Will you kill an elk anywhere?

[deadend88]

I will turn 50 after this season and I pray to have many more years in the field. My answer is No I won’t. My ego might get in the way of that thought once or twice in the coming years but my last bull in 21 was 2 miles in the dark and frankly no elevation gain at all and it smoked me. I want to extend my hunting life for as long as I can, but I’ve also never killed a 350+ so I could be full of shit here.

 

[MallardSX2]

I’ve always been more focused on killing one than worrying about how I was going to get it out.

Had a few crappy long distance packouts in Colorado for sure. I’d do it again though lol

 

[ThunderJack49]

I can distinctly remember thinking to myself "It's just going to be one bad night" before shooting a bull at last light one evening. I was a full 24 hours late to the truck and had to sleep in the cab for a few hours before I could drive home.

 

[Hondo0925]

I go with the motto “focus on killing it then worry about getting it out.”
Unfortunately this has led me and buddies to some rough pack outs.
Like across this canyon. Ha

 

[5MilesBack]

If I'm already there, then yes......I'll shoot an elk where I am, and worry about the packout after I'm done breaking him down. But there have been times solo when I started into a hike in the afternoon and then asked myself "Do I really want to pack one out of there tonight"? And my answer was "no", so I turned back and hunted elsewhere that evening.

 

[Jon Boy]

Yes. We always find a way.

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[InkedElkSlayer]

During the 8 years I lived in N Central ID especially, a few stories were made. The worst pack out ever belongs to my wife. My wife has actually shot 2 bulls that I felt like puking when we got to them. The most dangerous packout ever was a bull I shot alone in 2007.

To this day we all shoot first, figure it out later. But each year I get older, my 2 boys get stronger.

If I wouldn’t pack a bull or a mulie out of a spot… I wouldn’t be there with my rifle.

I don’t want to turn this thread into an ethics thread. But if you are tough enough to kill a bull on his terms, in his area, then you have to be tough enough to get him out without cheating. Otherwise, stay the F-ck out of his area. Remember the motorized wheelbarrow guy from Pocatello?

 

[Ucsdryder]

My buddy and I dropped 2 cows during rifle season about 10 years ago in this deep basin. Probably 8” of snow. Roughly a 2k foot elevation gain to get out of there, steep nasty shit.

Never again. Took us a day and a half to pack them out. Luckily if it was cold out and the meat could hang for as long as you needed.

Granted I wasn’t in nearly as of good of shape as I am now, but I’m a lot more selective where I drop something! Temperature plays a role in that as well. I’d hate to kill something and lose half the meat to spoiling.

Cows?!! Eff that. Lol!

I don’t like shooting them more than 1/4 miles from the truck.

 

[TheViking]

Cows?!! Eff that. Lol!

I don’t like shooting them more than 1/4 miles from the truck.

Haha!

I believe that was the 2nd elk I ever shot and that was my buddies 1st. So we were way more excited to knock them down than most hunters normally would be. Then we realized we goofed up big time by being in that hell hole! Lesson learned!!

 

[Hnthrdr]

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

No offense but this seems like you haven’t had a really bad pack out before… I would 100% shoot an elk so that it falls into my truck bed. Haha carry enough weight on your back for long enough and you realize the easier the pack out the better

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

No offense but this seems like you haven’t had a really bad pack out before… I would 100% shoot an elk so that it falls into my truck bed. Haha carry enough weight on your back for long enough and you realize the easier the pack out the better

I’d shoot a 350 bull in my backyard.

 

[Ucsdryder]

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

How many elk have you killed?

 

[Ucsdryder]

No offense but this seems like you haven’t had a really bad pack out before… I would 100% shoot an elk so that it falls into my truck bed. Haha carry enough weight on your back for long enough and you realize the easier the pack out the better

My dream is to shoot an elk and roll it into the bed of my truck off a cut bank!

 

[fatlander]

Yeah. I live 2,000+ miles from the elk I hunt. What’s a few more miles?


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[ElkNut1]

I used to feel that there wasn't any terrain too tough, no matter what! Not these days! I do limit myself but those limitations are still pretty high standards. But to the question; yes there are some pretty severe spots I say no too where as in the past it would have been a different story! Thanks for making me feel older! (grin)

ElkNut

 

[Coveyleader]

View attachment 548379I go with the motto “focus on killing it then worry about getting it out.”
Unfortunately this has led me and buddies to some rough pack outs.
Like across this canyon. Ha

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

 

[fishslap]

Cows?!! Eff that. Lol!

I don’t like shooting them more than 1/4 miles from the truck.

I’d shoot a cow anywhere I’d shoot a bull. Sex of the animal wouldn’t make a difference for me.

 

[Next Ridge]

I’ll shoot elk anywhere I can legally find them. I’ll get them out. Maybe I’ll change my mind in the future

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’d shoot a cow anywhere I’d shoot a bull. Sex of the animal wouldn’t make a difference for me.

100% disagree. I’m not shooting a 220” rag horn in a hell hole. But if I see a 380” that’s a different story. To say an elk is an elk…nope…

 

[Hnthrdr]

100% disagree. I’m not shooting a 220” rag horn in a hell hole. But if I see a 380” that’s a different story. To say an elk is an elk…nope…

Absolutely agree, do that with mule deer all the time, which is way easier to go deep for, but if I’m climbing out of a canyon, not doing it for a forker