Solo Elk Hunting

[luckydraw2014]

I am now pushing 47 and although I am in great physical and mental shape, I know that i probably have less than 20 opening days to be in the deep mountains. I am going on my first solo elk hunt this year because finding a partner has been challenging. I decided that if I wait for a partner I may never fulfill my lifelong dream and I just dont need that kind of regret. I will be truck camping this year and frankly I am excited about solitude. I have hunted solo for deer my whole life and really enjoy the peace.
I must admit that hiking alone in the dark mountains does give me so pause. How has anyone handled that for the first time?

 

[87TT]

I'm 67 and I sure hope I have some time left. At least another 15 or so.

 

[luckydraw2014]

I feel much better knowing your still out there, didnt mean I would kicking the bucket at 67

 

[Sled]

I must admit that hiking alone in the dark mountains does give me so pause. How has anyone handled that for the first time?

trust your senses. if you get a really strange feeling all of the sudden it's time to pull the sidearm and survey your surroundings. i travel in the dark with a headlamp usually. i make noise when i'm not close to my hunting area so i don't bump the elk. otherwise i don't try to be too quiet, especially if i'm packing out quarters.

know what predators are in the area you are hunting and how to avoid them. they are looking to avoid you so help them out when you can.

all that said, don't get into your head too much. the woods are safer than the city by far. and stop watching "I Was Prey" at least 6 months before your hunt!

 

[chasin.elk]

I’ve

trust your senses. if you get a really strange feeling all of the sudden it's time to pull the sidearm and survey your surroundings. i travel in the dark with a headlamp usually. i make noise when i'm not close to my hunting area so i don't bump the elk. otherwise i don't try to be too quiet, especially if i'm packing out quarters.

know what predators are in the area you are hunting and how to avoid them. they are looking to avoid you so help them out when you can.

all that said, don't get into your head too much. the woods are safer than the city by far. and stop watching "I Was Prey" at least 6 months before your hunt!

I’ve found that I can’t trust my senses at night because my senses keep telling me that there’s a whole pile of predators in the dark just beyond my headlamp waiting to chew on me!

 

[trophyhill]

Predators come out in the daylight hours too. This one broke his charge off at 5' and ran up a tree. I taught this bear some American French. He did not give a flying @#$_ about the .45 pointing at his brains. He showed up on the trail cam a week or 2 later

 

[87TT]

Predators come out in the daylight hours too. This one broke his charge off at 5' and ran up a tree. I taught this bear some American French. He did not give a flying @#$_ about the .45 pointing at his brains. He showed up on the trail cam a week or 2 laterView attachment 176463

That was just mean. Scaring the poor guy.

 

[HankNM]

Done most of my hunting solo in this long life. Lots of good advice here.
Taken bucks way back into Sierra's & spent days getting one to truck. Taken cows a few miles from my truck and taken days to get meat out.
Know your limits. Have A-Z plans,maps,GPS,gear that WORKS. Water!

 

[luckydraw2014]

I will carrying a sidearm on this trip for peace of mind. All good advice....i made the mistake of watching Missing 411 a few months ago. I will probably forget it by the time elk season rolls around, but I wont be hunting in Yosemite that for sure!

 

[TX_Diver]

I'll probably hunt solo this year for elk in WY.

I've hunted solo a few times and love making my own decisions, etc. but I don't particularly like camping on my own. In the past I've been in pretty easy terrain and come back to an established camp site (or even a hotel on the first ever solo trip I did). This year I'm planning on camping at the truck but probably being out of cell service/somewhere up a FS road. My main concern is really the thunderstorms that seem to pop up although bears in camp are always in the back of the mind too when alone haha.

I'm no backcountry/hunting expert but I know I could survive a night out there on my own in an emergency pretty easily. I've done a lot of stuff in the past that's arguably much more dangerous than camping alone (big sharks while freediving 100 miles offshore, solo canoe races between some of the Hawaiian Islands, freediving at night for lobster, etc). I was fine with those and ultimately continued to go back for more, but I also didn't jump into them with no experience/background. I'd love to do the high country type mule deer hunt on my own but know that if I jump straight to that I'll struggle a lot more than a truck camp in a unit with 100 other hunters "nearby".

Just be honest with yourself and adjust your plans accordingly IF needed. Have a goal to meet but make sure it's realistic. For me the goal is to do the hunt from a truck camp. If there's horrible weather I can jump in the truck rather than staying in a tent, but I'm still out there working through it. Next year maybe spike camp a few nights... tbd based on how this year goes.

 

[Spencer Lillywhite]

Best piece of advice I can give: NEVER set your bow down. I was solo this year and was calling in a bull. I set my bow down to use 2 hands to rake a tree with a stick. The bull came in silent, then popped up frontal at 30 yards and instead of having my bow in my hands, I still had that stick. I didn't kill him. Always be ready with your bow when you're solo.

 

[luckydraw2014]

great advice! I had a few too many experiences of not being ready or getting to my stand a few minutes late only to have my target buck pop out while I am still climbing.....any higher up and I would have jumped to put myself out of my misery

 

[durandja11]

I am now pushing 47 and although I am in great physical and mental shape, I know that i probably have less than 20 opening days to be in the deep mountains. I am going on my first solo elk hunt this year because finding a partner has been challenging. I decided that if I wait for a partner I may never fulfill my lifelong dream and I just dont need that kind of regret. I will be truck camping this year and frankly I am excited about solitude. I have hunted solo for deer my whole life and really enjoy the peace.
I must admit that hiking alone in the dark mountains does give me so pause. How has anyone handled that for the first time?

I'm going on my first solo hunt because of the same reason. I can't find any dedicated hunting partners, so I've made a commitment of not letting that be the reason I don't go. I will only have limited opportunities to make it out west and must take full advantage of everyone. I also never want to live with regret!

Honestly, I specifically train at night once I put the kids to bed. I have a local trail system I hike with my weighted pack on once it's dark. This has helped significantly by just getting used to situation, being alone in the dark amongst nature. I did come around a corner right into a group of raccoons. I was taken back by the shear volume of eyes staring back at me, but quickly faded when I realized what they were. lol

 

[Huntnnw]

It is much easier to be solo in nice weather and longer days, versus a late october/November hunt in wet or cold weather it wears you down the long hours of darkness and solitude.

 

[ColtyJr]

Wow, thanks for all that took the time to provide all great feedback! I have been elk hunting once prior with a 3 man group, so that definitely has helped me prepare. I did split off for a solo day hunt when I was there whish was awesome! But we all came back to the same camp each night. I think mentally in the dark/night might be my largest struggle. I planned on bringing some music or podcast to help fill that void here and there. The pack out will be the most physically demanding and I hope to literally take it one step at a time. I've been hiking/training with weighted packs for that. Been listening to a ton of podcasts about taking care of meat, tips to keeping it cold, etc.

Indian Summer - I've been looking for a good, committed hunter partner for years and unfortunately just haven't found the right fit. Yes, a hunter partner is priceless, but I can't let that deter me from ever going. I only have so many opportunities to hunt out west, so I can't let them keep slipping through my fingers just cuz of no hunting partner.

Yes the mental part of hunting by yourself is very difficult

 

[Ghayes15]

I have a hunt in 36 NM first archery that I’m going solo on, will not be my first solo hunt but will be my first solo wilderness, this post is great, thanks!

 

[sneaky]

I am now pushing 47 and although I am in great physical and mental shape, I know that i probably have less than 20 opening days to be in the deep mountains. I am going on my first solo elk hunt this year because finding a partner has been challenging. I decided that if I wait for a partner I may never fulfill my lifelong dream and I just dont need that kind of regret. I will be truck camping this year and frankly I am excited about solitude. I have hunted solo for deer my whole life and really enjoy the peace.
I must admit that hiking alone in the dark mountains does give me so pause. How has anyone handled that for the first time?

I only turn my headlamp on if absolutely necessary. You get used to it. Don't be afraid of the boogeyman

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Skyhigh]

I only turn my headlamp on if absolutely necessary. You get used to it. Don't be afraid of the boogeyman

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

That's what I do as well. I will only turn it on if there is some technical terrain or deadfall. If it is clear with even a sliver of moon you'll probably be able to see well enough as long as you aren't in a closed canopy forest. Lowest setting on the headlamp if you need it though.

 

[LBSpear30]

This will be my first solo elk hunt this year in NM. I have been on plenty of multi-day solo whitetail hunts but no where near as long as I plan on staying if needed in NM.

 

[luckydraw2014]

I remember fishing one time on the Pere Marquette during the salmon run, blood moon night. Dark as shit and you could only hear the water moving.....that was one eerie night.