Going Elk Hunting!

FrontSight · December 7, 2006, 01:31 PM

Woo-Hoo...Sept 15th, 2007, archery, in Colorado...booked thru Cabela's

First time for Elk...this one should not be a strenuous hunt from what they say, thankfully. Any advice for me?

Thanks!

Clayfish · December 7, 2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Any advice for me?

Yeah, take me. I'm really fun to hang out with and you'll need help packing all that elk meat out.

FrontSight · December 7, 2006, 02:01 PM

You're more than welcome to come!

Ratsrepus · December 7, 2006, 04:33 PM

Where-abouts are you going in Colorado? I hunted the Craig area in 2003 on a rifle hunt.

FrontSight · December 7, 2006, 05:00 PM

Yep, that's the one! Craig area:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/co...ierarchyId=401

How was it, did you have a good experience, bag anything, etc? Did you book thru Cabela's?

Thanks!

Ratsrepus · December 7, 2006, 06:16 PM

I didn't book through Cabelas but we had an Outfitter. Rocky Mountain Outfitters I believe was the name. they are just up/down the road from Elk Horn which gets so much pub in the magazines.

At any rate, Dennis Frederickson was the outfitters name I believe and his staff did a really nice job for my dad and me. His guides were young but really knew their stuff. It was also a Ranching for Wildlife set up so there wre a lot of animals seen. We got our Bulls the first morning. I just wanted a representative bull and both dad and I got what we think were decent bulls for the area. Some guys in camp shot bigger, some smaller. I wasn't going to be too picky for my first elk. I'll try to add a picture in a few days of my bull. I have it stored on my lap-top and I have to do a little switcheroo to get it linked up here.

We hunted the "quakies" quaking aspen stands and the transition into the "dark timber" spruce stands. It was bugling time when we were there so we got the full deal for the hunt. Some of the guys ended up in the "scrub oak" whichis tough and the sage flats as well.

More later.

taylorce1 · December 7, 2006, 06:20 PM

Sounds like Blue Gravel, don't know for sure but this was a hot topic on one of the other forums I post on. Are you going for bull or either sex? I think there is a cow management hunt going on untill the middle of January if you wanted to go and get two elk in one year.

Here was the discussion on the other forum: http://forums.accuratereloading.com/...43/m/455109575

My only advice is still get in as good as shape as you can. You will still be 8000 feet or better on your hunt. If you come from a lower elevation which I'm assuming that you do, dropping any extra weight while increasing your endurance will help a lot.

Tomas · December 8, 2006, 12:31 AM

taylor is right. Get in shape. I train all year for my yearly excursion to Idaho. We hunt at 6500-7500 feet and even though I'm in good shape, when I start humping those mountains, my heart feels like it's going to pound out of my chest trying to get oxygen into my muscles.

I've never used an outfitter, I just hunt public land and have killed one every year in the last five. Don't let them take you back to camp for lunch. Stay out all day and hunt. Take lunch. Two years ago killed a bull at "lunchtime".

They move all day long during hunting season.

Tom

FrontSight · December 8, 2006, 12:34 AM

Thanks for the advice, please keep it coming; much appreciated! Going only for bulls...

Ratsrepus · December 8, 2006, 08:05 AM

The altitude, such as it was, bothered me. It was only around 9000 feet I guess but being from Minnesota, it bothered me a little. It was also very warm when I hunted and I got dehydrated, which happens rather easily to me. Watch that! I have a Camelbak daypack now and bring plenty of water whenever I am out.

Get in shape is excellent advice. Walking and running the mountains will get your heart going alone. Add a bull at close range and you may explode. Start now and work up slowly. Walking, running etc. Take the stairs. It's a simple adjustment but it will pay off in the long run. Do 10 situps tonight. 10 more tomorrow. Then 20 after a while. Soon you'll be up to 50-80. No problem. Same with push-ups. It doesn't take long to do those each night. It'll help.

Quality footwear that is properly broken it. I went to South Dakota last week on a Mule deer hunt. We did a lot of glassing but a lot of walking too. I had my trusty hunting boots along that have been comfortable for about three years. I don't know what happened but they bothered me on the trip. I got blisters on my big toes by the end of the trip - luckily after I got my buck. I think these have finally "lost it" and are now yard work boots. Get something good that fits properly and spnd time breaking them in. Wear them around the house, at the office/work - whatever. Just because Danner Pronghorns (not the boot I was wearing in SD) fit me like a glove, it doesn't mean they'll fit you. Look around and be picky.

I don't know how a person would prep for it, but elk can make a guy loose it. In my camp there were four guys from Michigan. Experienced deer hunters on their first elk hunt. We went out two hunters with one guide. So the Mich boys were out and bugling up a herd with their guide and a very big 5X5 starts comeing to take on this "new" bull. The hunter had the bull in his scope, walking towards him at ~75 yards when the bull stopped and cut loose with a thundering bugle. As the bull bugled, he (the bull) peed all over himself and was quite the specticle of someone just looking to take names and kick @#$. This made the hunted completely loose it and come apart with the shakes. He had to stop and compose himself to get back in shooting mode again. He ended up making a decent shot and taking a nice bull. I hope he tells the story the same way because I heard it just like that when he came back to camp and it was priceless. It sounded really fun.

Take picture while you're there. Take scenery shots. Take pics of the camp and the staff. Make notes in a small notebook. You'll be glad you did. You'll think you remember everything but there will be so much cool stuff that you'll have trouble.

December 7, 2006, 01:31 PM	#1
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	Going Elk Hunting! Woo-Hoo...Sept 15th, 2007, archery, in Colorado...booked thru Cabela's First time for Elk...this one should not be a strenuous hunt from what they say, thankfully. Any advice for me? Thanks!

December 7, 2006, 02:01 PM	#3
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	You're more than welcome to come!

December 7, 2006, 04:33 PM	#4
Ratsrepus Member Join Date: October 25, 2006 Posts: 37	Where-abouts are you going in Colorado? I hunted the Craig area in 2003 on a rifle hunt.

December 7, 2006, 05:00 PM	#5
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	Yep, that's the one! Craig area: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/co...ierarchyId=401 How was it, did you have a good experience, bag anything, etc? Did you book thru Cabela's? Thanks!

December 7, 2006, 06:16 PM	#6
Ratsrepus Member Join Date: October 25, 2006 Posts: 37	I didn't book through Cabelas but we had an Outfitter. Rocky Mountain Outfitters I believe was the name. they are just up/down the road from Elk Horn which gets so much pub in the magazines. At any rate, Dennis Frederickson was the outfitters name I believe and his staff did a really nice job for my dad and me. His guides were young but really knew their stuff. It was also a Ranching for Wildlife set up so there wre a lot of animals seen. We got our Bulls the first morning. I just wanted a representative bull and both dad and I got what we think were decent bulls for the area. Some guys in camp shot bigger, some smaller. I wasn't going to be too picky for my first elk. I'll try to add a picture in a few days of my bull. I have it stored on my lap-top and I have to do a little switcheroo to get it linked up here. We hunted the "quakies" quaking aspen stands and the transition into the "dark timber" spruce stands. It was bugling time when we were there so we got the full deal for the hunt. Some of the guys ended up in the "scrub oak" whichis tough and the sage flats as well. More later.

December 7, 2006, 06:20 PM	#7
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Sounds like Blue Gravel, don't know for sure but this was a hot topic on one of the other forums I post on. Are you going for bull or either sex? I think there is a cow management hunt going on untill the middle of January if you wanted to go and get two elk in one year. Here was the discussion on the other forum: http://forums.accuratereloading.com/...43/m/455109575 My only advice is still get in as good as shape as you can. You will still be 8000 feet or better on your hunt. If you come from a lower elevation which I'm assuming that you do, dropping any extra weight while increasing your endurance will help a lot.

December 8, 2006, 12:31 AM	#8
Tomas Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 1999 Location: Blue State Posts: 441	taylor is right. Get in shape. I train all year for my yearly excursion to Idaho. We hunt at 6500-7500 feet and even though I'm in good shape, when I start humping those mountains, my heart feels like it's going to pound out of my chest trying to get oxygen into my muscles. I've never used an outfitter, I just hunt public land and have killed one every year in the last five. Don't let them take you back to camp for lunch. Stay out all day and hunt. Take lunch. Two years ago killed a bull at "lunchtime". They move all day long during hunting season. Tom

December 8, 2006, 12:34 AM	#9
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	Thanks for the advice, please keep it coming; much appreciated! Going only for bulls...

December 8, 2006, 08:05 AM	#10
Ratsrepus Member Join Date: October 25, 2006 Posts: 37	The altitude, such as it was, bothered me. It was only around 9000 feet I guess but being from Minnesota, it bothered me a little. It was also very warm when I hunted and I got dehydrated, which happens rather easily to me. Watch that! I have a Camelbak daypack now and bring plenty of water whenever I am out. Get in shape is excellent advice. Walking and running the mountains will get your heart going alone. Add a bull at close range and you may explode. Start now and work up slowly. Walking, running etc. Take the stairs. It's a simple adjustment but it will pay off in the long run. Do 10 situps tonight. 10 more tomorrow. Then 20 after a while. Soon you'll be up to 50-80. No problem. Same with push-ups. It doesn't take long to do those each night. It'll help. Quality footwear that is properly broken it. I went to South Dakota last week on a Mule deer hunt. We did a lot of glassing but a lot of walking too. I had my trusty hunting boots along that have been comfortable for about three years. I don't know what happened but they bothered me on the trip. I got blisters on my big toes by the end of the trip - luckily after I got my buck. I think these have finally "lost it" and are now yard work boots. Get something good that fits properly and spnd time breaking them in. Wear them around the house, at the office/work - whatever. Just because Danner Pronghorns (not the boot I was wearing in SD) fit me like a glove, it doesn't mean they'll fit you. Look around and be picky. I don't know how a person would prep for it, but elk can make a guy loose it. In my camp there were four guys from Michigan. Experienced deer hunters on their first elk hunt. We went out two hunters with one guide. So the Mich boys were out and bugling up a herd with their guide and a very big 5X5 starts comeing to take on this "new" bull. The hunter had the bull in his scope, walking towards him at ~75 yards when the bull stopped and cut loose with a thundering bugle. As the bull bugled, he (the bull) peed all over himself and was quite the specticle of someone just looking to take names and kick @#$. This made the hunted completely loose it and come apart with the shakes. He had to stop and compose himself to get back in shooting mode again. He ended up making a decent shot and taking a nice bull. I hope he tells the story the same way because I heard it just like that when he came back to camp and it was priceless. It sounded really fun. Take picture while you're there. Take scenery shots. Take pics of the camp and the staff. Make notes in a small notebook. You'll be glad you did. You'll think you remember everything but there will be so much cool stuff that you'll have trouble.