Need to get started! (Wanna elk hunt)

[centaur]

When an elk hits the ground, the fun stops. Previous posts mention finding someone to help pack the beast out in case you score; that is a good plan. Hindquarters of a bull will weight 100 pounds or more, and that is no fun to pack out, although I did it in my 30s and 40s. Now that I am a 'senior', I'm not so sure I want to strap 100 pounds on my back and hike mountains.
I affirm that getting in shape to hike mountains for miles day after day is absolutely necessary if you are going to enjoy your time in the elk woods. While you might get lucky and kill an elk within sight of camp, it ain't likely.
If you have the money and you can afford an outfitter, then he will have the enjoyment of packing an elk out. Make sure and give him a big tip if that should occur.

[arky714]

I hunt unit 71 in colorado good place to hunt a lot of wilderness area to get into from road,,That way you don't expend your energy seting up camp,way off the road ,,plan at least 2 weeks to hunt ,,be mobile,,talk to locals most in colorado,are good people and will stear you in right direction,,about every high country store, has a local guide come in ,,get to know him for help getting game out,,and when you leave tell him where you found game,,works both ways...64 and going again this september..

[Steve Clandinin]

read the article and post by Just-A-Hunter explains most everything in a nut shell,Exellent info.

[lpcjon2]

Get divorced,get in shape, get money and get ready to be addicted.Thats what happened to my dad...LOL  

[RUSTY1]

quote:Originally posted by lpcjon2:
Get divorced,get in shape, get money and get ready to be addicted.Thats what happened to my dad...LOL    

[bro-n-arrow]

71 yrs. in april, After three bouts with cancer,one stroke,chemo,broken leg, triple hernia.Just glad to be alive,& LORD willing another chance to chase those elk come aug.-sept          

[John Scifres]

I have done 5 DIY hunts for elk.  I have learned a ton on each one but have yet to kill an elk.  2 times in the Flattops Wilderness area in CO.  Very nice country, lots of elk, lots of hunters.  Once in UT, near Strawberry Reservoir.  Cheaper tags, very steep country, not as many elk.  Twice in ID, decent elk population, very few hunters, wolves, really tough country, expensive tags.  We go the ultralight route now.  It is amazing how little you can do with.

Bottom line is you gotta just do it and plan on lots of learning.  And there is no way to overemphasize how good of shape you need to be in.  At least the way we do it.  There are some flatter country elk hunts you can get into though.

[JEJ]

Rusty1, I need to take in all this good advice too, and put it to good use some day chasing elk, but I really like bro-n-arrow's attitude about it all!

[Steve B.]

I disagree with a lot of this and I only bring it up because some of the info here could be discouraging when elk hunting doesn't have to be.

It really all depends on what kind of a hunt you want, what kind of experience.  Elk hunting can be very easy and require only a basic fitness level or it can be impossible even for the seasoned hunter.  If you want a wilderness experience away from roads and people and are willing to work really hard and only for a big bull then it can be up to, impossible.  
Or, you can drive out into elk country, park your car, go no further than 100 yds into the woods, and shoot any legal animal, cut it into manageable pieces, and hang it in a tree.

You can pay outfitters for any experience you want or you can pay for plane tickets and tags and be done.

Its always possible that you have to track an animal for hours and then carry those pieces out of some hell hole, but very few people actually get into the kind of shape that would make a difference in that situation.  
Where I hunt I would not have those problems anyway and I know my limitations.  As the days wear on and I slowly get fatigued I plan my hunts accordingly so I'm not going to lose an animal due to my physical inability to get it out in time.

Temperature has a lot to do with it and so does road and trail access.  Meat will spoil fast in high temps and stay good for weeks in cool temps.
Wounded animals might run to another road or trail and die and there are many areas that, no matter where the elk dies, will be road accessible.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Pick a unit with any elk as the option.  Don't get hung on killing a bull.  Get close and kill the first legal animal you see that is in range.  The meat is awesome.  Once you have a kill or two under your belt then start thinking about big bulls and horns.

If you want a fairly easy hunt, look for units that are flatter than others with high kill rates and good elk numbers.  If you want a true high country experience GET IN SHAPE and then hike it in for what will surely addict you to the sport.

Try and aim for the rut.  Hearing an elk bugle across the canyon in the pre-dawn is a great way to start your day.

[PAPA BEAR]

elkhunting is overated...no fun at all.        I LOVE ELKHUNTING.

[jhg]

I suggest you do a drop-camp hunt. Some outfitters will put you in a nice area,  horsepacking you in some miles to a camp set up for you and your partner. Tent, food and all you bring is your sleeping bags, gear and clothes. Then they leave and you are able to DIY without the very real issues of major equiptment, what remote area, etc. WHEN (;0) you get an animal they help pack it out. Its a very good way to have a great hunt and still feel you were on your own. And you are- its no small matter to hunt elk without a guide, even if the camp was supplied by someone else.
And get in shape. Really. Not ok shape. Better than anyone you know shape. You won't regret the effort.

Joshua

[recurve_shooter]

Originally posted by Steve Clandinin:
read the article and post by Just-A-Hunter explains most everything in a nut shell,Exellent info.

I'll 2nd that.  Funny, but I just found this thread even though it started nearly 2 years ago.  Lots of good info from several folks in that one.  It just got rolled back up top, so you should be able to find it.

[m laughlin]

i've hunted elk for awhile and have killed my share. a pilliaeted woodpecker sighting was my trophy this year. What do you want? do yo want a bull? do you want a "Big Bull"? do you want to "taste" elk? do you want to "feel" elk? is a cow acceptable? is a spike acceptable? is a "rag horn" acceptable? is going home "empty" acceptable? an experiance? picture me coming over to your hunting ground and having half a chance at shooting the new state record in a 10 day time period. i would suggest a 10 day vacation "scouting" period(late August) followed by a mid September 15 day hunt. a guided hunt (with homework) would to me be the odds on best bet for success if that was the most important part of the trip. regardless, i wish you the best luck. if i could be of any help let me know.
matt

[RUSTY1]

Originally posted by m laughlin:
i've hunted elk for awhile and have killed my share. a pilliaeted woodpecker sighting was my trophy this year. What do you want? do yo want a bull? do you want a "Big Bull"? do you want to "taste" elk? do you want to "feel" elk? is a cow acceptable? is a spike acceptable? is a "rag horn" acceptable? is going home "empty" acceptable? matt

I'm looking to experience the sights, the sounds, and just a chance!
That's all I could ask for.

Thanks for all the input so far guys!
Rusty

[Missouri Sherpa]

My first and only guided elk hunt was my first elk hunt.  I have hunted elk every year on my own since then.  I learned a lot and it was worth way more than the 1800.00 I spent on that hunt.  My success rate wasn't so good the first few years I hunted by myself by I got better.  The past 6 years my buddy and I have arrowed 5 bulls.  I am the consumate addicted elk hunter with wall tents and pack horses.  I finally went over the edge this fall and bought my own outfitting business.  My son and I have been going to some Sport Shows and Deer Classics this winter promoting our business.  Some of our most interested prospective clients are the guys that have been hunting 3, 4, 5+ years without success of any kind that are finally ready to buy a guided elk hunt.

You have to ask yourself, would I be better off buying a hunt and learning how to do it from a pro, or stuggling on a steep learning curve for years without success before buying a hunt and learning from a pro.  You might be a quick study and learn this game, or get lucky and kill an elk right off, but the odds are probably against you if you are trying to learn elk hunting from South Carolina.

I would be happy to visit with you if you want to talk about it.

 www.mulecreekoutfitting.com

[BlacktailBowhunter]

The desire to elk hunt has basically changed my health.

I lost 25lbs earlier this year by eating right and excercising and have kept it off.

Why was I working out and getting healthy.

Simple, so I could hunt elk.

Even on a mild day and I mean mild, you will hike 5 to 8 miles if you are serious.

On a relatively active day, you will hike 10 miles.

On a young mans day, you will do 15 to 20.

Although I feel pretty good, I can't do 15 miles day in and day out.

I can consistetly hunt 6 to 10 miles depending on terrain.

A bunch of Trad Gangers are doing an elk hunt in Oregon this year. It would be a good place to start for relatively low cost.

Good luck and get in shape,

Paul

[wapitimike1]

I just booked with a outfitter in S CO. It's a drop camp in a wilderness area. I've hunted the N.W. corner of CO the same way with success and hope to repeat it. It's ten full days and I buy Elk, Deer, and a Bear tag just because of Murphys law. I found you run into everything out there. I'm debating buying a Turkey tag. I'm a decent caller but no expert by any means so I look for wallows for tree stand set ups. I'll ship out a tree stand with some sticks and a DB blind just to have some tricks up my sleeve. I like those wallows for everything. All types of game show up at them.
The bowflex tred climber is in high gear and the Tower 200 hundred is tearing the last of my connected tendons off the bone!!

[K.S.TRAPPER]

I think the challenge and the beautiful country is what draws us in. The need to test are selfs, Can we climb that mountain? Can we find the elk? Do we now how to take care of the animal if we get one down.  :D  

I don't want someone cooking my meals, gutting my animals, doing all the calling telling me were to go. Thats the beauty of doing it my self I can go and do as I want and have never worried how much I pay for it either.        

Tracy