Which is tougher to bag, a big whitetail buck, or a big bull elk?
- Thread starter shepodyguide
- Start date
Big is what's big to you. If you think an elk is big and a buck is big, then they are both big...I happen to define "big" as mature. In my books this animal is at least 3.5 years old, usually older.
It is a fact that there are more whitetails around than elk. The question is not along those lines.
Once you know that you are onto a mature buck or bull, which one is harder to take?
It is a fact that there are more whitetails around than elk. The question is not along those lines.
Once you know that you are onto a mature buck or bull, which one is harder to take?
If you had only one big whitetail and one big elk in the hunting area I think it would be easier to get the whitetail, whitetail have a small territory and will generally stay within a few miles of that area no matter how much pressure there is. Spook that elk and he likely as not will vacate that particular area pronto, never to be seen for the rest of the season.
I have shot big examples of each, and they are both a tough hunt in their areas outside the rut. During the rut, the Elk can be bugled in, and the Whitetail is also more likely to make a serious error in his quest for a hot doe. If the rut is over [or not yet in progress], they will both tend to become entirely nocturnal if hunting pressure is evident. I believe I would give the edge to the mature whitetail, but not by much. FWIW, Elk hunting pays off in bigger rewards! Regards, Eagleye.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I have to agree with Eagleye. Big white tails are ghosts in the woods. Even in the rut, their senses are uncanny.
If the numbers were equal, the white tail wins.
If the numbers were equal, the white tail wins.
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
It all depends what is out there in the area you hunt.
Same as saying which is harder to catch a 20lbs pike or a 10lbs walleye. IF there is only 100 walleye in a lake full of pike you can guess which would be harder to catch.
Same as saying which is harder to catch a 20lbs pike or a 10lbs walleye. IF there is only 100 walleye in a lake full of pike you can guess which would be harder to catch.
Thanks for the feedback and votes. I was curious what others thought. My hunting experience on elk is rather limited, and in the end, it took us 10 days to find the herd bull in big timber public land. Never got him. Frustrating to say the least. I have a lot more experience with whitetails, but the big mature bucks in the big timber on public land are like Canuck says...ghosts. I do want to go back to Alberta to hunt elk and eventually bag one. But I was of the view that the elk were uncannily elusive...their tracks were everywhere...lots of animals, yet they remained totally invisible. So my vote is with the elk, although if I put as many hours in the field after elk as I do on whitetails, I would see more elk. Which is impossible since there are no elk in New Brunswick...lol!
Bottom line, both are at the top of the heap in terms of challenging animals to bag. I certainly don't feel so bad having been skunked on my elk hunt.
Thanks again to all who voted and commented.
Bottom line, both are at the top of the heap in terms of challenging animals to bag. I certainly don't feel so bad having been skunked on my elk hunt.
Thanks again to all who voted and commented.
MauserMike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Pretty rare to see an Elk around here 
In my experience, big, or otherwise, Elk are vastly harder to hunt that whitetails.
Whitetails are predictable -- find the food, find the bedding area, find the water, find the big buck sign, setup a stand or a ground blind at an opportune spot, and you're well on your way to nailing a big whitetail if you've got the patience to sit there real quiet and still for a few days.
Elk, on the other hand, by nature of being a herd animal (ie: concentrated numbers in one area, with zero numbers in other areas), and by nature of their herd movements being unpredictable (ie: they do not hang out in the same spots from year to year, or even week to week), further compounded by the fact that to get a big bull, you have to navigate your way through the whole herd (without spooking them) to find the big one, and even further compounded by the fact that if you spook an elk herd - they will likely run for miles before they stop (as opposed to whitetails, who will usually stop once they've gotten out of sight of you) -- yeah, elk hunting is vastly, vastly harder to do.
Whitetails are predictable -- find the food, find the bedding area, find the water, find the big buck sign, setup a stand or a ground blind at an opportune spot, and you're well on your way to nailing a big whitetail if you've got the patience to sit there real quiet and still for a few days.
Elk, on the other hand, by nature of being a herd animal (ie: concentrated numbers in one area, with zero numbers in other areas), and by nature of their herd movements being unpredictable (ie: they do not hang out in the same spots from year to year, or even week to week), further compounded by the fact that to get a big bull, you have to navigate your way through the whole herd (without spooking them) to find the big one, and even further compounded by the fact that if you spook an elk herd - they will likely run for miles before they stop (as opposed to whitetails, who will usually stop once they've gotten out of sight of you) -- yeah, elk hunting is vastly, vastly harder to do.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Actually, in my experience in Saskatchewan, hunting at our bush camp which has good numbers of both, I find elk easier to hunt and more predictable than whitetails. Our animals are on the "edge" of wilderness, they sleep and rest in trackless bush and only come to the edge of the farmland to feed at night. I have shot several of each, now I mostly pass up elk herd bulls in favour of spikes or cows and would rather take a big whitetail as a trophy. Last year I couldn't resist and took a nice 5 point mature bull, patterned him for a couple of days at a feeding field, stalked at first light, game over.
Heck, if I it was legal out here in B.C. to shoot spikes or cows or even little 5 point's like that one you got there, I'd think elk hunting was pretty easy too!!!! We're on a 6 point or better for a legal bull out here (thanks to continued lobbying efforts of guide/outfitters and trophy hunting clubs). We got plenty of elk - finding "an elk" isn't that hard (though, because of the way the tend to move around out here, you can spend an annoying amount of time in the bush not seeing elk), but finding a little dinky six point, nevermind a big trophy class 6+ point - yeah, it's really a tough thing to get done.
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im a white tail hunter ive never hunted elk but i watched way to many hunting shows. And elk to me from what ive seen have to be one of the stupidest animals on earth. Like the guy hunting will be standing right in the wide open bugling. And the elk just walks right up to him like he wasn't even there.
But white tail bucks even the small ones have to be the cagiest critters i ever seen. They know how to get around you without being seen. so id say the white tail
But white tail bucks even the small ones have to be the cagiest critters i ever seen. They know how to get around you without being seen. so id say the white tail
Don't want to be controversial, but I'm just curious to know how many Bull Elk you have shot & how many big whitetails? Saying Elk hunting is Vastly, vastly harder than hunting whitetails is just not true in my experience [About 3 dozen of each] They are both difficult animals to hunt successfully. A cagy whitetail buck with some years on him will sit tight and let you walk by him, something an Elk just cannot/will not do. Bull elk are a bit stunned in the rut, and even though in a herd, will come to a call. I agree that Elk usually cross a couple of valleys before stopping if spooked. But a whitetail that is spooked will certainly not hang around close either, and once he is in his cover, which he knows every inch of, he's going to be mighty hard to find. I spent a couple of months in summer a few years back casing out a big whitey, building a stand in his area, etc, etc, Opening day, I was in that stand. I spent the better part of the next 10 days in the stand and around the area. I saw his fresh rubs and scrapes, his tracks, but never even caught a glimpse of that big sucker. A week after the end of open season, I spotted him within 15 yards of my tree stand. I figured he just knew I was there. I managed to whack him the following year, but I had to shoot 470 yards to do it, and he knew something was afoot when I shot him, cause his flag was coming up prior to flight. I never underestimate the wariness of a big whitetail buck. Regards, Eagleye.
