Shrek's unprepared last minute 2016 elk hunt !

[jlrichesin]

It is amazing how I sit here with anticipation, waiting for someone that I do not know to be successful. It really helps pass the time while I sit behind a computer all day waiting for next year's season. I am new to the forum's, and I have found that this right here is some of the best to keep me motivated to being a better hunter year round.

 

[Shrek]

It was ugly today ! You can't count on muscle memory and determination to get you through an elk hunt ! I had to come out after starting to get cramps in the large muscles on the top of my thighs that I can't remember the name of. I stumbled down the other side of the mountain and was able to get a ride back to my truck. I'm going to regroup and decide if I'm going to eastern Montana and try and get a mule deer in less challenging terrain of go home and hunt around the house. I probably could have stayed up there and hunted but I'm pretty sure I don't have four heavy pack outs in me so I came out. Killing an elk you don't think you can get out counting only on yourself isn't ethical. I think I could get help but I don't want to take that for granted. Lesson for everyone to learn from me is keep up your workout routine even if you don't think you are going.

 

[mtswampfox]

us southerners have a real disadvantage living at sea level 365, then attempting to live for a few days at altitude. cant imagine what excersize routine we can do to simulate that. am on treadmill one hour day just to keep my glucose levels below 7. that is all I want to do and know it would not help at all. kind of like toughening the ass muscles for horseback riding, you just gotta ride horses.

 

[Shrek]

I've already decided I'm going to hunt mule deer in easier country for a few days at least and see how I feel. If I get stronger quickly and have a few days before the season ends I may give it another shot.

 

[mtwarden]

good luck with your muley hunt!; if you get a wild hair to hunt elk maybe you could try to make contact with one of the Montana guys (not sure where you hunt)?????, seems like there are a fair number of us on the forum

 

[belly-deep]

That has got to be rough coming from sea level. A HS buddy of mine came up last fall to hunt elk. I didn't do as much pre-season conditioning as I would have liked (ok, I didn't do any). He is usually in pretty good shape. Lucky for me, him coming from sea level pretty much put us on the same level at 7k feet.

 

[Shrek]

Belly deep, I quit with the pack in mid may when the yellow flies came out at my workout trail. It's too hot to do much over the summer and by the time I'd usually have picked up the workouts I didn't think I'd be able to go so I let it slide. Then I worked 16/7 but for one day off driving my truck. That allowed me to come but I literally didn't walk a mile in that time much less 8-12 every other day with a pack on like I would normally have done. I basically have no work put in since mid May. It showed today...

 

[rbljack]

It is amazing how I sit here with anticipation, waiting for someone that I do not know to be successful. It really helps pass the time while I sit behind a computer all day waiting for next year's season. I am new to the forum's, and I have found that this right here is some of the best to keep me motivated to being a better hunter year round.

X2 for sure!!

 

[robby denning]

go Shrek, go Shrek!

Glad you got to come out. Yes, go to gentler country and pace yourself. If you're careful and get enough rest, you might be surprised what you can do in five days from now.

I'll be checking in!

 

[rbljack]

I agree with Robby! . Coming from lower altitude, it took me about 2 days to start to adjust to the 8500 kft we were at, and the headache lasted even longer. After you drive that kind of mileage on short notice, im sure you were/are worn down from the trip too.

 

[Shrek]

go Shrek, go Shrek!

Glad you got to come out. Yes, go to gentler country and pace yourself. If you're careful and get enough rest, you might be surprised what you can do in five days from now.

I'll be checking in!

I'm hoping the endurance comes back and I can give it another shot. I need to look at the country I'm going to anyway and a decent mule deer would put some salve on this wound. It's tough when you are at the top of the mountain but have to admit to yourself you can't do this.

 

[Shrek]

Guys keep telling me I need some MTN OPS. I'm going to order some and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Ruskin]

Shrek,
I posted earlier to share my story and wish you luck. I was physically far behind where i wanted to be this year, so I knew i couldn't get deep where I thought elk would be. As it ends up, elk were much closer than I thought. I shot my 5x5 less than 1/2 mile from the truck. You've educated yourself with elk knowledge...use that to find high probability areas you can reach and be successful on the pack out.

Good luck!!!

 

[hobbes]

I've got limited experience with the mulies, but I'd say BLM and BMA's with nasty broken country.......glass, glass, and glass some more. It's incredible how much they blend in to this country if they aren't moving. That's what I'll be doing in the morning (looking for one more chance at a deer) and what I did last week a few days. I should have killed a nice buck last week, but wasn't prepared when an opportunity was upon me unexpectedly. Don't be surprised to run into a good whitetail in mule deer county. I tried a stalk on a good whitetail bedded with two does in wide open prairie yesterday. They were in the perfect place for a stalk, but they got up before I got there and rebedded then somehow busted me when I backed out and around.

While nowhere near the numbers, you'd be surprised where you could run into an elk in the east. Make sure that you know which elk if any you can shoot wherever you hunt mule deer. You don't want to be staring at a bull, a cow, or a spike trying to decide if it's legal.

Good luck

 

[Shrek]

I've got limited experience with the mulies, but I'd say BLM and BMA's with nasty broken country.......glass, glass, and glass some more. It's incredible how much they blend in to this country if they aren't moving. That's what I'll be doing in the morning (looking for one more chance at a deer) and what I did last week a few days. I should have killed a nice buck last week, but wasn't prepared when an opportunity was upon me unexpectedly. Don't be surprised to run into a good whitetail in mule deer county. I tried a stalk on a good whitetail bedded with two does in wide open prairie yesterday. They were in the perfect place for a stalk, but they got up before I got there and rebedded then somehow busted me when I backed out and around.

While nowhere near the numbers, you'd be surprised where you could run into an elk in the east. Make sure that you know which elk if any you can shoot wherever you hunt mule deer. You don't want to be staring at a bull, a cow, or a spike trying to decide if it's legal.

Good luck

I'm looking forward to using my new ATX 95 on deer ! I have already had the situation of elk in mule deer country on my first trip west. I'll have to read the regulations carefully before I hunt.

 

[wyosteve]

I tried the Mtn. Ops Yeti and Enduro this year. For me it made a world of difference. Even though I work out several times a week and live at 6400 ft., the extra boost I got for this old body was definitely worth it.

 

[NoWiser]

If temps don't get much above the 50s you can take as long as you need to get an elk out. Instead of 4 heavy trips take 8 easy ones! Go get them!

 

[mtnwrunner]

Well??????????????????

Randy

 

[Shrek]

Well.... it sucked yesterday and the suck will continue today as I shop for tires . The cheesy soccer mom SUV tires I have are mostly worn out but we're fine for where I was but I didn't make it three miles off the pavement out here before a rock cut a tire. Spare was flat but I was able to get it inflated with my pump but it leaked bad. I had to stop every two minutes to put air in it to get out. I put slime in it and it slowed the leaks some. I got back to the tiny town near me and took the spare back off and flipped it over a couple of times to get the slime to the bead and that finally got it to hold air. Only one more stop to fill the tire on the way to Billings. Day before I took it easy and went to meet a friend and get some intel on places to look. Hip flexors and legs were very sore and stiff so needed the rest. While I was putting air in the spare with my tiny emergency pump I saw a decent whitetail buck following a doe about a half mile off on private. Like the title says , totally unprepared !

 

[realunlucky]

Wow hopefully your luck will change. Your there so you got a chance for it to happen

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk