Are you good at elk hunting?

We hunt a controlled area so you have to draw a cow and bull tag, we normally have 5-6 people in our party with 3-4 a year with a tag. We have been successful as of the last few years.
2003 (1 cow 1 bull)
2004 (3 cows)
2005 (2 cows)
2006 (3 cows 1 bull)
2007 (2 cows 1 bull)

In 2005 I got a cow and this year I got a bull (didn't hunt them in 2006, just deer)

I chose the first option in your poll but its not really "that easy".

I hunt public land for elk and it is tough. I have had a chance almost every year I have gone after them, but most times I am not a good enough shot to feel comfortable enough to go for it, or I just mess up like jerk the trigger, get the wind wrong, or don't have enough time.

These amazing animals were observed in early September on public land. But I wasn't drawn for a license this year. So it goes.
TR

I'd have to say rarely, but they aren't that hard to hunt.
I've harvested 6 in 30 plus years of hunting them. There have been a lot of years I passed on harvesting one. Many times I'd find some in a drainage that would kill man, or horse to get it out before it goes bad. Some places I'd have had to set down with a knife and fork to get any of it out. Two weeks ago I was in the dark timber an hour before daylight waiting for the elk. Right at shooting light a group of rag horns and cows were walking to me. Unlucky for me, but lucky for him, another hunter who had come up behind me saw them cross the saddle and he got a nice cow out of the bunch. Well, that spooked them pretty good and they went by me I'd guess pretty close to full speed. I couldn't put the sight on a piece of hide.
Then down below me one of the 4-5 pointers stopped in some trees at about 60 yards. There was a 12" tree he was standing behind, but I could see through the branches his shoulder was right at the edge of the tree, but the brush was to thick. on the other side of the tree I could see the whole hind quarter. I looked at a spine shot, right at the back of the liver, to chancy for me.
Maybe I'll find him next weekend for my daughter. She's got a bull license, but I'll be hunting cows. We'll be up there hunting though, and that's why I do it.

A buddy and I hunt a draw area as well that takes 4 years or so to draw. I am 4 for 4 and he is 4 for 5 so far. We never draw together. My last bull taken in 2004.

When I lived & hunted in Montana it was an every year thing. In WA state, it got a little sketchier, but I only hunted with a bow. Now that I no longer hunt elk (not by choice), never.

This will be my third season hunting elk and I have yet to harvest one. A friend I hunt with has been hunting for 10 years and he's only harvested two elk.

I hunt public land in Eastern WA and have seen elk each time hunting. Most were seen between 80 - 175 yards, but I hunt archery and that is too long of a shot for me. Last season, I had a bull within 25 feet, but I didn't have a bull permit.

I bet if I were rifle hunting, I wouldn't have seen any of them. They are smart animals and cover a lot of ground. For me, I just love being out in the woods, havesting an animal is the icing on the cake.

The last two years I've hunted "Spike only" units. I've only seen Cows and Branched antlered Elk. Next year I'm hunting elsewhere and probably trying Muzzlelaoder or Archery instead of Modern.

Any other Eastern WA modern firearm hunters find it was extra crowded this year? I couldn't believe how much shooting I heard. Didn't see or hear of a single Elk harvested.

Any other Eastern WA modern firearm hunters

Don't hunt elk anymore, but reports I received documented a number of elk bagged . . . and based on past experience, it's always crowded (which is why, when I did pursue Wapiti, I did so with longbow in hand . . . fewer idiots out.

Dunno if you can call me "good" at elk hunting, but I am 2 for 2 on cow elk hunts in AZ. I drew a tag in 2005 and again this year. Got one opening day in '05 (probably just beginner's luck).

This year was a much more difficult hunt. They'd gone totally nocturnal and weren't coming to water or anything even remotely resembling an open area during even margninal shooting light. The vast majority of successful hunters were having to still hunt through the dark, super thick timbers. It took me 5 days of walking many miles to even see one elk. I was going to let the people I with shoot it, but the lady that had the tag was taking too long and the elk were about to run. So, up came the rifle and I fired. I honestly don't remember ever taking the safety off. The guy was actually glad that I fired since it meant we got at least one. I gave them a front shoulder for all their help.

From now on though I'll be hunting WA rather than AZ. So, we'll see how that goes. Different environment to say the least.