2 weeks out! Dialing in and Final Prep

[dank]

Sept 1st is just over 2 weeks and I couldn't be more excited. My elk hunting addiction has become some what of a disease at this point... I have hardly been able to focus on work since early July, have gone scouting every weekend, and can hardly sleep at night as I just go through elk encounter scenarios over and over while I try to pass out.

Anyone relate to this lol? It feels like Friday afternoon before the biggest Friday night football game of my life back when I was a youngin.

I am just going through final prep: procuring and getting food list dialed in, last minute plan x-z escouting locations, packing weight up my local mountain, shooting my bow as much as I can, procuring backup gear for random crap, etc...

I truly don't remember anticipating anything else in my life as much as I have been anticipating this elk season. Its bizarre.

Last year I took my first Bull with a bow and frankly I had no expectations of getting that done. This year, I have been 10x more determined to repeat that outcome to convince myself that it wasn't purely dumb luck (don't get me wrong, there was luck involved but I worked hard too)!

I have a very interesting mix between confidence and nerves and hope to settle into a nice sustainable groove come opening day. We'll see.

What are ya'll feeling, doing, thinking going into the final lead up to the best month of the year?

 

[Jaquomo]

This will be my 50th year of bowhunting for elk, and I'm right there with you. Hunting two totally new spots this season, in CO and WY, so lots of uncertainty. E-scouting is fun, but everything goes out rhe window as soon as the onslaught starts. But that's hunting, no matter where. Enjoy the journey, including the process of preparation, let the hunt come to you, don't try to force anything, and live in the moment. Always believe, because it only takes one minute for everything to change from bleak to celebration. Good luck!

 

[dank]

Thanks for the wisdom my friend! Awesome to hear that 50 years later you still relate to the anticipation and excitement of opening day. Good luck!

 

[PaBone]

I'm ready, even took my backpack straps off and hand washed them. Never done that before and I guess I'm running out of things to prep.

 

[Coveyleader]

Nothing to add but you sound like a good guy to have around on a hunt. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Btaylor]

New to me pack should arrive today or tomorrow, then I can start getting everything setup and dialed in. I was 90% ready before this pack became available lol. Nothing like a last minute switcharoo to add a little pressure to getting ready. Looking forward to throwing some weight on it and getting the fit set. Hopefully it lives up to it's billing.

 

[5MilesBack]

Most years I'm not all that excited when the season arrives. But for whatever reason, I'm looking forward to this year. Could be because I haven't had an elk tag the last two years......had a moose and sheep tag in 2020, and was in a decent unit with others that had tags last year. So this year I'm elk hunting......and elk hunting for me again.

But on a side note......I finally got my bow exactly where I wanted it after replacing the top left yoke attachment thingy that had split in half.......and then required me to replace my string set as well because strands of the yoke loop had been cut by that. Then last week I got to full draw and heard a familiar sound. Another splintered limb. Grrr. This is the fifth set of limbs from PSE, and I got the last ones on their shelf the last time. They don't make these anymore. But I had two splinters in a limb in 2020 when I shot my moose and sheep, so......it might still work. I haven't shot it since I heard and found the splinter. It's small, and I superglued it. We'll see.

Just in case, I grabbed my old reliable 2006 Bowtech Old Glory off my rack and went out and shot it from 60 yards.......bullseye. First time I've shot it in probably 5 years. So I do plan on using it at least part of the time this season, especially when I head into some of those rougher areas. This bow is lighter and has been extremely durable for me. It's my saddle bow for horseback hunts.

Good luck to all this season. Stay safe. And keep a watchful eye out for those widowmakers before setting up your camps.

 

[11boo]

Wound up like a two dollar watch.

I did a small remodel on my 10x12 tent. We will live like kings. Did this so we could take the Seek titanium stove right out the top. Can’t fit the big stove in on this trip.

Now with primo lighting package.





Going semi primitive.

 

[CCooper]

Every year I get wound up like 5 year old getting ready to go to Disneyland. I try to resist the last minute gear changes now days. Shot broadheads last night and they were money, keep shooting the bow, hit the treadmill, dial the gear, and try to get a little work done- but its tough. When hunting stops consuming me it will be a sad day.

 

[Hoyt Ag]

I cleaned out my 5500 and 6000 packs this weekend while I was fighting the stomach flu from both ends. I found a real tasty sandwich and few ultimate cookies from last year that were on another level of a petri dish. Washed the packs off with ah hose and repacked it and made a list of things I need. Its amazing how much paracord I go thru with clients each year cause they have not so great elk packout packs. I ordered a 500ft roll and will just cut it into 100ft lengths. Also got new game bags on the way and wind checker, mine was solid as a rock for some reason.

 

[luckydraw2014]

Just ordered my final food preps, RTT is mounted and ready to rock. Doing my final dialing in on my backup bow JIK. 21 days and counting..

 

[Btaylor]

I cleaned out my 5500 and 6000 packs this weekend while I was fighting the stomach flu from both ends. I found a real tasty sandwich and few ultimate cookies from last year that were on another level of a petri dish. Washed the packs off with ah hose and repacked it and made a list of things I need. Its amazing how much paracord I go thru with clients each year cause they have not so great elk packout packs. I ordered a 500ft roll and will just cut it into 100ft lengths. Also got new game bags on the way and wind checker, mine was solid as a rock for some reason.

Did you keep the sammich to re-pack. Would be fun to have when a client is low on food, offer them your spare sammich. LOL

 

[commandoNate]

I'm thinking about ordering some broad heads and setting up a couple arrows with them. But I've still got more than 2 weeks so I'm not really in any rush. I've just got a draw tag in CO that I used more than a handful of PP's on.

Procrastinators UNITE!!!

 

[trophyhill]

Pretty pumped too. Cant wait! Bow and arrows are tuned and shooting lights out. no gear changes. Just need to load up and go.

 

[dank]

This time of year I feel like I'm always remembering to buy random stuff on amazon that I remember I need every single day haha. Yesterday was microfiber cloths and flagging tape. Day before that was extra wind check and some extra charging cables, and as I type this I just remembered I still need to pick up a new 7 gallon aqua tainer as I busted mine last year.

 

[dank]

I cleaned out my 5500 and 6000 packs this weekend while I was fighting the stomach flu from both ends. I found a real tasty sandwich and few ultimate cookies from last year that were on another level of a petri dish. Washed the packs off with ah hose and repacked it and made a list of things I need. Its amazing how much paracord I go thru with clients each year cause they have not so great elk packout packs. I ordered a 500ft roll and will just cut it into 100ft lengths. Also got new game bags on the way and wind checker, mine was solid as a rock for some reason.

Good thing you checked the wind check! That would suck to realize in the field.

 

[luckydraw2014]

This time of year I feel like I'm always remembering to buy random stuff on amazon that I remember I need every single day haha. Yesterday was microfiber cloths and flagging tape. Day before that was extra wind check and some extra charging cables, and as I type this I just remembered I still need to pick up a new 7 gallon aqua tainer as I busted mine last year.

crap....flagging tape and wind checker. Anything else I forgot LOL

 

[11boo]

I will have spare chapstick for the hapless guys with cracked lips. 10 bucks with the rokslide discount.

 

[11boo]

Get ready guys. I can almost smell elk.

 

[dank]

A couple bulls I stumbled upon on my scouting trip earlier this month. They let me stand there and watch them feed for about 10 minutes before they started getting anxious and finally busted off. 40 yards.