2022 Elk Rifle Training

[Alegault]

Started training for Elk season today.

Aiming to shoot twice a month, hike twice a month (with loaded pack), and do running/weight pack lunges twice a week in addition to my normal strength routine.

Haven’t shot the rifle in a while, but for accountability here is today’s group @200yds prone off my pack with a tikka t3 in 7mag.

Time to put that pre-season work in!

 

[Indian Summer]

You best hike more often than twice a month to prepare to hunt elk . Good luck!

 

[sneaky]

You best hime more often than twice a month to prepare to hunt elk . Good luck!

Especially since he's going to the Frank.

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[Ucsdryder]

Are those rings 1”?

 

[Feare]

Enjoy the process and work now will pay off down the road. Good luck this fall.


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[Alegault]

Oof- now second guessing the plan.

I was hoping the 2x a week weighted pack lunges and running would supplement the hiking. I live in the city so might have to work harder to find some closer hikes I can do more often.

And yes, 1 inch rings.

 

[Alegault]

Fairly certain the one to the right of the 7 was the one shot I took in a seated position using my pack frame as a rest.

My last group of 3 was that bottom row of holes that punched center, 2nd and 3rd rings from left to right.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

All my time at the range paid dividends last Nov. Prior to that my longest shot was 275 yards. Put a cow Elk down at 460 yards. Won't be long and I'll be back at it.

 

[Shimmybro3]

Don't overdo it with the weighted pack as it will be very hard on knees/hips but I would up it to at least 1 a week right now.

Good job shooting off the pack. Practicing off a bench with a bipod isn't going to be overly helpful beyond checking zero and load development. What ammo are you practicing with?

 

[Scoot]

Add in more cardio each week. Or, at least walk a few miles each evening throughout the summer. Plus, keep your weighted pack reasonable in weight- your knees and back will thank you later in life.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Practice your shooting as much as you can. I like to be comfortable with 1/2 elk size vitals at 600y. But, I've never shot an elk more than 300y away. So I'd make rifle a priority but whatever you get comfortable with is what your range is, if your range is max of 250y that won't kill your elk hunt.

Physical conditioning will kill a hunt. I work out EVERY DAY year round. I live where I hunt and hike all summer. That said, it doesn't take a lot of time. I do these 20-30 min strength and cardio workouts (via the peloton app for $13 a month). Bodyweight only or with some dumbells. I recommend fitting working out into your daily routine...at least 4 days a week 20-30 min.

As an aside, I moved to Wyoming weighing 195lbs. I stopped drinking, started eating better, and working out 30 min a day. I'm down to 165lbs and feel wonderful. It's not a huge amount of time or work each day but it pays off amazingly. Anyway, I recommend daily exercise to everyone, but especially to those silly enough to chase elk at 7000 - 11,000 ft! No need to go nuts, just some exercise, think some about your food, and drink less...should pay off in so many areas of life.

 

[Alegault]

Don't overdo it with the weighted pack as it will be very hard on knees/hips but I would up it to at least 1 a week right now.

Good job shooting off the pack. Practicing off a bench with a bipod isn't going to be overly helpful beyond checking zero and load development. What ammo are you practicing with?

162 gr eld-x precision hunter. A little pricey but back when I first got the rifle and sighted in on the lead sled, it seemed to eat that best at all ranges.

 

[Alegault]

Thanks for all input on conditioning. Currently my planned workouts looks something like

M- lift
T-run 2-3 miles, lunge 200yds weight pack
W- lift
Th- run 2-3 miles, lunge 200yds weight pack
F - lift
S- ski/hike or peloton
S- rest and cheat day

I also tend to throw in a random peloton sesh on one of the lift days if I have time.

I’ll maybe try to get closer to once a week hike after ski season. Maybe I could also throw in another peloton sesh during the week. I usually only do a 20 min hiit or hills, so existing sessions could also be longer

 

[Alegault]

Practice your shooting as much as you can. I like to be comfortable with 1/2 elk size vitals at 600y. But, I've never shot an elk more than 300y away. So I'd make rifle a priority but whatever you get comfortable with is what your range is, if your range is max of 250y that won't kill your elk hunt.

Physical conditioning will kill a hunt. I work out EVERY DAY year round. I live where I hunt and hike all summer. That said, it doesn't take a lot of time. I do these 20-30 min strength and cardio workouts (via the peloton app for $13 a month). Bodyweight only or with some dumbells. I recommend fitting working out into your daily routine...at least 4 days a week 20-30 min.

As an aside, I moved to Wyoming weighing 195lbs. I stopped drinking, started eating better, and working out 30 min a day. I'm down to 165lbs and feel wonderful. It's not a huge amount of time or work each day but it pays off amazingly. Anyway, I recommend daily exercise to everyone, but especially to those silly enough to chase elk at 7000 - 11,000 ft! No need to go nuts, just some exercise, think some about your food, and drink less...should pay off in so many areas of life.

The range I have access to is max 300 yds so I was hoping to work towards keeping all groups inside the 8 ring @300 at least, if not mostly inside the 9.

I’d like to find somewhere to shoot 400 or 500. My scope is a leupold vx1 3-8 with no dial or hashmarks though soooo might not be super effective to work with subjective holds at that range? Casually browsing for something I can maybe dial, but to your point, I am not sure I’d shoot past 300 anyway

 

[elkguide]

The hiking/walking/running EVERY day is the way with strength training thrown in as bonus workouts if you want to be able to go where the elk are/go. I'm a rabid bicycle rider (4000 miles on the road last summer) but if I don't walk/hike at least four days a week, I can't go where I want to go after elk. I workout Monday through Saturday and also take Sunday off (other than maybe a walk) to give my body a little time to rest. I do not hike with a heavily loaded pack. By August I will usually carry my pack with my spotter and ten or fifteen pounds in it but only when I'm hiking and never if I am running.
Don't know where you live but I live where my house sits at 270 feet above sea level and those Western hills sure give me lots of spark knock even though I work out regularly!

 

[Alegault]

Maybe I’ll trade one of those lifting days to be
more cardio focused and toss in more walks then. The logic makes sense.

I live in Seattle. We have some small hills nearby, but definitely a +30 min drive to anything I’d call a hike. I suppose even with the right small hill, I can lap that and get the same effect.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Here’s some additional advice.

You can ruck at home 4 days a week. Throw in 20-30 pounds in your pack and get 3.5 miles done in an hour. Get to the point that you don’t even notice it. Slowly inch up the weight over time. Add heavier pack days over time. Find elevation of any kind and hit it hard.

You don’t have to shoot 1000s of rounds down range. Buy a laser trainer for your rifle and use it to seriously work your trigger fundamentals as well as to reduce your time to get on refer and get a shot off.

For range time, use a rim fire for continuing to work fundamentals, trying new shooting positions, and doing speed drills. It’s cheaper and easier on your shoulder.

For range time, look at using Form’s shooting plan. It’s money.

Also let your barrel cool while practicing.

 

[Indian Summer]

Maybe I’ll trade one of those lifting days to be
more cardio focused and toss in more walks then. The logic makes sense.

I live in Seattle. We have some small hills nearby, but definitely a +30 min drive to anything I’d call a hike. I suppose even with the right small hill, I can lap that and get the same effect.

Yes…. Less lifting more endurance training/cardio. I think a big part of that kind or preparation has a second benefit. If you get serious about it really pushing yourself to your limit and beyond you are also doing mental training.

If you ask a seasoned elk hunter what % of elk hunting is mental it’ll be pretty high. Take me for example… 5 foot 6 and 195-200 pounds. And nothing is stopping me. Nothing! Looking at my stats you can see that for me it’s about 90% mental. Lol. I’m active at work but I also like ice cream and cheesecake. I don’t train at all. Too old for that it hurts. Haha When my body thinks about slowing down my mind says stfu and keep moving!!! Lol True story!

I know a guy from Alaska. Older dude. When people ask about preparing for a moose hunt he tells them to put on hip waders and leaky rain gear and go stand in the shower with the cold water on for 10 hours a day for a week and you’ll be ready. Get your mental game together or all the physical preparation won’t pay off. Physically fit guys crash and burn all the time.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

The range I have access to is max 300 yds so I was hoping to work towards keeping all groups inside the 8 ring @300 at least, if not mostly inside the 9.

I’d like to find somewhere to shoot 400 or 500. My scope is a leupold vx1 3-8 with no dial or hashmarks though soooo might not be super effective to work with subjective holds at that range? Casually browsing for something I can maybe dial, but to your point, I am not sure I’d shoot past 300 anyway

I second checking out @Formidilosus posts on zeroing your rifle at 100 yards and then buying a good scope with Mil dials and/or reticle.

If you go to SWFA's site, they do trades on used gear. I just traded my Burris Fullfield E1 I used for 1 season and they accepted my offer of $150. I think that's pretty fair given the scope is about $200-225 new. The scope at the link below is highly regarded on this site and is supposed to be money inside 500 yards.

https://www.swfa.com/swfa-ss-6x42-tactical-30mm-riflescope-105767.html?___SID=U

I wanted a scope that I could dial that would increase my daughter's confidence and accuracy at ranges beyond 200 yards that we rarely shoot here in Iowa.

 

[Indian Summer]

That’s a straight 6 power!