The Power of Positive Thinking While Hunting
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
“No one cares, work harder.”  “Keep hammering.” “No pain, no gain.” There are many ways to keep yourself going on a difficult hunt. Sometimes get-tough mantras work, other times you’ll need to build yourself up. The biggest factor to success comes down to hunting longer. As a result, having a variety of ways to motivate yourself will lead to filling more game bags, truck beds and freezers. Break it Down A hunt can feel overwhelming after the first night. The realization that you’ll have to last a whole week on freeze-dried food and chipmunk will leave many hunters wishing they were back h ..read more
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The Fundamentals of Calling Elk
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
After a summer spent consuming podcasts and online articles I have a tornado of complex strategies swirling around my tiny little brain. As a result, early in the season I tend to overcomplicate calling and overlook the basics. This season’s bull was another reminder that success often comes from simplifying my approach and prioritizing the fundamentals. Worship the Wind Wind will ruin more opportunities than anything else. Always check the thermals before planning an approach. Track what time of day they shift and understand how terrain features may cause the wind to betray you. Wacky wind of ..read more
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Choosing the Right First Western Hunt: Elk
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
In my opinion Rocky Mountain elk offer the best hunt in North America. The combination of fall weather, bugling bulls and mountain hikes is hard to beat. That being said, it’s a demanding first hunt. An elk hunt can feel both isolated and crowded at the same time, with trucks parked around every bend and no cell reception to touch base with family. In 2017 I harvested my first bull after spending 10 days alone in the woods and nearly losing my marbles. While on an antelope hunt it’s hard not to see something, that’s not the case in the elk woods. Most archery elk hunts range from 10 to 20 perc ..read more
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Hunting Elk in Multiple States: Scouting
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
Last week I scouted a couple units in southern Montana. Though it was a solo trip, I was lucky to have thousands of mosquitoes to keep me company. Three of the five days were successful in finding quality habitat. Two of the days I spent in areas that didn’t seem to warrant another look in the fall. In the past we have covered how we scout; this post will explain why we scout and how scouting varies from state to state. Why Scout While hunting a drainage may take an entire day, scouting can take half as long. When scouting I move quickly while worrying less about wind and noise. I try to hunt ..read more
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Save $1,000 on Your Elk Hunt
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
“Hunting is an expensive hobby.” I hear it all the time. Mostly from family members trying to steer my financial decisions away from bankruptcy. Hunting doesn’t have to be expensive. Over the past few years I’ve made some blunders but also found ways to stretch my dollar across several western states and species. You can beg and borrow on your way to affordable success. While you may not look like a Sitka model in the woods, the experience will be what you remember. Beg and Borrow On every hunt an unexpected expense will threaten to spoil your plans. Don’t exhaust your budget prior to the seas ..read more
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What Hunters Can Learn from a Professional Gambler
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
“It’s too hot,” “There was one stick in the wrong place,” “The bulls were quiet.” The list goes on and on when we don’t fill tags. When we fill tags? “I had practiced the shot all summer,” “Just like I planned,” “I knew they would use that drainage.” During a slow hunt we blame factors outside our control, but rarely acknowledge luck after success. Rethinking decisions will lead to tagging more trophies and filling more freezers. Don’t Fool Yourself What can hunters learn from a gambler? More than I realized. In Thinking in Bets professional poker player Annie Duke describes the human tendency ..read more
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Finding Quality Units with Harvest Statistics
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
Women lie, men lie, numbers don’t lie…except when it comes to harvest statistics and unit data. While researching, most hunters look at hunter density, success rates, 6pts.+ bulls, and possibly bow or rifle harvest. They narrow down their options using data then comb topographical maps and satellite images to eventually focus on one or two units. Though good statistics can not guarantee a full freezer, they can get you started off on the right foot. Let’s take it one step at a time. Hunter Density Hunter density sounds straightforward, simply divide unit size by the total number of hunters. Ho ..read more
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Step by Step: Stuart’s 2020 Montana Bull
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
Over the years, I’ve written Step by Step blogs for each bull harvested to help beginners understand how a hunt plays out. The posts also help me to reflect on what I did well and what I could have been done better. I believe in learning from failure but prefer to learn from success. In 2018 I nearly missed an uphill shot on a 6×6 bull. The following summer, I focused on setting my third axis and replicating similar shots in practice. The next bull taught me a lesson on frontal shots. I learn something new on every hunt, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. I encourage other hunters ..read more
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Step by Step: Stuart’s 2020 Idaho Bull
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
Small details often determine the outcome of a hunt. Videos don’t always show the small steps that led to filling a tag. I have written a timetable of the bull I shot in Idaho in 2020 to give other hunters an idea of what to expect. These posts allow me to reflect on what went right and wrong as well. If you have any questions please let me know. Location: Idaho. Wallow in a small drainage on a north facing slope, 6500 feet elevation. Set Up: 20 yards from wallow. Cow decoy 5 yards uphill/upwind, partially obstructed by branches (Tip from Corey Jacobsen of Elk 101). Calling: Cow calls only. 3 ..read more
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The Power of Positive Thinking While Hunting
Iowa Slam » Elk Hunting
by threebrothersoutdoors
2y ago
“No one cares, work harder.”  “Keep hammering.” “No pain, no gain.” There are many ways to keep yourself going on a difficult hunt. Sometimes get-tough mantras work, other times you’ll need to build yourself up. The biggest factor to success comes down to hunting longer. As a result, having a variety of ways to motivate yourself will lead to filling more game bags, truck beds and freezers. Break it Down A hunt can feel overwhelming after the first night. The realization that you’ll have to last a whole week on freeze-dried food and chipmunk will leave many hunters wishing they were back h ..read more
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