If I wanted to elk hunt...

[rtherber]

I was scouting new territory and spotted this bear. He realized I was there when I tried to get closer for a pic.
 

[rtherber]

This grizzly bear was struck by a Dodge dually truck in Montana. Notice he had not had a recent pedicure.Northern Idaho,NW Montana, and the Bitterroots might harbor a few of these.
 

[Autumnarcher]

I had two larger bear cubs 2 feet from me last time I went,  didn't see momma. I was leaning against a tree while my partner was calling behind me. After sniffing my daypack, I shoo'ed them off, them went over to where Jim way laying along a deadfall, and licked his boot. He kicked the bear in the nose, and all hell broke loose. The bear cubs took off bawling, the elk busted out of the brush, as did momma bear, we all departed the opposite direction. It was a hoot!

I didnt know we were heading to the area we were, and I had left my .45 and my camera in camp. That bench is a great spot to see bears, thick cover surrounding several water holes.

I carry a .45 as there are a lot of bears in the area we hunt, and mountain lions in the area, so its a good insurance policy. Jim has had cats sneak in on him before while cow calling, and we had a cat take down a muley buck 300 yds from camp one year. We spotted coyotes feeding on the carcass. Cat broke the bucks neck. Tracks showed it was a female with a cub, probably  teaching jr. the tricks of the trade.

After I saw that, I started carrying a sidearm.I know lots of guys do not,and several who do. If it never comes out of the holster, thats fine with me.

[rtherber]

Hijacking the elk thread I guess but here is the bear that wanted to join me for a late pancake brunch-circled my wall tent but made the mistake of being a 1/4 mile up the logging road when I alerted my local bear hunting friends. He was brought back for identification on the tailgate of the local's truck minutes after this pic was taken.
 

[ishiwannabe]

Great pics. I have thought about bears a little bit, and figured it would be something to be aware of, and ready for, but not stress about.
Atleast until I have to.  :D  

All this great advice, and here I am with more questions. Now mind you, I live in upstate NY, and the only elk I have ever seen are being raised on a farm about fifteen miles away.

Any advice as far as shot placement? Pictures?
What time of year would you plan for? Say a full week out of the season-maybe two?
Does your state offer more than elk OTC? I was thinking about it, and many times when I hunt around here, I get close to whatever it is Im NOT hunting. Typical, right? Figure if I can have a few tags...why not.

For those of you fortunate enough to hunt elk in numerous states...if you could go to any state for an ultimate hunt, where would it be? Why?

Again, I appreciate all the input, advice and enthusiasm. Getting to the point where Im dreaming about it...talking about it...huh...wonder if thats why my wife is looking at me like that....  :rolleyes:

[rtherber]

I could hunt other states and considered it many times but the aspens always draws me back to CO. OTC areas also and I don't want to miss a season plus  I like life simple(too much mumbo-jumbo in the drawing  game). I was going to change to Idaho and may eventually but its looking like an old haunt in CO is calling my name for this season. If a person is limited in physical activities I would recommend the last weekend of muzzie season on into the last week of archery(CO). The silly elk had moved right into camp with me and held tight that week. I spooked a large bull with a cow about 150 yds. across the Forest Rd. that was holed up in some downed timber midday one day. He had made a huge rub there close by. I had a single cow elk feeding within 75 yds. of my base camp one evening well before dark. And I spooked a large herd of elk just after dark as I got within a 1/4 mile of my camp(just off a well-used numbered Forest Rd.) SO elk are where you find them- and they might even act like a whitetail in heavily hunted areas.

[ishiwannabe]

Sounds awesome rtherber. I cant wait to take in all the sights and smells of elk hunting...

[ishiwannabe]

Up for Zach....  

[Overspined]

I have been to CO on DIY hunts rifle twice, bow 3 times and have had a shot every time, most at bulls. Hard work, don't give up, be aggressive yet smart, and cover a lot of ground!!!! I am going again this year. You get addicted. I am also going to get one of those high up giant mulies I see but never had a tag for!
On the last trip I took a nap on the mountain side and woke up to a large sow black bear and two 150# "cubs" working the area and happened to pass waaaayyy too close for comfort. Was very cool to see.

I buy a mulie and elk cow tag for about the same price as a bull. The downside, usually I can get close to bulls a bit easier. They tend to get agressive to calling and are like big turkeys.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

If you decide Oregon, I know a guy that does drop camps in the Eagle Caps, but I would take up Elkherder on his offer.

I have hunted elk for 3 years and can usually spot when someone knows there stuff, it sounds like he does.

From what I gather, elk rut in near the same spot every year. The rut periods may vary from year to year by a week or so one way or the other, but they appear to rut in the same general area every year.

I am convinced of this as I ran into a bowhunter that was looking for a bull in 2007 where he had harvested 2 other in previous years. In 2008, I bagged a bull within 100 yard of where I ran into that other bowhunter. A mere 3/4 of a mile for the nearest Forest Service road.

Having good advice or a mentor is indespencible.

$1200 for a drop camp is peanuts compared to going somewhere and starting from scratch. You appear to have a ton of help on here. Consider your self lucky. Finding someone to help you out can be tough. Cherish these guys.

Good luck to you.

Paul

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I almost forgot.

You might want to pick up these books if you are going to hunt a wilderness area:

"Back Country Bowhunting" by Cameron Hanes

"Public Land Mulies" by David Long

Both have very valuable gear information and go through some training regimines.

I am now training for my elk hunt this year. I started 2 months ago.

Out here, it is steep and deep.

You are often either going up hill or down hill. Being is shape is NOT an option.

I have a bad back, so I am going slow. At this time I walk 2 miles every other day with a 24# pack on my back. I will up that to 3 miles within the next month and continue upward.

I plan to be up to 5 miles with a 30# pack by July.

Elk/deer out west is a year round hobby for a lot of us.

Paul

[elkslayer]

BlacktailBowhunter Is right, hunting out west it not like hunting any where else. it is thick and like he said up or down hill and lots of it. The longest day hunting for me was a little over 7 miles and that was a lot of side hilling and ups and downs. It will blow your mind how an Elk as big as a horse can disappear into the thickest stuff that you might have to crawl through. Or you can get within 20 feet of one and not know its there. I once walked in on a flat area and sat down on a stump with all camo on and sent spray on and with a lite fog just covering the ground and then just as the sun camp up and the light started to come through the trees about twenty elk stood up and I was dang near in the middle of them all. After a cow saw me or smelled me they all jumped up and I didn't not know if I should shoot or hide or run as it scared me as much as I did them. It is something you will never forget it if you get the chance, and I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I live here.

[ishiwannabe]

Paul, thanks for the info, I will check into those books. Im hoping to be doing some serious physical training in the next few months. Right now, I have to settle for chasing a 17 month old boy around...Lol.

7 miles in that terrain sounds like absolute torture any Drill Sergeant would be proud of....man, sounds like blast.

Got a couple of bows that are capable now. Now its a matter of choosing where and when and go from there.

Thanks for all the advice and information you have all added. It put everything into a much better perspective for me, and made me think of things that I hadnt even considered yet.

[Hattrick]

Lots of good advice here, i`m listen in an have started training for my own hunt in sept Its going to be my first for elk at 10-11000" altitude