Are you ready?

[Gerbdog]

ready... yea.... nervous.... excited.... know where there's elk.... and its a new unit for me (spent my points) but also got some intel yesterday that the area i found all the elk gets hammered by hunting pressure so now .... now i'm left wondering .....

but! i always have the option to go higher and further and just beat the hunting pressure with my legs

 

[rkcdvm]

I'm in the same boat. It has been an interesting year with the last 3 months probably the most stressful. Injured my back and had to stop exercising for a bit. My coworker wrecked his motorcycle 2 months ago and I had to work his shifts and mine until about a week ago. This last weekend I got shingles for the 3rd time in my life.
However, I did start working out again, I have been shooting my bow (even this week with shingles) , and I have all of my stuff ready to throw in the truck. It will be a tough year physically. In the end I would rather go hunt and get my ass kicked than to not go hunt. Worst case scenario is I have to bag some whitetail this year to eat. I still have about 1/3 of an elk in the freezer too.

All things considered , I feel lucky that I still get to hunt.

 

[Coveyleader]

Nope, not ready at all. This is the first year since picking up a bow that I just haven't shot much. Got a newer bow and just never got around to doing anything to it until now. Also, hunting OTC just doesn't have the same appeal to it as a good tag. I'm concentrating on my daughter's hunts first and then I can figure out what I'm doing after ML season.

I normally don't shoot much anyways, it's just this year, I'm just way behind. Work has been crushing. I have 2 weeks off for one hunt, another week for elk If I want it. Just a matter of priorities. I think the fact that alot of OTC units went limited has me a bit turned off on my OTC unit as well.

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Probably the most prepared Ive ever been. I gave up powerlifting to focus on what it takes to be better prepared for this. Wanted to drop 35 pounds, currently at 57 down. Havent been this light since not eating for days on end in SERE school. I live in Louisiana, so perpetual flat ground doesnt help for elevation, but its been over 110 degree heat index for 75 straight days so Im fully set on being comfortable being uncomfortable.

Same with the bow. Im as dialed as I can get. I can honestly say Ive havent let up since last season ended. I dont know if I couldve stayed any more focused for the whole year. Hopefully it pays off, and if it doesnt, I cant say I left anything on the table.

Good luck to everyone this season.

 

[rgroves79]

I think I’m the most prepared I’ve ever been. I’ve dropped 50 lbs in the last 8 months and I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been in for the last 15 years. Bow is dialed and ready to go. The last thing I need to do is to pick up freeze dried meals and portion out food into separate days.

 

[CobraChicken]

Physically, I gave up weight lifting and went to long distance running. Did my first half in just over 2 hours. Running ever since. Went scouting and I have gas for days. Super excited to not have to worry about fitness and focus on the hunt.

Didn't draw crap this year except cows. Super down about it and just wanted to wait until rifle. Was gonna poke around for a otc deer but I thought, why not try and fill my cow tag with a bow? I only have 3 days but I'm dialed and ready to go. Better to just get out and shake the cobwebs off. Practice calling bulls in.

Bonus, bear opens on the first for rifle in my elk area. Rifle comes with to spike camp!

I love hunting big game but nothing, I repeat nothing gets me going like waterfowl. September 30 can't come soon enough.

 

[Ucsdryder]

not ready. Will be ready the day before. Seems like I’m less and less excited every year. I remember having my stuff packed a month before the season. If I was a non-resident, having to spend 700 on a tag plus everything else to come hunt Colorado, let’s just say the elk would be safe this year.

 

[selkirk21]

Broadhead tuned and ready to go!

 

[sodaksooner]

From a gear perspective, good to go and mostly packed (I don't leave for 10 days.)

Gun is good to go, normally bow is good to go.....lol.

I am in terrible shape compared to previous years, but will have almost 5 full days on the ground before season starts. Have been out of town for work a lot this summer and injured so has been hard to get in a groove training wise. Too little too late but working nights next week so will take advantage of cooler temps in the am. Hoping to drop a few more lbs before we get started in earnest.

I've slacked on map study and also have 4 units to scout instead of one (E1R tag in CO) so that puts me behind and since we normally concentrate on elk we don't spend as much time looking above the treeline as for mulies.

That all being said, it is coming and we are going anyway, so we are as prepared as we can be at this point.

 

[S.Clancy]

I'm pretty much ready. The cardio the last 4-6 weeks has been low due to traveling for work, but the rest of the year before that should make up for it. I'll be hunting 24 days between now and the end of September, woo hoo

 

[Thess87]

Physically pretty dialed. Gear dialed. Going to a new unit and from guys I know that live there say for some reason this year they are even struggling to find elk. So I’m pretty worried about that. 14 days till I hit the road to hunt for 15

 

[roosiebull]

Archery elk is coming fast. I have never been so unorganized and unprepared. Work, people dying, everything has just wrecked the year so far. My go to broadheads weren't flying so well, and instead of trying to solve it, I put some slicktricks on and they're flying good. I don't really care for them on elk, but this year they're going to be the head.

I have a great draw tag this year for another species and haven't been able to spend the time I wanted on that either. Sometimes life gets in the way. I never thought I'd say that.

Oh well, I hope you guys are ready, and a bit more organized than me. I'm going to be shoot the first legal bull this year and get it over with. Sadly, even a little 4x4 like this will be in trouble this year...... maybe.


View attachment 592944

I’m a mess too, haha

I feel like you describe, but I know all that really matters is I have been forcing time to shoot almost every day and I’m shooting well, besides that, I’m just waiting for the second to lay myself off and I will feel plenty prepared walking into the woods with my bow in hand, but yeah, I’m a wreck

I have only had 2 days off in the past 60, and have some long ones coming up starting tomorrow and haven’t done anything to prepare besides shoot, which is the only thing that could actually make me unprepared

I knew that would be the case this year and am completely content with it, I have had a lot of years just like this one, and once opening day rolls around, I will be prepared enough… shooting enough and time to hunt is all I ever care to have, the rest doesn’t matter unless I drew a good tag in unfamiliar country… but I’m going with the meat and potatoes this year and will be chasing bulls on the coast, and I don’t need much preparation for that… I spend a lot of time in the woods every year, but summer has mostly been hectic my whole life so I’m not concerned, just can’t wait!

I’m in good shape too, so that won’t be a factor, one benefit of the summer grind

 

[Coveyleader]

Funny, got some time today, decided to drive up I-70 big mistake! Highway shutdown for miles. Got to a glassing point at dusk, setting spotter up, in comes the torrential storms!

Saw a car on the west side of the tunnel sitting on top of the guard rail almost like it was balanced perfectly. FYI, Glenwood tunnel shutdown as well, I-70 was a complete mess today! Guys coming out, keep that in mind the week to come, labor day, elk opener, uff!

 

[grfox92]

I'm glad to see I'm the only one not ready. It just felt like it really snuck up on me this year. Haven't shot nearly as much as I usually do. I still have a fair amount of packing and organizing gear.

Luckily I drew a tag around home so I'll be hunting 4 and 3 day weekends all of September. And possibly take off a full week.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[PaBone]

I'm as ready as a 60 plus year old can be. Been doing lots of hiking with the pack on including one 14 miler in some rough terrain in Alaska a few weeks ago. Lower back is not great and having a pack on just makes it worse. Plan on having some of the 800 mg ibuprofen for the day after packing my elk out. Been shooting the bow
several times a week and pretty much have my gear ready. This is my 50th year of bow hunting and the fire still burns for hunting this fall.

 

[Fullfan]

Leaving for Idaho in 15 days. Been working out since 07/08. Did a 3d archery corse yesterday. Felt like I have been smoking 3 packs a day. Was shocked that I was so winded so fast, no clue why? Might be the sarcoidosis in the lungs?

Some stuff packed and food prepaired. Just a lil behind.

 

[Next Ridge]

I’m ready mentally. I’m not packed but that only takes a day anymore. All my logistics are lined up.

 

[darcytribe]

I’m just going to be a caller and hopefully packer this year. Gonna try to get my hunting partner their first bull. looking forward to this change in role. Takes the weapon practice prep off the table which has made prep easier. Gear is ready to go. Have a huge work project that will run right up to the day before I fly west on the 16th. Didn’t get to go last year so I’m itching to get back after em’.

 

[MallardSX2]

Mentally-Yes.

Everything else is suffering and m,y confidence in my bow is the thing that is weighing on me the most right now.

 

[HTNFSH]

Shooting, 90%, Fitness, a little worried. Running a ton, lost 15lbs, but no lifting or weighted carries until this week. My legs got skinny from running so much. Feel great though! It will be a last-minute decision whether to hit the mountains the last week of Sept, solo. Preparing for it though.