This Oct I'm heading out for a DIY Elk hunt near Buford Co with 10 other guys. For myself and a buddy it will be our first elk hunt and first trip to Colorado. Some of the guys in our party have been hunting this area for 20 years so we will have some idea where to hunt and how. I always like to be prepared and I wanted to run some of the advice by you guys to get your opinions and see if you had any other tips.

Advice from some of the guys who have hunted there before.

1) Bring the lightest rifle and pack very light because of the altitude.
2) Dress real light even though you will be very cold in the morning and might be shivering at first light
3) You don't need a GPS or anything else that is extra weight.
4) One guy said that he just wears BDUs over jeans and a light BDU jacket
5) You don't need shooting sticks or anything like that as most shots are 100 yards or less.

Now some of this makes sense but other points seem downright dangerous. I have hunted mule deer in northern NM but that was only 6-7000 feet and I have been to Utah although not hunting. I understand the altitude gets to you but not bringing some safety items like GPS, warm clothing and other first aid stuff seems dangerous in Western hunting. Also I thought the old saying was "cotton kills" and that you always wanted to have sythetics, wool or silk next to your skin. 100 yard shots also seem mighty short for Western hunting. I was thinking about bringing a 300 weatherby but I might just go with my 30-06 now since it is a little bit lighter. I can also go with my lighter 2.5-8x32 zeiss conquest over my Z6 Swarovski 1.7-10x42 to save weight.

Thoughts?

If you'll be near Buford, likely you're in the White River Nat Forest and maybe in the area of the Flat Tops. I live near there in Craig, and although I haven't hunted that exact area, I have fought wild fires near by and hunted NW Colorado for the past 20+ years. Elevations could well be in the 9000' to 11,000' range. During October weather can be anything from 80s and sun to below zero and snow. While a GPS is not an absolute necessity, it can be extremely useful. If you have one, bring it and use it, you don't want to get lost in that country. Dress in layers so you can adapt as the weather changes during the day. In the dark timber, shots are usually fairly close, but there are plenty of clearings and meadows where longer shots are likely. Either rifle/scope combo should be fine - use the one you are most comfortable and confident with. If you can drive to your camp, bring what your vehicle will carry. If you are packing in (particularly If you're hiking in), weight you can pack will be your limiting factor. Feel free to pm me if I can be of any assistance.

I have only hunted CO once for elk but I did get one. As far as your list 1-4:

1) bring whatever rifle you feel like carrying all day. I took a scoped Sako AV 375 H-H . Mostly cause I had already shot a Black bear, a moose and a Dalls sheep with my 308 winchester that year and wanted to use my .375.

2)bring some clothes. Shivering is a sign that a person was too much of a dumbass to dress appropriately.

3)bring the gps if you want. Where I hunted in CO there was plenty of room to roam. I can see the possible use of a gps if seperated from the group.

4) I went in Nov so it was freezing every morning. Oct may be a lot warmer.

5) I dont use shooting sticks so thats up to you. I shot my elk at around 80 yards in the timber. All the elk I saw where in the timber.

My suggestion is get in shape before you go. It will help a lot with the altitude and any hunting pack weight issues.

I had been to CO before and I was in pretty good shape when I hunted there. You are going to feel the altitude at first no matter what but the adjustment time is a lot shorter if you have been doing some exercise before you go.

take a good small backpack & layer your clothes. remember you take it off when you have it but you can't put it on when you don't

What butchloc said, 60degree temperature swings from the time you wake up to mid afternoon aren't uncommon in early fall in the mountains. Also take care of your feet.

I think the kernel of the advice you were given is on-target, but for myself I would do these things:

1. Yes, bring the lightest rifle.

2. Bring the gps; leave it on but use it sparingly, as your eyes should be on the terrain, not the screen, if you want to see game. Good Topos are usually more helpful; and used together, gps/topos can get you out of a jam (if you know how to use both).

3. DO DRESS LIGHTLY! But under no circumstances wear cotton. You should be "chilly" when starting in the morning - because remember, elk hunting in the moutains is an aerobic activity; also, have lots of high-energy snack food with you, as burning calories is important; this will also help you keep warm; DO DRESS IN LAYERS! I myself get cold easily, and know what you're up against.

4. Shooting sticks and other junk - leave it behind! Then leave even more behind. All you really need is some water, some food, a knife, and something to start a fire with. All the rest are extras.

I spent 3 summers backpacking north of RMNP, 5 days a week, at 9000+ feet, guiding church groups. The biggest & by far most common mistakes people made were to pack too much and drink too little water.

Don't do that, and you'll have a more enjoyable trip - guaranteed!

friar

If you can arrange it, get to camp a day or two early to acclimate to the altitude. If you live near sea level like me going to 9000ft is a bitch the first couple of days but after that it doesn't bother you nearly as much. Find out from your buddies if you will be packing in on foot, horseback or vehicle and what the hunting area is. There is a tremendous difference between loading an elk in a truck on somebody's ranch and packing one out of the primitive area on your back. Horses are a tremendous help even if you just use them to pack meat. IIRC most of that area is black timber and smallish meadows, at least on the Flattops, so your -06 should be fine. As stated before, pack light but layer you could be in tee shirts one day and 2 ft of snow the next. If you are cold or wet, it won't be fun.

Thanks for the tips guys. We are getting in a couple days prior to opening day to try to get used to the altitude.

When I was mule deer hunting in NM in Nov of 07 I can remember freezing in the tent at night and sleeping with the sleeping bag over my face. I'd get up and put every single piece of clothing I had on. By about 11:00 it would be 70 degrees and I'd be in a t-shirt! We simply don't get temperature swings like that in New England.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
If you can arrange it, get to camp a day or two early to acclimate to the altitude. If you live near sea level like me going to 9000ft is a bitch the first couple of days but after that it doesn't bother you nearly as much. Find out from your buddies if you will be packing in on foot, horseback or vehicle and what the hunting area is. There is a tremendous difference between loading an elk in a truck on somebody's ranch and packing one out of the primitive area on your back. Horses are a tremendous help even if you just use them to pack meat. IIRC most of that area is black timber and smallish meadows, at least on the Flattops, so your -06 should be fine. As stated before, pack light but layer you could be in tee shirts one day and 2 ft of snow the next. If you are cold or wet, it won't be fun.

We are staying at a Lodge and then driving about 20 min to the White River National forest. Apparently these guys pack out there kills but you can hire a local and a mule for to help you pack them out if you want. I got the impression that they frown on hiring someone to help, not macho enough I guess.

I have hunted the North Park area-- a bit to the east of where you will be-- for the last fifteen years or so. I would agree a GPS is not necessary, but they don't weigh much and if you have to navigate back to camp in the dark, it would be easier than by compass and flashlight. (I would definitely bring those anyway!) I have always found that even if I only plan to be out for part of a day I need to bring lots of clothes. You should plan on dressing in layers-- NO COTTON!-- and bring a pack that will accommodate all your stuff. And bring rain gear. I understand the idea that you don't want to lug twenty pounds of gear and water around the mountains, but over the years I have had too many "situations" arise to feel at all comfortable not having enough clothes and gear to spend the night alone on the mountain if I need to.

Good advice here, although I wouldn't recommend carrying a rifle much over 9 lbs if you can avoid it. I carried around an 10.5 lb rifle last year on my mule deer hunt and hated it. My ideal rifle will weigh 8 lbs or less fully loaded with scope and sling. I don't want one of the UL rifles as I would think they would be hard to steady for off hand shooting when you are breathing hard.

Good bino's are a must as well. I like 8X power and something small and lightweight, however I've been using my RB800's for the range finder the last few trips. I'm thinking this year I may be better off with carrying lighter bino's with a smaller rangefinder.

Make sure your day pack has plenty of water, it is easy to get dehydrated here. I usually carry my map, compass/GPS, shooting sticks, headlamp, wyoming saw, knife sharpener, rain gear, emergency blanket, 550 (parachute) cord, game bag's and MRE. 550 cord is invaluable if you are dressing the elk by yourself when you need an extra hand, and the MRE has around 3K calories in it as well as matches and TP. I usually carry a set of Stoney Point shooting sticks, they are light weight and fold up. That said I shoot more often off of my day pack or natural rest than the sticks.

GPS are fine, so is a good map and compass. If I'm carrying a GPS I mark where my camp is or left my vehicle/horse. I then shut it off and throw it in my pack. That way if I get lost, I can always turn it on to point the direction I need to go, plus it will tell me how far I am from my marked point. Carry at least one set of spare batteries for it and a range finder if you use one.

Dress in layers, you never know what the weather will do in the high country. You'll enjoy the hunt more and cover more ground if you are comfortable. Get in as good of shape as possible before the hunt, again it will make the hunt more enjoyable.

Elk are big and you'll realize it qick. If you plan to pack them out yourself, get a good frame pack with a shelf. I leave it at camp or in with my vehicle. So add some weight to a pack and hike the hills where you live to help you with this. This again will help with the getting in shape part.

With regards to the shooting sticks, I find them to be very important, along with a range finder. I'd rather leave lunch at camp than my shooting sticks.

Range finder is also very useful. If a cow elk steps out by herself, you may not know if she is a 600lb mature cow, or a 200lb young of the year.

Don't forget the water. It's very easy to get dehydrated out here.

Get/use good bino's and boots.

Good luck.

#1 take the 300W, elk are tough and you're going to have to take the shot delt to you. Load with a tough bullet(180gr Nosler Partition).

@2-#10 get in shape, run up and down steps, stadiums. Flat running won't get it done, you will NEED a climbing gear. The better shape you are in the less the altitude will kill you. Getting there a couple of days early is good advise, the altitude will hinder you the first two days.

troy

Four trips to Idaho cultivate these thoughts:

I would add my emphasis to the water recommendation as well. I stretched a hamstring in 2003 from not hydrating properly...

Get in shape! If you can drop 10-20 lbs and still be healthy, do it. You will not believe the difference it makes at high altitude.

Also, buy and wear silk or poly thermal underwear. You are going to sweat, and either of these will keep you warm even when wet.

As for a rifle, whatever you shoot well, something in the area of 8#. No heavy barrel, extra long barrel, etc. Good controlled expansion bullets in a .270 will take elk all day long, but I repeat: good bullets.

Make the first shot count. Hit that elk in the boiler room and he will belong to you within a couple hundred yards at best. Screw it up and you may get to follow a blood trail for several miles!

And finally, screw a bunch of macho! Hire the local... I can carry a whole lot of $20 bills without any effort at all. Trying to pack out 100# of elk is asking for trouble, and you will be tempted to do that because the more meat you carry the fewer trips you have to make.

Lots of good recommendations, just from my experience getting in some kind of shape and getting up to the area a few days early are at the top of the list.

As for the GPS, might be handy, might not, you are going to be with a group, and even though it is a D-I-Y, I kind of doubt everyone is going to scatter out on their own. With 8 of the guys in the droup being regulars and depending on just exactly where you may be hunting, they might put some folks on stands, not real stands, but a spot to watch an area, and the rest put on a drive in an attempt to push animals to the hunters.

As for the rifle, take the one you shoot the best, I have carried my .300 Weatherby a couple of time my .375 H&H a couple of times and had no trouble.

If you will be staying in a lodge, take the extra clothes, also if you have one take an extra rifle and extra shells for both. Elk hunts in the Rockies are prime candidates for Murphy's Law to rear its head. If you were going into a Guided Camp or a drop camp or were packing in, yes you would have to be sparing on gear.

As for clothing, again, your going to be staying in a lodge at night, and going with guys that have been doing it for 20 years, I think your best bet is to listen to them really closely, because if they are successfully taking elk, then they know what they are doing and they know what works.

When you ask people for advice on a forum such as this, you get a lot of great information, but whether any of it or all of it will help you, depends on the hunting conditions you will be experiencing versus the experiences o the folks giving the advice.

Also, getting advice from folks that may not have hunted under the exact same conditions you will be in, and going with it, instead of heeding what the experienced folks in your group are telling you, may end up having negative results that might effect the whole trip.

1. Stay Hydrated
2. Well broke in boots
3. Dress in layers (no cotton)
4. Be in the best physical shape as possible
5. The rifle you shoot best
These are the major things I have observed that have hindered my Elk hunters over the years.

Enjoy your Elk hunt and good luck.

Tom

One more thing that I have learned about elk hunting. The bull usually goes LAST. If you jump a bunch of elk, get to where you have a shooting opportunity, estimate the range, then set up your rifle and look through the scope to judge the horns. One of my first hunts I jumped a herd, saw them going up the other side of the canyon, got out my binoculars and watched them. When the bull came out I realized he was a shooter but by the time I got my gun ready he was over the ridge.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Lots of good recommendations, just from my experience getting in some kind of shape and getting up to the area a few days early are at the top of the list.

As for the GPS, might be handy, might not, you are going to be with a group, and even though it is a D-I-Y, I kind of doubt everyone is going to scatter out on their own. With 8 of the guys in the droup being regulars and depending on just exactly where you may be hunting, they might put some folks on stands, not real stands, but a spot to watch an area, and the rest put on a drive in an attempt to push animals to the hunters.

As for the rifle, take the one you shoot the best, I have carried my .300 Weatherby a couple of time my .375 H&H a couple of times and had no trouble.

If you will be staying in a lodge, take the extra clothes, also if you have one take an extra rifle and extra shells for both. Elk hunts in the Rockies are prime candidates for Murphy's Law to rear its head. If you were going into a Guided Camp or a drop camp or were packing in, yes you would have to be sparing on gear.

As for clothing, again, your going to be staying in a lodge at night, and going with guys that have been doing it for 20 years, I think your best bet is to listen to them really closely, because if they are successfully taking elk, then they know what they are doing and they know what works.

When you ask people for advice on a forum such as this, you get a lot of great information, but whether any of it or all of it will help you, depends on the hunting conditions you will be experiencing versus the experiences o the folks giving the advice.

Also, getting advice from folks that may not have hunted under the exact same conditions you will be in, and going with it, instead of heeding what the experienced folks in your group are telling you, may end up having negative results that might effect the whole trip.

I think you have really gotten to the heart of the matter on this. I have not hunted with any of these guys before and I get the impression that at least one of them is serious. I think the rest of the hunting party are much more recent additions. I always try to ask a lot of questions and get as much info as I can. I like there plan to get in real early and post up for the first hour or so and then try to work some areas. I'm not so sure about moving out at 3:00 and missing last light as that has always been one of my most successful time frames in hunting.

I'd also say some of them get Elk regularly but not all. I know one of the guys has gotten 1 cow elk after having gone 4-5 times. I will say I have hunted with him and he is one of those guys who has trouble paying attention and has ants in his pants so I'm not surprised by this.

I always try to follow the guys who've done it before but if their idea of hunting is not getting out of the truck or just drinking beer all day I need to have a game plan.

Elk hunting and I have only been about a dozen time between 1992 and 2005, is the hardest hunting I ever did until 1997. In '97 I killed my one and only bull, I have killed 6 cows, the last 3 were all on late season cow hunts which are a completely different ball game than hunting for bulls.

Last time I read any statistics, elk hunters, D-I-Y at least, only have about a 30% success rate on connecting. All of my hunts were guided hunts and even though I had shot opportunities every year, it wasn't until my third trip that I connected with one, and it was a cow. Also most of my hunting was done on Private Land and I found out that I could draw a cow tag for Private Land and still buy a bull tag over the counter so I went to hedging my bets.

Use this first trip as a learning experience and pay close attention to what the most experienced person does. You can learn from his successes and see things that you might make work better for you and your style of hunting, with a little modifacation.

One piece of advice I am going to pass along and some folks will squeal like a pig under a gate, but if you see a bull and it is legal, don't set back and evaluate horns. Your hunting Public Land, and hunting one of the hardest animals there is to put a tag on, even if it is the first 30 minutes of the first day, if a legal bull steps out and you have a shot, hit him and keep hitting him till he is on the ground. Even a hard hit elk can cover a lot of country before his brain realizes he is dead.

Get this first hunt and the experience under your belt, then, if you like it and I have met damn few that don't, the next time you go you can work on getting a trophy bull. All JMO.

Enjoy the hunt, the mountains, the entire experience and learn all you can from it. Best Of Luck. Hope to see some pictures in a few months of you and your bull.

I'm going to be in that area in Sept on a archery elk hunt. We are staying at Trappers lake lodge.The snow in that area was 8 ft. high in early June and Oct is usually the first big snow of the year. Take the GPS if for nothing else you can mark where your elk is down in the timber.Water is life and so I am taking a small purifier with me. That way I don't have to hall water up the mountain only to run out of it. Cabelas has a 24 oz bottle purifier for $49. This can also be kept at home for emergency use. The last time I hunted this area I was in the Army stationed in Colo. Springs and running a couple of miles a day but it wasn't enough at 9500 ft.

Thanks for the great advice guys, I can always count on AR!

There's lots of Ultra violet light up there so take a good pair of sunglasses and think of taking some sunscreen.

Get in shape now, start walking and climbing stairs.....

Drink lots of water

Bring rolaids just in case you get a touch of altitude sickness

Bring a good attitude and enjoy some of the most beautiful country in the world.

Good Luck!

I have been running about 10 miles a week on flat land and I just switched it up to doing hills based on the advice here. Let me tell you there is a BIG difference between running on flat land and walking on a 15% incline! I'm going to concentrate on working the hills from here on in.

Did not see it listed, but a suggestion is to always hunt UP, not down hill if possible.

quote:

Originally posted by GeoffM24:
I have been running about 10 miles a week on flat land and I just switched it up to doing hills based on the advice here. Let me tell you there is a BIG difference between running on flat land and walking on a 15% incline! I'm going to concentrate on working the hills from here on in.

Running is good, but running in running gear is bad. You need to exercise with the same type of gear you'll hunt in. There is a big difference in running in shoes and running in boots. Same can be said of pants. You will be amazed how much you can get chaffed by pants if you're not used to exercising in them.

I'd also recommend that you run with a daypack weighing at least 20 lbs to get used to carrying weight. Also carry your rife unloaded if you can. If you can't carry the gun, get a piece of pipe or wood and add lead to it until it weighs about what your rifle weighs. Get used to carring it both slinged and in your hands. I've never hunted elk where I wasn't at least toting a daypack and a weapon.

And, do some strength training as well. Deep squats will help strengthen your legs and lower pack. Do pull ups for your shoulders, arms and upper back. Push ups for the chest and sit ups for your core. Remember you may have to pack a couple hundred pounds of dead elk out and you'll need muscle strength to do that.

And most of all, enjoy the trip. Elk hunting is a fabulous experience, especially your first one. Don't get too wrapped up about killing an elk. I grew up in elk country and have finished many a season with an unfilled tag in my pocket. Not everyone is going to tag out.

1) Bring the lightest rifle and pack very light because of the altitude.
DMW: Rifle; Light is good. Trust is better. Both are great. Pack what you "need." What you need is the question. Camping or just day hunting etc.?
2) Dress real light even though you will be very cold in the morning and might be shivering at first light.
DMW: YOu have been in NM at 7000 feet so you know. It can be absolutly any kind of weather there at that time. Layers....
3) You don't need a GPS or anything else that is extra weight.
DMW: hate to be redundant but what do YOU need to feel good about staying safe not your buddy. Take what you need. I grew up there but always carry a compass for example, and fire starter, and water and a bit of high calorie food. All in a fanny pack that holds the extra layers that i pull off too. I also use a Blaze orange vest with lots of pockets including a back pack pocket from Cabela's I think. Best single piece of hunting clothing I have ever had me thinks. Going on 10 years with that one.
4) One guy said that he just wears BDUs over jeans and a light BDU jacket.
DMW: I am a wool guy. Light or heavy but wool. The new stuff is better but I don't have the new stuff. Again layers and no cotton. I find the decision on boots to be the hard one. YOu can't layer boots. So i use nothing more than 400 thinsulate and good poly under wool socks as needed as layers.
5) You don't need shooting sticks or anything like that as most shots are 100 yards or less.
DMW: The end game here is to have fun and shoot an Elk. Do your shooting sticks help you have fun and Shoot an elk? I have carried a pair of fiberglass arrows with calf bands holding them together for 30 years now. Started in SW Colorado hunting Mule Deer and Elk for fast or slow sitting shots accross the canyons or meadows. I stick them in the belt of my fanny pack and have never regreted it. They add so much to good shooting when your excited, winded, small window to shoot through, need a DRT spine shot so you don't have to go down into that canyon etc. all the stuff that elk hunting is.
Best regards,
dmw

Alot of the above tips are useful but the most important factor of all is where you hunt. If you don't get away from the hordes of ATVs you are seriously handicapping yourself. Every year I watch out of state hunters (and locals too) waste their time hunting areas that held elk up until the day before the season opener. There's no shortcut here. Get in shape, get some good maps and hoof it up and away from the lazy folks.

Buy some Gingko Biloba and start taking it twice a day starting several days before arriving. It's the only thing short of prescription drugs that will help with altitude sickness.

I do not understand the emphasis on light weight. I go backpacking over ground ranging from 10000' to 12500' with a backpacking weighing over 40 LBS and hike many miles. I would agree do not take unnecessary weight. But you can sure afford to carry a GPS with you. Maybe they don't want you storing the GPS coordinates of the honey holes? Unless you are sitting side-by-side with one of the veterans, it seems to me having a GPS is a good idea to help you find your way back to camp in a pinch. What could happen? You could shoot an elk, follow it into the bush 1/2 mile, dress it out, find it is after dark, and not quite know how to get back to camp or maybe you can get back to camp but can't find your kill site the next day?

I don't know if dressing light in the morning or evening makes a lot of sense. Just have a pack that you can stuff your clothes in when you take them off. You will be hunting up to the edge of darkness. What if you get an elk after dark and have to work on the elk for awhile before turning back to camp -- might get cold. What if you get turned around after dark and have to stay out over night? Maybe these things can't happen where you are hunting, but it could where I hunt.

With reference to light weight stuff, to me it works to just train a bit harder. Rather than save 5 LBS of pack weight -- and that is a lot of pack weight or clothing weight -- I can reduce 5 LBS of body weight or just train to carry 5 LBS more weight. As I say, I've spent plenty of time backpacking in the wilderness and high mountains, so I'm not just talking through my hat here. Don't carry unnecessary weight, but don't fume and fret over ounces. My rifle weighs about 10 LBS -- not light in anyone's book -- but I don't get tired carrying it. When you are hiking often while scouting or covering ground often your rifle is slung over your shoulder. You want your rifle in your hands when you are liable to chance upon an elk, but there is still a lot of time when that chance is real slim.

Yes, get in shape. One of the things to be aware of is that it may be a long hard slog and it may continue for several days. You want to be in a good spot by 6:30 AM (or thereabouts -- say 1 hour before sunrise, shooting light is 30 minutes before sunrise). So maybe you wake up at 4:30 AM to eat, suit-up, and hike to your spot. You may not get in until 8:30 PM at night. Again, eat, in bed at 10 PM, bone tired. It begins to drag. So endurance and stimina -- day-over-day -- are important. What builds endurance and stamina? Cardiovascular workouts. I walk, which is a surprisingly good exercise. I think in some respects as good as running -- compared distance for distance -- but takes longer to cover the same distance. I walk with a weighted pack and 2.5 LBS weights on each ankle. I try to walk in the grass so my stabilizer muscles get a workout. I also run. I do strength exercises of various sorts: lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, back arches, squats, biceps curls, wrist curls, and others. I do dead lifts twice per week. Dead lifting is new for me, and I can see it is going to be a very good exercise. Work up intensity and loads slowly. Do get your weight down if you are overweight.

Practice shooting. Know where your gun is shooting. Take sunglasses -- walking around on a bright day at 11000' with fresh snow blanketing the ground is going to dazzle your eyes badly without sunglasses. Take lip balm. Carry a knife and know how to field dress your elk. If possible, drag your elk to an advantageous spot. Elk are too big to drag on level ground, but often you may take your elk on a slope and may be able to slide the elk. I did that with my last bull to put him in the shade. In retrospect, I could have and should have tried to drag him yet further down hill right to the trail edge. Instead I had to climb about 200 feet up hill, fetch a quarter, go down hill, go back 200 feet up hill, fetch a second quarter, etc. Don't try to drag an elk on level ground by yourself. You could put plastic under the elk quarters to drag them places, like a plastic tarp. If you get a bull, take the "ivories" -- large canine teeth that make nice jewelry or just conversation pieces. You will want to take a pair of pliers to grip and pull these out. You'll need to cut around on the gums of the teeth to free these up. If you are ambitious, you can skin your elk and take back the skin to be tanned by someone. Check on-line about what this costs -- maybe $300? -- and what treatment you need to provide before you get the skin to the tanner. This may require some heavy salting of the flesh side of the hide.

Enjoy the hunt.

Don't forget the tenderloins inside the carcass of the elk, along the rear of the backbone on the interior and along the front of the backbone on the interior. In my judgment this is the best cut of meat on an elk and really outstanding. It is a crime to think about leaving this meat behind. It is not too big, so it might dry out if you just leave it attached to the inside of a quartered chunk of elk meat. Take it out immediately, cool it off, and then take care of it. Maybe eat it that night back in camp if you aren't going to be able to keep it from drying out.

Have an extra knife. Your knife may get dull sawing away on an elk. The hide and hair are quite coarse and can dull a knife fast. Make sure your knives start out sharp. It is helpful to have a good bone saw, such as the Wyoming Saw you can buy from Cabela's. You may need to saw through the hooves of four legs and possibly the skull cap of the bull. You are required to keep the antlers with the elk meat, even if you are not having the head mounted. This is to assure that you meet point restrictions. Believe me, you don't want to pack out the head just to keep the antlers to show compliance with point restrictions -- they are very heavy. The Wyoming Saw will cut these off quick and easy, much better than those little bitty bone saws that are typically part of the belt-carried knive and saw kits. If no one mentioned it, have a warm hat.

GeoffM24, Please do this site a favor. In addition to taking pictures and posting them, to the best of your memory, describe the conditions you end up hunting under.

I admit thaty I don't have as much experience as some of these folks, but out of 12 hunts over 13 years, I never hunted above 8,000 feet. I never worried about staying hydrated.

I could see some of this if you were not going to be with a group, staying in a lodge, and hunting with people, one of whom has been doing this hunt for 20 years, and been successful.

Good advice is one thing, but under the parameters you have already listed. I don't see the hunt you have described so far as being that difficult or demanding a hunt.

I maintain that your best bet for this first hunt, is to listen to what the people you are going with are telling you and use this first hunt as a learning experience.

Interesting thread. Lots of good advice. I'll throw in my 2 cents. I grew up in MT, but have sadly moved to the midwest. I make a pilgrimage home to hunt every year that I draw a tag. So I drive in and hunt familiar country.

To add to the advice, for any hunt GET A GOOD PACK THAT FITS. From a small day pack to a backcountry pack, a poor fit will do you in just like boots that aren't broke in.

Here is what my pack contains for Sept/Oct elk hunting:
Kershaw blade trader, 2 blades and saw
sharpening stone
small first aid kit (has a fire starter too)
large water bladder (65 oz)
75 feet 1/4 inch nylon rope
orange flagging tape (for marking your elk, trail, etc)
Alaska Game Bags (5)
elk calls (2 reeds and 2 diaphram, cow calls work all year long)
bugle tube (optional later in the year)
GPS (for marking wallows, downed elk, hot spots)
Camera (small point and shoot digital)
flashlight (small waterproof LED)
flashlight/GPS batteries
6 foot by 6 foot space blanket
chapstick
candy bars/powerbars/Goo/lunch (a little more than you need for one day)

Other Gear:
Packable Rain jacket/pants (NO frog toggs, too fragile)
fleece/wool vest (mid weight)
fleece/wool jacket (light to mid weight)
wool watch cap
light gloves
mid weight gloves
2 pairs good broken in boots (boots take a beating, you always have a dry pair)
wool socks (mid weight)
long johns (synthetic or wool)
light thermal tops (synthetic or wool)
synthetic blend, or wool pants
synthetic blend or wool shirts
12 arrows, or 2 boxes cartridges
spare scope (I have broken scopes in the back country, not good)
10X42 or equivalent binocs
spotting scope (optional, but useful)


I am sure that I missed something, but this is on my list for this years archery trip. 2 weeks in southwest Montana DIY public land.

Do take a GPS, it is hard to find downed game in the timber even if you are sure you know where it is. You can also mark wallows, spotting locations, and the last place you saw elk. I use the hell out of mine.

As other have stated, please get in shape, if you aren't already.

Get Topo maps of the area, or use Google earth to look the area over and get a feel for the land. Try to pick some high spots to start glassing from. Early in the hunt on unfamiliar land getting high and glassing is a solid approach. Once you find elk, they aren't going to move unless pressured. This gives you time to work the group and get a shot.

Use cow calls as you move through the timber. Not a lot, but call every once in a while as you hike. This is simple and helps keep your impact in the area down. It also brings in singles and small groups.

Decide how you will retrieve your elk. Pack frame, internal frame pack, horses, eat it where it lays, whatever. I use a take down heavy pack frame, or a Mystery Ranch Crew Cab pack. Most likely, you will have to make a trip to the truck to get a standard pack frame. The other option is a take down pack frame. Mine is a Rocky Moutain Pack Systems Rhino, it weighs 3 lbs, is the size of a loaf of bread when taken down, and will haul more than I can carry.

Dress in layers as has been stated before. Although, I usually dress for the middle of the day. The hike keeps me warm, but I also don't get cold. I don't like a lot of clothes hanging off of my pack half way through the day.

This is getting too long, so I'll shut up.

Above all, have a safe and enjoyable trip. Good Luck.

Jeremy

I know this thread is a little old, but I'm bored at work and came across it.

Surprised by only one thing....no one suggested to BRING BOTH RIFLES!!! I hope and assume you were going to do this anyways, but bring both the 30-06 and 300W. I have seen more then once, gremlins getting into a rifle case between the zero session and night before opening day making it useless. You are traveling all the way across the country, 2 rifles might cost you a bit extra on weight if flying or space in a truck, but its the cheapest insurance you can bring on a trip.

I read thru this quickly, so I might have missed some suggestions.

Lots of tips about being in shape; no argument here. But if you aren't used to high altitude, spend a day or two doing nothing when you arrive. Last year I was in the Himalayas mountain climbing/treking. Our guide had us stay at 11000 feet doing nothing but lounging for 3 days. We then took short hikes for a week. Later on at 20,000 feet I felt like a million bucks.

On a previous hike up Kilmanjaro I barfed my brains out at 18,500 feet. Spent a week going up that high, but still got sick.

As other said, stay hydrated. Helps at high altitude.

Don't forget any prescription medications you are taking. It may also be wise to get a prescription for anti-biotics in case you come down with a severe illness. This saved my hunt to africa in 2006 when I became ill on the flight over. A small basic first-aid kit don't take up much room. Freshen up your memory on basic first aid techniques as well. Use ammo carriers so you don't have shells rattling in your coat pockets. Perhaps a mouth call would come in handy, even if used to stop the bull for a few seconds to get the shot off. Perhaps scope caps and a lens pen to keep the optics glass clean. Have a good hunt.

Make sure that your boots have Gore-tex and are waterproof and that they are broken in. Bring TWO PAIRS of Boots. It is amazing how much water there is in the high mountains.

Bring Chap Stick if you are from the east. Easterners generally lick their lips and they will be totally chapped in two days. I spent a lot of time in the west and stopped licking my lips 20 years ago.

Don't drink the water, even if it looks pure. There are protozoans in the water that will make you very sick. Look up giardia (Not sure about the correct spelling)

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

I maintain that your best bet for this first hunt, is to listen to what the people you are going with are telling you and use this first hunt as a learning experience.

You've recieved plenty of good advice. I think one understated thing is to bring something to purify water instead of carrying it if you are hiking much at all.
The clothing layers should NOT be cotton unless you can easily walk out to a truck and put on something different. Walking out to get clothes takes away from the hunt. Why not wear poly underlayers and plan for the wide ranging temps?
Equipment wise:
1. Binos I used 10x42s and now have 8x40s and wouldn't go heavier
2. Your '06 if fine with the smaller scope I'd even say ideal. Practice shooting it with the pack on.
3. Bring the best knife you can afford. There is a difference in steel and the sharper your knife stays the less effort you have to dressing. I bone animals out so I'm not packing bones. A diamond sharpener and high qaulity knife are worth the money and less to carry than several knives.
4. I'd carry the GPS. Listen to what these guys say but consider how they hunt compared to you. Do they walk very little, follow a trail to the same spot everday and follow it out?
Are you a spot & stalk guy? The GPS might be worth it.
Shooting sticks, spotting scopes, hatchets, saws, etc may be uneeded weight.
5. HAVE A PLAN!!! A plan with your party for regular days, what are you all going to do when someone gets one? How are we going to handle if someone doesn't come back out to the road at dark? What are you going to do if you have an unplanned overnight out?

Last, consider getting an insulated blanket like one of the emergency ones from Wiggy's. It weighs little but can be the difference between being a little uncomfortable and hypothermia. Nate

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Did not see it listed, but a suggestion is to always hunt UP, not down hill if possible.

Really

I always fish up river...if my boat tears up I can float back to the truck.

I suppose the walk back to camp/truck at the end of the day is easier.

Oh and wear old fathful broke in boots.