Over-emphasis on armament, IMHO.
What the OP really needs is what I had about 10 years ago. An elk hunt made easy...
A friend who lives in the area handed me a map marked "elk here" at 11,000 feet on the contour line, and gave me his brother willing to "guide". (These guys are annually successful on elk as bow-hunters).
i.e. " we will go about 3 miles up this FS trail to the big boulder, then turn left and go up-slope. Can't miss it".
We didn't. A .260 with 140 gr. factory loads at 150 yards did DRT on the cow. 10,500 elevation, up from 7500 at trailhead)
OK - Robert did go with me, spotted the elk, and did most of the dragging 1500 feet elevation wise down this rocky dry watercourse (we pitched her over a couple 20' dry water falls on the way) until we hit an impassable deadfall, where we dressed and quartered her. 75 feet from the trail, 2 miles from the trailhead. Damn, I hate those long packs to a decent trail out... Especially since I'd been living at 12 feet above sea level. And forgot my knife at the gas- heated cabin we'd stayed in at trail head... But Robert had two knives. He shared.
I'm thinking I might go back this fall- at 65, I'm only 10 years older, and Robert is only 15 lbs heavier... (I'm not). He and my brother couldn't catch chit for salmon or halibut up here in Kenai last week...
I'm thinking he needs the exercise to loose that belly fat.. A guy's gotta look out for his buddies...
