk and other mountain game!!
Glad you liked the video. It's always nice to hear from folks that have had a similar experience.
@@CliffGray Western Wyoming local here, I`m 29M and seeking the adventure of my first elk hunt. Never really been a hunter as I have been somewhat against it due to poor management and greed oriented decisions made by these managements. Elk herds of North America were estimated around 10 million before the arrival of the settlers, now is managed around 1 million at most. Your videos have proven to me that there are good hunters out there whom believe in the tactics that I have planned to embrace my first excursion into the Wyo Range. You seem to want to give the elk as much of an advantage as they can have (not push them to a buddy, no trying to hunt or spot from vehicle, or lure of any sort etc) which is quite respectable. You are my most valuable mentor for this seasons Adventure, so thank you.
Swirling winds is the best thing to seek. Of course in an area of bedding, feeding and water proximity. When I am out scouting, I look for a place that swirls. I used to look for places that , to me, looked like perfect elk habitat, but in truth, the winds/thermals didn't favor the elk's ability to be aware. Almost every bed I encountered, had inconsistent wind. It was like the elk had cameras up for every direction.
Great tip man!
On the flip side, I’ve killed bulls on a ridge that consistently (for the most part) blows west to east. That’s elk hunting for you though… one guy says something then the next guy says something the opposite, and both are right.
Like the scumbag said, it’s the economy stupid. With elk, it’s the wind. Period.
You must not know about horse guys. Ask 1000 guys and you’ll get 1000 different answers and no two answers will be the same.
I spent 3 years guiding elk/deer hunters, this guy is spot on!!
Please keep the videos coming.
For sure! thanks!
Great explanation of 3 key skills! Direct and to the point. Many years of learning distilled into a 16 min video.
glad it was helpful! thanks
Biggest laugh I've had in a long time was the thought of someone blasting their TV while trying to dry fire practice in-home. Thanks for all the advice and entertainment.
Bwhaha I had that vision too!
I really liked the point of checking glassing points to make sure you're not missing something better. I marked a spot in on x, then hiked to said point and realized that ten feet higher (literally) made for 5 times the distance I could see. Great point!
Yeah man, just a little adjustment can make a huge difference
Thanks for these videos! I'm prepping for my second season of elk hunting and your videos have helped a lot. One thing I'll add on marksmanship is to shoot competition. PRS, NRL, or even NRL22 will help you get comfortable shooting from all sorts of different positions, and shooting on the clock might be a decent substitute for the excitement of a hunt. You can usually pick up some good tips from the really good shooters too.
That’s a good tip! Thanks
Cliff, I really appreciate you making these videos. I'm new to western hunting and trying to learn as much as I can. Im glad you emphasized the importance of glassing. People on forums tell me I dont need much glass at all during archery elk. I think ill trust the guide's information on that one! Thanks again!
The reason people say that is it's kind of pointless to glass elk 800 yards+ away unless you can move to that location quickly via vehicle or be there the next day ahead of the elk (assuming the elk haven't booked it 10 miles down the road onto the private). Inside that range you're often better off with bare vision (if you're eyesight's decent). I've spotted plenty of elk at greater distances but crossing the country and closing to them isn't going to happen without spooking them 99% of the time (because you'll be in open country or willows or dense timber at least once during that closing of distance). Inside that you have a chance to get close and I've missed more elk with glass than without at those ranges. You're milage may vary but it's the drumbeat for a reason-no results.
This one goes with marksmanship. Practice, practice, practice at all distance your comfortable with and know the ballistic/trajectory chart for your ammo. Factory boxed ammo isn’t all the same in form of consistency so shoot as much of it as possible and don’t bring just enough when sighing in. All great info in your videos keep it going👍
Ammo gets serialized by the batch so always buy enough of one and the same batch of that specific type for your entire season. There's a number on the ammo box, so make sure that's the same on all your boxes/consistent. Just quickly picking up another box in the next town over a month or two later is exactly where the trouble starts.
Cliff, just want to thank you for all the info and your encouragement. I am a new elk hunter who was a so so deer hunter from the west coast. I've learned a lot from your video's & see elk hunting is a real challenge that needs to be learned well. I will be 60 at my 3rd year trying for elk in My new resident state of Idaho. Last year I was able to get close to some cows but not a bull. I'll get my butt in shape as best as I can because your right about being ready for high country. Thank you again for all your video's!
Something I screwed up was doing all of the e-scouting, picking all of these glassing locations, then getting out there and realizing that it was a death march between each location because I didn't account for how long travel takes with elevation and having to hurdle over downed trees. Almost all of my scouting was rendered useless immediately. The line distance on OnX is a VERY small part of the story so look closely at the terrain when planning routes.
Hey man appreciate the comment. This is actually super common… thanks for pointing it out. It’s just hard to know from a map or OnX.
This is a very good point. Whenever I make 'E-trails' to scouting locations on OnX I switch to hybrid map and pay very close attention to the elevation lines. I encourage anyone to take a course in traditional overland navigation using a topo map and compass before getting into OnX. Once you have the basic analog skills, it makes Onx a far more powerful tool. Its the same thing as learning to do multiplication tables before using a calculator. Its good also to have a backup if your phone goes down and you can find your location with triangulation if needed.
Cliff your videos are always so good. Thanks for everything!
-Kyle
Thanks Kyle, really appreciate it
Thanks for putting many of these videos together with some great advice! In addition to the 3 main points you highlight here, I would add to really learn elk behavior, what their focus is during different times of the season (rut vs late season), and what habitat features they really key in on. There's tons of good resources available today in many formats. Additionally, after you've done quite a bit of "pre-scouting" get ahold of the local biologist or warden to gain some extra insight in that unit. Thanks again for the videos, and good job!
Thanks! Great additional tips also.
Thank you for the info. It reinforced much of the last 8 months of prep I've been doing here in Fl for my Wyoming hunt next week. Ive been hiking (3-6 miles per day) with my pack mostly around 80 lbs of weight for quite a while then shifted to my actual hunting set up. I shoot after each hike while under duress between 20-70 yards 60 will be my max shooting distance outside of sending a second shot if needed. One thing i have done for prep is finding the very rare angled elevation is i hike by over passes. I find the biggest overpass and zig zag up down, back and fourth in intervals it helps allow with putting pressure on your feet and soft tissue with stress that only a mountain can provide. The biggest improvement i have found is strengthening my feet toughing them up and breaking in my gear. No stair climber or any other gym effort can create the angles and stress that this does under weight. this also helps with all the other obvious items.
Yeah, this was a great watch! I watch tons of videos, but they are mostly the hunts. This video covered a lot of basics that, to be honest, as a novice western hunter, helped me out considerably. Thanks!
Good deal Scott! Glad it was helpful. Thanks
I totally agree with you on the big three, if I would add anything to it they can make or break a hunt is your fitness. I had always stayed in pretty good shape but 3 years ago my fitness got moved to a black burner and I spent 2 days of my 10 day hunt with leg cramps and wasn't able to access the areas I felt like were holding the elk.
I spent a lot of time shooting my bow at 80 yards and shot great and had a lot of confidence but in reality where I hunted the likely hood of getting a shot at even 40 yards was slim. I could have used some of that time for more cardio or researching the land.
Cliff! Why are you giving away all the good stuff?! Lol
Solid advice, glad to see you on here!
Because I've got nothing else to do :) Hope all is well buddy.
It sounds weird but you can actually practice glassing with a 4K TV. Get a 4K nature show with some high angle long distance shots and you can sit you your couch with your binos and use them to look around the TV. I found this on accident when I first got my binos home and had them on the couch with the TV on and was looking around the room and ended up looking at the TV. Its surprising how realistic it is and its almost like having VR glasses on.
Congratulations on 100k! I swear I was watching some videos just a few weeks ago and you were at 40k. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. I appreciate your insight and humility. Looking forward to your TV show.
Cool videos Cliff, I like to listen while I’m doing other stuff. What you said about gear dependence is huge. Basic is best because if you can master that weapon and it’s gear, then it becomes a top of the line piece in your hands.
One thing I think is huge for public land hunters is since it’s public, it’s always open so there’s no excuse to not know the area you plan on hunting like the back of your hand. Every week I am “hunting” my areas and following all the tracks I can find and sitting in my glassing spots at different times of day to watch ALL the game not just deer. Every time I feel like I am not going to see something new or discover a new track to a new bed or feed spot I am always pleasantly surprised, even in the small area I’ve chosen to hunt this year. I always have my bow with me in my truck so even if I pull off into some new track or something I can take shots at flowers or stumps or even just carry it while I hike ridges or through the brush in any wind and weather, which we have an abundance of in WA. Another thing is when I find a new area, I’ll hike to a ridge and glass jus to see the lay of the land and to try and think like a deer, even if I don’t think I’ll ever hunt there or go back. Jus to give my mind something to do while I’m there or I feel like I’m wasting time haha
Great tips man! Thanks
Huge Help Cliff!! Thank you for all you do!
👍👍👍
Great advice. I currently hunt moose more than anything else and this info correlates directly to my hunting as well.
Can you please talk about some small game hunting tips while we do big game hunt?
Thank you for another great video
Sure - I'll put that one on my video list. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Here is my number one 80/20 tip for some guys that blow my mind when I see them hunting :
"Get out of your f...ng truck and put your feet on the ground before you say that there is no elk or you are not lucky".
Cliff, love your videos
haha, thanks!
@huntingsimple. No man, don't tell them to leave their trucks! I plan my hunts so as to be as far away from roads and trailheads as I can. I don't want more competition... ;}
The only thing worst then swirling winds is swirling dust from trucks and ATV's.
@@lekistick1013 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'm a beginner when I comes to big game hunting... But I think spending time hunting coyotes off season is a huge plus
For sure!
i was taught by ex-marine sniper in reading diffrent wind speeds without an anometer and then comparing with our results with a ketral wind meter . We had heaps of time sitting at aerodrome waiting for skydivers so that helped.
reading mirages just slight ones but this can help accuracy at long range.
Also dry fire at the target a few times when finally in position for your shot.
Good tips! Thanks
Thanks Cliff, I live in Utah and last year was my first time hunting bull elk, I shot one cow a few years back in December. I'm trying to learn more and more about elk. I saw one small bull last year but some other hunters had spooked him and a cow staight down a ridge across from where i was. I barely had time to confirm antlers, before they were out of sight. I hope to be able to harvest an animal soon.
Good stuff! Good luck this coming season. I hope the videos are helpful.
Archery elk hunting is 80% a mental game. People underestimate how mentally challenging elk hunting is especially for those of us that dont live in the western states.
Gray points and another great video keep them coming I'm soaking it all in and getting ready to start scouting for Mule deer as that is what's in my area
I'm in Australia we hunt sambar deer, I just came across your videos Cliff & you just got another subscriber, very useful information & tips, Thankyou
Thanks Craig! gotta get out your way one of these days! would be fun to hunt Sambar
Just coming back from Wyoming glassing is not a great option in the country we hunted. Location buggles put us on elk time and time again. It filled one tag of 3 and small mistakes cost us from tagging out. We are still learning and thank you for the help
Another great video man. In a little self reflection on what I waste too much time on... E-scouting. It's tough to get boots on the ground a lot of the time, especially with Biden's effing gas prices $$ so E-scouting is super helpful. But I have a tendency to overthink everything and I just end up getting overwhelmed. Honestly I rarely end up actually using a glassing spot or area that I E-scout while hunting because it ends up being a bust and usually end up finding animals in spots that I didn't E-scout. This is likely because I suck at hunting and e scouting lol. I just don't intuitively know the 10% of the land where 90% of the animals go. That's a tough skill to learn and I have found that some people are just skilled at it. So it takes more time in the field with boots on the ground for me to find them. But my point is that I appreciate this video because it helped me realize this. And I've definitely been guilty many times of gear masturbation. So thanks dude. There are definitely better uses of my time. E-scouting is useful but probably not in that 20%.
Hey man, great point. I totally agree with you on E scouting. I don’t think your experience with it is abnormal. I’ll put a video together on it - I get questions all the time about it. I have mixed feelings about it’s value. Many folks get obsessed with it… I gotta flesh out my thoughts on it. Thanks 👍
Good stuff Cliff!
thanks!
I appreciate the comment on not worrying about doing the perfect call. What I'd add though is folks need to understand the language... Again, probably don't need to be an elk whisperer... but know the differences in the type of bugles and mews.
yes, good additional tip. thanks keith
Great points in the video. Thanks for the great content. I am hoping to get it done on my first Elk this fall. For me personally I am working on what I consider to be my biggest weakness which is fitness as the number one thing for fall.
Awesome man! Good luck in a few months 👍
love your videos man! would you use elk tactics for mule deer as well, or do use a whole different approach? I’m telling all my hunting buddies about you channel, your getting slept on!
Yeah man, all this stuff applies to mule deer hunting also… except for the stuff on calling. It really applies to all mountain hunting. I just find that most folks are looking for elk hunting info. Thanks so much for the support!
To your point on shooting, I have started only shooting with my bino harness and pack on once I get my rifle dialed in. It’s helped me get used to shooting how I will when I’m hunting bc I don’t have the time and money to shoot 100’s of rounds.
Thanks!
Hands down, the best there is! 👍
Wow, thanks! haha
That was awesome
thanks
Hi cliff I'm enjoying your advice but can you make video about how you glass and hunt in thick countrys.like in utah we have thousands of acres (south slope ) and other units in north which very much your glass doesn't work in my opinion! I love elk Hunting and wan know more about it thanks.
He’s a little right on glassing and a little wrong. I’ve been high up, yeah, you can see a lot. But being lower, at times, gets you closer to where you know they run through and increases that picture in your binocs and you run a better chance at either skyline the critter or having a chance to shoot from where you glass. I’ve done both lower and higher elevations in different places for different reasons. I’ve had guides above me completely miss what I was looking at. I wish I could post pictures here. Higher is good, but views change as do chances when lower sometimes. Play all angles and see what works for you.
Learn the wind. Thermals. If you know where they are, sometimes just wait until they switch then move. Getting close the wind is first.
Glassing with movement .....at your end. The human eye is an autofocus lens , most people don't get how much eye strain that it causes.
Going on my first Elk hunt this Sept. you really hit home the gear masturbation.. Lol!
I want to be prepared but Holy crap you watch these Elk gear bag dump video's and its overwhelming for a Midwest whitetail hunter! Love your no nonsense vids thanks
Good luck this Fall Brian. Appreciate you support for the videos. thanks
I would add to the kit/gear that also using it, knowing it's functions AND break in. boots, clothing, packs. definitely need to break it in. you pack your stuff 2km and how you got it set up or that pack may feel like it murdered your back or boots ate your feet.
knowing your limits with your weapon system but also know your weapon systems limits. I shoot PRS matches the last couple years, I can hit 1100m with a 140 grain out of a 6.5x47 - it wouldn't kill a large animal out that far without a perfect vital placement with no bone hit! so does your system have the take down ability at the range you are shooting is important.
awesome videos, really.made me think about some things for the elk hunt coming up (first elk hunt). hunted deer all my life, but never an elk. cheers!
Thanks! and appreciate the additional tips for everyone. Glad the videos have been helpful. Good luck on your hunt.
@@CliffGray thanks! Love the content, and really well presented.
@@JEWFisch thanks, really appreciate the support!
I would love to see a video from yourself regarding e scouting and field scouting. Similar to your glassing video, but possibly the step before that. Any thoughts on putting a video like that together?
For sure Kyle! I’ll put it in my list and brainstorm. Thanks
Hi Cliff, was wondering if you could touch base in a video. While Hunting/cleaning game/ what to do if needed to spend a night in the bush in grizzly country.
Hi Jason, I'll add this one to the video list! appreciate the suggestion. thanks
@@CliffGray Great thanks Cliff, really appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge. I'm pretty sure you have some grizzly country stories. And from those experiences I think could help others deal with situations. Prevent run ins, what to do if you have a run in etc. Thanks Jason
Really enjoy the knowledge you share in your videos. I am hunting right now. 2nd rifle season in unit 27 in Colorado . What do you suggest for hunting units that don’t have alot of glassing spots? Very thick timber. The gore pass dividing unit 15 & 27 is the highest point. Thick timber. Found tracks and have been waiting for elk to come by. Just seen deer. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Like to be in the 5% that kill 95% of the elk.
Usually there are some decent glassing spots somewhere... but might be rough to get to. If it is just thick and thicker, just meticulously look for sign. If you are hunting in a group in thick country, considering driving small chunks of timber. Good luck!
@@CliffGray Thanks! Hunting solo. Found a great glassing spot this morning. After seeing a couple cows cross an opening last night. Following their tracks, I found a burn area can see for a good distance all around. Glassed this morning. Nada yet. Thanks for your response and the great info!
@@QuantumcreativemediaPueblo you're in them now! good luck
Cliff, in one of your videos you recommended a course for western style long range rifle shooting. I believe you said the course helped with different levels of elevation. I can't find the video now but was wondering what courses you would recommend?
It’s been quite awhile since I took a course. Now there are tons - just focus on one where at least part of the course is not shooting off a bench, includes angled shooting and shooting off field rests. You can try Ward Brien of sniper tools. Good guy, lots of technical details and incredible angled range in Utah. I believe he may be back to only doing military courses - but worth checking out. Hope that helps!
👍
I only hunt elk, very very slowly, in timber. Other than being super mindful of wind/thermals, other tips?
Hey Bryan, I’ve had very little luck hunting timber. I think particularly as a guide, multiple people moving together, it’s just too hard to move without being too loud. It’s tough, and I’m always concerned about bumping bedded elk out of the area. I know some folks have some success with it, particularly if they post guys outside the timber in escape routes.
@@CliffGray - I'm very quiet. :) I hang out in areas with good sign and spend more time listening and watching than moving. I may be spending too much time tho in great areas with great sign, but where pressure has buggered the elk out.
It's super thick and steep up where I live with clear-cut patches here and there. The key things we use are, be prepared to hike and then hike some more. We move slow and while in brushy areas, listening and maybe cow calling a bit before we move through brush that we know is going to be loud. 9 of 10 times we spook a heard with smell and often it's unavoidable, but really try to work with the wind. Some of our best shots come from acrossed drainage when we wait for the elk to cross an old clear cut or the growth is old enough that there is minimal underbrush.
I feel like a lot of hunters give up if they don’t find game a short hike from their car.
I agree but when you hunt units that get a lot of pressure, it is good to realize that everyone is going to be thinking the same way and end up in the same places. Anyone can use Google earth but not everyone is comfortable in the deep woods a long ways from a trail on a map. That is the one skill that has put more meat in the freezer for me. The country I hunt you can’t glass and that is why I hunt it. It is also why the animals are there. The more they are seen, the more they are harassed. They will change their actions until they are no longer harassed and that puts them where I hunt and have the skills to capitalize. Not bragging, I am a moderate hunter at best but cover country and fulfill my role in natural selection as I weed out the dumber animals that make mistakes.
Great additional tips Kevin! Appreciate the comment
Shooting. Man it's SO sad to watch a guy bust his butt to get one shot. Then buck fever and target panic kicks in and they shank the shot.
Yes it is! thanks for the comment
@@CliffGray thanks for these great videos. I just moved to Wyoming and these are great pieces of information
@@jackbuendgen389 no problem man! I'm glad they are helpful to you
Add wealthy guy who can afford hunt. You can’t teach him anything because he already knows it. He’s out of shape, he has no skills because every task in his life has been hired to do everything in his life, including up to even raising his kids. Now , of course he knows everything because he’s wealthy I mean that goes without saying. I’ve been on hunts with these guys. They haven’t practiced shooting, they live on their ipads when in camp. I couldn’t outfit for any reason simply because I’d have to deal with this type of individual.
Hike steep shit with trekking poles and get some time with your pack on.
Gear masturbation 😂 Think I’ve fallen into the hunting gear prob sites a few times myself 🥴