What do y’all do when the elk are just too high up?

[wooduckman]

That sheep hunt taught me a lot, but more than anything, I learned that you can climb up basically any mountain that you see. Also, they usually aren’t as bad as you expect!

 

[MahoningValley]

Elk are where you find them, not where you wish they were. Go to them!

 

[Dos Perros]

I went high like y’all said View attachment 611339

 

[trophyhill]

That sheep hunt taught me a lot, but more than anything, I learned that you can climb up basically any mountain that you see. Also, they usually aren’t as bad as you expect!

I could show you a few that are worse than I expected lol

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

That sheep hunt taught me a lot, but more than anything, I learned that you can climb up basically any mountain that you see. Also, they usually aren’t as bad as you expect!

Sneaking up on elk while knocking out 2200 feet of elevation gain at an average grade of 36 degrees over broken and often open terrain, while laden with hunting gear is a very different proposition from simply "climbing a mountain."

 

[Z Barebow]

That sheep hunt taught me a lot, but more than anything, I learned that you can climb up basically any mountain that you see. Also, they usually aren’t as bad as you expect!

Same experiences when researching hunting areas on Google Earth. Every mountain is "doable",,,,, when looking at your PC monitor.

 

[wooduckman]

Everything looks doable on google earth ha. Once you get boots on the ground nothing looks the same.

 

[Dos Perros]

This fall, in the Breaks, we bedded a bull and had to drop into a deep coulee to go after him. We dropped through a pretty nasty mini canyon. We got over to him and my friend commented "hope he's still there, that took us an hour and a half to get here." Which caught me off guard, if he'd have asked me I would have said 20 minutes. So even in the moment I drastically underestimated effort.

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

Holy buckets, man.

The cop-out comments in this thread are astounding. No wonder success rates are so low.

If 9,500 is too high for you, go to the grocery store. They probably have one of those little Rascal motorized buggies you can ride on so you don't get too tired pushing the cart.

 

[ndhuntermanND]

When they’re way up high? Pack extra snacks and leave camp earlier.

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

I was at 9200' today looking at a herd of elk at about 10,800. 5 bulls. There is NO getting to these elk. The terrain is impossibly steep.

Elk aren't sheep or goats my friend. They got there somehow. There isn't a place an elk can go a person can't.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

Holy buckets, man.

The cop-out comments in this thread are astounding. No wonder success rates are so low.

If 9,500 is too high for you, go to the grocery store. They probably have one of those little Rascal motorized buggies you can ride on so you don't get too tired pushing the cart.

Neat perspective.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Elk aren't sheep or goats my friend. They got there somehow. There isn't a place an elk can go a person can't.

We are talking about elk hunting. For a hunter to bag an elk, the elk have to be there when the hunter gets there. Therein lies the problem.

 

[JEck]

I usually get my hiking boots and make the long haul up there.

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

Neat perspective.

It looks like you worked through the problem

Nice bull.

Congrats.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

It looks like you worked through the problem

Nice bull.

Congrats.

Thanks buddy; much appreciated

 

[Bigborealaska]

You have to be logical about what YOU are willing to do. Its not just gaining 2000' to get to where they are. If you get one down you have to think about getting it out as well. In most cases you go where they are and I agree never leave an area where you see elk to find another.

 

[hunterjmj]

This fall, in the Breaks, we bedded a bull and had to drop into a deep coulee to go after him. We dropped through a pretty nasty mini canyon. We got over to him and my friend commented "hope he's still there, that took us an hour and a half to get here." Which caught me off guard, if he'd have asked me I would have said 20 minutes. So even in the moment I drastically underestimated effort.

The breaks are definitely deceptive. I spotted a bull with 5 cows this year feeding down a long coulee and it took me an hour and a half to catch up with them. They were just feeding and I was moving quick trying not to be seen. Those suckers can really cover some country with little effort.

 

[Bigborealaska]

Camp setup at 7300 and we were at 9k plus on multiple days. Some of the beauty you see at elevation.

 

[TradLife406]

Quit elk hunting and look into antelope hunting or golfing