OVER THE YEARS IVE LEARNED A FEW THINGS THAT SOME OF THE GUYS OVERLOOK SO I FELT I SHOULD POINT THEM OUT TO HELP, ESPECIALLY,! THE NEWER GUYS
ABOUT 20%-25% of the hunters kill about 70%-%80 of the elk, the reason is that it takes both experience and some skill to be an effective elk hunter and that it takes time and research to get good at those skills and learn about the game and its habits and anatomy, and if your really wanting to be successful you really need to be in good physical shape to increase the odds you can cover enough territory, every day to be in the right place at the right time to harvest a decent elk,
elk country generally requires you cover and glass a great deal of area, to locate your target, and unlike white tail deer, your chances of sitting in a tree stand in the correct time frame, at the correct place is far less likely.
simply because most elk range over many miles of range not hundreds of yards and they may take weeks, or months to travel back through one specific drainage or stand of timber.
use topo maps to locate potential natural choke points, logging road access and camp sites.
being in good physical condition is almost mandatory, most of us think we are but if your not familiar with hunting at 5000-10000 ft altitude you might be rather surprised at the difference, it makes.
bring a good set of binoculars and good comfortable boots with good grip tread soles.
have a decent pack, temps can change from below freezing to 70F in a days time, having a GPS helps
drink plenty of liquids and have a few aspirin, or aleve and excedrin etc. , youll need them
bringing a side arm, like a 44 mag or 454 cassul, is generally not mandatory, but you might prefer too pack out elk meat, with a side arm, once you have dropped one elk, , with a side arm vs a rifle as a 60-80 lb pack is plenty to manage while packing out of steep canyons.
after dozens of elk hunts in Colorado and Wyoming, I learned you can,t assume you can wonder around a particular area that may look good or one conveniently located close to where your camped,
Successfully looking to find elk, requires, you to cover a good deal of topography and have a decent understanding of what the elk need and are looking to avoid.
it also helps if you have a good understanding of the natural terrain choke points, preferred browse/feed, cover, escape,routes,, bedding areas, water access.etc.
generally most guys won,t get more than a mile off logging road access simply because its too hard to retrieve a downed elk and pack it out where no motor vehicle access is allowed.
you can also find real honey spots if you hunt areas that require you wade creeks or climb or descend into canyons,
I can,t begin to tell you how many times I hunted canyons and had new guys after 1- or- 2 days sit out the rest of the trip hunting near camp rather than climb in and out of canyon country,
as a consequence, I generally learn to pack fairly light, I'm prepared to spend the night if its required and I rarely see other hunters after opening day, in the rather remote canyon country.
I spend 4 plus decades hunting elk , usually in several states under various hunting condition, ranges, terrain and in different weather condition's
we all develop favorite's and what you carry or use might not be adequate or near ideal in anyone else's opinion,
I've used everything from a 44 mag revolver, a 80 lb bow, a single shot 270 win up to a 378 wby mag, and from what I've seen, its the skill and persistence of the marksman not the cartridge or caliber, or even the type of weapon used, that maters in my opinion, Its not what you carry so much as how good/consistent you are in its use and understanding its limitations that maters.
if I have to select something , the available licenses, the ranges and terrain I'll deal with has a huge effect on what ill grab
everything works if the guy using it has the skill to use it effectively and understand the limitations his choice mandates.
(1) do the required research prior to the season, to locate a good area with a reasonable game population
talk to the local biologist and game wardens, and local ranchers if you can.
learn to shoot quickly from field positions use a sling and bi-pod.
(2) get and study topo maps and purchase area aerial photos, use both extensively
learn what elk eat, where they find cover, bed and locate the areas that provide the potential escape routes
locate the logging road access, and major camp sites, use the other hunter pressure too your advantage,
knowing where elk will avoid helps you limit the areas you need to glass.
(3) assuming your in decent physical condition, physically get out into areas ,
use a GPS to locate terrain choke points to glass for game,learn to recognizes tracks, and the age of elk droppings
scout on foot,in locations on the topo map's that indicate the location has potential.
(4)spend the time glassing the better potential areas, if you don,t see elk in 45 minutes, move to the next likely area to glass from
, and repeat, dawn till dusk until you see elk.
if you don,t see elk in two days move your camp to a different area and altitude
(5) once you've located legal shoot- able ELK use binoculars and your topo map info,
to move into range, as you cover ground to close the distance, while watching the terrain , maintaining your cover,
limiting noise and planing a route that limits your scent reaching the elk.
(6)move into range, reevaluate the game,frequently, watch for sentry cows and outlaying bulls ,that might spoil the stalk,
use your optics and once in range use your weapon of choice to take the elk ethically.
its not easy but its not complicated, it takes persistence and a willingness to get out away from the local road access.
(7) dress and process the game, transport it to the truck pack in zip loc bags and dry ice as fast as possible
theres millions of words wasted on the best rifle to use, Ive seen everything from a 257 roberts with 100 grain bullets to a 458 Lott used successfully , personally Id suggest a 270 win as minimum, and nothing over a 375 H&H is required, but select top quality optics (binocular and rifle scope) and learn how to shoot accurately from field positions.
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/long-range-calibers-for-elk-are-not-mandatory.1275/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/got-asked-again-about-what-id-select-for-a-good-all-around-elk-mule-deer-rifle.12948/
bringing a side arm like a 44 mag or 454 revolver is generally not mandatory, but you might prefer to pack out elk meat, once you have dropped on, with a side arm vs a rifle,
as a 60-80 lb pack is plenty to manage while packing out of steep canyons
EASY access to an area, and easily driven roads into any area, almost insures that there will be very few decent trophy elk, so you need to be willing to get into less easily accessed areas..
obviously having top quality comfortable boots and an accurate rifle and scope combo will increase your odds of success.
theres several threads on this web-site concerning selecting a good rifle and scope. but you certainly won,t go wrong with an accurate rifle in caliber 30/06-to-340 weatherby and a 2 x 7- to- 4 x 12 scope, that you've spend months practicing with, shooting from field positions.
Purchase detail topo maps of the area you intend to hunt, if available get current satellite photos , and take the time to call the local game warden and biologists.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyre ... fleElk.pdf
http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/Elk ... rsity.aspx
http://www.biggamehunt.net/articles/elk-hunting-high-pressure-areas
http://seekoutside.com/diy-elk-more-tha ... n-fitness/
viewtopic.php?f=95&t=2841&p=7351#p7351
http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/woods-rifle
now in no particular order, a few things that get overlooked OR IGNORED that YOU DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF if you intend to be successful!
don,t get locked into a single location year after year, yes that white tail mentality is a bit hard to deal with at first. many guys seem to think that they can simply find a good overlook point and wait for stupid elk to wander by. while that approach does occasionally work, its not very productive, year after year, as a hunt method, because elk don,t usually limit themselves to a single canyon or drainage year round and travel routes change radically when hunt pressure increases.
your far more productive in my experience if you locate the herd glassing from good look-out points or have prior experience in an area to know where escape routes and bedding areas , water supplies and good cover are located,before you start hunting every day and then look over the area and plan your approach accordingly.
A lot of guys have talked about not being very successful the first few years,of their hunting and then having pretty good success once they got dialed in. I would guess that the success in the later years as the hunters experience has increased has as much (if not more) to do with knowing how to do the required research before you start out on a hunt, to both use the correct equipment, and finding and hunting the right or more productive places to hunt as it does in how you hunt, after all the best hunter will have poor results in an area with very few elk but if your constantly being offered the opportunity to shoot elk at closer ranges , and your very effective with the equipment you select to use,your success rate is bound to increase.
you'll need a good hat to keep the sun out of your eyes,
I've found that the canvas aussie style works rather well.
http://www.opticsden.com/best-binoc...MIpuP4icPp2gIVjobACh0foQ-kEAAYAiAAEgL9MfD_BwE
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/hunting-binoculars.14300/#post-78145
Ive always been rather amazed at the number of hunters I see that don,t carry ,
a decent quality binocular
, that are high quality enough that you can pick out small detail clearly at a hundred yards yet small and light enough that they are not left in camp as a P.I.T.A. and extra weight,
and don,t wear a hat without a brim that shades their eyes.
both pieces of equipment noticeably increase your ability to spot game.
a decent down vest and polar fleece hoodie under a parka sure helps on sub zero mornings
comfortable insulated boots with good ankle support and an agreasive tread are nearly mandatory
the sharade woodsman
http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expan ... e=SCH165OT
this is a darn good value in a skinning and dressing game knife
http://www.survival-gear-guide.com/schr ... inued.html
http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-Timer-Sha ... B000IE3ZKA
now if your looking for a dirt cheap knife of above average quality for its price both of the knives above do a decent job, Ive used both for many years and while each has its good/bad features both are very handy, I prefer the woodsman by a slim margin as its a bit more useful in my opinion , but either will dress out deer or elk quite effectively
when combined with an ez-lap pocket diamond hone
Ive found this Kukri far more useful than a hatchet, for various
a quality long waist down vest sure comes in handy as it stores in little space and on cold mornings its sure great.
good comfortable boots with agreasive non slip soles help
Youll need SMALL LIGHT WEIGHT 7X-10X binos almost constantly and POSSIBLY a spotting scope depending on your plans and hunt style
you need to locate the game and food & water sources and recognize the factors that effect game movement.
"good spots" are good spots for a REASON, theres usually topographical features that tend to limit movement in the surrounding area to increase traffic in your area, or ,lower hunting pressure in that area, making it tend to have a higher traffic,as game moves thru, or theres something like food or water that DRAWS the game to, or thru that area.
spots can be good for decades or only for a couple days, due to changing conditions, and game populations. change the area with construction,roads, clear-cuts, recent fires, new food sources etc. and the GOOD SPOTS change,and ELK and at times DEER travel in and cover a huge area, look at it this way, if you were hunting MAIL CARRIERS with a camera,rather than ELK,with a rifle, standing next to a mail box might prove successful but standing in a post office parking lot , at the correct times,would tend to increase your odds of success.
but if the post office closed that would no longer be nearly as productive a spot.
why not call the local game department biologist and ask a few questions then the local game warden, for his input,
about the area that you intend to hunt before making a decision, I found that generally helps improve your success rate a bit.
i generally hunt the area north or south, of gypsum meeker, or eagle Colorado the officers are generally willing to talk with you if your polite, brief and have specific detailed questions
first it makes no sense at all to be wasting time hunting ELK where they are FEW and where theres little chance of seeing one!
DO THE HOMEWORK, talk to the biologists, wardens,ranchers,ETC.
while they can,t tell you exactly where the herd is they can usually point to areas they are not currently using!
don,t ignore the low elevations , if theres good water and cover elk can and do go into rolling hills and even creek bottoms at times.
yet year after year I see guys hunt, the whole season,in the same drainage from the same camp site, simply because they occasionally see ELK SIGN,thats the real difference between your average ELK HUNTER who year after year makes camp in the same area and hunts within a couple miles of that spot year after year ...while many are successful ........the better elk hunters locate and follow the herds DAILY, moving with the ELK , as required.
Ive always said,
think like a wolf, send out scouts, locate the herd, get your buddies together with a plan and approach the herd from, and cover as many likely escape routes at the same time as you can.
ELK cover a VAST area, you NEED to locate the herds, and hunt the areas the herd is CURRENTLY IN THAT DAY!!! to be successful on a regular basis
you need to move camp, to follow the herds
tips
locate the water and food sources, especially in dry areas as this tends to hold the herds to some extent at least during part of the day
t any rate, I offer this as a suggestion to those that aren't seeing elk where they are hunting: go where the elk are, don,t waste time hunting areas where your not seeing elk, move constantly until you are seeing elk.
locate natural travel restrictions, like rivers,canyons,highways, high fence lines, sadles on ridges, steep cliffs,ETC. while they may not stop elk they tend to route the herds
next
I get it every trip,I drive out a few days early knowing it takes time for the body to adjust,constantly drinking lots of water, Gatorade ,take an aspirin every 4 hours and staying where its warm during the first two-to-three days tends to help a good deal, so I usually stay at a motel or a friends home during the 3 days before the season
symptoms generally include killer migraine headache, sinus hurt and you feel like you've got the flu, but it passes, and if you know what to expect and basically rest the first 3 days you'll adjust.
yeah! IM that obsessed with hunting ELK!
carry lots of water and aspirin, Excedrin etc. as altitude sickness is common and a real P.I.T.A.,having several ROLAIDS and ASPIRIN along with a constant supply of fresh water even when your not feeling thirsty helps relieve the problem, I get sick as can be with bad my-grain style headaches from altitude sickness the first or second or sometimes both days, of each hunt, it helps to take several aspirin and ibuprofen and drink hot tea,(not beer or coffee)and not do much thats stressful for the first 24-36 hours ,talk to your physician about other prescription medications (nifedipine, frusemide and acetazolamide) that can combat the onset and symptoms of altitude sickness, and have those with you.
that 24-36 hours acclimation time requires you get to where youll hunt a few days prior to opening day,obviously,and spend a couple days at a medium altitude like 5K-6K before going higher,If your in a hotel/motel, hot showers help as they tend to reduce blood pressure slightly, which is a minor help, youll generally feel ok after 36-48 hours if you don,t push hard and try to sleep several thousand feet lower than you hunt, it helps
https://www.altituderx.com/
http://www.bing.com/health/article/natu ... e+sickness
head aches , nausea ,are real and common youll feel like crap for the first 24-36 hours, you likely to have a killer headache, but drink lots of liquids and take pain killers and it slowly passes so don,t let it end your hunt, don,t let altitude sickness ruin your hunt, its a problem for almost all new hunters that don,t live at similar altitudes,symptoms are a killer head ache and nausea, that usually takes 8-12 hours to start after moving to higher altitude and it can last 12-48 hours making life miserable , its cure is drinking lots of liquids like gator aid and water and taking aspirin and Excedrin and resting while your body adapts , if possible spend the first couple nights at a slightly lower altitude, example where I normally hunt the altitude is about 8K-11K , if I spend a couple nights in a motel at lets say 5K-7K it tends to REDUCE but not eliminate the problem and DON,T GET STUPID and push yourself hard at those altitudes, just find a decent place to sit and watch a narrow canyon, or a natural travel choke point and glass the area if you feel out of breath or overly tired, once your in a good area,many guys find that sitting and glassing every 15-30 minutes for an hour or so,is more effective than constantly still hunting because its hard to carefully inspect an area if your having a difficult time just breathing and your exhausted
WATCH THE WIND, and stay out of prime bedding areas or youll be likely to push the herd out of your immediate area.
don,t push the cows, while a bull may circle, spook a cow badly and she may travel to the next drainage
don,t call unless you can really sound reasonably like an ELK bad calling HURTS not helps, you need to practice useing real elk on tapes to get both the sound and cadence correct
next
the HUNTING PARTNERS you choose can go a long way towards making or breaking a hunt!
make very sure ALL the details of who pays what, or who is responsible for what, is firmly set before the hunt,and its almost always better to have a small group than one new guy on an out of state hunt! while its best to check out new guys on short local hunts first , that's not always an option. but it makes little sense to cancel a hunt early you've waited all year for and spent big bucks on, so choose your partners with great care!
next
glass constantly,travel light,be prepared to move as needed!,and DON,T expect to see much from the roads! you NEED to put in some effort and get AWAY from the easy access areas to increase your chances.
if your archery hunting youll usually have the advantage of fewer hunters as competition and you might even have the RUT and be able to call ELK, but even when you DON,T carry and use a COW CALL, it can allow you to get in closer in many cases
next
your clothes should be BOTH quite and warm, dull in color at a minimum and hopefully in a camo that matches the area your hunting.FLEECE camo is a PLUS in most cases
boots that fit, and have good ankle support are extremely important.
next
nothing that flashes, reflects light, clinks,creaks, rattles,squeaks,smells.or crinkles needs or should be with you, keep in the shadows and don,t expose yourself on ridge tops
make 100% sure your back-pack won,t squeak, groan or break when heavily loaded
next
take the time to practice EXTENSIVELY with your weapon of choice!
if you can,t make the first shot count, you probably are NOT going to be successfull on a regular basis
next
get closer than 350 yards from the game,where range estimates are easier
and use 200-250 grain speeror hornady bullets and place your shots precisely, practice and use a lazer range finder, and that blood trailing will stop being a problem
http://www.dundeesportsmansclub.com/Dundee Pic/elkshotplacement.pdf
next
learn to use TOPO MAPS
they can give you a good deal of info if you understand both the ELK and human nature
as an example
if you look over an area and one area is rolling hills with roads and camp grounds every few miles while the other area is steep cliffs,thick timbered slopes and no road access, you can be reasonably sure that after opening day, the ELK will retreat to the more distant areas andand less accessable areas and that the areas nearer the roads will soon appear as a PUMPKIN PATCH of orange jackets, with few ELK, sure a few ELK will be shot durring the herds movement, but the better hunters will take advantage of both the movement and the remote areas potential.
use topo maps and GLASS constantly, ELK DON,T like BUZY areas and ROAD TRAFFIC look for areas that won,t have a lot of people simply because they are more difficult to reach easily
generally NORTH and EAST facing slopes and thick timber will be where ELK hang out rather than the more open and less timbered south and west facing slopes
NEXT
no matter what physical shape you THINK your in...EXERCISE MORE OFTEN, it WILL help! trust me! constant walking at 7000-11000 ft of altitude common to ELK hunts, ESPECIALLY with a HEAVY backpack is a TOTALLY different deal than it seems to be at lower altitudes,
drink plenty of liquids and take things easy the first few days
standard cold weather rifle prep requires degrease the bolt and trigger mechanisms and a light coat of graphite lube
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11002/guntechdetail/Cold_Weather_Prepping_a_Long_Gun_For_Hunting_
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob79.html
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ange-calibers-for-elk-are-not-mandatory.1275/
http://www.graphitestore.com/itemDetails.asp?item_id=1574&prd_id=34&cat_id=28&curPage=1
next
never shoot an ELK unless you have both the ability and skill/tools/manpower to get that ELK out of the area and processed in a reasonable time frame and without wasting the meat
http://home.att.net/~sajackson/elk.html
http://members.tripod.com/~elkhunter2/
heres a quick memory jog list, for hunt day pack
(remember you might be forced to stay out over night, & weather is unpredictable)
skinning knife
kukri
compact blade sharpener
compass
area topo maps
canteen
licences
cell phone
several lighters
several mil surplus trioxane heat tabs
granola bars
rain poncho
2 gallon zip lock bags
small block & tackle hoist & rope(50 ft parachute cord)
spare ammo
heavy hoodie jacket
large plastic tarp
aspirin
Oxycontin
lip chapstick
water purification tablets, or filter/pump
down vest
gps
pack of wetnaps
toilet paper
emergency food
on your belt
large knife or light tomahawk, or kukuri
the cold steel (TRAIL MASTER, or ( KUKRI) are good choices
canteen
anything that could get screwed up if you fall in a creek like medicine, licences, cell phones etc. gets double zip loc bagged
ABOUT 20%-25% of the hunters kill about 70%-%80 of the elk, the reason is that it takes both experience and some skill to be an effective elk hunter and that it takes time and research to get good at those skills and learn about the game and its habits and anatomy, and if your really wanting to be successful you really need to be in good physical shape to increase the odds you can cover enough territory, every day to be in the right place at the right time to harvest a decent elk,
elk country generally requires you cover and glass a great deal of area, to locate your target, and unlike white tail deer, your chances of sitting in a tree stand in the correct time frame, at the correct place is far less likely.
simply because most elk range over many miles of range not hundreds of yards and they may take weeks, or months to travel back through one specific drainage or stand of timber.
use topo maps to locate potential natural choke points, logging road access and camp sites.
being in good physical condition is almost mandatory, most of us think we are but if your not familiar with hunting at 5000-10000 ft altitude you might be rather surprised at the difference, it makes.
bring a good set of binoculars and good comfortable boots with good grip tread soles.
have a decent pack, temps can change from below freezing to 70F in a days time, having a GPS helps
drink plenty of liquids and have a few aspirin, or aleve and excedrin etc. , youll need them
bringing a side arm, like a 44 mag or 454 cassul, is generally not mandatory, but you might prefer too pack out elk meat, with a side arm, once you have dropped one elk, , with a side arm vs a rifle as a 60-80 lb pack is plenty to manage while packing out of steep canyons.
after dozens of elk hunts in Colorado and Wyoming, I learned you can,t assume you can wonder around a particular area that may look good or one conveniently located close to where your camped,
Successfully looking to find elk, requires, you to cover a good deal of topography and have a decent understanding of what the elk need and are looking to avoid.
it also helps if you have a good understanding of the natural terrain choke points, preferred browse/feed, cover, escape,routes,, bedding areas, water access.etc.
generally most guys won,t get more than a mile off logging road access simply because its too hard to retrieve a downed elk and pack it out where no motor vehicle access is allowed.
you can also find real honey spots if you hunt areas that require you wade creeks or climb or descend into canyons,
I can,t begin to tell you how many times I hunted canyons and had new guys after 1- or- 2 days sit out the rest of the trip hunting near camp rather than climb in and out of canyon country,
as a consequence, I generally learn to pack fairly light, I'm prepared to spend the night if its required and I rarely see other hunters after opening day, in the rather remote canyon country.
I spend 4 plus decades hunting elk , usually in several states under various hunting condition, ranges, terrain and in different weather condition's
we all develop favorite's and what you carry or use might not be adequate or near ideal in anyone else's opinion,
I've used everything from a 44 mag revolver, a 80 lb bow, a single shot 270 win up to a 378 wby mag, and from what I've seen, its the skill and persistence of the marksman not the cartridge or caliber, or even the type of weapon used, that maters in my opinion, Its not what you carry so much as how good/consistent you are in its use and understanding its limitations that maters.
if I have to select something , the available licenses, the ranges and terrain I'll deal with has a huge effect on what ill grab
everything works if the guy using it has the skill to use it effectively and understand the limitations his choice mandates.
(1) do the required research prior to the season, to locate a good area with a reasonable game population
talk to the local biologist and game wardens, and local ranchers if you can.
learn to shoot quickly from field positions use a sling and bi-pod.
(2) get and study topo maps and purchase area aerial photos, use both extensively
learn what elk eat, where they find cover, bed and locate the areas that provide the potential escape routes
locate the logging road access, and major camp sites, use the other hunter pressure too your advantage,
knowing where elk will avoid helps you limit the areas you need to glass.
(3) assuming your in decent physical condition, physically get out into areas ,
use a GPS to locate terrain choke points to glass for game,learn to recognizes tracks, and the age of elk droppings
scout on foot,in locations on the topo map's that indicate the location has potential.
(4)spend the time glassing the better potential areas, if you don,t see elk in 45 minutes, move to the next likely area to glass from
, and repeat, dawn till dusk until you see elk.
if you don,t see elk in two days move your camp to a different area and altitude
(5) once you've located legal shoot- able ELK use binoculars and your topo map info,
to move into range, as you cover ground to close the distance, while watching the terrain , maintaining your cover,
limiting noise and planing a route that limits your scent reaching the elk.
(6)move into range, reevaluate the game,frequently, watch for sentry cows and outlaying bulls ,that might spoil the stalk,
use your optics and once in range use your weapon of choice to take the elk ethically.
its not easy but its not complicated, it takes persistence and a willingness to get out away from the local road access.
(7) dress and process the game, transport it to the truck pack in zip loc bags and dry ice as fast as possible
theres millions of words wasted on the best rifle to use, Ive seen everything from a 257 roberts with 100 grain bullets to a 458 Lott used successfully , personally Id suggest a 270 win as minimum, and nothing over a 375 H&H is required, but select top quality optics (binocular and rifle scope) and learn how to shoot accurately from field positions.
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/long-range-calibers-for-elk-are-not-mandatory.1275/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/got-asked-again-about-what-id-select-for-a-good-all-around-elk-mule-deer-rifle.12948/
better options for starting a fire
the consistent and dependable ability to easily make a fire, when required, is a potentially life saving and death preventing/ mandatory skill, set. having and carrying several options & tools available to do so is a very good idea. your ability to think rationally and perform simple tasks...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
selecting a handgun for hunting hogs, deer,ELK
Here we go again using energy as the deciding factor for killing a deer. While the 357 will work (I've done it) its really on the minimum side for deer, but again it will work. Moving up to the big three, 41, 44 & 45 they are easily able to take deer with quality hits & will almost always exit...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
bringing a side arm like a 44 mag or 454 revolver is generally not mandatory, but you might prefer to pack out elk meat, once you have dropped on, with a side arm vs a rifle,
as a 60-80 lb pack is plenty to manage while packing out of steep canyons
EASY access to an area, and easily driven roads into any area, almost insures that there will be very few decent trophy elk, so you need to be willing to get into less easily accessed areas..
obviously having top quality comfortable boots and an accurate rifle and scope combo will increase your odds of success.
theres several threads on this web-site concerning selecting a good rifle and scope. but you certainly won,t go wrong with an accurate rifle in caliber 30/06-to-340 weatherby and a 2 x 7- to- 4 x 12 scope, that you've spend months practicing with, shooting from field positions.
Purchase detail topo maps of the area you intend to hunt, if available get current satellite photos , and take the time to call the local game warden and biologists.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyre ... fleElk.pdf
http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/Elk ... rsity.aspx
http://www.biggamehunt.net/articles/elk-hunting-high-pressure-areas
http://seekoutside.com/diy-elk-more-tha ... n-fitness/
viewtopic.php?f=95&t=2841&p=7351#p7351
http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/woods-rifle
now in no particular order, a few things that get overlooked OR IGNORED that YOU DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF if you intend to be successful!
don,t get locked into a single location year after year, yes that white tail mentality is a bit hard to deal with at first. many guys seem to think that they can simply find a good overlook point and wait for stupid elk to wander by. while that approach does occasionally work, its not very productive, year after year, as a hunt method, because elk don,t usually limit themselves to a single canyon or drainage year round and travel routes change radically when hunt pressure increases.
your far more productive in my experience if you locate the herd glassing from good look-out points or have prior experience in an area to know where escape routes and bedding areas , water supplies and good cover are located,before you start hunting every day and then look over the area and plan your approach accordingly.
A lot of guys have talked about not being very successful the first few years,of their hunting and then having pretty good success once they got dialed in. I would guess that the success in the later years as the hunters experience has increased has as much (if not more) to do with knowing how to do the required research before you start out on a hunt, to both use the correct equipment, and finding and hunting the right or more productive places to hunt as it does in how you hunt, after all the best hunter will have poor results in an area with very few elk but if your constantly being offered the opportunity to shoot elk at closer ranges , and your very effective with the equipment you select to use,your success rate is bound to increase.
you'll need a good hat to keep the sun out of your eyes,
I've found that the canvas aussie style works rather well.
http://www.opticsden.com/best-binoc...MIpuP4icPp2gIVjobACh0foQ-kEAAYAiAAEgL9MfD_BwE
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/hunting-binoculars.14300/#post-78145
Ive always been rather amazed at the number of hunters I see that don,t carry ,
a decent quality binocular
, that are high quality enough that you can pick out small detail clearly at a hundred yards yet small and light enough that they are not left in camp as a P.I.T.A. and extra weight,
and don,t wear a hat without a brim that shades their eyes.
both pieces of equipment noticeably increase your ability to spot game.
a decent down vest and polar fleece hoodie under a parka sure helps on sub zero mornings
comfortable insulated boots with good ankle support and an agreasive tread are nearly mandatory
the sharade woodsman
http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expan ... e=SCH165OT
this is a darn good value in a skinning and dressing game knife
http://www.survival-gear-guide.com/schr ... inued.html
http://www.amazon.com/Schrade-Timer-Sha ... B000IE3ZKA
now if your looking for a dirt cheap knife of above average quality for its price both of the knives above do a decent job, Ive used both for many years and while each has its good/bad features both are very handy, I prefer the woodsman by a slim margin as its a bit more useful in my opinion , but either will dress out deer or elk quite effectively
when combined with an ez-lap pocket diamond hone
Ive found this Kukri far more useful than a hatchet, for various
a quality long waist down vest sure comes in handy as it stores in little space and on cold mornings its sure great.
good comfortable boots with agreasive non slip soles help
Youll need SMALL LIGHT WEIGHT 7X-10X binos almost constantly and POSSIBLY a spotting scope depending on your plans and hunt style
you need to locate the game and food & water sources and recognize the factors that effect game movement.
"good spots" are good spots for a REASON, theres usually topographical features that tend to limit movement in the surrounding area to increase traffic in your area, or ,lower hunting pressure in that area, making it tend to have a higher traffic,as game moves thru, or theres something like food or water that DRAWS the game to, or thru that area.
spots can be good for decades or only for a couple days, due to changing conditions, and game populations. change the area with construction,roads, clear-cuts, recent fires, new food sources etc. and the GOOD SPOTS change,and ELK and at times DEER travel in and cover a huge area, look at it this way, if you were hunting MAIL CARRIERS with a camera,rather than ELK,with a rifle, standing next to a mail box might prove successful but standing in a post office parking lot , at the correct times,would tend to increase your odds of success.
but if the post office closed that would no longer be nearly as productive a spot.
why not call the local game department biologist and ask a few questions then the local game warden, for his input,
about the area that you intend to hunt before making a decision, I found that generally helps improve your success rate a bit.
i generally hunt the area north or south, of gypsum meeker, or eagle Colorado the officers are generally willing to talk with you if your polite, brief and have specific detailed questions
first it makes no sense at all to be wasting time hunting ELK where they are FEW and where theres little chance of seeing one!
DO THE HOMEWORK, talk to the biologists, wardens,ranchers,ETC.
while they can,t tell you exactly where the herd is they can usually point to areas they are not currently using!
don,t ignore the low elevations , if theres good water and cover elk can and do go into rolling hills and even creek bottoms at times.
yet year after year I see guys hunt, the whole season,in the same drainage from the same camp site, simply because they occasionally see ELK SIGN,thats the real difference between your average ELK HUNTER who year after year makes camp in the same area and hunts within a couple miles of that spot year after year ...while many are successful ........the better elk hunters locate and follow the herds DAILY, moving with the ELK , as required.
Ive always said,
think like a wolf, send out scouts, locate the herd, get your buddies together with a plan and approach the herd from, and cover as many likely escape routes at the same time as you can.
ELK cover a VAST area, you NEED to locate the herds, and hunt the areas the herd is CURRENTLY IN THAT DAY!!! to be successful on a regular basis
you need to move camp, to follow the herds
tips
locate the water and food sources, especially in dry areas as this tends to hold the herds to some extent at least during part of the day
t any rate, I offer this as a suggestion to those that aren't seeing elk where they are hunting: go where the elk are, don,t waste time hunting areas where your not seeing elk, move constantly until you are seeing elk.
locate natural travel restrictions, like rivers,canyons,highways, high fence lines, sadles on ridges, steep cliffs,ETC. while they may not stop elk they tend to route the herds
next
I get it every trip,I drive out a few days early knowing it takes time for the body to adjust,constantly drinking lots of water, Gatorade ,take an aspirin every 4 hours and staying where its warm during the first two-to-three days tends to help a good deal, so I usually stay at a motel or a friends home during the 3 days before the season
symptoms generally include killer migraine headache, sinus hurt and you feel like you've got the flu, but it passes, and if you know what to expect and basically rest the first 3 days you'll adjust.
yeah! IM that obsessed with hunting ELK!
carry lots of water and aspirin, Excedrin etc. as altitude sickness is common and a real P.I.T.A.,having several ROLAIDS and ASPIRIN along with a constant supply of fresh water even when your not feeling thirsty helps relieve the problem, I get sick as can be with bad my-grain style headaches from altitude sickness the first or second or sometimes both days, of each hunt, it helps to take several aspirin and ibuprofen and drink hot tea,(not beer or coffee)and not do much thats stressful for the first 24-36 hours ,talk to your physician about other prescription medications (nifedipine, frusemide and acetazolamide) that can combat the onset and symptoms of altitude sickness, and have those with you.
that 24-36 hours acclimation time requires you get to where youll hunt a few days prior to opening day,obviously,and spend a couple days at a medium altitude like 5K-6K before going higher,If your in a hotel/motel, hot showers help as they tend to reduce blood pressure slightly, which is a minor help, youll generally feel ok after 36-48 hours if you don,t push hard and try to sleep several thousand feet lower than you hunt, it helps
https://www.altituderx.com/
http://www.bing.com/health/article/natu ... e+sickness
head aches , nausea ,are real and common youll feel like crap for the first 24-36 hours, you likely to have a killer headache, but drink lots of liquids and take pain killers and it slowly passes so don,t let it end your hunt, don,t let altitude sickness ruin your hunt, its a problem for almost all new hunters that don,t live at similar altitudes,symptoms are a killer head ache and nausea, that usually takes 8-12 hours to start after moving to higher altitude and it can last 12-48 hours making life miserable , its cure is drinking lots of liquids like gator aid and water and taking aspirin and Excedrin and resting while your body adapts , if possible spend the first couple nights at a slightly lower altitude, example where I normally hunt the altitude is about 8K-11K , if I spend a couple nights in a motel at lets say 5K-7K it tends to REDUCE but not eliminate the problem and DON,T GET STUPID and push yourself hard at those altitudes, just find a decent place to sit and watch a narrow canyon, or a natural travel choke point and glass the area if you feel out of breath or overly tired, once your in a good area,many guys find that sitting and glassing every 15-30 minutes for an hour or so,is more effective than constantly still hunting because its hard to carefully inspect an area if your having a difficult time just breathing and your exhausted
WATCH THE WIND, and stay out of prime bedding areas or youll be likely to push the herd out of your immediate area.
don,t push the cows, while a bull may circle, spook a cow badly and she may travel to the next drainage
don,t call unless you can really sound reasonably like an ELK bad calling HURTS not helps, you need to practice useing real elk on tapes to get both the sound and cadence correct
next
the HUNTING PARTNERS you choose can go a long way towards making or breaking a hunt!
make very sure ALL the details of who pays what, or who is responsible for what, is firmly set before the hunt,and its almost always better to have a small group than one new guy on an out of state hunt! while its best to check out new guys on short local hunts first , that's not always an option. but it makes little sense to cancel a hunt early you've waited all year for and spent big bucks on, so choose your partners with great care!
next
glass constantly,travel light,be prepared to move as needed!,and DON,T expect to see much from the roads! you NEED to put in some effort and get AWAY from the easy access areas to increase your chances.
if your archery hunting youll usually have the advantage of fewer hunters as competition and you might even have the RUT and be able to call ELK, but even when you DON,T carry and use a COW CALL, it can allow you to get in closer in many cases
next
your clothes should be BOTH quite and warm, dull in color at a minimum and hopefully in a camo that matches the area your hunting.FLEECE camo is a PLUS in most cases
boots that fit, and have good ankle support are extremely important.
next
nothing that flashes, reflects light, clinks,creaks, rattles,squeaks,smells.or crinkles needs or should be with you, keep in the shadows and don,t expose yourself on ridge tops
make 100% sure your back-pack won,t squeak, groan or break when heavily loaded
next
take the time to practice EXTENSIVELY with your weapon of choice!
if you can,t make the first shot count, you probably are NOT going to be successfull on a regular basis
next
get closer than 350 yards from the game,where range estimates are easier
and use 200-250 grain speeror hornady bullets and place your shots precisely, practice and use a lazer range finder, and that blood trailing will stop being a problem
http://www.dundeesportsmansclub.com/Dundee Pic/elkshotplacement.pdf
next
learn to use TOPO MAPS
they can give you a good deal of info if you understand both the ELK and human nature
as an example
if you look over an area and one area is rolling hills with roads and camp grounds every few miles while the other area is steep cliffs,thick timbered slopes and no road access, you can be reasonably sure that after opening day, the ELK will retreat to the more distant areas andand less accessable areas and that the areas nearer the roads will soon appear as a PUMPKIN PATCH of orange jackets, with few ELK, sure a few ELK will be shot durring the herds movement, but the better hunters will take advantage of both the movement and the remote areas potential.
use topo maps and GLASS constantly, ELK DON,T like BUZY areas and ROAD TRAFFIC look for areas that won,t have a lot of people simply because they are more difficult to reach easily
generally NORTH and EAST facing slopes and thick timber will be where ELK hang out rather than the more open and less timbered south and west facing slopes
NEXT
no matter what physical shape you THINK your in...EXERCISE MORE OFTEN, it WILL help! trust me! constant walking at 7000-11000 ft of altitude common to ELK hunts, ESPECIALLY with a HEAVY backpack is a TOTALLY different deal than it seems to be at lower altitudes,
drink plenty of liquids and take things easy the first few days
standard cold weather rifle prep requires degrease the bolt and trigger mechanisms and a light coat of graphite lube
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11002/guntechdetail/Cold_Weather_Prepping_a_Long_Gun_For_Hunting_
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob79.html
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ange-calibers-for-elk-are-not-mandatory.1275/
http://www.graphitestore.com/itemDetails.asp?item_id=1574&prd_id=34&cat_id=28&curPage=1
next
never shoot an ELK unless you have both the ability and skill/tools/manpower to get that ELK out of the area and processed in a reasonable time frame and without wasting the meat
http://home.att.net/~sajackson/elk.html
http://members.tripod.com/~elkhunter2/
heres a quick memory jog list, for hunt day pack
(remember you might be forced to stay out over night, & weather is unpredictable)
skinning knife
kukri
compact blade sharpener
compass
area topo maps
canteen
licences
cell phone
several lighters
several mil surplus trioxane heat tabs
granola bars
rain poncho
2 gallon zip lock bags
small block & tackle hoist & rope(50 ft parachute cord)
spare ammo
heavy hoodie jacket
large plastic tarp
aspirin
Oxycontin
lip chapstick
water purification tablets, or filter/pump
down vest
gps
pack of wetnaps
toilet paper
emergency food
on your belt
large knife or light tomahawk, or kukuri
the cold steel (TRAIL MASTER, or ( KUKRI) are good choices
canteen
anything that could get screwed up if you fall in a creek like medicine, licences, cell phones etc. gets double zip loc bagged
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