Elk hunting is very rewarding but like many other types of game, it involves dedication and attention. A proper hunt is best prepped with not only a passion for the sport but the proper amount of planning and wisdom. The two most common ways to hunt for elk are stalking and spotting. No one said elk hunting was easy, they'll detect irregularities in their habitats and can quickly disappear in seconds after you've stalked it for hours. From my experience and research, I've put together 10 elk hunting tips to share with you to help provide you with an awesome hunting experience. Hopefully you'll pick up a thing or two!

€ As a part of your planning, be sure you know the hunting laws and regulations in your state. Each state has different laws; many hunters that travel are unaware of this and will be fined. This is nobody's responsibility but yours.
€ Proper scouting is essential when big game hunting. Explore the area before the season, hunt varmints in the area if you get bored. You'll have to know this area because hunts will have the most action during dawn and dusk, it WILL be hard to see and track the elk.
€ Scout for food sources. Be on the lookout for tracks, droppings, and hair. These clues are a trackers dream and will identify which food deposits the elk are using. Once you find these fields, you'll find out that large amounts of elk will gather there to feed, use this to your advantage.
€ Arrive at your hunting area prior to when the elk meander to your location. Set up your position so as to avoid any unnatural noises startle to elk.
€ Respect the bedding cover area. If you hunt in elk rest areas, this will change their behavior, ruining future hunts for others. Pick a position where you can ambush a bull while he travels from the cover area to a food source.
€ Get a wind detector. Big game such as elk will use their sense of smell to detect you. The wind can play in your favor, always be downwind from your bull before you call it in.
€ Elk calling. There are two elk call that I like to use. A bugle call and a cow call. A bugle call is useful for luring bulls out during rut season, the bull is coming out looking for a challenge from another bull. A cow call is effective outside the rut season as it lures out a bull looking for a female elk.
€ Evaluate the distance between the elk and you before taking the shot. You can use a range finder in order to know the accurate range. After knowing the distance, you can move in or out as per your comfort.
€ Proper shot placement is very important when hunting game. An elk has a lot of surface area and you may be tempted to take it with the first shot you have. But placing a shot in the right place is the difference between a clean kill and a large wounded animal dying a painfully slow death.

Planning, discipline, patience, and being opportunistic are things you need in any hunt. Elk hunting is tedious and demanding but my hope is that you take my experience and the experience of others and go out there because it is definitely worth your time.