What's the most affordable way to successfully hunt an elk?

dogdinger · #8 03-27-2008, 05:20 PM

....after you get a little ways from the main roads you are usually away from most of the hunters.....ATV's are really not that usable here.....just about anywhere you can drive one of those, you can drive a fullsize pickup. there are some trails around that have a width restriction, keeping you from taking 4wheelers on them......some areas only allow you to use them during certain times for game retrieval, and dont even think of taking one into a wilderness area.....you will be drawn and quartered for that here.....best travel plan is on your own hind legs with enough gear to last a day or 2....horses are ok but are such a pain, they are hardly worth all the effort.....first rifle season is the best and it is draw only, so if you are wanting to hunt then better get online and scope out the appl process.....deadline is april 1st....do you have an area in mind?

royinidaho · #9 03-27-2008, 06:47 PM

CAM,

I hear ya.

I count silently very slowly 1 2 3 4 5 6 taking steps only on 1 and 4. The steps are far enough apart, in time, to keep you standing 2 to 3 times longer than moving.

Going up the mountain I find no need to count, those suckers are getting steeper every year. However, I do have a problem with a bad habit of looking to where my next step is going to be when going up the steep climbs. I know I miss some opportunities then.

After awhile ya get used to keeping your balance and don't have to count to maintain the pace.

The slow walk-stalk used to work better back when the elk weren't so spread out qne in such small groups.

Nowadays it seems to be better to get a spot with great visibility over a lot of mountain, learn to glass effectively and shoot a long ways.

CAM · #10 03-27-2008, 07:20 PM

ROY

Quote:

Originally Posted by royinidaho

Nowadays it seems to be better to get a spot with great visibility over a lot of mountain, learn to glass effectively and shoot a long ways.

Thats when you drive the nail into your shoe!!!! because you know the longer you sit and see all those places Elk like to hide and you want to go down there and get one, but now your foot hurts so you stay at the look out!! start seeing elk and have to fill your tag. But remember it's a lonnngg way to the truck!!

For about 2 or 3 years in a row my hunting partner said go ahead and hike down there, I'll stay up here on top and go fix lunch. When I get back to camp he said could you go get my Elk? I laughed, he said just drive down the dirt road you can't miss him, He killed them with in feet of the road and twice they were in the road!! I said how do you kill Elk on the road when I can't find them where they are supposed to be. He said don't look anywhere but on the road!! True story!!

I still have never killed one on the road !!
CAM

teddy12b · #11 03-28-2008, 09:49 AM

CAM just brought up a really good point and it's something that has been on my mind as well. It's all fine and dandy to hike in miles and miles from the truck, but the last I heard elk were pretty heavy and to pack one out can be as difficult as the walk back to the truck.

Before I go on an elk hunt like this I'm going to look aweful hard at one of those game carts, or sleds, but that's even more gear to pack in.

I do like the idea of shooting one on or near the road. I've read that a lot of guys try to do that with moose.

azsugarbear · #12 03-28-2008, 01:39 PM

Colorado - bar none. Tags are still relatively inexpensive when compared to other states. There is good access throughout CO, and last I heard, their elk herd count was over 300,000+ elk. Compare that with AZ at 35,000 head total! I'm sure some of the CO boys posting on this board could even recomend a few spots and come up with a map or two. Try your luck by posting something on the new "West" forum based on geography on this site.

teddy12b · #13 03-28-2008, 02:56 PM

A colorado non-resident tag is $500. Ouch, but do able.

royinidaho · #14 03-28-2008, 05:03 PM

the walk out w/game is usually much tougher than the hike in empty.

Go to someplace where the mountain angles are at 45* or better.

Park low, hunt or shoot high. Once you get the then sliding down, snow or no snow, be sure and stay out of the way. A fill sized elk can be slid down the open pine hill sides but those flat spots and close together trees are a real bummer.

A first tho't is usually to build a fire and start eating and eat till spring;)

When you finally get the thing to camp, you're definitely T I R D tired!

Your body will be flat shot but the lips will still be grinnin'.