Backcountry Elk Progression

[trophyhill]

ever since I first started Bowhunting and elk hunting in '08, I've wanted to do a backcountry hunt. I've done a couple 2 day bivys with whatever gear I had in the closet and I just was not set up for it and really started taking gear seriously after those makeshift bivy hunts. it's been a progression to gain all the necessities for doing this type of hunt and to open more opportunity to kill elk. now for the first time the door is wide open waiting for me to step thru it. i'll be hunting the first couple days of opening season with a couple friends from a truck camp. then it's to the backcountry for 4 or 5 days. then back to truck camp for a couple days to restock and recuperate for a day or 2 and then back in for the remainder of the hunt if necessary. kind of breaking myself in a bit. i'm pumped and excited to say the least.

was backcountry hunting for you a natural progression too? or did you just jump into backcountry style right off the bat?

 

[SHTF]

Progression for sure. I started out Car camping and hunting. Then moved to 3 to 5 day hunts but still car camping. wasnt till I found Kifaru and met Aron that i started getting serious about getting out there and chasing into the deep back woods.

 

[Matt Cashell]

My progression of elk hunting:

1. Dayhunting.
2. Base camp.
3. Bivy.
4. Horseback/backcountry camp.

 

[ssliger]

I'm in the same boat as you, I have spent many weeks hunting elk, but always from a base camp. This is my first backpack hunt. We are starting small and will only be packing in around 6-10 miles for 4 days, then a day at the camper to restock. I am getting real excited. I'm heading out Sept 20th. I will have some weekends before that to hunt from the truck.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

My first elk hunt was a 10 day archery hunt where we packed in three miles and set up a spike camp. I had no clue what I was doing, but the other guys had been doing it for years and showed me the ropes.

Having learned this way, day hunts and car camping have always felt a little wierd to me. Nothing wrong with it, but I feel like I'm missing half the experience if I'm not pitching a tent or tarp in the middle of nowhere.

 

[dreamingbig]

I jumped right in but had my dad as a mentor.

 

[slim9300]

It was a progression for me. First time I was 19 and 3 days of chasing elk, missing shots and not sleeping a minute hooked me for life. There is something about picking a bugle and hunting right out of the tent in the morning.

 

[Broken Arrow]

Jumping in with both feet! To each his own but I've slept with the turkeys slept in a treestand (not the safest I know) sleeping with the elk just feels natural. Can't see hiking in a bunch of miles just to hike back out and do it all over again.

 

[gelton]

I started when a client from Colorado invited me out to hunt his 200 acres and an adjoining 1,000 acres that is owned by a pretty famous dude, especially if you grew up in the 70's and 80's, that I cant name. My client actually lived there so all the comforts of home. No elk but he got to fill his mulie tag and I got to see a ton of nice mule deer bucks.

I guess my opportunity to hunt elk made my dad jealous so he insisted on a backpack public land elk hunt with him on the next year (last year). His first and my first. We did a spike camp about four miles from the truck. Plenty of sign and plenty of carcasses from bow/muzzzy/first rifle season but no elk for us. I learned alot hiking those 50 miles over six days. Enough to have spent plenty of money this offseason making preparations and buying gear that should make life much easier this go round. Cant wait to find out in about 45 days.

 

[Tony Trietch]

I am a Long time whitetail hunter from the Midwest. I have been chasing deer with a bow since I was 12, I am 39 now. It is my life love and has developed into a 5-6 state three month marathon every year. Having many farmer friends in these states allows me the opportunity to live this dream out.

This year will be my first trip west to chase Elk and Mule deer. I have jumped in head first and will be hunting Montana archery solo out of my backpack.
The planning and preparation that has gone into this would not have been possible with out the help from experienced hunter on here and other sites that have helped with info and advise.
Here it goes..

 

[Backpack Hunter]

It was an immediate, but natural progression for me as I have always been a pretty avid backpacker. Not saying I had all the "best" gear at first, but its the first style I ever tried and still by far my favorite.

 

[elkmtngear]

I'm doing the same thing David. I'm ready to do 3 4-day spike outs, hopefully we'll be packed up with two bulls and heading out after the second one.

In the past, we always base camped, and humped in and out every day. I'm looking forward to having elk bugle around my tent this Season.

Did a couple in Oregon last Season for the first time, so I'm starting to get better at it. I'm spiking out 3 nights for blacktail this weekend.

 

[les welch]

I planned for just over one year, and then it was balls deep, straight in. Never looked back. My first hunt was a 28 hour drive to Western Idaho from WI. Arrived at the trailhead right at dark. Slept for the night, got up well before daybreak and shouldered the pack and bow. Was walking by headlamp, and literally walked until dark that first night. 14 hours of hiking to get just over 4, as the crow flies, miles in. Map study and GE gave me the best route across country, but what it didn't show was all the beetle kill, and how hard it would be traverse that ground. I set camp that night by headlamp and killed my first elk, a 5x5, the next evening. I've never looked back since then. All backcountry, mostly wilderness, some solo, all DIY hunts. I love it.

 

[cmeier117]

I did day hunting my first 3 years for rifle elk and deer. Real close to the roads as it is hard to get away from the roads anywhere near my house. My 4th year hunting was my first year bow hunting and I did a 6 day back pack hunt. This is my 5th year and am doing a 10 day pack in hunt, the thing that makes this year so much better is I have what I would consider the best gear a guy could get or atleast most of it anyways. I dropped 15 lbs or so in my pack weight and I am going for 4 more days. I would recommend going on a few backpacking/scouting trips during the summer to find out what works for you. Good luck!!