I think you're on to something. :-)
First off, your pack is perfect, I read around 30 lbs on the other thread, right? Thats great! It takes some work and real introspection to get it down to and below that.
I've done exactly what you describe for many years now. To me, its the only way to go. you save lots of energy, get more sleep and are always in the elk. The issue I have found doing this, for me personally, is that I hunt very aggresively, all day every day. As such, I hunt them in their bedding areas as well as feeding, etc... often killing bulls midday. Because of that, I bust elk out of their beds several times a year. I hunt with/for 4-5 guys a year outside of myself. I've had to find areas were elk are unpressured and where there are several herds with multiple satelite bulls within a few miles, else I would be wasting my time. When It comes down to it, I only have a few areas that really fit this style of hunting well. You have to have a place away from roads and trails where if you mess up one herd or things are quiet you can pop over a ridge and be in a different herd, or at least new elk etc...
In the end, most of the time I leave my truck prepared for several days, pack weighing about 25 lbs. I get out to a spot a few miles away by daylight and hunt it hard all day. If we don't get something, hunting all the drainages around, and things are still really hot in that area I will put up the hammock and go to bed. however, sometimes we'll get to a spot and find that it s dead. I'll give it a good run till about 2 pm, then if its stil nada I'll get out as quick as possible, back to the truck and up the road to another spot. Climbing back out of the truck I'll hike till evening and hunt a spot in the evening, hopefully finding elk and sleeping there. I'm always on the move this way, but rarely am I not having an opportunity daily. For me to go to two of my honey holes in a single day and have them both be void of elk would be real weird.
I'd recommend a SPOT for this, as has been suggested, or at least my wife would recommend one. My GPS is invaluable for learning places WAY faster then you would without, and for letting you roam untethered.
Be ready to bone the elk the moment you get him. I pack Most of my elk out immediately, get it in a cooler and on ice. I keep them on ice in a cooler for a week regardless.
If you won't be able to pack it straight out for some reason, I'd carry a big food grade plastic bag that I got from a butcher, or you could use one of those wet-bags. I put all the meat in the bag, seal it and sink the bag in a creek somewhere close, with the top of the plastic permanently out of the water so no water can get in on accident. It makes a great cooler until you can get back to get it all out and also cools the meat very fast in any weather. Also, critters like bears, birds, lions, coyotes, humans etc... won't be able to find it when it's under water. I've never had a problem with pirhanna. Don't leave it there for two long, under water... just cool it off and store it until the first chance you can get it out. People always comment that the meat is excellent.
If you have a snowbank close that too would work of course.
Good luck! and dont forget a camera, im finding that its worth its weight IMO
Topic: Elk Hunting on the move (Read 420 times)
