Nah, the bipod is off of a friend's rifle. He pretty much gave up on it. The bench is for load development, otherwise I practice off of sticks or prone on a backpack.
My beer has songs written about it, does yours?
First Elk Hunt...Dissapointing
- Thread starter ETX Loner
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Nah, the bipod is off of a friend's rifle. He pretty much gave up on it. The bench is for load development, otherwise I practice off of sticks or prone on a backpack.
My beer has songs written about it, does yours?
aspenbugle
Well-Known Member
ETX - you can have your cake and eat it too. You could either do a modified drop camp where they agree to spend the first few days with you to coach you on elk hunting and how to hunt the area, and then leave you for longer if you haven't filled (and come pack it out when you do)...
or...you can have them hike & spike camp with you the whole time. Many here in Colorado (and elsewhere) guide on public land (National Forest, etc) where remote areas can be hiked into easily from 4wd roads (horses not required). I just talked with a guide (neighbor) who has done this many times with clients. They are with you full-time in places you won't typically see other hunters, coaching you full-time, and then ready to bring in horses to haul it out when it's time. Wilderness hunts and drop camps aren't your only options. 95% of hunters here are within a mile (often 1/2 mile) or less of roads, at least in areas I've hunted (and most are gone by day 4 of the season too). It doesn't take miles and horses to get away from hunters and into elk, and many outfitters know that and can accommodate you.
or...you can have them hike & spike camp with you the whole time. Many here in Colorado (and elsewhere) guide on public land (National Forest, etc) where remote areas can be hiked into easily from 4wd roads (horses not required). I just talked with a guide (neighbor) who has done this many times with clients. They are with you full-time in places you won't typically see other hunters, coaching you full-time, and then ready to bring in horses to haul it out when it's time. Wilderness hunts and drop camps aren't your only options. 95% of hunters here are within a mile (often 1/2 mile) or less of roads, at least in areas I've hunted (and most are gone by day 4 of the season too). It doesn't take miles and horses to get away from hunters and into elk, and many outfitters know that and can accommodate you.
If you want to get off the grid any wilderness area will do within the Rockies. The Selway-Bitteroot/Frank Church in Idaho is the largest patch of roadless land in the contiguous 48. You can get lost with just about any backcountry hunt, though.
sorry but be that guy but this is a long range forum 460 yards is a chip shot. Practice practice and more practice and the 460 will be a breeze for you. It looks like you have a very capable rig get more comfortable with it.
Plinker147
Well-Known Member
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Wow first complaint I've ever heard about an easy elk hunt. Tuff being a guide now days haha.
I get what your saying tho not as much satisfaction and allure on an easy hunt.
Enjoy the easy ones because be careful what you wish for. You can get an over the counter Colorado tag and hunt your *** off with the rest of us poor SOB's and never see a legal bull and you don't have to go into the wilderness to do it.
Decide what kind of hunt you want, to kill an elk or work hard. I hunt wilderness areas but I have my own horses to do it. Bad thing about wilderness hunts is if the elk have moved out of the area your hunting as elk will do you can be in for a tuff experience. You can't just get the truck and go to New area, you stuck with where you can walk or ride in a day.
NM elk hunting is outstanding because tags are limited and hard to draw on public or expensive. Even on some of our public land hunts you can drive around and shoot an elk if that's what a guy wants to do.
Anyways don't be disappointed, enjoy the experience and now you know what kind of elk hunt to look for.
I get what your saying tho not as much satisfaction and allure on an easy hunt.
Enjoy the easy ones because be careful what you wish for. You can get an over the counter Colorado tag and hunt your *** off with the rest of us poor SOB's and never see a legal bull and you don't have to go into the wilderness to do it.
Decide what kind of hunt you want, to kill an elk or work hard. I hunt wilderness areas but I have my own horses to do it. Bad thing about wilderness hunts is if the elk have moved out of the area your hunting as elk will do you can be in for a tuff experience. You can't just get the truck and go to New area, you stuck with where you can walk or ride in a day.
NM elk hunting is outstanding because tags are limited and hard to draw on public or expensive. Even on some of our public land hunts you can drive around and shoot an elk if that's what a guy wants to do.
Anyways don't be disappointed, enjoy the experience and now you know what kind of elk hunt to look for.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
I still subscribe to the idea that long range is a relative term. What is long range for one guy may not be for another. I've been shooting long range now for a quite while and still say that 300y is a long shot. I've shot a lot of animals between 500 and the longest at 1280y. At 300 you still have to have your stuff together.
Steve
Steve
I can see where your coming from, so much of elk hunting to me, is the preparation of gear, scouting, camp site setup, and just enjoying the mountains. The last 12 years i have been elk hunting(All Public Land DIY in CO), i can honestly say i have never once come out of the mountains without having it kick my *** one day or another, alot of times when the sun sets on the last day of the season, i would have killed to have a hunt like yours, to fill my freezer and not be stuffing my unpunched tag back into my backpack. We take the good with the bad when were elk hunting, and look forward the next hunt. Congrats on your bull
Did you discuss how the hunt would be conducted with your outfitter before booking? A good option to get the kind of hunt you want is using a booking agent; they have been on the hunt and can direct you to the style you are looking for.
I was pressured to shoot my first big game animal, in an even more hokey "hunting situation" it sucks.
ShtrRdy
Well-Known Member
Maybe you should pick up archery hunting for elk.
Thanks for the replies...all good info. I'm not really a long range shooter, East Texas just doesn't really have that. I do enjoy this site though because there's so much good info here on a number of topics and it seems like a very friendly group of people. My range on my tree farm goes out to 300 and I have that rifle dialed in every 50 yards. I'm very comfortable in that range but have not shot beyond that. I practice in various positions but had no way to prepare for the all important "leaning sideways against a wobbly barbed wire fence" shot.
I spoke with at least 10 outfitters before picking the one I went with. Obviously, I didn't ask the right questions. I probably put too much emphasis on success rate rather that the details of the hunt. In any case, I proceed with a little more knowledge next time and, thanks to y'all, I have a few more leads to research. And yes, archery has crossed my mind.
I spoke with at least 10 outfitters before picking the one I went with. Obviously, I didn't ask the right questions. I probably put too much emphasis on success rate rather that the details of the hunt. In any case, I proceed with a little more knowledge next time and, thanks to y'all, I have a few more leads to research. And yes, archery has crossed my mind.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
If you're limited on space to practice long range-I would suggest taking the course with Non-Typical Outfitters. It's an on the mountain course, with emphasis on creating stable field positions. Life size deer, and bear targets. Plenty of write ups here. It will build your confidence, as well as give you time to assess an outfitter over a couple of days in a true wilderness setting.
Dr. Vette
Well-Known Member
In a way, I'd say be happy that you saw elk. I went on a similar hunt in northern NM and never saw one. Because it was warmer than usual in early December the elk were not coming through due to snow, and the guides had no clue how to find them. It was a wasted hunt, so to speak.
