Dos and don'ts for first time Western hunter

[lt-m-grow]

Wow.   This is good stuff.  I have been out west 10 times or so and I am reminded how far I have come by reading these posts.

Cows, I mean of the bovine persuasion, are quite common.  The will intersperse with the elk and deer so don't worry or get frustrated if you run into them in the middle of your hunt.

Elk stink. Use your nose.  And you WILL KNOW when you smell elk even if you haven't before.  

BTW:  JimB stuff is very good.  I would add along with his walking advice, don't worry about noise when walking.  WALK. DANG IT. DON'T SNEAK  <  That advice took me way too long to figure out and I still have to remind myself.  All the books say it, but doing it is hard after being a whitetail hunter so long.

Eat lots of good calories while you are hunting.  A week of hunting in the mountains will burn lots of fuel.   You will know when you run out and your hunt will not be fun and it is supposed to be fun!  You will not get fat on a week hunt and you cannot eat too much if you are hunting all day.  I myself highly recommend trail mix and snickers in the pack.  :-)


And though not as much fun as eating lot's of water - same issue!

[Dusty Nethery]

This is great information guys! A lot of the stuff mentioned about a "Eastern" mindset struck home.

I've found myself "sneaking" while shed hunting...just ingrained deep at this point. That was a definite golden nugget of information.

I urge anyone with anything to say to chime in...I'm all ears (or eyes in this case).

[Mike Mecredy]

Also, with mule deer, a rub simply means a buck was there, he probably won't be back.
 
Rattling won't bring in a mule deer.  

A fawn bleat (the mule deer variety) will attract does. There's a good video on youtube showing it.
 Sometimes the does have bucks with them, But be CAREFULL it also attracts mountain lions.  

If a buck that you'd like to arrow is here today but just out of range, he might not be tomorrow.  Truth is pretty much any mule deer is only one good mountain lion chase away from living in the next county. They really don't have a "home".

If you find an isolated water hole, with much other within miles you've found a good spot.

[wixwood]

I would agree with everything I've read here. 2 pair worn in boots w/ 400 gr thinsulate and Gortex, swap ea. day. Smartwool sox (lots). Layers-polyprop, wool, gortex. It can change in a heartbeat out here and elevation makes the weather swings radical. You will have kid like enthusiasm when you arrive, be in shape and start out easy the first few days (you would be surprised how much good hunting is passed up getting too far up and in sometimes anyway) then take on the tougher stuff, the longer you can stay the better. Carry good day gear, enough to SURVIVE on an extra 2 days, if you are dressed in quality layers you would be surprised on how little more it takes to stay out if you have a problem. Extra food, fire making supplies (small saw for dressing animal or fire), compass+ map (even if you believe in GPS), parachute cord,light rainfly, WATER (carry 2 qts. a ridge can be a long way from supply) and if you plan useing nature's supply have a filter or tabs, Giardia sucks! A whistle, phone MIGHT help, mirror, tin cup (cooks dry soup or?) and first aid supplies. Good luck, starting now is the right way to go.

[jhg]

Find and use a very good unscented sunscreen. Find and use a very good hat with a sensible brim.

 Don't laugh, I've seen some outings ruined by the second day when hats had no cover for the ears, they didn't wear sunscreen and their ears and neck and nose got blistered. Being at 5300 feet and UP will intensify the sun.

 A lot.

Maybe protecting your head from sun is comfort, maybe its more than that, but don't blow it off.

Also take heed of anything you read about staying hydrated. It is often easy to loose track of how much water your body has sweated off in such a dry climate when you are used to a more humid place where sweat volume is usually obvious. Up high you respirate a lot more h20 as well. So keep up on the water.
When I was guiding it seemed every trip at least one person became dehydrated. Usually the one who refused my gentle suggestions to "drink some water" .  Then they get cranky. Then they won't move... then I made them drink.

Joshua

[Bivyhunter]

Are you considering a backcountry hunt or more of a car camping route?  Equipment choices (camping) of course would vary tremendously...

[Homebru]

I haven't been on Tradgang in quite some time.  I haven't read any of the previous posts.  That being said, there are two things that bear repeating ... DON'T assume you're in good enough shape.  DO assume that you can be in too good of shape.  Those mountains are high and steep and the elk can run up and down them without breathing hard ... but you will.
homebru

[Smallwood]

Learn to be proficient with all the gear you carry, and don't take so much stuff that you can't hunt effectively.
Seems like I always take too much stuff with me, and by the end of the hunt, I have weeded out the stuff that I didn't need.
 Having said that, make sure you keep survival gear on you...better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it and die.

[trashwood]

Having had the experience of being a Texas flatlander all my life, many thing were a shock when I got to the Idaho mountains.  All the above are great advice.  I could not get along without my gps.  I'd never find camp again.

from a practicle hunting stand point.....take a long a range finder.  if you feel it is not traditional then don't hunt with it but use it in practice.  I had shot at white tail on flat land with native trees for over 4 decades.  everything in my shot was built around that.

the first elk i shot at was crossing a two lane track.  it was prefect broad side.  I hit full draw.  paused to settle and shot about 2 feet short, in the ground.  Wingnut laughed.  that elk was 65 yds away.  what were you doing?  

I understood for the first time that my shot must have been built around the size of a white tail deer.  I knew sumpin about distance from the realitve size of the white tail vs distance.  since the elk was 3 to 6 times bigger than a texas white tail......i now knew nothing.

Then there is the steep angles.  I never had to deal with a 30 degree are greater shot up or down.  at camp practicing, I found on one steep down hill practice shot I had to shoot it like it was 10yds closer.  I would have never guessed that from hunting in Texas.

rusty

[jhg]

Originally posted by trashwood:
... my shot must have been built around the size of a white tail deer. ......i now knew nothing....
rusty

Thats great point. I think the suggestion to practice amoung steep inclines is also right on.

Joshua

[Dusty Nethery]

I'm planning more of a backcountry hunt. I have access to a Kifaru Tipi and I know when I do go I'll have at least one buddy going with me.

In regards to Smallwood's post, is there any gear you thought would be crucial but then ended up being weeded out? I'm trying to streamline my take-along as much as safely possible.

Dusty

[joe ashton]

1.  Get into great sharp this country is steep and there is not much air.
2. Elk are hard to find and big. (get into shape)
3. Get good topos/compass and a GPS.
4.  have good foot wear.
5. Carry survival stuff with you always.
6.  Learn to quarter game and have a pack frame for meat recovery.  Better yet learn to bone out meat and carry only what you can eat plus antlers and proof of sex.
7.  Come to enjoy the process. (but trad hunters don't generally need this advise as we tend to enjoy the experience of hunting)
8. Bring your judo and shoot all day there is plenty of stuff to shoot at.


Joe

[ryeman]

Everybody has given great advice.

One thing I would recommend throwing in your pack is some athletic tape.  When you get blisters you can put it over the blister and help you handle it. If you live in a flat area realize that no matter how much you try to have your feet broke in to a lot of walking the walking will be completely different and you will probably still get blisters.

If the weather is good I personally like wearing my tennis shoes because you don't tire so easily (I always still have my other boots at camp too).  This is only if it is a good warm dry day ;-)

Like said before...water, take lots of water.
Eat breakfast like you will never eat again (it will give you energy for the day).

The lighter your pack the more energy you will have at the end of the day.  

Go with somebody that knows the area if possible.

Just my .02 (I have lived here my whole life and love it).

[Matt_Potter]

When you get on elk keep in mind - dropping the string is the easy part.  

I have walked away from hot bulls because the temp was just to high to get them out fast enough.  September in Montana can be in the 90's and if you are even an hour from a truck and shoot a bull in mid morning there is no way one guy is going to get that meat out before it goes bad.

Set time and temp limits and stick to them.

Have a plan in place to deal with the meat - its about 10 times what you get off a whitetail doe.

There are also places I just won't go - the reward of killing an elk is more that offset by the blood sweat and tears of hauling him out of a 3,000 foot black hole.

I am a little spoiled - there is a wallow about 200 yards from you back porch :-)

I don't kill many but I sure do love playing with them.

Don't fixate on killing - kick back and enjoy - nothing is cooler that watching a herd bull work his cows.  One of the reasons I don't kill as many as I should is I just love watching them and I end up watching when I should be killing.

Again I am spoiled and would take a different view if I traveled 2,000 miles to hunt.

Enjoy - we westerns may live here but it belongs to everyone.

Matt

[2Knives]

Very good info here!
Again....WATER!
Drink a sip every now and then, even if you're not thirsty. I love my CamelBak for this.
Don't be afraid to shoot.
Me and my buddy will walk/stop/look/listen and then maybe take a shot at a pine cone/flower/stick...it will keep you limber and help with shooting.
I don't move fast when I'm in the woods. Everybody has their own hunting style and that is mine.
Move slow and watch/listen/smell.
Use your senses...they work on YOUR side of the bow too!

[Davt]

In addition to the above, don't expect the trip to be a success or failure based on whether you get game or not. If you do a good job of it you will use this knowledge for next trip. Keep a journal of how you prepared, who you contacted, where you went and what you experienced. Enjoy the trip and learn from it. Then go again. Another item. In the west, where there are clear landmarks I prefer a compass over GPS, for me it is faster, more reliable and I am more used to it. But a compass, or GPS, is worthless if you don't know how to use it really well.
Oh, and one last thing, get in shape. Take the first few days easy and drink lots of water.

[Dusty Nethery]

Thanks to all...and keep it comin'!

I imagine it is a real test of discipline to "take it easy" the first few days.

Dusty

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Get in Shape and read Cameron's book.

His book alone will give you all you need to know.

You can still have a good hunt if you are a little over the hill, it just really helps to be able to pack on the miles.

Good luck,

Paul

[tradhunter1]

Soft single ply toilet paper, small packet of moist handy wipes, and a small bottle of anti monkey butt powder(seriously). water purification tabs. and emergancy survival gear with small first aid kit. the first two items can be very important if you do get even a little altitude sickness not being prepaired this way ruined a hunt for an acquaintence that went with me one year.

have fun.

[Bonecracker]

Alot of the guys have hit on some great key point! I use and take duct tape vs athletic tape. It is great to fix almost anything and it is great for blisters!  

Just being there does something for my overall attitude! I am 50 and hope to be doing it another 20 years!! No where else do I push myself that hard and for that long in persuit of an animal. I love the training/preperation that is required for this hunt and I feel a damn sight better than if I had sat on my big fat   buttock and did nothing. I live for my one/two weeks out west and god willing, I will be there this year!