Now or Never and My Wife Wants to go!

[500000KV]

Go get them. If you haven’t already, give this story a read. Although his was a rifle hunt, it’s well written and gives an idea of what to expect solo. Best of luck.

2020 Solo Backcountry Idaho Elk Recap

hey all Have never put the time in to post a thread like this in all my hunting and fishing adventures, but I felt this one needed to be told. Rewind back to early in 2020, before everything went to hell. I had coordinated a trip my family and I had talked about for several years, an Idaho...

www.rokslide.com

 

[isocyanate]

Yea, you can gain those advantages of spiking out for sure, saves miles on the feet.... but all of that only matters if your into elk. Truck camping as many suggest just gives you the freedom to completely move areas on a whim until you find the elk, which is the hardest part. You should always be doing a lot of hiking in the dark, whether your camping out of the truck or camping out of your pack. Get out there and hike around and Listen for elk long before the suns up and hunt until the sun goes down. I wouldnt count on waking up into elk even if your spiking, your not gonna wanna camp in the midst of them when the sun goes down and your gonna have to be incredibly lucky to wake up in them.... that said, sure is cool hearing them bugling all night long when your out there spiking

Thanks for the perspective. I have 8 days in the field, 192 hours. I intend to be hunting for no less than 128 of them. The realities of my fitness and the altitude may be different I'm thinking my plan is to leave the truck with enough food and gear to stay the night with a buffer. No plans for 10 days unsupported and most of the spots I have scouted can be linked up in a loop that runs back to the truck and never take me more than 5-7 miles or so from base, so no big deal to walk out and regroup if needed. But absolutely want to maximize my time actually hunting.

 

[Valkyrie]

So my wife says she’s coming along. We usually do a vacation to somewhere in the Caribbean but haven’t because COVID. So she says she’s tagging along with me and plans to camp and hike and enjoy the relaxing while I’m off “playing in the woods”.

I have to say I’m excited. I took her deer hunting once and she sat in one of my big ladder stands with me n early October and said it was mind numbing boredom. But she likes to hike and be outside. I told her I’ll be gone all day every day. She said “good!” Lol!

she’s planning camp meals and all the accoutrements for comfort.

 

[87TT]

So it's back to a nice camping trip? I'm sure your wife is a lovely woman and all but I doubt she will be happy alone all day while you hunt. And you will have her on your mind too. Your hunting will suffer.

 

[Valkyrie]

So it's back to a nice camping trip? I'm sure your wife is a lovely woman and all but I doubt she will be happy alone all day while you hunt. And you will have her on your mind too. Your hunting will suffer.

Well I’m not gonna tell her no. She does fine without me for months and months while I’m deployed. And she usually tags along to our place when I go archery for deer. I’m sure she will be fine. So will I.

 

[87TT]

Don't mind an old man. Just have fun. HYOH
(hunt your own hunt)

 

[isocyanate]

Well I’m not gonna tell her no. She does fine without me for months and months while I’m deployed. And she usually tags along to our place when I go archery for deer. I’m sure she will be fine. So will I.

Sounds like a great trip. I know mine is just fine hanging back at camp while I go play wild man.


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[Scoot]

I hope it goes well. I do wonder how she'll do without you, with few creature comforts, and nobody to talk to all day every day. But... it's your deal and I wish you luck! Shoot a good one and get her to help pack it out!

 

[Zeke6951]

You thought ElkNut1 was kidding about too many excuses. About 22 years ago I went on my first once in a lifetime elk hunt. I have gone every year since. My first year of retirement I set up camp 2 days before season and broke camp the next to the last day. Crossed that off my bucket list. I too loved to WT hunt. I am not sure but I can only remember a couple of WT hunts since my first elk hunt. WTs will slide down your list of priorities I'm sure. I tell my pastor (an elk hunting bud) it is a sin to think about elk hunting as mush as I do.
We set up a truck camp but always have a pack ready for a spike camp if needed. It gets pretty old hiking in 3 to 4 miles every morning and back out every night. But it is great to eat real food and sleep on a cot in a wall tent. A different person is in charge of dinner each night. This may be your first hunt but unless I miss my guess it will not be your last.
PS: Shorten the learning curve, read every thing you can find by ElkNut1.

 

[JeffRaines]

I can't add anything on elk hunting as I'm no expert...

I have done a few out of state hunts. I wouldn't go for less than 7-10 and maybe even 14 days depending on the level of boots-on-the-ground scouting you've done beforehand. I feel like 10 hunting days is the minimum for e-scouting only. What you'll discover is that you'll burn 2-3 days easy checking spots, leaving you next to no time to hunt the "good" spots effectively... and if one of those two days falls on a weekend those spots may be bunk due to pressure from the weekend warriors. Inevitably you'll also find yourself back on the maps finding more spots at some point during those first few days as well... all burning up precious time.

I've been there before, and I always wish I had budgeted more time on the last day. I won't do an unknown out of state hunt for less than 10 days now. It's a waste otherwise. Out of state tags are a huge expense, why spend the money on them and then handicap yourself time-wise?

 

[Dos Perros]

Man would I love to come back to a hot tent hot dinner and my seggsy wife.