Feeling overwhelmed

[Crambo]

Good stuff posted here. Lots of good suggestions and plenty of information to get out off on the right foot.

 

[Newtosavage]

Both the best and the worst advice I can give anyone is: It only takes one.

That mindset has kept me in the woods long after I wanted to give up, but it has also kept me chasing elk and deer that simply weren't there, long after I should have.

 

[Gumbo]

Both the best and the worst advice I can give anyone is: It only takes one.

That mindset has kept me in the woods long after I wanted to give up, but it has also kept me chasing elk and deer that simply weren't there, long after I should have.

Excellent point. I once spent days glassing an amazing vista in eastern MT for muleys from dawn to dusk in mid-November. I could see perhaps 15 square miles of isolated, roadless, wide-open terrain. I probably saw all the deer in the first couple days but refused to move in the hopes that a big guy would move in. I was confident because I'd shot a couple nice deer there in previous years, but this year it simply wasn't panning out. I ended up not notching a tag (which for me is rare), and in hindsight should have moved to a new spot. One of the biggest skills you can develop is when it is time for change because what you are doing, or where you are doing it simply isn't working.

 

[Newtosavage]

One of the biggest skills you can develop is when it is time for change because what you are doing, or where you are doing it simply isn't working.

Yea, that's a tough call sometimes. I think it just takes enough experience to know that, and even then we'll get it wrong sometimes (see cnelk's post above).

My rule of thumb with elk now is that if I can't smell elk, I need to keep looking until I can. That's how fresh I want the elk sign before I commit to an area.

 

[Gumbo]

My rule of thumb with elk now is that if I can't smell elk, I need to keep looking until I can. That's how fresh I want the elk sign before I commit to an area.

Hell yes!

"Follow your nose...It always knows!"
-Toucan Sam

 

[Bear_b23]

.

It’s humiliating, humbling and the hardest thing I ever done but it’s also the greatest, rewarding and probably the biggest test of self discipline and dedication of anything I ever done. It’s refreshing to get away and see all of God’s wonder. It makes you feel small and huge at the same time.

Keep God first and he’ll lead you I. The right direction

Exactly the reason why I'm doing my first (hopefully not only) western hunt. I cant wait for 2nd season.

Randy seems like a great/genuine guy. I've watched all of his videos and listened to a number of podcasts. Start early with research and dont expect to be as skilled as folks here. My first time will be w a guide. Next, who knows, maybe a drop camp or diy.