Old Farts Elk Hunting

[7sdad]

Would a 59 yr old (60 in Dec.) fit into this group?

[Restless]

My dad had a saying.
you never know a guy till you go hunt'n with them.
Rick, i'd put my name in the pot for this. buy id like to do a rabbit hunt with some folks first. i'm almost 62 and picking my hunting buddys and time spent afield are critical to me.
just don't want to go on a long trip with azz0. and find it out after 12 hours of driving...
just my 2.5 cents worth...

Truer Words were Never Spoken. My "work Buddy"was such as you fear, Should have been a Two week Hunt we came back after a week then I drove back lost 4 days of hunting and paid my way twice. wouldn't go on an Easter Egg Hunt with Him now.

[eastex56]

Let’s do a rabbit hunt!

[JEFFRO]

Truer Words were Never Spoken. My "work Buddy"was such as you fear, Should have been a Two week Hunt we came back after a week then I drove back lost 4 days of hunting and paid my way twice. wouldn't go on an Easter Egg Hunt with Him now.

yes sir. i had the same thing happen..laziest SOB. iv ever met...

[ColoradoTexan]

I have hunted in 2 different over the counter units in Colorado and have a place between Walsenburg and Fort Garland. Our development borders the National Forest on 2 sides and there are 6 walk in gates from our private property. The land there is inexpensive, especially since the Spring Creek fire went through there back in July. I hunted the San Isabel NF this year for the first time, hunted up north previously, and am learning the area. Made some good connections and got a good base of knowledge of the area.

Why, you may ask, am I telling you all of this? Well, I may be able to help you out a little with planning and gear selection. Heck, you could come out with me one of these years if you want. I just need some help getting started into traditional archery. I have a Samick Sage and really enjoy shooting it but need to get some lighter limbs to build a solid base (form).

Anyway, I'm no elk slayer but I have been hunting and backpacking for over 30 years......ever since the first elk hunt 3 years ago when I put the two together, I was hooked. It's kind of like that commercial way back, "you got your chocolate in my peanut butter, no you got your peanut butter on my chocolate".

[ColoradoTexan]

Truer Words were Never Spoken. My "work Buddy"was such as you fear, Should have been a Two week Hunt we came back after a week then I drove back lost 4 days of hunting and paid my way twice. wouldn't go on an Easter Egg Hunt with Him now.

Don't have a clue who you are talking about but you are spot on with your point! I hunted in northern Colorado with one of my best friends and we take separate vehicles, and so does his cousin for this very reason. I usually hunt about 10 days, his cousin about 14-16 but my buddy.........he may be there for 18 days, 21 days....just whenever he feels like leaving. He went to Utah one year, then to Colorado then after a total of a month and a half he came back to Texas......then went back a week later to both. He's about as hard core as I know and if I was riding with him I'd be divorced, lol

[Straitshot]

Rick,

Do it while you can because if you don't you will later regret it!

I have been on my own about six or seven times and have yet to take an Elk. Hardest part for me was locating the Elk. Last time I went I took my son-in-law with me. We saw lots of sign but the problem was it was all about two weeks old. Local hunters had all been in with their ATV's two weeks earlier and pushed all the Elk deeper into the more remote areas. We were afoot and didn't have a chance. Just no way us out of state DIY's could compete with the local and other hunters that had ATV's.

The only guys I know that have been successful on DIY hunts unless they were just plain lucky are guys that have gone numerous years and have well established areas they return to year after year where they have seen Elk and have experienced actual encounters.

I would love to say I'm in, but at almost 74 now I would be almost 76 by the time hunting season rolled around in 2020 and with health issues just not sure I could do it. I often think of trying to go again because that was one of my major goals in traditional archery and I hate to not be able to get it done. It is hard to think there is anything good about getting old. I don't like it when I have to realize there are things I just can no longer do that I once could.

If I am still this side of the green sod I guess you could put me down as a possible maybe.

Probably more akin to wishful thinking on my part.

[RickBarbee]

I'm gonna do this. Somehow, some way, I'm gonna do it,

BUT just to reiterate

it'll be the 2020 season before I can.

Beginning in 2020 I'm gonna try to do it every year I am healthy enough for it.

Rick

[DRT]

Going isn't hard bud. Killing one can be. But you learn as you go. Finding a good area is what takes time.

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[RickBarbee]

Going isn't hard bud. Killing one can be. But you learn as you go. Finding a good area is what takes time.

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Oh I know. I've been several times, just not in the past several years.

Rick

[DRT]

The hard part for me is the knees. The training up is the worst part.

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[RickBarbee]

The hard part for me is the knees. The training up is the worst part.

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My knees will never be any better than the bad shape they are now, and probably worse as time goes by.

My philosophy is - just go at my own comfortable pace, and know where to draw the line.

I can get to & from most places as long as I do that. I might be slow, but I'm steady.

Rick

[DRT]

Slow is better.

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[JEFFRO]

I'm gonna do this. Somehow, some way, I'm gonna do it,

BUT just to reiterate

it'll be the 2020 season before I can.

Beginning in 2020 I'm gonna try to do it every year I am healthy enough for it.

Rick

rick we need to talk.. i'm totally up for this. i have gear. as most do.
been only a couple of elk hunts. i mite not get far from camp. but id hunt and have a good time.
1 thing id like to say, is ..i don't hunt with drunks..for me hunt'n and drink'n alot don't mix. nothen wrong with a dram of good scotch...it's the half a bottle ones...just my opion.

[7sdad]

The hard part for me is the knees. The training up is the worst part.

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DRT get yourself a bicycle, I have have a bad knee and not able to run but I can ride 100 to 150 miles a week and it never bothers me.