FNG here seeking advice

[Cowboy611]

So im brand spanking new to elk hunting and big game hunting. Well the rocky mountains too but i do have a basic understanding and wood smarts. Just want to know of anything i should work on besides getting good gear. And any books for advice.

 

[tstowater]

Where do you live? What do you want to hunt? How? When and Where? What have you hunted? Budget? Timing? Tell us about you. What I am saying is that you need to give more information to get more. This site is an incredible source of information and great people, but their need to know more to be helpful. Good Luck.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Since you put this in the elk hunting forum, I am guessing you are asking for elk hunting advice. It would certainly help to know where you live, and know more specifically what you need help with, but I can give you a little bit of advice on elk. First off, gear is fun, but...it isn't everything. I shoot a rifle that is 70+ years old. I also wear army surplus wool when it snows. Boots and optics are the two places where you really get what you pay for, and good sets of both are the only pieces of gear I'd call absolutely must have accessories aside from a weapon that is reliable.

The best thing I can tell you, without knowing more about your situation, is to learn everything you can about the life cycle of the animals you want to hunt. Read up on habitat, food preferences, breeding habits, birthing time, herding behaviors, etc. We can help the most with specific questions, and you will have those once you start to learn about elk (or whatever you want to hunt).

By the way, welcome!

 

[elkmtngear]

Here's a great book for the first time public land elk hunter: Public Land Elk Hunting

For Spot and Stalk Mule Deer hunting, it's hard to beat this book by Dwight Schuh: Hunting Open Country Mule Deer

A lot of good info on this site as well, if you have a specific question, just throw it out there!

 

[Cowboy611]

Thanks. I was refering to elk but i want a muley soon too. I live in laramie, wy. I went hunting in the snowies with a couple guys from work. They showed me their hunting spot but i want to get good at finding them. Binos a pack and scouting are on the list this year. If i can make it happen more kryptek gear

 

[tstowater]

There are some members on this site from Laramie. I think Crumy is one of them. Might want to PM him. Wyoming is a good state and presents all kinds of different elk opportunities from cropland hunting to backcountry hunting and everything in between. Can be exciting in Griz country and the predators have been really hard on the elk in certain areas. There is a way to play the "application game" even for residents, but there are guys who know more about this than I do. I am amazed about the number of different areas of Wyoming with quality bulls. Depending on what you are looking for, Wyoming may offer it. As Laramie is in or close to some good elk country, just get out to see what's the elk are doing.

 

[Cowboy611]

Thanks

 

[tstowater]

If you haven't figured it out already, probably a really good idea to get a GPS with the Wyoming card in it. There may be lots of public ground, but getting to it and knowing where the boundaries are is a real problem. The GPS with the card can make life a lot better. Seems that the landowners are quite sensitive to the trespasser issue, and with good cause.

 

[ssliger]

The Snowy's are a good place to cut your teeth on finding elk, most guys I know that are successful have hunted the same area for years. It seems as though a majority of hunters from Laramie hunt the Sierra Madres and the Snowy's get hit hard from hunters from Cheyenne. My biggest advice is boots on the ground. I started elk hunting around 5 years ago, every year I gain more knowledge and self confidence. Look at the meat pole thread there is the bull I shot from the Snowy's and a pic of the bull Crumy's wife shot.

 

[Cowboy611]

Gps will happen but for now i can use my phone as an interm. Ill be wandering all over the snowies this summer maybe ill try the sierra madres too

 

[tstowater]

Gps will happen but for now i can use my phone as an interm. Ill be wandering all over the snowies this summer maybe ill try the sierra madres too

GPS is for making sure you are where you can be and the Wyoming card/chip tells you who owns the property. Where there is no fences to signify ownership changes or where the fence is not on the line, I'm not sure the phone is good enough. Just my experience and several others.

 

[ftballman125]

GPS is for making sure you are where you can be and the Wyoming card/chip tells you who owns the property. Where there is no fences to signify ownership changes or where the fence is not on the line, I'm not sure the phone is good enough. Just my experience and several others.

I use my android phone and it works even better than my GPS. Check out http://backcountrynavigator.com/ and get their optional Public Lands Overlay vector file. Then you have 16 minute USGS quads with overlays for BLM, NFS, State, County, etc. It's a lot cheaper too, since the App is only like $10 and the overlay is something like $7. Best $17 bucks I've spent.

 

[Cowboy611]

I have an iphone so no backcountry navigator but i can get the trimble version

 

[JoshTX]

I'm a big fan of technology BUT I think it should be used in addition to, not in lieu of, a map and a compass. Orienteering courses are a great way to learn valuable skills towards that endeavor. In addition, I would make sure that you can start a fire in any condition and you really do need to make sure that you are truly confident (not a false confidence) in your skills as a woodsman. Don't forget first aid either..

I would be worrying about the above long before gear. Gear is sexy and skill building isn't, but IMHO, the skills are what determine your success and safety.

 

[ftballman125]

I'm a big fan of technology BUT I think it should be used in addition to, not in lieu of, a map and a compass. Orienteering courses are a great way to learn valuable skills towards that endeavor. In addition, I would make sure that you can start a fire in any condition and you really do need to make sure that you are truly confident (not a false confidence) in your skills as a woodsman. Don't forget first aid either..

I would be worrying about the above long before gear. Gear is sexy and skill building isn't, but IMHO, the skills are what determine your success and safety.

Agreed 100%. Learn orienteering, learn fire starting, learn wilderness first aid (get certified), and just spend a bunch of time in the backcountry. My suggestion for software assumes you also know what to do when your phone breaks 10 miles back and you have to rely on a map/compass.

 

[Cowboy611]

Altho ive never done any orienteering i have a basic idea of it. I will get a map and compass in addition to my BFM that has the forest service roads already. Im proficent at finding directions using the sun and north slopes being greener. I always have atleast two sources of fire and a knife when im outdoors alot of time my tomahawk comes or is close aka in the truck. Ive been lighting fires without gas or diesel fuel for a long time and am decent enough at it. Im not worried about surviving over night in the woods i already camp with just a tarp and sleep under the stars and cook with fire. I also got stuck in the forest one spring and it took 20 hrs too get out. That was over confidence but i learned alot

 

[JoshTX]

Another thing I thought of...

You need to be able to recognize the signs of hypothermia as it can come quickly and can be a game changer. This ties into the need for wilderness first aid training.

Also..It's one thing to be stuck over night without snivel gear but it's another thing altogether to be stuck overnight with a sprained/broken ankle and 10 miles to the truck. I think that being confident is a good thing as it is what will allow you to embark on the journey in the first place BUT over-confidence can kill you. In my experience a healthy dose of fear never hurt either. It keeps you on your toes

This is is just my opinion and your mileage may vary.

Altho ive never done any orienteering i have a basic idea of it. I will get a map and compass in addition to my BFM that has the forest service roads already. Im proficent at finding directions using the sun and north slopes being greener. I always have atleast two sources of fire and a knife when im outdoors alot of time my tomahawk comes or is close aka in the truck. Ive been lighting fires without gas or diesel fuel for a long time and am decent enough at it. Im not worried about surviving over night in the woods i already camp with just a tarp and sleep under the stars and cook with fire. I also got stuck in the forest one spring and it took 20 hrs too get out. That was over confidence but i learned alot

 

[ST52v]

Cowboy611 , I have a Oragon 450 I am thinking of parting with. If interested send me a pm.