Flatlander3
Active member
How many miles do you estimate or track you walk on a daily average for elk? Max/min, archery vs. Rifle? Just thowing those out there.
How many miles?
- Thread starter Flatlander3
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Pucky Freak
Well-known member
As few as possible. Save it for the pack out
I have walked too many miles and hunted myself out of elk sign when I should have settled in and waited.
belshawelk
Well-known member
3-4 on average.
Doublecluck
Well-known member
usually 1 there and 1 back.
WildWill
Well-known member
Last place I hunted in Wyoming had good glassing country. My favorite glassing hill where I spotted the elk I stalked and shot was 1.8 miles from my truck. Most days where 4-7 miles in total. I've hunted dark timber in SW Colorado archery and did a 12 mile loop 3 of the 7 days I hunted.
mxracer317
Well-known member
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- Nov 20, 2020
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Ok, maybe you DO need that BTX so you don't have to walk as far. Lol.
Maybe I need a pair of cheap binos so that I can’t see elk from 2-3 miles as the crow flies.
kwyeewyk
Well-known member
Depends on if I know the area, and how easy it is to glass. Tend to hunt new areas and hard to glass spots and will cover 5-15 miles a day locating if needed, for rifle, usually not much more than 7 archery hunting. If I know where to go maybe 3-5 miles if hiking in/out same day.
Wyhunter
Well-known member
I usually walk quite a bit. 5-10 per day. I too have done as many as 20 in a day, but not in 1 spot. Closest bull I have harvested was just shy of 2 miles from the truck. Furthest was in the 4.5-5 mile range.
Westelker
Well-known member
Most people walk too much. Instead let the optics do most of the walking. Of course, that does not work too well in dark timber. Two miles in and two miles out...realistic distance. Four square miles is a lot of dirt. If the Trail head is in prime elk country whether it's archery, muzzle or rifle that always has worked. Save most of your energy for the pack out.
Aerosith
Well-known member
Work smarter not harder!
There is no reason people need to be hiking 8+ miles per day unless they are hiking to a specific area. If you do your research and figure areas that will likely hold elk it will be significantly less mileage. An average day for me during archery season is 5 miles per day after getting established. And maybe 3-4 miles per day for rifle after getting settled in to a spot. But mind you I might hike 3-16 miles to get to that location to start with.
There is no reason people need to be hiking 8+ miles per day unless they are hiking to a specific area. If you do your research and figure areas that will likely hold elk it will be significantly less mileage. An average day for me during archery season is 5 miles per day after getting established. And maybe 3-4 miles per day for rifle after getting settled in to a spot. But mind you I might hike 3-16 miles to get to that location to start with.
Westelker
Well-known member
Sounds like you're wasting valuable glassing time and energy by walking way too much.
This is a good clarifier. In recent years I have enjoyed the flexibility and convenience of a base camp because I hunt 0-1 point units every year and the pressure can vary from year to year. I prefer the ability to pick up and move if needed but that usually means I’m hiking more each day. I enjoy the hiking and a ten mile day doesn't phase me so I’m willing to make the sacrifice. Maybe when I get older and wiser I will change my tactics.
I hike in the dark, sleep is overrated, and the 20 mile days are usually pack outs. Only did one 20 mile day actually hunting but that was on a muley hunt. Different strokes for different folks. If we all hunted the same a whole lot less animals would get killed.
This should've been the OPs question a 2 part. How many miles hiked hunting and how many miles in the dark. If I do a 10 mile day 70%+ is in the dark.
buffybr
Well-known member
When I had horses I'd usually pack in a camp with them, then hunt a mile or two on foot from there.
I shot 5 of my last 15 elk less than 400 yards from my back door.
I shot 5 of my last 15 elk less than 400 yards from my back door.
GrantK
Well-known member
I track all my walking, The average of my 22 days of personal elk hunting last year was 8.9 miles, with a couple of days over 15 and one over 20, a couple of things contribute to that, I refuse to bivy unless I have a really compelling reason to do so, walking with a daypack is easy and I'm not stuck hunting elkless country, @Dsnow9 has it right, you need to be adaptable, I usually won't even stay a whole day in a spot if I'm not seeing elk, let alone commit to a packed in camp, lots of the time I'm walking 4-5 miles in the morning and then driving to a different spot and putting in another 4-5 at a second spot...
I'd argue that I glass more than most, but I might glass for an hour each from 8 different spots that are a mile apart, I'm also drawing the line on how far I'll kill something from the road closer than most, I really try to avoid anything farther than 3 miles when I'm solo, but sometimes the easiest way to kill something a half mile from the road is to do a 4 mile loop to get in position...
I'd argue that I glass more than most, but I might glass for an hour each from 8 different spots that are a mile apart, I'm also drawing the line on how far I'll kill something from the road closer than most, I really try to avoid anything farther than 3 miles when I'm solo, but sometimes the easiest way to kill something a half mile from the road is to do a 4 mile loop to get in position...
