Dad let me use his .50 cal tc hawken for my first deer at 12 years old. He's still got it but doesn't shoot it. My first big game gun of my own was a used 12 ga. Mossberg 500 with shot and slug barrels. That gun was my constant companion and got used for everything . Deer, coyote, fox, ducks...
Heavy duty shoulder length gloves, binder clip on nose, maybe a disposable rainsuit , rubber boots, and go dumpster diving!😉
Try rolling them up in newspaper folding the ends in and wrapping with a rubber band.
DIY OTC elk hunting can have lots of ups and downs due to other hunters messing up well laid out plans. Keep your head up and focus on the experience just as much as filling your tag and you will most likely have a new addiction to deal with. Go enjoy your hunt and good luck!
I've never worked with impala horns, but would definitely give it a go. If they're similar in structure to whitetail or elk antler I don't see why not.
Congrats Dsnow9 on getting the first two down!!! Wishing you luck with yours MtnElk , once you get rested up again. Looks like the cart is earning it's keep.
I use both. Short hunts typically use phone. Longer Backcountry hunts I use gps where I can swap out batteries and not worry about having to charge my phone. And I also really enjoy being disconnected while hunting. Not getting work related calls, texts, emails, for a week is very refreshing.