LOL. I've been preparing for elk hunting for a year. Actually we prepare year round back home for it. My brother, uncle, and grandpa are always scouting them and seeing where they are and where they're moving. I usually take a week or so off to go out and go.
I'll be leaving this thursday. I've been getting the horses in shape for the 10-20 mile rides everyday, fresh shoes, and getting all the equipment ready. We usually pack in for a week or so. It takes some planning for all the food, clothes, tents, bags, cooking equipment, etc. for a week, and of course all the horse gear and food as well. The forest service is getting pretty ridiculous about all the rules anymore. Depending on where you are you even have to pack out your bodily functions now!!!
I've also been getting my gun ready. I use a stainless weatherby 300 with a 3x10 Leopold range finder for elk hunting. Went yesterday to make sure it's still sighted in and it was perfect. Now if I can just get out of here on time thursday. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
Never been elk hunting, doc. Don't have them in my neck of the woods and too expensive to go where they are to get one. I would like to hunt elk someday before I get too old, though.
Only went elk hunting twice, in 93 and 94. We did not pack in as we do not have horses and we camped in a 16 ft pull type camper.
The first year we climbed everything, we had climbed this mountain beside the campsite, if you had stood upright you would have fallen over backwards, it was so steep. Seen the tail ends of a couple of bulls, it would have been fun getting them down if we would have had a decent shot.
Second year, we applied for cow tags and based on the previous years experience, we knew where to go. Had two cows down a half hour after season opened. The brother that had a bull tag never did fill that year.
The first time we had gone out close to a week before the season to scout etc. What we could not believe was the number of hunters in some of the areas, it was like shanty towns had sprung up at every access point on every trailhead.
Being this was in southwestern Montana, you had to be careful of where you camped or your vehicle would still be there in the spring. Lot of work, lots of fun, one of these years I will take my son out there and try it again. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Hunted elk for many years. Then there came a time when I could not eat all the elk that I brought down. That ended my elk hunting and just buy a quarter from the neighbor. Now I prepare for hunting season by getting my video camera ready as I take pictures of everyone else on the hunt. I get the exercise but not the work.
PJ
I live in elk country and usually hunt every year. The easiest tactic is to go during the rut season for bull elk. Then you can call them to you with a commercial elk bugle. That is the most exciting way to hunt elk. Nothing like a mad bull coming right towards you to get you pretty excited. Assuming that you're not lucky enough to have a trophy early season bull tag, you will not be hunting during the rut, so calling won't work. Hunting is really pretty simple. The elk will feed in meadows at night and early morning and will move into the timber about an hour after sunup. Just find where they are coming into the timber from the meadow by circling the meadow to look for tracks. Then before first light, just go into the timber and wait for the elk to come to you. I usually bag a cow elk using these tactics, but it will work just as well with bulls. Usually the herd will move together, but there are times when the big bulls are not with the herds (late fall/early winter). Then if you have a bull tag-good luck, the hunting is really hunting. I have no suggestions for this situation. Its more a matter of covering lots of ground to find bulls during late fall.
I'd love to go. They just restored elk to an area in KY and have a quota hunt each year, I haven't applied yet but I will in the future.
I'd love to go out west or up to Canada for a real elk hunt in those beautiful mountains. If lucky enough to bring down an elk would be awesome, but to see that land would be everything.
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