I’d say if money is no option as you say, then definitely hire an outfitter to at least pack a drop camp for you and be available to pack your elk out-especially given that it sounds like you’re wanting to hunt bow season when temperatures will mean you need to get the meat out asap. There is no shame in hiring an outfitter-there is a ton of shame in killing an elk and not being able to get all of the grade A meat out without spoiling. Also hunting elk is f’n hard-it ain’t often the outfitter or guides fault even though it may seem to you like it is. I used to guide public land backcountry hunts and I don’t miss the bad attitudes and ignorance of the hunters when I couldn’t magically make the elk or weather cooperate. Unlike whitetails elk live and migrate in herds-when they’re there in your basin or your side of the mountain, hunting is great. When they’re not there, you really aren’t seeing fresh sign let alone hunting. Those hunting shows are heavily edited to make the hosts look like gurus and make it seem easy-the reality is they’re usually hunting trophy ranches and editing many days of hunting f ups to look like it all happened in a sweet weekend of elk hunting heaven. I live and work in elk country, Im in excellent shape and it usually takes me around 12 days of hard hunting to kill my elk. I also have horses and have a hard time imagining the torture of getting an elk out without them. Even with my horses I decline to bow hunt because I don’t want any of my elk meat to be wasted. You should find a way to hike at least 10+ miles, at least once a week, in the ‘hills’ to the west of you so that you can get somewhat fit/prepared for elk hunting.
Thanks
The guides were great guys, first trip was 3 for 6. 3 yrs later they limited out 6 for 6!! That first trip our guy just was not quite into it seemed. He never even got close to testing how much shape we were in, wasn’t really challenging. They had long range rifles, and we decided to use those. Most of our shot opportunities were 500-1000yds. It was 2018 and hot out so they were not moving. I did not like sitting around all day, wanted to walk around and just scout and act like I was hunting at least but they did not want to do that. One day we drove to behind a house and looked up at the hills behind there (there theory was a good one, that elk got pushed back there), but it just did not feel like hunting. I wanted to be out in the woods more.
If I go with a guide again it will be one that packs in a tent camp I believe, and I am practicing quite a bit with my own rifle but would like to limit shots to about 400yds max, vice the long range which means I have to spot and hump my ass to get the closer shots.
That is my plan right now I am just doing a 5 mile loop with 40lbs which is just 2.5 mi of crossing constant 50ft up and down drainages flowing into a larger creek and then flat the rest of it. Just got my pack in the mail and looking forward to walking a bit more then loading it up and seeing what 80lbs feels like. Have a lot of work to do. Will get out to Shenandoah for sure.
Thanks
The guides were great guys, first trip was 3 for 6. 3 yrs later they limited out 6 for 6!! That first trip our guy just was not quite into it seemed. He never even got close to testing how much shape we were in, wasn’t really challenging. They had long range rifles, and we decided to use those. Most of our shot opportunities were 500-1000yds. It was 2018 and hot out so they were not moving. I did not like sitting around all day, wanted to walk around and just scout and act like I was hunting at least but they did not want to do that. One day we drove to behind a house and looked up at the hills behind there (there theory was a good one, that elk got pushed back there), but it just did not feel like hunting. I wanted to be out in the woods more.
If I go with a guide again it will be one that packs in a tent camp I believe, and I am practicing quite a bit with my own rifle but would like to limit shots to about 400yds max, vice the long range which means I have to spot and hump my ass to get the closer shots.
That is my plan right now I am just doing a 5 mile loop with 40lbs which is just 2.5 mi of crossing constant 50ft up and down drainages flowing into a larger creek and then flat the rest of it. Just got my pack in the mail and looking forward to walking a bit more then loading it up and seeing what 80lbs feels like. Have a lot of work to do. Will get out to Shenandoah for sure.
Sounds like a better plan. I don’t blame you for being disappointed in your outfitter on that last hunt. Hiking fitness is pretty damn paramount for a quality elk hunt. It was probably the main reason your outfitter was pushing the long range rifles-because 75% or more of their hunters can’t quickly hike to the elevation that is at, or above the elk that they are spotting from below or afar. I’ve shot a pile of elk and so far the farthest shot I’ve taken was at 350. I’ve seen plenty of elk shot and shot at past 400 while guiding and it seems like a roll of the dice no matter what the shooter is armed with. There’s almost always a great option for getting within 400 yds-especially if you are familiar with the topography, wind currents and of course assuming all those involved in the stalk are in very good hiking shape to get there ASAP-strong heart, lungs, legs. I would reiterate contracting an outfitter for at least packing out elk. You will save yourself for hunting if you also contract the outfitter to pack you a camp with food/supplies. If you’re using his drop camp I’m sure he’s going to promptly answer your Inreach ‘elk down’ text with a pack string. If all you’ve done is ask him to pack your elk out with promise of payment or even a trivial down payment- good luck getting him to respond to your Inreach ‘elk down’ text in a timely manner. I would be very cautious about renting horses, mules or llamas -you might be renting crippled, dangerous, dinks and regardless it is a humongous, sleepless night chore taking care of livestock while hunting from a backcountry camp.
Good luck man!
Now to go guides or not for the trip is one discussion but saying you can't afford a DIY trip compared to a guided trip is ludicrous. You're talking minimum 3x the cost for a guided trip
Lots of dumb questions, get ready..
When we went out we didn't really do anything midday, and I did not like that but these guides already had the areas they were going to hunt. I walked around a little bit but I don't think the guide wanted us to stray far. Do you scout and walk around in the middle of the day when they're bedded down, or just use that time to rest or move to an evening glassing spot. Do you stay out of the timber, are you worried about bumping the elk.
I feel like even if I fly out there once ahead of time say in August or September and scout, come October when i'm hunting I will still be spending the majority of the time just finding where they are at. Yes i would go out a few days early.
Do these elk really bed all day long, or are they like deer they will bed and move every few hours, but unlike deer they will just stick to certain areas (timber, grazing, etc) depending on time of day or pressure. I am trying to figure out how much pressure affects their movement, will they circle or just bust up and over. I think I can generally figure out how food/cover/weather affects their movement.
Sounds like a lot of miscommunication between you and your guide. Not saying you were to blame at all. If you’re paying for a hunt you should get what you pay for. I’m just getting into guiding myself and if my hunter wanted to hunt all day then that’s what I would do. The middle of the day can be a good time to hunt, especially during the rut in September. The bulls will oftentimes leave their cows and hit their wallows and it’s also a good time to sneak around the timber, as long as you pay attention to the wind direction, and sneak in closer on a bull you might have bedded earlier in the day. If the weather is hot it’s definitely not unheard of for the elk to bed up all day. I’ve spooked elk that have gone a couple hundred yards then settled back down and also have seen elk that get bumped and travel several miles. It might depend upon how thick the cover is where they are bumped. In thicker cover they feel more safe whereas in more open country they don’t. In regards to scouting in September then hunting October the elk will still be around but probably will be a little harder to find in October compared to September due to hunting pressure. If you get enough snow the elk will start moving around and drop to lower elevations. The bigger bulls tend to holdout in the high country longer than cows and raghorns do.
