Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The Elk Thread

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #91
    Originally posted by marshrat View Post
    or is there another state that I should look into for an OTC tag or drawing for that Thanksgiving time frame?
    If you were just looking for a meat hunt there are some antlerless hunts going on in NM. They are rifle hunts. My niece got a cow this AM.

    Comment


      #92
      Way to go

      Originally posted by ladrones View Post
      If you were just looking for a meat hunt there are some antlerless hunts going on in NM. They are rifle hunts. My niece got a cow this AM.
      Congrats to the little huntress! Do you have pics?

      Comment


        #93
        Another 350+ yard shot with the 257 ai. Hanging by 10:00 am. She is ready for the bulls.

        Comment


          #94
          Wow!!! Way to go!

          Comment


            #95
            Awesome

            Comment


              #96
              My brothers late season elk archery hunt starts this Sat. That will be a tough hunt.

              Comment


                #97
                Originally posted by ladrones View Post
                My brothers late season elk archery hunt starts this Sat. That will be a tough hunt.
                Why specifically will it be "tough," and is this also in NM? I am getting pumped for next year, and I haven't even applied for a tag.

                Comment


                  #98
                  Originally posted by marshrat View Post
                  Why specifically will it be "tough," and is this also in NM? I am getting pumped for next year, and I haven't even applied for a tag.
                  Here in NM the Game and Fish release some late season archery elk tags for a few units. After all the draws are complete. First come first served basis. The odds are very low.

                  Unit 34 gets 200 tags. Last season 14 bulls were taken out of those 200 tags.

                  Comment


                    #99


                    Ranged 386 yards. 115 grain barnes tsx. Elk ran 10 yards and dropped.

                    Comment


                      marshrat...the reason late season hunts are tough with a bow are the Elk are not very vocal compared to the Sept/Oct rut period. For me, bugling bulls during Sept is what makes Elk hunting so exciting.

                      Unpacked my ICON this afternoon and adjusted the Torso length. I have a long torso 21.5" so pack fit can be very tough but I actually had to bring this back in to less than max. Also note that the high setting of the load stabalizers allows for a good angle for those heavy loads. Still have not put any weight in it yet. Not concerned about the volume just how it carries.

                      For any tall guys looking for a good day pack that can handle Elk Quarter size weights check out the Badlands 2200. I got one last year. Hauled 2x50+ pound loads of meat out(1 with gear) this year with it and it never even blinked. Could also do a few nights with it if I had to as it is a batwing style. For shorter guys I have heard the Eberlestock X2 is quite good for the money on a day pack.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by ladrones View Post
                        Here in NM the Game and Fish release some late season archery elk tags for a few units. After all the draws are complete. First come first served basis. The odds are very low.

                        Unit 34 gets 200 tags. Last season 14 bulls were taken out of those 200 tags.
                        I hunted this hunt 5 years ago, got to burn a ton of boot leather and then just get lucky and get into the them. I did and sailed an express package over a 5x5 by a good foot or more. First time I had ever drawn on an elk...and well, I got a little goofy.

                        Comment


                          This is something I'd like to do and is on my bucket list, along with a DIY in Oklahoma for whitetail, a DIY in KS for whitetail, and a DIY in Wyoming for elk.

                          So, how much am I looking to invest right off the bat in gear...I figure 700-800 bucks for a good pack, quality pair of boots (maybe two), and some new camo. Most of that is gonna be spent on the pack and boots, if worse comes to worse I could always use my camo that I do in East Texas, or is that a bad idea?

                          What are you guys doing for getting in shape?

                          What are you guys doing for shooting? I'm good to about 60 yards now, but I don't know what kind of range I'd be shooting at in a real life situation.

                          I know I want my first hunt to be in CO, with a OTC either-sex tag during archery season, so I could go to a lot of different units. How do I determine what unit to go with for my first hunt, and how long should I plan on trying to hunt a unit?

                          Comment


                            Good questions rhendrix. I am also planning a DIY KS Whitetail hunt and WY is great for Elk. You will need a point in WY to assure a you draw the General tag which gets you access to a ton of units(some good some not so good). WY and CO are what I call my opportunity states. I know I can hunt them every year or every other year.

                            As far as gear you will need good boots($210), good pack($350), Good sleep system($200), Good Tent($150), Stove($80), GPS($150)

                            For Clothes, use non-cotton stuff and don't focus on camo if you find dark colors of high quality stuff for a steal. Trust me, camo makes very little difference to an elk. The best camo in the world won't fool his nose and being motionless if he spots you is far better than camo. I say that but I use camo because it makes me feel like I'm hunting...funny how the human mind works. I think you could put together 2 very nice quality sets of clothes for about $250.

                            If you are willing to get used stuff and troll the internet for bargains...I think you could get to your $700-$800. If you catch the Elk hunting bug you will always be upgrading from there.

                            To get in shape do the best you can. It is my opinion that you don't have to be Cameron Hanes to hunt Elk in the backcountry. Focus your efforts on leg strength, your core and cardio. Altitude (10K ft +)will be a big hurdle for the first 3 or so days. Arrive early if you can to acclimate and go slow till you get your lungs.

                            Mental toughness is as important as physical. You will be sore, you will be uncomfortable, it will suck at times and there is a very good chance you will come home empty handed but believe me putting your hands around those hard earned antlers is worth it!

                            60 yards is great. I would say most Bulls are shot under 40. I shot mine this year at a whopping 15 yards and my buddy killed his at a hair over 30. The hunts you are considering will likely be thick timber which means close encounters. I am not sure I would shoot a bull at more than 50 but I practice longer for the confidence it gives me at shorter range.

                            With a CO OTC tag you can hunt a bunch of units...narrowing down to a unit and an area in that unit may seem undaunting but it's not. First familiarize yourself with the CO Wildlife website and start sorting thru the info. Use herd estimates, # archers in a unit, amount of public land, and historical hunter success. Wilderness areas are great places for the DIY backpack hunter as well. Lastly when you narrow it down to one unit the general rule is to find benches on north facing slopes in drainages as far from trails and roads as you think you can handle. Do this and be mobile and you'll find Elk.

                            Start your search in SW CO...units in the 70s and I would plan for 6-7 full days of hunting if you can swing it.
                            Last edited by drthornton; 11-29-2011, 09:57 AM.

                            Comment


                              How are you looking to hunt? Bivy? Spike camp? Haul a trailer? Decide that one first and then you can decide on what kind of gear you are going to need...or not need. This will also be a HUGE reason for which unit/area you hunt.

                              As said above, mental toughness is key. I had hunted elk before several times doing truck camping and it is TOTALLY different then Bivy hunting. By the third day I was trying to figure out what I was doing and had to talk my buddy out of walking back to the truck. ha ha ha And we were in elk! Our mistake was to push too hard and got worn down.

                              Decide how you want ot hunt and we can help you with specific gear and units.

                              Comment


                                What do you guys recommend for a first time elk hunter with no experience in the mountains? I wouldn't mind setting up a spike camp, but don't think I could last hunting 6 to 7 days out of one. Then again, I might enjoy myself so much that I don't even notice. I plan on going up there by myself, I can't afford an outfitter, and hunting out of the truck just doesn't appeal to me, there's a certain degree of difficulty that appeals to me with bivy and spike camp hunting.

                                Ultimately I want to learn as much as possible on my first elk hunt, and maybe have the chance to bag a cow...of course if I got a 330" 6x6 I'd be happy as a pig in mud, but I'd rather learn and get some meat in the freezer more than anything. So whatever unit and style of camp puts me in the best situation to do so, that's where I want to be.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X