Do you like my elk hunt plan?

[SRW]

Like others have said, and to put it bluntly, you just seem to have a lot of confidence in and are putting all your eggs in a basket where you haven’t yet laid eyes on an elk. It just seems awfully bold! Now you COULD be right, and all the things line up for a great elk hunt. But what if you’re wrong… You've only got one egg left and not much of a basket to put it in, with no plan B.

I hunt elk every year and have been burned by a backcountry spot that is near and dear to my heart. There were ALWAYS elk there…until one year there wasn’t. 3 days in there with nothing but walking around.

Just be sure there’s elk there before gambling this much time and energy.

That’s exactly what I’m afraid of…this is a serious commitment of time/energy for it to not pan out. I just have yet to locate a better option after a summer of e-scouting and cruising the forest roads.

 

[SRW]

I don’t understand why new to elk hunting people think you need to backpack hunt elk. I don’t think you understand the reality of killing an elk 4-6 miles from the road. You’re going to spend a couple days moving the elk if you kill plus camp. 6 miles is one load a day. It’s not fun, I’ve done it.

If I was hunting the unit, I’d show up a few days early to scout, trying to find elk. I’d have a few potential locations scouted. I’d camp at the road and hunt different locations based on seeing elk and potentially hunter pressure.

While I’m not over the moon about that long of a pack out, I’m prepared for it to take a couple days (assuming cool enough weather to take our time) and will deal with it if this ends up being a decent spot. I also have a buddy lined up to help, and the last 3 miles to the truck are a closed logging road that I think could be easily accessed with a game cart or similar. Still not ideal, but maybe better than 6 miles straight uphill.

Not saying there isn’t a better option, but my rationale behind backpacking in is that the unit is quite close to Denver and right outside a big tourist destination and a lot of trails and backcountry areas just get thrashed with hikers, bikers, runners, etc. pretty much all the time. It is just generally challenging in this unit to get in there beyond the crowds.

I’m struggling to locate many other spots that look like they’d hold elk that also have an abundance of good glassing spots and that are accessed more easily than this. The ones I have found, I think are too low in elevation for the season I’m hunting (8-9k feet; treeline being roughly 11.5k). I do have one in mind that leaves from a MAJOR trailhead that is right on a highway. I’ve seen a handful of elk from the road here before, but I fear it would just be way too crowded to be hunting.

I’m generally focusing on N/NE facing slopes in the vicinity of treeline and looking for a knob or ridge I can glass from. Is there something else I should key on in locating spots that I’m not thinking of?

 

[2rocky]

That’s exactly what I’m afraid of…this is a serious commitment of time/energy for it to not pan out.

If you are planning on a first year success on your first elk hunt, on public land you have never set foot on you are setting yourself up for failure. My first Wyoming bull was in an area I'd deer hunted for two years, and I'd been in camp with elk hunters. My first elk ever was with a friend in an area he'd hunted for years. My Tule Elk was in an area two other friends had killed great bulls. I walk in the footsteps of giants...

Not saying it can't be done, but each day you gotta build on the previous day's knowledge and adapt as obstacles get thrown in your path. Have plan A,B,C,D E, etc...and be willing to switch plans as your situation changes. Usually that means, hiking to the next ridge progressively further from the truck or camp or the trailhead.
Story time...
My fourth bull elk I killed in a unit I'd hunted for deer and elk for 6 years. For 4 days we covered all the country I and others in our hunting group had killed elk in over the past 10 years. Every day we went farther from the trailhead looking for elk. 2 others in our group killed and on day 5 I was looking at tag soup. We went in a different direction close to the trailhead and found a bull closer than any of my previous kills. But we covered 90 miles in 5 days (horseback and afoot) before I eliminated areas that were not holding elk.

In the words of the famed motivational speaker and lifecoach...

 

[SRW]

If you are planning on a first year success on your first elk hunt, on public land you have never set foot on you are setting yourself up for failure. My first Wyoming bull was in an area I'd deer hunted for two years, and I'd been in camp with elk hunters. My first elk ever was with a friend in an area he'd hunted for years. My Tule Elk was in an area two other friends had killed great bulls. I walk in the footsteps of giants...

Not saying it can't be done, but each day you gotta build on the previous day's knowledge and adapt as obstacles get thrown in your path. Have plan A,B,C,D E, etc...and be willing to switch plans as your situation changes. Usually that means, hiking to the next ridge progressively further from the truck or camp or the trailhead.
Story time...
My fourth bull elk I killed in a unit I'd hunted for deer and elk for 6 years. For 4 days we covered all the country I and others in our hunting group had killed elk in over the past 10 years. Every day we went farther from the trailhead looking for elk. 2 others in our group killed and on day 5 I was looking at tag soup. We went in a different direction close to the trailhead and found a bull closer than any of my previous kills. But we covered 90 miles in 5 days (horseback and afoot) before I eliminated areas that were not holding elk.

In the words of the famed motivational speaker and lifecoach...
View attachment 338345

I’ve set foot in the area plenty of times, just never hunted here.

But to be clear, I’m expecting an armed hike this year and am treating it as a learning experience. Tag soup recipes are welcome as well.

 

[2rocky]

I’ve set foot in the area plenty of times, just never hunted here.

But to be clear, I’m expecting an armed hike this year and am treating it as a learning experience. Tag soup recipes are welcome as well.

I remember my first public land bowhunt in a wilderness. I considered it a win that I got to start a stalk on a buck. It built a base of experience that I applied to my first blacktail bowkill 2 years later.

 

[KingOfTagSoup]

In my experience, trailheads and trails are more populated than roads in many units. Everyone wants to go 5 miles deep to "escape pressure," only to get back there and find multiple other people doing the exact same thing, or sometimes outfitters with multiple camps in the area. Just my two cents, but first season is only five days long. If you are committing to hiking that far in, you better know what you're getting into. If you get back there and there are multiple camps in there, you've wasted at least a day of your five day hunt.

When it comes to trailheads, I've always said you're better off hiking in a mile and going a mile off of the trail and hunting there than you are to hike five miles in on a trail and hunting from there, because that's what everyone else wants to do. Again, just my two cents.

If it were me, I'd find a way to be as mobile as possible if I were hunting a unit for the first time. I'd have up to 10 spots for a five day hunt, one for morning and evening of each day, and I'd hit those spots until I found elk. When you're on foot from a camp, it can be very difficult to have that many spots to check out. You're essentially confined to one area with a few spots unless you move camp in the middle of the hunt.

He's got a point. In an age where going deep in the backcountry is "what the cool kids do" you can't count on getting away from people when everyone is also doing the same thing. So I would say in addition to having multiple areas in mind, have multiple strategies in mind. I try to be prepared for odd opportunities. Sometimes it takes a six mile hike to kill a bull. Sometimes it's only a couple hundred yards from the road. Also a couple tips:

1. If you have to go #2, always keep your rifle just out of reach. You will see game, works every time.

2. Always wear your hat sideways, it makes animals think you're looking the other direction

 

[TexanSam]

If you want to go on a backpacking trip, go find a granola girl at REI and walk around the mountains for a few days.

If you want to kill elk, be ready to ditch the spot you hiked into, in order to go back in the truck, drive to a completely different area and try again. You seem stubborn towards the fact that you already have a spot that you want to go to and Cam Hanes it for your first hunt. I know you say "You're there for the experience" but if you want to have useful experience that will lead to killing an elk, then you might want to leverage the insight people are giving you in order to at least lay eyes on an elk. Trust me, if you can learn how to find the animal first, even if it doesn't lead to a shot, you'll be glad that you know what to do when you go on your second hunt.

 

[Quinn]

Only have 5 days to get it done. Stay mobile & good luck! I will be out there 1st season as well

 

[Bambistew]

Having hunted elk a bit. I like to hunt elk where they are found rather than where you don't think you'll see people. Do you think they will be that high up? Hard to say how much harassments they will get from archery hunters. Elk are big animals an need a lot of feed and will move around a lot regardless of pressure.

Without knowing where you're going its hard to say if its a good or bad plan. The sign you found could be a year old, and might be right where they'll be come 1st rifle, or it could be mid summer...

That's some serious elevation to be playing with, IMO. Air is thin over 9k and you'll be feeling it, packing an elk 4-6 miles will suck balls.

Tree line can be a good place to hunt and they definitely can be high, but they tend to be where the best feed is vs where there may or may not be people. Depending on pressure or what pressure they feel, they might move a mile or two between bed/feeding too. Going deep may not get you away from people either.

Good luck, having a plan of some sort is better than just winging it. Just be prepared to change it up if you aren't finding what you want.

 

[SRW]

If you want to go on a backpacking trip, go find a granola girl at REI and walk around the mountains for a few days.

If you want to kill elk, be ready to ditch the spot you hiked into, in order to go back in the truck, drive to a completely different area and try again. You seem stubborn towards the fact that you already have a spot that you want to go to and Cam Hanes it for your first hunt. I know you say "You're there for the experience" but if you want to have useful experience that will lead to killing an elk, then you might want to leverage the insight people are giving you in order to at least lay eyes on an elk. Trust me, if you can learn how to find the animal first, even if it doesn't lead to a shot, you'll be glad that you know what to do when you go on your second hunt.

I’m not stubborn toward this idea at all. That’s why I’m here asking for input - it’s just the best I’ve come up with so far.

I figured this approach is better than asking for everyone’s honey hole in the unit .

 

[SRW]

Only have 5 days to get it done. Stay mobile & good luck! I will be out there 1st season as well

Good luck to ya!

 

[GrantK]

I’m struggling to locate many other spots that look like they’d hold elk that also have an abundance of good glassing spots and that are accessed more easily than this. The ones I have found, I think are too low in elevation for the season I’m hunting (8-9k feet; treeline being roughly 11.5k). I do have one in mind that leaves from a MAJOR trailhead that is right on a highway. I’ve seen a handful of elk from the road here before, but I fear it would just be way too crowded to be hunting.

I wouldn't toss out the lowlands, if there's cover and food there's likely elk, most hunters are probably going to be up at treeline, if you can glass you can find out if there are elk pretty quick...
I also wouldn't limit yourself to north/northeast aspects, even in early October elk may be on south slopes, especially early in the morning, go where there is food and fresh sign and keep moving until you find elk

 

[SRW]

I wouldn't toss out the lowlands, if there's cover and food there's likely elk, most hunters are probably going to be up at treeline, if you can glass you can find out if there are elk pretty quick...
I also wouldn't limit yourself to north/northeast aspects, even in early October elk may be on south slopes, especially early in the morning, go where there is food and fresh sign and keep moving until you find elk

Appreciate your input! I’ll keep this in mind in searching for additional spots. This will help me cast a much wider net of potential spots for sure.

 

[TexanSam]

I’m not stubborn toward this idea at all. That’s why I’m here asking for input - it’s just the best I’ve come up with so far.

I figured this approach is better than asking for everyone’s honey hole in the unit .

I apologize if I misinterpreted your attitude towards peoples advice. I still stand by what I originally said though.

Be sure to bring some good snacks and toilet paper. Take lots of pictures

 

[rjthehunter]

I apologize if I misinterpreted your attitude towards peoples advice. I still stand by what I originally said though.

Be sure to bring some good snacks and Dude Wipes toilet paper. Take lots of pictures

Dude wipes or any wet wipes of your choice. Wayyy better than toilet paper!

 

[SRW]

I apologize if I misinterpreted your attitude towards peoples advice. I still stand by what I originally said though.

Be sure to bring some good snacks and toilet paper. Take lots of pictures

It’s all good man, no harm done. Good luck to ya this season whatever you may be pursuing!

 

[Dan-06]

I’m curious about the miles of backpacking above 10k without doing some. That can really take a toll even for people in shape. Then the plan for meat recovery if you’re successful on your second to last day. Packing meat that far even with help can take some real time. Also have a weather plan!!!!

 

[hank4elk]

Pack hunting is different than backpacking.
Sounds like an egg in one basket plan to me. I'm just an old elk hunter.
Started running into more hunters farther back 20 years ago. Joined in on the fun a few times.
Then I just started hunting closer to my truck camp and have done better since.

I hunt where I find elk.

 

[Horseman]

Veterans of the elk woods….I come to you seeking your criticism, encouragement, pro tips and general tomfoolery regarding my Plan A for hunting elk this fall.

I’ve been deer hunting nearly 20 years but this will be my first attempt at hunting elk. I have a first rifle either sex elk tag in Colorado. While this is not an OTC hunt, the unit it is in does have OTC tags for archery and 2nd/3rd rifle seasons. So, I’m expecting the elk to be pretty well harassed by archers and muzzleloader hunters by the time I get a crack at them. Thus, targeting roadless areas with relatively low density of trails (but not zero).

Here is my plan:

Park at trailhead around 9,500 ft. Hike in approx 4-6 miles (depending on exactly where we decide to set camp). Camp will be between 11k and 11.5k feet.

From camp, I can hike up to a ridge line at 12,000 ish feet - probably will be a little over a mile from camp. From that ridge, you can look down into a couple mile long stretch of N/NE facing slopes that offer a good mix of dark timber, grassy parks and avalanche chutes.
Also can look down into a saddle that seems like a natural path for game to take between drainages.

My plan is to focus on the slopes and saddle I mentioned, but the ridge line also offers fairly quick and easy (as far as alpine travel goes…) mobility throughout the area and access to a couple different drainages in case this one doesn’t pan out - but that could be getting quite far from the truck for a pack out.
Generally, I expect to find elk within a couple hundred feet up or down of the treeline.

I’ve boots-on-the-ground scouted the area a few times and generally like what I see. It looks “elk-y” to my inexperienced eye, but I’ve not yet seen an elk in there. I have seen what I believe to be a significant amount of elk droppings, though quite dry/old. That said, I’ve also only been back there during the day and not at prime dusk/dawn hours. Hoping to camp in this area at least once prior to season and hopefully at least see an elk.

My questions for you guys are:

1. What does my plan not consider that it should? I do have a buddy lined up to help me pack out and I have loose plans B&C, but nothing firm yet.
2. What do you think my odds are of dealing with a significant number of other hunters, considering the distance I’m talking about packing in during a limited draw hunt?
3. Am I on the right track in terms of planning to hunt around treeline?
4. If I do get the chance to camp and explore the area at dusk/dawn prior to season but still do not lay eyes on or hear an elk, do you think I’d be wise to scrap this plan and come up with something else or stick with this area?
5. Am I committing too hard on an area with unknown elk hunting odds by hiking in this far?

Any and all feedback is welcome…looking to see if this is a plan the pros would feel good about or if I’m a moron and missing something critical. Any questions, ask away (as long as the questions don’t involve GPS coordinates ).

Thanks in advance and good hunting to all this season!

I agree with the guy who said trailheads, trails and the backcountry are often more crowded than roads and easier, less cool spots. I would not go setting up a camp miles from the trailhead unless you know you will be getting into elk. Often that beautiful elk filled basin that you scouted in the summer or online will have a sprawling outfitter’s camp obstructing the front door on opening day. If hunting the alpine backcountry is what you really want to do (i don’t blame you) I would consult with the elk biologist for that area well in advance. They have always provided me with premium intel when attempting to crash course hunt a new area. They know where the big herd spends the summer, their travel corridors and what they do when the area gets its first big winter storm. Have a good plan b for winter weather. I know of plenty of awesome high elevation spots where there are elk everywhere until the first winter storm leaves a foot of snow then overnight they’re gone. Also if you are planning a hunt that far back I would say make sure you have pack animals lined up