Will you kill an elk anywhere?

[Lil-Rokslider]

I'm still young(ish) and dumb. I've packed enough of them out of hell holes, too many miles, that I should've learned. But I'm a slow learner. Once the pack out is over and a couple weeks have passed, I always look back on the experience fondly. In the moment though, I'm usually cursing myself. Last year I got lucky with my archery bull and killed him close to a trail, half a mile from the side by side. That was an awesome pack out!

 

[Speck1]

Last season on a solo hunt in Colorado I passed a legal bull due to the location. I never thought I would do that but it was hot and I was way too far from the truck. I was actually exploring for future seasons when I would have someone with me. In my younger days I would have arrowed it first and figured it out later. Have to be smarter now. I would love to find one by a road but that never seems to happen for me.

 

[frank church guy]

two years ago I shot this bull in the frank. 7 miles in and over 4500 vertical00 feet of vertical. Packed him out by myself. Four days later i helped my friend shoot his and pack his bull out. (the second pict) A Week later my friends son shot a nice bull right out of my camp and I helped him pack it out. the two bulls pictured were four days apart. I always hunt first, and then worry later. And I have never wasted meat. I am always committed to what my purpose is and work harder than ever. When I was in college I missed a midterm In my major, and when I shot the elk I knew I would miss my midterm exam. When my professor asked me (and I told him honestly why), he asked me if I would lose my job for this.... And I looked at him and said yes. I killed something and at that point I was responsible to taking care of what I killed.

 

[idahodave]

Yes, I will and I do.

I‘m physically paying the price as my body breaks down at 51, but as recently as last year I was killing bulls that require roughly 12 hours of packing (on our backs) per quarter. The second bull I killed this year was an absolute nightmare of pain and suffering over 3 days of work,….but damn it was a fantastic life experience I hope everyone gets to experience at least once.

Two years ago I killed a bull and packed it out solo. That bull was 3,000 of vertical per quarter, and took me four grueling days of work to get it out with 10 hours of packing per quarter.

It feels like those days are coming to close as I have an MRI on Monday and I’m facing a likely, second knee replacement.

Still though…I’d change nothing. Especially the shared suffering with my 20 yo son.

 

[CMF]

Probably....

 

[frank church guy]

Yes, I will and I do.

I‘m physically paying the price as my body breaks down at 51, but as recently as last year I was killing bulls that require roughly 12 hours of packing (on our backs) per quarter. The second bull I killed this year was an absolute nightmare of pain and suffering over 3 days of work,….but damn it was a fantastic life experience I hope everyone gets to experience at least once.

Two years ago I killed a bull and packed it out solo. That bull was 3,000 of vertical per quarter, and took me four grueling days of work to get it out with 10 hours of packing per quarter.

It feels like those days are coming to close as I have an MRI on Monday and I’m facing a likely, second knee replacement.

Still though…I’d change nothing. Especially the shared suffering with my 20 yo son.

RIGHT ON MY FRIEND. I purposely keep in shape to do this. It is painful, painful, painful, and painful. But one month later when those little white packages are stored away neatly and the memories of how fun, not painful (those are lost like a woman giving birth), we cant wait till next season.

 

[frank church guy]

Yes, I will and I do.

I‘m physically paying the price as my body breaks down at 51, but as recently as last year I was killing bulls that require roughly 12 hours of packing (on our backs) per quarter. The second bull I killed this year was an absolute nightmare of pain and suffering over 3 days of work,….but damn it was a fantastic life experience I hope everyone gets to experience at least once.

Two years ago I killed a bull and packed it out solo. That bull was 3,000 of vertical per quarter, and took me four grueling days of work to get it out with 10 hours of packing per quarter.

It feels like those days are coming to close as I have an MRI on Monday and I’m facing a likely, second knee replacement.

Still though…I’d change nothing. Especially the shared suffering with my 20 yo son.

and I am fiftty two

 

[DawnPatrol]

I’m not a good enough elk hunter to pass up a legal elk just because I find it in a nasty spot. And I hate combat hunting, so I gravitate towards nasty spots.

It’s a dangerous combination, but I hunt late season so I don’t have to rush.

 

[frank church guy]

Nobody here is, but elknut. That guy is an elk. Go do it! Just remember the most work in hunting is after the kill. that work is more rewarding than your job.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

two years ago I shot this bull in the frank. 7 miles in and over 4500 verticalView attachment 548481View attachment 54848200 feet of vertical. Packed him out by myself. Four days later i helped my friend shoot his and pack his bull out. (the second pict) A Week later my friends son shot a nice bull right out of my camp and I helped him pack it out. the two bulls pictured were four days apart. I always hunt first, and then worry later. And I have never wasted meat. I am always committed to what my purpose is and work harder than ever. When I was in college I missed a midterm In my major, and when I shot the elk I knew I would miss my midterm exam. When my professor asked me (and I told him honestly why), he asked me if I would lose my job for this.... And I looked at him and said yes. I killed something and at that point I was responsible to taking care of what I killed.

Just gonna go kill a couple 7x7s a few days apart. NBD.....

 

[kentuckybowman]

I thought I would but in 2018 I passed up three satellite bulls in 39 in Colorado in an area that was just too mean to pack out a smaller bull. I told my buddy that was with me if I could not shoot one of the big bulls we were seeing I was not going to spend two days packing meat.

 

[Hondo0925]

If you went back down, and back up over that wall, I need to work on my fitness....... OUCH!

Ouch is right. Once we got the bull to that far ridge we called for reinforcements. One of the many benefits to having elk in your backyard.

 

[S.Clancy]

The only time I passed an elk was heat and being solo. I was about 3.5 miles from the truck, it was supposed to be 95 that day. I had a 6x6 at 40 yds but passed him because in the time it would have taken me to get out I thought part may have spoiled. My calculation for a best case scenario was 45 min for recovery, 2 hrs to fully process, then 3 hrs min for each of 3 round trips. I would have prob been fine, but to me it wasn't worth losing meat potentially.

 

[Blockcaver]

I arrowed a pile of elk on CO. Some were tough multi-day pack-outs, even with another person.

In 2020 my buddy and I doubled on Mt Caribou (cow elk size) on a fly-in backpack hunt. Took us 5 days to pack them to the lake. Meat and back pack camp had to be carried 17 km x 3 trips each....51 km total on the trip out. When we got to the lake we looked at each other and said "Never again!! I was nearly 68 and it was a tough grind....but so worth it. That said I've walked away from a couple big bull moose that were 5 tough km's from the lake we flew into. Figured there would be 500# of boned meat and a 60" rack to pack, nope, not tough enough to arrow him.

 

[Stache Attack]

My grandpa would say you better take your frying pan. Solo it better be a good bull and near where I can get service to call in a favor if it’s in a tough spot. Deer I’ll go anywhere. I had a 3 day pack out once before I was very gassed and don’t know if it was worth it!

 

[MTWop]

I hunt closer to the truck on warm days. I’ve packed a couple out solo and have learned my lesson about the minimum required time to get them out to the cooler waiting in the truck. It would take any gratification out of taking a bull knowing I selfishly lost meat because I put myself in a bad situation to begin with. When temps are cooler, there’s nothing off limits

 

[Coveyleader]

Some good experiences above. I should note for me, its always during archery season and you are on the clock as soon as the arrow is released. If it was a late season for sure I would stretch the "how much is too much" in terms of a pack out as you have time.

@Hondo, you have some balls son!

 

[realunlucky]

I do not want to shoot an elk by the road next to my vehicle. I enjoy the mountain experience almost more than strictly hunting. Have passed on "easy" places like this

This is my dream every year lol

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[realunlucky]

I've always been a "kill it and figure it out" guy myself but as I'm getting older it's a motto that is evolving.



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[cnelk]

Ive mentioned this before, but for the past several years Ive been focusing my elk hunting on spots within a mile from a vehicle.

I know that Father Time is undefeated and when I cant go 3+ miles to find elk, I'll have my 'close to the truck' spots.

So far, Im sitting pretty good at killing elk close to the truck