ChrisC
Active member
Putting a thread together covering the lead up to my first elk hunt seemed appropriate, not simply for eliciting some comments that could make my trip more enjoyable, but to also keep me honest when I tell myself that I should do a post-hunt writeup. I've enjoyed reading many of yours over the years, as they've proven both informative and entertaining. The least I could do is to put something together here to hold myself accountable and reciprocate when the hunt is a wrap.
2021 will be my first elk hunt and I will be doing it solo. I've had two other western-style hunts prior to this. My first ever out-of-state (I'm from MA) hunt was back in 2014 when I had the opportunity to hunt deer on Kodiak Island. I cringe when I think back at how little I knew on that trip, walking around in the mountains with my 10x25 budget binoculars that I swore were perfect for that hunting trip because, well, they were camouflaged. I had boots that didn't fit well but were kind enough to remove all of my skin that was in their way, and a frameless pack that did not support the weight I had in it. I hope to be better prepared this time around, though I suspect on my next elk trip, perhaps in a few years, I'll look back at this and shake my head about what I thought I knew.
My other hunt was in 2017 when myself, my father, and father-in-law went out to Wyoming for Antelope north of Casper. For this trip, we rented a truck and drove out for a week or so. We stayed in a nearby AirBnB and most of the roads we travelled on were pretty forgiving. I suspect that hunt will be quite a bit different in terms of terrain than this upcoming one.
I drew a general tag and plan to hunt the south-central part of Wyoming. More specifically, within about 300 yards of where the elk plan to be in mid-October
. After reading a lot about rental vehicles and questionable tire quality, I felt like it was not worth the risk to do that again as I did not want my trip potentially ruined if I were to run into a tire issue in the backcountry. I've decided to fly and rent a more off-road capable vehicle for this trip. I have no feel for the quality of roads I will be traveling on (If anyone is familiar with their quality south of Encampment, I'd be happy to listen!) so I feel that the peace of mind is worth the extra money.
Per everyone's suggestion on seemingly every thread relating to this and going solo, I've invested in an InReach. Gear has been accumulating over the years, getting a proper pack, boots that fit (but still need to be broken in), etc. My biggest concern at this point is ammo availability but hoping that all gets cleared up before fall. I'm not sure if that is wishful thinking or not. The local Bass Pro has a wide selection of 6.5 CM, but as I stared at them wondering if it was worth buying a gun to match, I felt the inevitable judgement from HT would be too much to bear.
It will be interesting to see what sort of altitude adjustment there will be. I've breathed in sea-level air all my life, but I'm sure there is some science out there that says breathing through a Covid mask for the past year should have prepared me nicely for 7,000-9,000ft while elk hunting. It's tough finding a steep hill locally to hike up and down with a weighted pack. Steps and long walks on a undulating road will have to suffice for now, along with the usual gym routine.
I'll be shooting a Savage Axis 30-06. I still have the default scope (Bushnell, I think) that came with the gun - well, a replacement one after the original broke after about 10 rounds through it. The thought of it happening again creeps in my mind every so often, so perhaps a Leupold for Father's day will be in my near future.
As for now, I'm digging into OnX, Google Earth & Maps, and have my paper unit map ordered from MyTopo. During my several hours in the car commuting to work, I'll be revisiting Elk Talk podcasts and worrying how to ask some unit-related questions from a first-time elk hunter in a way that won't evoke too much criticism.
Chris
2021 will be my first elk hunt and I will be doing it solo. I've had two other western-style hunts prior to this. My first ever out-of-state (I'm from MA) hunt was back in 2014 when I had the opportunity to hunt deer on Kodiak Island. I cringe when I think back at how little I knew on that trip, walking around in the mountains with my 10x25 budget binoculars that I swore were perfect for that hunting trip because, well, they were camouflaged. I had boots that didn't fit well but were kind enough to remove all of my skin that was in their way, and a frameless pack that did not support the weight I had in it. I hope to be better prepared this time around, though I suspect on my next elk trip, perhaps in a few years, I'll look back at this and shake my head about what I thought I knew.
My other hunt was in 2017 when myself, my father, and father-in-law went out to Wyoming for Antelope north of Casper. For this trip, we rented a truck and drove out for a week or so. We stayed in a nearby AirBnB and most of the roads we travelled on were pretty forgiving. I suspect that hunt will be quite a bit different in terms of terrain than this upcoming one.
I drew a general tag and plan to hunt the south-central part of Wyoming. More specifically, within about 300 yards of where the elk plan to be in mid-October
. After reading a lot about rental vehicles and questionable tire quality, I felt like it was not worth the risk to do that again as I did not want my trip potentially ruined if I were to run into a tire issue in the backcountry. I've decided to fly and rent a more off-road capable vehicle for this trip. I have no feel for the quality of roads I will be traveling on (If anyone is familiar with their quality south of Encampment, I'd be happy to listen!) so I feel that the peace of mind is worth the extra money.Per everyone's suggestion on seemingly every thread relating to this and going solo, I've invested in an InReach. Gear has been accumulating over the years, getting a proper pack, boots that fit (but still need to be broken in), etc. My biggest concern at this point is ammo availability but hoping that all gets cleared up before fall. I'm not sure if that is wishful thinking or not. The local Bass Pro has a wide selection of 6.5 CM, but as I stared at them wondering if it was worth buying a gun to match, I felt the inevitable judgement from HT would be too much to bear.
It will be interesting to see what sort of altitude adjustment there will be. I've breathed in sea-level air all my life, but I'm sure there is some science out there that says breathing through a Covid mask for the past year should have prepared me nicely for 7,000-9,000ft while elk hunting. It's tough finding a steep hill locally to hike up and down with a weighted pack. Steps and long walks on a undulating road will have to suffice for now, along with the usual gym routine.
I'll be shooting a Savage Axis 30-06. I still have the default scope (Bushnell, I think) that came with the gun - well, a replacement one after the original broke after about 10 rounds through it. The thought of it happening again creeps in my mind every so often, so perhaps a Leupold for Father's day will be in my near future.
As for now, I'm digging into OnX, Google Earth & Maps, and have my paper unit map ordered from MyTopo. During my several hours in the car commuting to work, I'll be revisiting Elk Talk podcasts and worrying how to ask some unit-related questions from a first-time elk hunter in a way that won't evoke too much criticism.
Chris
