How much I average hiking while hunting each season depends on the general weather pattern for the hunting season and the location. I’ve been fit, skinny my whole life. Sitting is very uncomfortable and extremely boring for me. ‘Hiking while hunting’ is fun and there is something new to discover over every hill and around every bend. Following fresh tracks is my favorite way to hunt. Last year with the deep snow I could reliably get into elk within a mile of most trailhead parking lots-this year, with little snow, I was usually finding elk at or above 8000ft, which was a solid 10-12mile round trip in the mountain range that I did most of my hunting. In that area I did glass a couple nice bulls from above that were ‘close’ (as the crow flies) to the trailhead along the private/public boundary but getting one of them out would have been torture-there was two steep, heavily timbered ridges that separated their bedding ridge from the trailhead. It would’ve been impossible to get a horse to the quarters-I’m not interested in putting antlers first, meat second. Occasionally I’ll cover a few miles in the dark on horseback but I usually keep my horses at the house until there is a dead elk to pack out. This year after about 8 days of hard hunting I finally pried myself away from my go to spots and switched to another mountain range that I’d never hunted before and cut fresh tracks 200yds from my car. Ended up killing one about a mile from the trailhead and I was grinning ear to ear at how little hunting pressure there was at my new spot-there were lots of fart sniffing fatties in big trucks and sidebysides down on the road but they would’ve had a heart attack if they’d tried to lift their asses out of their vehicle and I suppose the elk knew it
How many miles?
- Thread starter Flatlander3
- Start date
T
tjones
Guest
Ya I hear ya, we can only shoot 3 elk a year now.
4mph with all the downfall in the hills now--no way.
kwyeewyk
Well-known member
God you're annoying, the OP asked people for their personal experiences, not your critique of everyone else's methods. Can't you just let people answer?
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Deleted member 28227
Guest
What cracks me up is that the OP asked folks what they were doing, I imagine to see where they fit in compared to other hunters.
Instead just posting your preferences and moving on you felt compelled critique everyone else.
It's all personal preference, if you don't like to do it that way cool, no one is making you.
Some folks just come to the internet to argue I guess.
Westelker
Well-known member
Sounds like a great simple strategy. To alleviate walking all the way back to your truck after an elk is down, have you ever thought about driving up "that" spot the next time before you start hunting? That may shorter your walking considerably.
Westelker
Well-known member
I guess I watch too much news on TV. Sorry I'm hurting your tender feelings.
BuzzH
Well-known member
So when is your elk hunting book going to be available?
I'm still thinking I'm hunting them wrong and looking to get my first one this season.
brocksw
Well-known member
BigHornRam
Well-known member
Have you ever heard of gated roads?
BuzzH
Well-known member
...or a clue?
BigHornRam
Well-known member
I bet he has a sweet looking side by side with bolt cutters in the back.....and still can't find an elk to save his ass!
Westelker
Well-known member
Sounds like you need to take your medicine again and read post #134. As posted....."drive the truck close". Just in case you don't understand. That means walking back to the truck, after the kill, then driving the truck closer.
Westelker
Well-known member
How did you know, good guess, don't give away my secrets.
The only side by side I have ever been on was one with a blade plowing snow!
BuzzH
Well-known member
I just want a signed copy of your elk hunting book when it comes out.
Release date?
BigHornRam
Well-known member
Sorry. Make that a beat up 85 F150 with bolt cutters in the back.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
Is it hunting if you shoot something over a quarter mile away while using the hood of the vehicle as a rest? Stereotypes are fun!. To each their own. We have to be honest, and someone has pointed this out, there aren't many places in the lower 48 where you can be 5 miles from a road and in those places a lot of people use horses.
Westelker
Well-known member
That's more to my style Bighorn & Buzzboy!
Westelker
Well-known member
Now that you young critters have it all figured out, don't take me for a New Mexico resident.
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Deleted member 16014
Guest
Elk hunters…such an insufferable lot. 
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Deleted member 28227
Guest
Elk hunters…such an insufferable lot.
