I am piggybacking this off of GMMAT's topic. I, too, am looking forward someday to a DIY trip out west (most likely Colorado) and was wondering what some of the curveballs and "no-brainers" are for a first-timer. I mean anything and everything from gear to preparedness to the so obvious surely anybody can figure it out stuff. I can be oblivious at times, ask my wife!
Thanks in advance,
Dusty
Dusty,
DO be (or get) in as good of shape physically as you can. You cannot be in too GOOD of physical condition, but you can sure be in too BAD of shape. On one Colorado elk hunt my son and son-in-law went for their first high elevation hunt. While both were in pretty good shape (son-in-law is a fireman) they were completely wasted after the first two days. I think I did OK because I paced myself more (hunted slower and didn't get in a hurry).
Going from my 600' elevation to 10,000+ is TOUGH! Also, be aware of altitude sickness. It can ruin your well made hunting plans in a hurry. Being prepared physically is part of the equation, but also read all you can on it and take the recommended precautions (acclimation and possibly medication).
Don't believe the elk hunting tapes/DVDs that make it look so easy. They can cause you to get your hopes too high and then you may get frustrated early on your first western hunt. I've seen this happen. The hunts are fun to watch and can provide some good info... but beware... it is tough to hunt elk.
Plan, plan and then plan some more.
Sorry for rambling... I'm sure you will get much better advice from others.
Good luck...
Wayne
After 5 trips. Like Wayne stated training hard will help but the elevation and mountains usually make you pay the 1st few days. Altitude really bothers me and everyone has told me I need to come earlier a few days to get use to it before going hunting.
I think one of the hardest tricks is to try and get away from everyone. You will always run into someone on a 4 wheeeler dirt bike, where they are not suppose to be.
I know one of the major mistakes we made was hunting old sign. If you don't find any fresh sign move somewhere else camp and all if you have to.
Good advice so far, but one especially bears repeating: get in shape! Not being physically prepared is a recipe for a very frustrating and difficult trip.
As far as equipment needs, the most important one is to get a good pair of boots and break them in well before your trip. Do not scimp on what you spend for footwear. Buy the best you can find and make sure they fit properly. Nothing will bring your trip to a screaching halt quicker than blisters and sore feet.
Good quality socks go right along with the boots - spend some money and buy good ones like Smart Wool or Thoros. I prefer a light liner sock under a medium weight wool and have never had a problem.
Don't feed the bears :readit: :biglaugh: ....
Good maps and learn how to use a compass. If you want to get where the good hunting is, you won't see a 4-wheeler. If you do, go deeper.
Being in shape helps.
Some times your reward is just being there.
fnshtr- As a co-producer of a hunting film, I know that the small clips that you see on film from the comfort of your living room can certainly be misleading. Only the quality footage with good lighting and smiling faces are often revealed. Video cameras do not like cold wet days in heavy wind. Ha! Weather is the key. Giving yourself enough time to "weather the storms" or outlast a drought is very difficult for an out-of-state hunter, but at least plan for enough days to allow you to have a good experience.
For me 10,000 feet has been the point at which "time slows down" during the first days of the hunt. Once you get acclimated, you will be like a new man.
I don't know about the rest of you guys, but it seems that I have more dreams and much more vivid dreams (nightmares) at night sleeping at high elevation. I'm not sure if it's because I'm alone, something to do with the high elevation, or just the anticipation of the next days events, but I have come to expect it over the years.
Just put common sense on the top of your check-list and you will be OK. Have fun! MIke
QuoteSome times your reward is just being there.
Hear. Hear.
The MAIN thing I'm planning on packing....is an 8G memory card.
Good luck to all.
All good info above. Be prepared for all weather conditions, you can have sun and 75 degrees one day (or hour) and snow and 25 degrees the next.
Get and read "Backcountry Bowhunting" by Hanes. Will save you a lot of grief. H
What everyone else said, but I would never go out west without 2 great pairs of boots that are broken in.
When the weather turns nasty, and it will, one pair of boots doesn't dry over nite. Putting on a fresh pair of dry boots changes me into a hunter vs. someone just trying to get through the day.
I suggest you take with you the best quality glass you can afford. You'll see things in the distance that will suprise you. Take the time to really look.
Larry
QuoteOriginally posted by fnshtr:
Don't believe the elk hunting tapes/DVDs that make it look so easy. They can cause you to get your hopes too high and then you may get frustrated early on your first western hunt. I've seen this happen. The hunts are fun to watch and can provide some good info... but beware... it is tough to hunt elk.
Good luck...
Wayne
Excellent advice as to what NOT to do. :thumbsup:
I might add that the west has so much open country that glassing way more than walking will pay off huge...Look and look some more!
One thing I would look at is what type of hunt you are lookig for. Not all western hunts have to be physical. I hunt deer and elk from 11,000+ ft to 4000 ft. You can dry camp(trailers,tents,ect) rent a cabin/hotel or backpack/bivy in. I have a camp trailer for a base camp and keep my pack loaded for overnight bivys,if I find what I like. There is alot of hunting that is good that can be close to towns and good camping. Some of my best stand are very close(less than 100 yds) to roads and highways. Sometimes hunters think you always have to hike in miles when they walk right by the best ground. Game can get pushed from the high country pretty quick and move in close to cabin areas,hay fields,and towns. Once you deside where and how your going to hunt arrive early and spend some time scouting,scout hunters too to avoide over crowded areas. Good luck!
Layers...especially the base wicking layer. Stay away from cotton. Forget about the dark green swamp camo too...
Thanks for all the advice guys! I know I need to get in better shape and I am concerned about the elevation; I live at only 500ft. of elevation! I think I've got the boots and socks covered with a few pairs of Hanwags and several pairs of Bridgedale and Thorlo socks.
I love to read so I'll definitely check out Cameron Hane's book, although the guy strikes me as a sadist.
Any other tidbits? How do you guys practice uphill shots? If I want to use a hill where I'm at I'd have to build it!
Im keeping an eye on this one, keep it comming guys.
Thanks for your input.
Don't ever mistake Mule deer for being dumb or easy game. It may be true in some instances for the rifle hunter but not for us.
And like mentioned before and you can't say it enough, get into the absolute best physical condition you can.
I've spent my entire life in the west (except 2 years in Germany, 1 year in Korea, and a few trips to the Persian Gulf) and the altitiude can really be taxing on those that aren't used to it.
Get a GPS - a good one, and learn to use it. Get maps of the area you plan to hunt and memorize them. Nothing worse than a wet cold slog back to the truck or camp thru the dark with no idea where you really are. A simple punch of a button at camp, at critical landmarks and at your animal can make life a lot easier on you and it will take you right back where you started.
Take a safety signaller with you at all times. a broken ankle, snake bite, or a million other oop's can ruin your day and potentially end your life. The west is an awesome place, at times it can be a dangerous one.
Always carry basic survival equipment with you in a pack. I always have enough to hold out for two or three days. I have spent a few nights next to a kill made very late in the day, in rain or snow storms and made it thru with little to no personal suffering, all due to a warm fire, a quickly put up shelter, and warm food and tea boiled up on the spot. It doesn't have to be a lot of equipment, just enough to get you thru.
I should have qualified my original statement better regarding the hunting videos. I love a good quality hunting video.. it's just that many of them leave a false impression to the novice.
I should have said; "be selective" and choose "how to" and informational videos over the multiple kill shot types.
As they say, experience is the best teacher. However, it is also good to learn from other people's experiences, including their mistakes... we won't live long enough to make them all ourselves!
Getting in shape is a good thing and will help all aspects of any type hunting.Your body just has to adjust to altitude by being there and it just takes time.It's a blood thing.it shouldn't be much problem till you get over 6000'.In a perfect world,it would be ideal to spend a few days at high elevation before you actually hunted,if not,take it slow and gradual and just listen to your body.
Not only do your boots need to be broken in but your feet need to be conditioned to them as well.Spend the last month or so before,wearing those boots a lot,exercising,shopping,working,whatever.Get your feet used to them.If your feet give out or get badly blistered,your hunt is over.It may be worth your while to get quality insoles for your boots.Everyone's feet are different.Some feet need no support,some need a lot of arch support or heel stabilization.
I agree about Cameron's book.He is a sadist and you don't have to hunt exactly like he does but someone who spends so much time living in that country can give you a lot of real advice about clothing,water treatment,hydration,navigation,safety etc..It contains a wealth of information from someone who knows.
A GPS is good but I would back it up with a map and compass.
Above all,lose the eastern hunting mindset.I grew up in the East and it took me awhile to adjust to hunting in the West.Where I grew up,there were deer on every square mile of land.In the West,there may be miles of country with no game at all.They may have been here yesterday but are miles away today,so don't be too sedintary.
You just have to keep moving till you are into game.Either sight the game,find fresh tracks,hear elk bugling etc or keep going till you have located game.When you are sure you are in good country,nothing wrong with sitting and glassing for a few hours.Nothing wrong with sitting on waterholes or wallows either if the are hot,right now.Just make sure you are sitting where game is now,otherwise,keep moving.
Game may not be as visible as you expect them to be.Learn to pick the landscape apart with your glasses.Just because the image of a deer or elk doesn't jump out at you,doesn't mean it isn't there.Try to pick out the tips of antlers of a deer bedded in the shade,an ear,the cream color of a mule deer's rump,the color of an elk etc..
If it has been very dry and water sources are few,animals will be more concentrated and easier to find and hunt.When we have a real wet season and everything is very green,animals are scattered everywhere and are much harder to hunt.
Remember,in the mountains,you have a prevailing wing but you also have thermals.In the mornings,the cool air will be drifting downhill.After the sun comes up over the mountains and the temperature starts to rise,that down draft starts to reverse itself and the thermals rise up the mountain untill late evening when the sun drops behind the ridge again and the thermals will draft downhill again.
That is why animals often feed low during the night and head uphill toward their bedding grounds at daylight.They are traveling uphill and the cool air is drafting right downhill into their noses.It is hard or impossible to sit and wait above them during these downward thermals.It may be possible to sidehill toward them or better,put them to bed and plan a stalk when everything is right.
If you make a long,looping stalk on a distant bedded animal,keep in mind that everything may look different once you get over there,especially if you come in from the opposite direction.I used to sometimes draw a little sketch of the spot where the deer was bedded,showing all the prominent landmarks and as I approached from the opposite way,I could turn the sketch to match my approach and it would guide me in.
Nowadays,it would be a simple matter of taking a picture of the hill side the deer is laying on and refer back to that image to guide you in.And always be aware that bedded animals frequently get up,stretch and bed down a few feet or yards from their initial bed.As you approach,be ready for this and don't just focus on that original bed unless you can visually confirm he is in it.He may be bedded a few yards away and peg you.
Dwight Schugh also has an excellent book on bowhunting mule deer.
Wow. This is good stuff. I have been out west 10 times or so and I am reminded how far I have come by reading these posts.
Cows, I mean of the bovine persuasion, are quite common. The will intersperse with the elk and deer so don't worry or get frustrated if you run into them in the middle of your hunt.
Elk stink. Use your nose. And you WILL KNOW when you smell elk even if you haven't before.
BTW: JimB stuff is very good. I would add along with his walking advice, don't worry about noise when walking. WALK. DANG IT. DON'T SNEAK < That advice took me way too long to figure out and I still have to remind myself. All the books say it, but doing it is hard after being a whitetail hunter so long.
Eat lots of good calories while you are hunting. A week of hunting in the mountains will burn lots of fuel. You will know when you run out and your hunt will not be fun and it is supposed to be fun! You will not get fat on a week hunt and you cannot eat too much if you are hunting all day. I myself highly recommend trail mix and snickers in the pack. :-)
And though not as much fun as eating lot's of water - same issue!
This is great information guys! A lot of the stuff mentioned about a "Eastern" mindset struck home.
I've found myself "sneaking" while shed hunting...just ingrained deep at this point. That was a definite golden nugget of information.
I urge anyone with anything to say to chime in...I'm all ears (or eyes in this case).
Also, with mule deer, a rub simply means a buck was there, he probably won't be back.
Rattling won't bring in a mule deer.
A fawn bleat (the mule deer variety) will attract does. There's a good video on youtube showing it.
Sometimes the does have bucks with them, But be CAREFULL it also attracts mountain lions.
If a buck that you'd like to arrow is here today but just out of range, he might not be tomorrow. Truth is pretty much any mule deer is only one good mountain lion chase away from living in the next county. They really don't have a "home".
If you find an isolated water hole, with much other within miles you've found a good spot.
I would agree with everything I've read here. 2 pair worn in boots w/ 400 gr thinsulate and Gortex, swap ea. day. Smartwool sox (lots). Layers-polyprop, wool, gortex. It can change in a heartbeat out here and elevation makes the weather swings radical. You will have kid like enthusiasm when you arrive, be in shape and start out easy the first few days (you would be surprised how much good hunting is passed up getting too far up and in sometimes anyway) then take on the tougher stuff, the longer you can stay the better. Carry good day gear, enough to SURVIVE on an extra 2 days, if you are dressed in quality layers you would be surprised on how little more it takes to stay out if you have a problem. Extra food, fire making supplies (small saw for dressing animal or fire), compass+ map (even if you believe in GPS), parachute cord,light rainfly, WATER (carry 2 qts. a ridge can be a long way from supply) and if you plan useing nature's supply have a filter or tabs, Giardia sucks! A whistle, phone MIGHT help, mirror, tin cup (cooks dry soup or?) and first aid supplies. Good luck, starting now is the right way to go.
Find and use a very good unscented sunscreen. Find and use a very good hat with a sensible brim.
Don't laugh, I've seen some outings ruined by the second day when hats had no cover for the ears, they didn't wear sunscreen and their ears and neck and nose got blistered. Being at 5300 feet and UP will intensify the sun.
A lot.
Maybe protecting your head from sun is comfort, maybe its more than that, but don't blow it off.
Also take heed of anything you read about staying hydrated. It is often easy to loose track of how much water your body has sweated off in such a dry climate when you are used to a more humid place where sweat volume is usually obvious. Up high you respirate a lot more h20 as well. So keep up on the water.
When I was guiding it seemed every trip at least one person became dehydrated. Usually the one who refused my gentle suggestions to "drink some water" . Then they get cranky. Then they won't move... then I made them drink.
Joshua
Are you considering a backcountry hunt or more of a car camping route? Equipment choices (camping) of course would vary tremendously...
I haven't been on Tradgang in quite some time. I haven't read any of the previous posts. That being said, there are two things that bear repeating ... DON'T assume you're in good enough shape. DO assume that you can be in too good of shape. Those mountains are high and steep and the elk can run up and down them without breathing hard ... but you will.
homebru
Learn to be proficient with all the gear you carry, and don't take so much stuff that you can't hunt effectively.
Seems like I always take too much stuff with me, and by the end of the hunt, I have weeded out the stuff that I didn't need.
Having said that, make sure you keep survival gear on you...better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it and die.
Having had the experience of being a Texas flatlander all my life, many thing were a shock when I got to the Idaho mountains. All the above are great advice. I could not get along without my gps. I'd never find camp again.
from a practicle hunting stand point.....take a long a range finder. if you feel it is not traditional then don't hunt with it but use it in practice. I had shot at white tail on flat land with native trees for over 4 decades. everything in my shot was built around that.
the first elk i shot at was crossing a two lane track. it was prefect broad side. I hit full draw. paused to settle and shot about 2 feet short, in the ground. Wingnut laughed. that elk was 65 yds away. what were you doing?
I understood for the first time that my shot must have been built around the size of a white tail deer. I knew sumpin about distance from the realitve size of the white tail vs distance. since the elk was 3 to 6 times bigger than a texas white tail......i now knew nothing.
Then there is the steep angles. I never had to deal with a 30 degree are greater shot up or down. at camp practicing, I found on one steep down hill practice shot I had to shoot it like it was 10yds closer. I would have never guessed that from hunting in Texas.
rusty
QuoteOriginally posted by trashwood:
... my shot must have been built around the size of a white tail deer. ......i now knew nothing....
rusty
Thats great point. I think the suggestion to practice amoung steep inclines is also right on.
Joshua
I'm planning more of a backcountry hunt. I have access to a Kifaru Tipi and I know when I do go I'll have at least one buddy going with me.
In regards to Smallwood's post, is there any gear you thought would be crucial but then ended up being weeded out? I'm trying to streamline my take-along as much as safely possible.
Dusty
1. Get into great sharp this country is steep and there is not much air.
2. Elk are hard to find and big. (get into shape)
3. Get good topos/compass and a GPS.
4. have good foot wear.
5. Carry survival stuff with you always.
6. Learn to quarter game and have a pack frame for meat recovery. Better yet learn to bone out meat and carry only what you can eat plus antlers and proof of sex.
7. Come to enjoy the process. (but trad hunters don't generally need this advise as we tend to enjoy the experience of hunting)
8. Bring your judo and shoot all day there is plenty of stuff to shoot at.
Joe
Everybody has given great advice.
One thing I would recommend throwing in your pack is some athletic tape. When you get blisters you can put it over the blister and help you handle it. If you live in a flat area realize that no matter how much you try to have your feet broke in to a lot of walking the walking will be completely different and you will probably still get blisters.
If the weather is good I personally like wearing my tennis shoes because you don't tire so easily (I always still have my other boots at camp too). This is only if it is a good warm dry day ;-)
Like said before...water, take lots of water.
Eat breakfast like you will never eat again (it will give you energy for the day).
The lighter your pack the more energy you will have at the end of the day.
Go with somebody that knows the area if possible.
Just my .02 (I have lived here my whole life and love it).
When you get on elk keep in mind - dropping the string is the easy part.
I have walked away from hot bulls because the temp was just to high to get them out fast enough. September in Montana can be in the 90's and if you are even an hour from a truck and shoot a bull in mid morning there is no way one guy is going to get that meat out before it goes bad.
Set time and temp limits and stick to them.
Have a plan in place to deal with the meat - its about 10 times what you get off a whitetail doe.
There are also places I just won't go - the reward of killing an elk is more that offset by the blood sweat and tears of hauling him out of a 3,000 foot black hole.
I am a little spoiled - there is a wallow about 200 yards from you back porch :-)
I don't kill many but I sure do love playing with them.
Don't fixate on killing - kick back and enjoy - nothing is cooler that watching a herd bull work his cows. One of the reasons I don't kill as many as I should is I just love watching them and I end up watching when I should be killing.
Again I am spoiled and would take a different view if I traveled 2,000 miles to hunt.
Enjoy - we westerns may live here but it belongs to everyone.
Matt
Very good info here!
Again....WATER!
Drink a sip every now and then, even if you're not thirsty. I love my CamelBak for this.
Don't be afraid to shoot.
Me and my buddy will walk/stop/look/listen and then maybe take a shot at a pine cone/flower/stick...it will keep you limber and help with shooting.
I don't move fast when I'm in the woods. Everybody has their own hunting style and that is mine.
Move slow and watch/listen/smell.
Use your senses...they work on YOUR side of the bow too!
In addition to the above, don't expect the trip to be a success or failure based on whether you get game or not. If you do a good job of it you will use this knowledge for next trip. Keep a journal of how you prepared, who you contacted, where you went and what you experienced. Enjoy the trip and learn from it. Then go again. Another item. In the west, where there are clear landmarks I prefer a compass over GPS, for me it is faster, more reliable and I am more used to it. But a compass, or GPS, is worthless if you don't know how to use it really well.
Oh, and one last thing, get in shape. Take the first few days easy and drink lots of water.
Thanks to all...and keep it comin'!
I imagine it is a real test of discipline to "take it easy" the first few days.
Dusty
Get in Shape and read Cameron's book.
His book alone will give you all you need to know.
You can still have a good hunt if you are a little over the hill, it just really helps to be able to pack on the miles.
Good luck,
Paul
Soft single ply toilet paper, small packet of moist handy wipes, and a small bottle of anti monkey butt powder(seriously). water purification tabs. and emergancy survival gear with small first aid kit. the first two items can be very important if you do get even a little altitude sickness not being prepaired this way ruined a hunt for an acquaintence that went with me one year.
have fun.
Alot of the guys have hit on some great key point! I use and take duct tape vs athletic tape. It is great to fix almost anything and it is great for blisters!
Just being there does something for my overall attitude! I am 50 and hope to be doing it another 20 years!! No where else do I push myself that hard and for that long in persuit of an animal. I love the training/preperation that is required for this hunt and I feel a damn sight better than if I had sat on my big fat buttock and did nothing. I live for my one/two weeks out west and god willing, I will be there this year! :bigsmyl:
I'm ordering Cameron's book on my next payday. I'll look into powders for galding, I used the Monkey Butt stuff once and it set my "boys" on fire!
I can personally second the duct tape; I've seen the stuff used in a Podiatry office!
Awesome advice so far. Thanks to everyone for taking the time.
my 2 cents..... the only mule deer i have shot was 17 yds away but 12 or more yds up.... practice with the equipment that you are going to use , including broadheads , backpacks, everything,,,, 1500 miles away from home is no time to start sorting and figuring out gear...also when i shot my deer it was in the mid 90's somthing to consider... we literally took pictures of us standing in two foot of snow in the morning inthe bighorns and were wearing shorts in ten sleep wy one hour later... stuff your pack with all your gear and go for a 4 mile walk, you will quikly learn what you can live without and how your boots fit... shoot your bow every day from all possible angles.....have fun
Stickytoes is write about how to find out what you can live without but you'll want to do this walk for a month before you start thinning your load.
Buy a bird license and bring grouse arrows. They are great eating and a fun diversion from chasing elk. A fishing license is a good thing, as well.
I think the point about getting in shape has been made, but really can't be overstated. And enjoy the mountains.
'A Man Made of Elk' by David Peterson is a great read too.
Don't underestimate how different the terrain is from out East, here it is sidehill, uphill and downhill.
Follow all the advice so far and pay particular attention to your feet. 2 pr top quality broken in boots, so you can change daily and 2 pr socks per day, and find a way to wash your feet daily-even if it is just handi wipes, and bring foot powder.
Be prepaired to roll with the punches as they say,things don't always go as you plan.And like centaur said enjoy being in the mountains,they are a magical place.
Lots of good info. Great thread. Before you head west, as many have said, get in the best shape you can. But what does that mean, as we all have a different opinion of what " good shape" is.
If you are the couch potato type, start walking. Every day. Get your body used to moving. Within a couple months, wear your daypack and hunting boots. Add a little weight to it at a time, but you should do it with the wieght it will be when you get there.
If you can drop 20 lbs before you go, thats 20 less you have to carry around all day.
If you run a 5 minute mile, good for you. Do it with boots and a pack. You legs are your hunt.
Walking stais at a stadium or bleachers helps.
Wall sits, lunges, squats, any exercise that works the legs is good. Lungs too.
Where fitness pays off is endurance and recovery. You may run 100 yds to get in position for a shot. Being in good shape it will take you a minute or 2 to get your wind back. If you're not, you may huff and puff for 10-15.
Acclimate slowly, take it easy the first few days unless you want to spend the rest of the hunt in camp puking your guts out with a pounding headache. Drink lots of water. You may find you have to pee every 5 minutes for a day or so, your body is adjusting. Keep it hydrated. Just breathing dry mountain air will dehydrate you.I drink 2-3 liters a day, more if its hot.
Last time out I used Wilderness Athlete products, thier drink mix is awesome, as are thier power bars. They also make some tablets for altitude sickness that I think make a difference in how fast you adjust to altitude.
Be nice to your feet, and they will be nice to you. Change you socks at least once a day. Carry a couple pair in your pack. Change 'em at lunchtime. Your feet will love you.
don't get carried away bugling. Most hunters bugle way too much. If you have a bull nearby bugling, cow call and move in on him. A bugle may just send him over the next ridge with all his cows.
Elk are not deer. They look a lot closer due to their size. PRactice on and elk sized target. I made a cardboard cutout the size of an elk, and put bales behind the vitals. Get your brain used to judging distance at elk sized critters. ( I still missed LOL )
Cover as much ground as needed to find elk.
If you find a pond or water hole, they are very productive for afternoon/evening hunts. Elk drink a lot of water, and will water at least twice a day, before bed, and when heading out to feed. Find their favorite water source, and you're in business.
A GPS is a great tool, but I've seen morethan one hunter walk around all day staring at a GPS, worried about not getting lost, instead of hunting and looking for elk. LAT26 makes a great map overlay system for 1:24,000 topo maps.
Everyone has their personal preferences for clothing. Camo patterns dont really make a lot of difference. Whatever you wear deer hunting is fine. If you wear cotton T shirts, keep an extra in your pack. You get sweaty, and when the sun gets low in the afternoon, it gets chilly fast. A dry shirt will keep you from shivering.
Fleece or wool are good bets too. Quiet, warm, and with fleece, it dries fast.
Elknut makes some great DVDs on calling. A great investment in your hunt.
Keep a couple different fire starters handy in case you need to spend the night in the bush, and know how to use them. Practice beforeyou go.
For emergency gotta have fire right now, nothing beats a road flare.
Take lots and lots of pictures. Enjoy every minute of the day. Elk hunting is hard work. But its a good hurt. The sore muscles, aching shoulders, and tired feet are all part of the experience. You get to stomp arond in the most beautiful country God has graced us with, and see things up close.
I will warn you, once you elk hunt once, you WILL do it again, or spend the rest of your life wishing you had. It gets in your blood like nothing other. And if you put one on the ground with a stick, you've pulled off a feat only a small percentage can say they've done.
Good luck.
Don't forget CHAPSTICK, by the third day my lips about fell off. Get some hard candy or gum, mouth gets dry too. Drink lots of WATER(80-100 oz)while out hunting and more in camp. Buy Elknuts video and Colorado DOW "Down to the Bone" video. Get in the best shape of your life, lots of uphill AND downhill walking. Bring a camera and ENJOY the trip.
Well, lots of great advise, esp the part on how to get into shape, I look like a nut but I go to the gym with my hunting boots on, my pack , loaded, trying to wear just what I wear hunting, incline the tread-mill an take off. If you get out west, an do this, your lungs will feel like they are coming out your mouth, cardio, is the thing. Lifting helps but nothing like heavy breathing! Water is prob the heaviest thing you will carry, carry at least 2 qts. Partner shot a bull an he ran to the deepest hole around. We had to crawl almost straight up a long ways, but we got him out. I just thought I was in shape! I was not. Already said, dont bugle very much, brings in hunters also. Elk are always farther than they seem, in binos, or in yards for a shot. Been hunting them long time, but I am a flatlander, the mtns. are tuff. Good luck, have fun, dont worry bout the kill, it will come, but you prob will have to put in your time. I did!!
If like me you like a fire at night, a conifer stump that you can kick out of the ground is full of resin and burns hot and long.
As everyone else has said conditioning. I have in the past let poor conditioning stop me from hunting areas I knew held game, not for fear of getting in or out, but because of the inability of getting downed game out.
Even if you aren,t in the best shape, hunt within your ability. Yes, its big country, but sometimes slow and easy works.
Don't pass up a good shot on a legal animal waiting on something bigger, you may well regret it later.
Above all, go, its an unforgetable experience!