I have found the elk on public land!

[IdahoElk]

First thing I had to do when coming out west from being a whitetail hunter from the east, Elk are not big whitetails and act nothing like them so trying to pattern them in the high country is pretty much useless. Oh, and not hunting below 7600' is a mistake.

 

[UKwildcatfan]

First thing I had to do when coming out west from being a whitetail hunter from the east, Elk are not big whitetails and act nothing like them so trying to pattern them in the high country is pretty much useless. Oh, and not hunting below 7600' is a mistake.

Hunting below 7600' won't be a problem for him, as the highest peak is 6600'.

 

[Neumie]

Interesting thread!
Is the tag a reg price bull tag? I thought the youth were all cow tags?
Best of luck to your daughter and you.

 

[Balderdash]

I like to focus on what I call middle ground areas. They're far enough off the road that road hunters and or hunters in mediocre shape won't likely be into the game I'm after, but less than say 4-5 miles from an access point. Ive found these areas can sometimes hold more game than deep wilderness areas that get packed into and/or have outfitters. I like to look for some kind of obstacle close to the road or trail that keeps other hunters out. It can be terrain, a bog, a section of blow downs, etc; anything that makes it a PIA for hunters to get into position.

 

[Chris in TN]

I like to focus on what I call middle ground areas. They're far enough off the road that road hunters and or hunters in mediocre shape won't likely be into the game I'm after, but less than say 4-5 miles from an access point. Ive found these areas can sometimes hold more game than deep wilderness areas that get packed into and/or have outfitters. I like to look for some kind of obstacle close to the road or trail that keeps other hunters out. It can be terrain, a bog, a section of blow downs, etc; anything that makes it a PIA for hunters to get into position.

I am still looking at the same basic ~50,000 acre block I started with but am now focused more on some smaller 200-500 acre spots closer to the roads and maybe between parallel trails or down a steep hill. In short, all the little spots I ignored the first week or so that I was looking at aerial imagery.

 

[Chris in TN]

Interesting thread!
Is the tag a reg price bull tag? I thought the youth were all cow tags?
Best of luck to your daughter and you.

I missed your question.

Youth get preference in the secondary drawing, and the tags they get are at lower 'youth' prices, about $126 for a deer or elk tag for a nonresident, but youth have access to the same tags anyone else does in the secondary draw. So it's the same tag, it just costs less.

I'm counting the days down now. We're building our packs out, slowly, testing gear as best we can in 100 degree heat.

 

[Neumie]

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn’t aware the youth price extended to bull tags.

 

[OKHunter84]

A three hour backpack trip that puts us within an easy morning stroll of two days of hunting, is a tradeoff I'll be willing to make, if needed, when we get there and see things that I cannot possible see and know until about October 11-12-13 at best.

I'm not planning a trip that hinges on backpacking deep into the wilderness. I'm planning a trip that'll hinge on a whole bunch of factors (the weather before we get there and what's forecasted while we are there and what we find in our days of scouting closer to the road and how glass-able certain spots prove to be) and we may never set foot in a wilderness, but I do see it as likely and not even the 'worst case'. I think my daughter can probably handle a wilderness hunt with all of the associated work spread out over a day of getting there, a couple days of hunting, and a day out, better than she can handle getting up in the middle of the night to climb mountains in the dark then climb back down a different mountain after dark then getting up to do it again several days in a row. If we actually kill something we have to either get it to a trail by ourselves (for the packers to retrieve) or a road by ourselves. It's work either way. I'm not going into this with a commitment to 'go deep'. I'm going into this committed to doing whatever I believe gives us the best odds when we get there, and 'going deep' requires a lot of advanced preparation whereas truck camping is easier in some ways but absolutely brutal if we shoot something in a steep nasty canyon that's 'only' a mile from the road.

I can't plan to truck camp then change my mind at the last minute and safely hike six miles into a wilderness. But I *can* plan to be in the wilderness then switch to a truck hunt at the last minute.

Also - the worry about 'what if you get there and there's no elk?' sort of depends on the notion that there's a 10,000 acre block of good elk habitat that's going to be empty. I'm sure that's possible but I'm not sure it's likely.

This is how I've gone about it the last few trips. I have everything I need to backpack in, but hunt from the truck at first. Let's you get a feel for the country and see if you're seeing anything closer to the roads.

Me and my nephew packed a bull out in two trips, 4 miles in. It really sucked and my right knee didn't feel right for a while. Had my wife on a nice 6x6 last year, from about fifty yards but she couldn't get on him in time. We were 8 miles back. I wish she could've got him but my joints are glad she didn't .

 

[Chris in TN]

This is how I've gone about it the last few trips. I have everything I need to backpack in, but hunt from the truck at first. Let's you get a feel for the country and see if you're seeing anything closer to the roads.

Me and my nephew packed a bull out in two trips, 4 miles in. It really sucked and my right knee didn't feel right for a while. Had my wife on a nice 6x6 last year, from about fifty yards but she couldn't get on him in time. We were 8 miles back. I wish she could've got him but my joints are glad she didn't .

That's sort of what we are planning. Season opens on Wednesday. I hope to pull into the area on Thursday night and have Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon to acclimate and scout and Tuesday to set up camp somewhere then rest/enjoy the afternoon and be up and at it Wednesday with a plan. Of course plans won't be set in stone. It'll depend on pressure and there's no way to know what that looks like until Wednesday morning.

 

[OKHunter84]

That's sort of what we are planning. Season opens on Wednesday. I hope to pull into the area on Thursday night and have Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon to acclimate and scout and Tuesday to set up camp somewhere then rest/enjoy the afternoon and be up and at it Wednesday with a plan. Of course plans won't be set in stone. It'll depend on pressure and there's no way to know what that looks like until Wednesday morning.

Hopefully you guys can get into them. Good luck

 

[Oakman]

You’d think what you see on OnX or Google Earth reflects reality, but not always. More than once, we’ve shown up to our area and found roads blocked, gated, or foot access only. You really won’t know your true plan until you’re actually there on the ground.

The other point is AT&T's coverage map can definitely vary. I actually called them recently about satellite texting, they said they’re still working on a pilot project with AST SpaceMobile to roll out satellite based text messaging. So it’s not fully up and running yet, but it’s in the works.

 

[Chris in TN]

You’d think what you see on OnX or Google Earth reflects reality, but not always. More than once, we’ve shown up to our area and found roads blocked, gated, or foot access only. You really won’t know your true plan until you’re actually there on the ground.

The other point is AT&T's coverage map can definitely vary. I actually called them recently about satellite texting, they said they’re still working on a pilot project with AST SpaceMobile to roll out satellite based text messaging. So it’s not fully up and running yet, but it’s in the works.

I'm pretty committed to having an inreach for communication.

As for roads and whatnot I've talked several times with USFS and CPW people and I think I have a good handle on road access. My biggest fear - because I've seen it before - is getting there to find out I have completely misread the scale of the area. Every couple of days I measure off whatever area I've been looking at then scroll GE back over to where I live and make a similar sized block to remind myself exactly how big 200 or 2000 or 20000 acres really is. At this point I'm focusing on maybe a 12000 acre block of land with similar blocks adjacent to it if I can't find anything to hunt in the first 12k.

 

[WyoKid]

Chris -

Congrats on getting your daughter out - that is more.than 1/2 the battle. Very cool that she wants to be with Dad in the woods. I agree with most everyone else but my add-in is not to focus on hunting but to focus on creating memories and enjoying the woods with your daughter. That is what really counts. I've killed several Elk and try to take one home to feed my family every year, but I go for the experience, the fresh air, the solitude, and the beauty of the mountains and commardarie of similar minded people - going to the mountains is my church.

Second, like everyone said, don't overthink it as Elk are where you find them. For me, is a walkabout in the woods to explore new areas. Just be smart about wind, terrain and roads, and you will find one when you least expect it.

Good luck and would love to hear a post-trip report!

 

[Oakman]

I'm pretty committed to having an inreach for communication.

As for roads and whatnot I've talked several times with USFS and CPW people and I think I have a good handle on road access. My biggest fear - because I've seen it before - is getting there to find out I have completely misread the scale of the area. Every couple of days I measure off whatever area I've been looking at then scroll GE back over to where I live and make a similar sized block to remind myself exactly how big 200 or 2000 or 20000 acres really is. At this point I'm focusing on maybe a 12000 acre block of land with similar blocks adjacent to it if I can't find anything to hunt in the first 12k.

You did your part, and probably more than most would in your situation, especially with your daughter alongside you. Please have fun and keep a positive mindset.
Another thing, I am sure you know it, maybe take a moment to look at the topography lines. That alone can give you a fresh view, how steep things really are, where the contours level out, and whether there’s a better way around

 

[Chris in TN]

You did your part, and probably more than most would in your situation, especially with your daughter alongside you. Please have fun and keep a positive mindset.
Another thing, I am sure you know it, maybe take a moment to look at the topography lines. That alone can give you a fresh view, how steep things really are, where the contours level out, and whether there’s a better way around

Oh, we intend to have fun whether we shoot anything or not. We should be right next to a named peak and if we adjust well enough to the lack of air, one of those scouting days will involve packing a spotting scope up that mountain and glassing off it. Neither of us have ever climbed a named peak so that'll be fun either way.