Picking days to hunt

[Nick87]

Trying to decide how to split my days up for my NM elk tag this year. Unfortunately I do not have unlimited days off so I think these are my best two options. My tag is good Saturday through Wednesday. If it matters at all two family members are going along with me to help and packout and it is a mid October muzzleloader only hunt.

A. Fly out the Wednesday night before and fly back the Friday morning day after season closes. having roughly a day and a half of scouting and 4.5 days of hunting.

B. Fly out thrusday night and come home the following Saturday giving me maybe an afternoon of scouting and five full days of hunting with an additional day and a half of pack out time if I were to shoot one late the last evening.

C. A better way to spend those 6 days I haven't thought of. (Please elaborate).

 

[brymoore]

I can’t follow your days. Is it a five day season? S,S,M,T,W?

Both options seem to give you five days of hunting but you mention one is 4.5 days.

I’d want to hunt all five days. Add scouting if possible or you’ll spend the first day scouting.

Three guys should be able to pack out an elk in one or two light loads. Shouldn’t take a 1.5 days. If it were me, take a load out after the kill. All three go back for one load.

 

[popeyoung12]

scouting is vital.

 

[Nick87]

I can’t follow your days. Is it a five day season? S,S,M,T,W?

Both options seem to give you five days of hunting but you mention one is 4.5 days.

I’d want to hunt all five days. Add scouting if possible or you’ll spend the first day scouting.

Yah sorry days to hunt are Oct 12 -16th. Sat- Wed. 4.5 days would be because I would probably have to pack it on midday on the 16th to get packed up and back to albuqurque in time to fly home the following day.

 

[seeth07]

With 6 vacation days, I would be using them on Thursday/Friday before and the following Monday-Thursday.

I would try to schedule my flights for Wednesday night and Thursday midday.

I would hunt until the last minute on Wednesday and not worry one bit about the pack out and making my flight. If you happen to get one in that last hour, I would then worry about what to do but trust me, there will be options. I would think about such a scenario and have some contacts numbers ready to go but I would not want to have my trip dedicated/planned around that rare event from happening.

 

[Nick87]

With 6 vacation days, I would be using them on Thursday/Friday before and the following Monday-Thursday.

I would try to schedule my flights for Wednesday night and Thursday midday.

I would hunt until the last minute on Wednesday and not worry one bit about the pack out and making my flight. If you happen to get one in that last hour, I would then worry about what to do but trust me, there will be options. I would think about such a scenario and have some contacts numbers ready to go but I would not want to have my trip dedicated/planned around that rare event from happening.

That was my plan as far as flight times as well.

 

[Nick87]

I would hunt until the last minute on Wednesday and not worry one bit about the pack out and making my flight. If you happen to get one in that last hour, I would then worry about what to do but trust me, there will be options. I would think about such a scenario and have some contacts numbers ready to go but I would not want to have my trip dedicated/planned around that rare event from happening.

What?

 

[seeth07]

What?

Hunt until the last minute - you will make your Thursday midday flight even if you get an elk. You just might have to get creative, get help, drop meat off at a butcher instead, etc. There will be a way to get an elk back to the truck by 9am if you shoot it at 6pm the night before unless you really are packing in miles deep with horses or something.

 

[Nick87]

Hunt until the last minute - you will make your Thursday midday flight even if you get an elk. You just might have to get creative, get help, drop meat off at a butcher instead, etc. There will be a way to get an elk back to the truck by 9am if you shoot it at 6pm the night before unless you really are packing in miles deep with horses or something.

Gotcha. There'll be no calling for help where I'm going haha. But two helpers should be enough. Thanks

 

[Pagosa]

I would try to scout two fulls days if possible. You can drive roads mid day and look where the camps/pressure might be and glass two mornings/evenings at a few different spots

 

[Valley1320]

With the unit you drew, I would choose B and spend more of my time their hunting. That unit has enough elk numbers I would think finding elk shouldn't be extremely hard should be bugling yet during your hunt dates.

 

[SAJ-99]

I said B, but A and B could be debated and both are solid. You just have to ask yourself if you would feel better scounting or hunting until the last minute. I wouldn't want to be constantly checking my watch on that last day. If there is a way to get the day and half scouting and the full five days, that is the ideal.

 

[Nick87]

With the unit you drew, I would choose B and spend more of my time their hunting. That unit has enough elk numbers I would think finding elk shouldn't be extremely hard should be bugling yet during your hunt dates.

If they are still bugling when I get there. I literally feel 5x as confident going into it. The parts of that unit I were in wasn't the best glossing from what I remember. That was almost 20 years and 10,000 beers ago.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Drive it straight through and have them help with the drive while the rest of you sleep. No way would I fly for an elk hunt, but that's just me.

Whats the drive 20 hours?

10 hours of that would be wasted in an airport and dealing with a rental car anyhow....

 

[Nick87]

Drive it straight through and have them help with the drive while the rest of you sleep. No way would I fly for an elk hunt, but that's just me.

Whats the drive 20 hours?

10 hours of that would be wasted in an airport and dealing with a rental car anyhow....

21 hours....my days of driving through the night are done. I don't get an ounce of sleep.

 

[Nick87]

No way would I fly for an elk hunt, but that's just me.

How come?

 

[Mallardsx2]

How come?

When you get there and get that crappy rental car and it breaks down because they are 1 ply tires (Hopefully this alone doesn't ruin your hunt), or when you kill that elk and try to get everything home on that airplane and have to pay the $800 in additional baggage fees, you will recall this conversation. lol

21 hours aint nothing. Point that truck south and #sendthatbitch. lol

 

[Nick87]

When you get there and get that crappy rental car and it breaks down because they are 1 ply tires (Hopefully this along doesn't ruin your hunt), or when you kill that elk and try to get everything home on that airplane and have to pay the $800 in additional baggage fees, you will recall this conversation. lol

21 hours aint nothing. Point that truck south and #sendthatbitch. lol

Mmm 3 guys with two free bags at 100 total a piece. Lots of fix a flat amd small 12 v compressor and a plug kit. I totally get what you are saying though. This time a friend has a cabin right in the unit I'm hunting so my bag is literally gonna consist of knife, gun, glass and boots. Which I may just mail home. Or leave with my buddies uncle down there and he'll bring it back at the holidays for me.

 

[noharleyyet]

A.

 

[seeth07]

Flying used to scare me for hunting and now that I've done it 3 times going to Alaska, I'm way less scared. However, my experience each time has been with Alaska airlines and if there is one airline that knows a thing or two about flying hunters, I'd like to think its them. The people we deal with all seem to get it.

Get soft coolers for your carry ons. We stuff 50-60# of meat in those bad boys.