I think hide and tissue on is a no-go. Flight gets delayed or something happens and that thing thaws out and leaks in baggage, bad look for you and the hunting community in general. Skinning out a skull and power washing wouldn't take more than an hour.
Depending on where you are hunting, might be good to do some research on the migration corridors in that unit if you haven't already. Could help concentrate your few days before season scouting.
Hit: Light cut resistant gloves over latex gloves in my kill kit.
Miss: MagView spotting scope adaptor. Have to mess with my phones position way to much to get it optimal.
WY G&F email just came out about access closures in 39 & 40 for elk. I read it as those units are already being considered eligible for refunds or next year reservations.
We booked with them in April 2021 for a 2022 hunt. I just consider that money gone now. I understand the closure is out of their control, but what irks me is the complete lack of any communication about it or any alternative plan. Last email we received was in January of 2023. Lacks professionalism.
My experience has always been that getting winded moves the elk farther and more permanently (in general) than either being seen or heard, but if that was those elks first run in with a hunter this year, who knows.
Was hunting OTC archery elk in SW Colorado probably 6-7 years ago with @LongWayAround and we ran into this group of muzzleloader hunters from Wisconsin. They chastised us for not wearing orange as that "was a requirement for archery hunters during the muzzleloader season". We politely said we'd...