Archery Elk question from new elk hunter

[Beendare]

Nothing like asking for help then kicking your responders in the nads when they do. Wow, just wow.

Yeah, one of my buddies favorite sayings......"No good deed goes unpunished"

This is thread is similar to the show "Alone"...all of these folks are studs and big talkers back home....but its amazing how fast they are humbled.....and sometimes worse, turning into a blubbering wimp after just a few days in the woods.

_____

 

[Hogslayer]

Kudos to the OP for going scouting this summer. To me that shows more than most low-post-count dudes who post topics like this every summer.

I wouldn't let these naysayers get you down. Go this summer, scout, find some elk, go short go deep, get your eyes on the county. Then be thinking about where the cows will be (best feed) while avoiding the pressure they will surely have experienced by then. Ultimately you're going to be hunting the hunters...at least that's what I'd do, go where they are less likely to be. If that's deep, then I'd call your way in there and you might strike a bugle on the way and get distracted in a good way. Not knowing the country, if its isn't glassable I'd be hiking ridgelines super early, like 4 AM, and bugling covering miles looking for answers.

Lastly, have a packer lined up. Talk to him about the country, where he can get and can't get. You still might have to move meat a mile or more to a trail. Make sure he's dependable. It will be worth the expense, IMO, to hunt where you are most likely to kill something as opposed to where you can get an elk out by yourself (with your son).

FWIW, I was you once, albeit younger. In 2017 I zipped the ribs on a chunky 5x5 8 crow flying miles / 11 man walking miles from the trailhead. The bull lived but had I killed him we would have been fine as we had a packer lined up. Would have been a little more tired/sore the next day and missed an additional day of work but it would have been worth it.

Great info! I have the numbers to the outfitters that work that area and will call them prior to the hunt in case they are needed. At a minimum we will need to get the meat to the horse trail for them. Thanks to all who answered my question and provided their experience and insight. I am new to this forum, but not new to hunting forums having been on some for 25+ years. I just get annoyed when someone asks a question, and keyboard cowboys will offer a negative or some ancillary comment without even answering the question. Then make assumptions and run with them. That goes with the times we live in.

I have not waited this long to hunt elk to want to kill one near the truck. Thats not my style. Yes, I know I can kill an elk close to the truck or trailhead, but that is not the experience I am looking for. Thats why baskin robins sells 31 flavors. Some of my most memorable and enjoyable hunts (albeit not at the time of hauling one out) have been where I have been at the point of complete and utter exhaustion in packing an animal out of the mtns, swamp, etc. swearing to never do that again. But when that last trip to the truck is made; oh how sweet it is! Everyone is different, and looking for different things. To kill an elk close to the trailhead is great for some, not judging. I am aware it may take 3 trips to haul one out. I am looking for the overall hunt experience, to test and push myself to the limit. Without pushing ones self to the limit, we cannot truly know ones limit. I enjoy the solitude of not having other hunters around me. I enjoy the risk/reward of studying where i think would be good and then going and testing my theory. I am not just looking for an outback camping experience as some assumed. I want both. If it goes to crap, then plan b, c, improvise, overcome, adapt. I love that desperation feeling of being tested and the feeling of failure being the possible outcome. Sure, I might go home empty handed, but I would rather do that, then kill something next to the truck. (most of the time). It is either in someone or its not. I am a highly competitive person, I cannot change that, and glad I am. My dad was also, WWII vet, college football player, and high school coach/principal. (yes my dad was older than my friends dads who were vietnam vets). My dad was an avid hunter who taught me all he knew before he was killed in a car accident when i was 9. Perhaps it is that desire, and closeness I feel to him when I hunt this way. To want to make him proud. Mentally I feel 35. It seems like yesterday when I was 30 and was wanting to hunt elk, but got married and then had a kid, and let life get in the way. To those younger that don't live out west, I say make it happen sooner, just do it. I am 52, and I have limited time left to hunt this way. Time is not on my side. There Will be a time, sadly, when i will be hunting within a mile from the truck. But not today... Thanks to all, and of course Illegitimi non carborundum.

 

[fatlander]

What exactly do you want to know that you haven’t already made your mind up about?

You condescendingly say you don’t want to kill an elk “next to the trailhead”. So why even bother with asking about those easy 2-4 mile elk on the way to your mystical 6 mile mark elk?

You’ve never been elk hunting and one of the most experienced elk hunters on the PLANET offered you suggestions, TWICE. And yet you call him, among others, a keyboard cowboy. Congrats, you win the jackass of the day award. I hope that 6 mile deep drainage is full of wolves.

 

[nettereo16]

You'll quickly find your concerns about hunting near the trailhead to be unfounded. It's BIG country and 2-3 miles is still remote and humbling. When those that mention you don't need to go too deep, they are not talking road hunting with shooting an elk next to the truck. You'll see that 2-3 is plenty deep.

That said, props to taking a scouting trip this summer!! That will be very helpful with your planning and then you can make your own decisions. Having been in the country will put you at an advantage for sure.

 

[Gila]

Peak of the rut, first hunt of the season....first time out of the chute. I would only go a couple of miles in max. I have done spot-stalk hunts on mulies in the badlands that kicked my butt. That ain't nothin like huntin the rockies. The elk are often in country that would make a billy goat puke. The weather blows snot sideways and will blind you with sleet. That wash you crossed 10 minutes ago becomes a raging river. I don't have much elk hunting experience but if I was going to hunt otc I would go with a drop camp. My base camp is a wall tent with wood stove and airbeds. I could spike it in if I had to, but I don't really want to.

If I was a non-resident hunter, I would defintely put in for some premium hunts in states that don't have a point system like NM. Build some points in states that do. Good luck!

 

[Hogslayer]

I hope that 6 mile deep drainage is full of wolves.

They can't help themselves. Bless their hearts...

Anywhere from 2 miles on is fine with me. Wolves... Now that would add a level of excitement for sure and definately add to the story. Would get my moneys worth.

 

[Ucsdryder]

This thread keeps getting better and better. It’s very apparent the OP has no clue what he’s getting into. 1 mile from the truck in the Rocky Mountains is not killing one by the truck. 1 mile can seem like a lifetime! And before you then your nose up to the “easy elk by the road” you might want to consider the odds for a new out of state hunter. Assuming your in otc or close, your odds are bordering on 1-5%. Those “easy elk” might not be so easy.

 

[Hogslayer]

If by now you haven't gotten the message that I am not looking for easy, then I don't know what to say. I have the answer to my question. I will hunt my way back. Thanks again! For the other comments, thank you as well.

 

[Gerbdog]

There are elk all over out here, you can find them way back in there just as you can find them close to the road, I say go for it, make that elk hunting dream come true. The scouting trip will give you a good idea of what you're looking at terrain wise. I was out scouting this last weekend and can confirm I found them a mile from the road and also across the valley 1.5 miles straight up from the river bed (that would be a brutal hike, 1.5 miles may seem laughable but you'd be in for a day), bedding down at 13k in the open. They are where they want to be. They wont be there this fall, cause that's where ill be looking for them haha. I think everyone on this forum just wants you to have a successful hunting trip and are giving their best advice for success, and its sound. Your dream is your dream, gotta chase it your way, hike it back in there and bust it getting out.

 

[bsnedeker]

Welcome to the forum! As others have pointed out to you, Paul "Elknut" Medel is one of the best elk hunters on the planet. You will also find that he is one of the most giving and generous people out there as far as sharing elk knowledge is concerned. You're new here so hopefully you can take a lesson from this thread that we don't react well to people who ask for advice, and then get huffy when the advice they get doesn't match up with what they wanted to hear.

Please, hunt 6-8 miles from the trailhead if that is what you envision for your elk hunt. You'll be sharing that country with a bunch of flat-brims who get all of their elk hunting knowledge from youtube and podcasts while the rest of us are into elk less than 2 miles from the road that you pushed down to us!

 

[Gila]

I'd like to have at least 3 people if I'm packing an elk out 6+ miles.

The homies go tres hombries into the widerness to relay out the meat and distribute the camp weight.

 

[Birddog916]

Last year in ID the wilderness area in our unit was packed with people even 4 miles in from the truck. We hiked in to a spot we scouted only to find it covered with hunters, spent 3 days back there and didn't see an elk. Headed to the trucks day 3 and spent the next 4 days hunting from the truck and doing 1-3 mile hikes. Ended up killing an elk 1.5 miles from truck and having multiple opportunities with far fewer people.

 

[Gila]

This forum is awesome....thousands of years of elk hunting experience!

There are lucky hunters and then there are very skilled hunters. There ain't no easy elk hunting though! Some learn that the easy way and yet others learn it the hard way. We all have our own way and preferences but personally I will take the shortest path to success. I would rather bring meat home than sore muscles. But each to his own. This is the first time I have seen where a hunter gives high priority to hiking. Don't need an elk tag for that. But then elk are part of my landscape so I don't give much thought to such things.

 

[Boomer51]

Wow! Hunting hard, wether it's a mile or six miles from the truck won't necessarily get you an elk. Hunting smart will give you a chance. There's a lot of experience on this thread, which you seem to disregard. I'm sure you have a ton of experience backpacking, but I'll make an assumption and guess very little of it was off-trail, in steep, blow-down country. When you have an elk on your back in that kind of country it takes a toll on your feet, knees and back. Sidehilling in that country with 90-100 lbs on your back can be brutal. If you shoot a large bull and pack the horns out, it's four serious trips to get all the meat out.

Another thing to consider is the temperature. Once you get an elk down in archery season, if it's warm, you'll be racing the clock to prevent losing meat.

Sorry for cluttering your thread. I'm sure you've got it all figured out by now.

Keyboard Cowboy

 

[cgasner1]

I bet it would terrify a person to know how many bulls have been killed from ElkNuts information I grew up hunting them and until I listened to his information and read the book I just assumed it was bugle and chase to me the biggest thing is you hunt elk where they are your gonna have a very nice back packing trip with the approach you are taking


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[njdoxie]

Assuming your in otc or close, your odds are bordering on 1-5%. Those “easy elk” might not be so easy.

I would put the odds of a 1st time elk hunter with 5 days to hunt, killing an elk, at 1% or less, it’s tough. And if you’re ruling out country within a mile or two of the truck, the odds drop further. Not trying to rain on your parade, just being realistic.


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[Roughwater]

Hey Hogslayer,

A online friend of mine (Baxter Bowman) has a Elk hunting blog and I have trusted his advice. Here is some good advice on locating Elk quickly. Hope if proves helpful. https://www.baxterbowman.com/locating-elk-quickly/

 

[cnelk]

Anyone. And I mean anyone that refuses to pursue elk within 1 mile of their truck is a complete fool.

 

[rtkbowhunter]

Anyone. And I mean anyone that refuses to pursue elk within 1 mile of their truck is a complete fool.

Shhh....

 

[Werty]

I like people that walk past elk to find elk.