Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Coming out, headed for camp -the dangerous time.

I'm sitting here in my elk camp, listening to it rain. Thought share a few experiences and thoughts.
I've always had my problems with footing, falls, etc. coming out of the mountains not going in or, rarely actually hunting. I read somewhere, that in mountaineering, 80% of the accidents occur when coming down the mountain, not going up.
I believe this is because I never quit hunting unless I'm pretty tried. Then I've got that long walk back. I just want it to be over. So I push myself and try not to think about my aches and pains, etc. I want to be back at the jeep where I can sit down, or better yet, back in camp where it's warm, I can have a cup of coffee or eat a hot meal. That's when I loose my footing or trip on something. If I'd slow down, stop to rest once in a while, and watch carefully where I put my feet, I don't do those things.
It's funny, but I literally lost my ability to keep going once and collapsed not 50 yds. from my 4WD during a long, wet hike out in the desert once. Why ? Because I wouldn't stop and put on my rain gear and stay dry. The cold got to me and I got a nasty case of hypothermia. Not my only close call with that either.
I can remember another time, again, coming out on an icy, snow covered slope, I went down because I wouldn't bother to put on my crampons.
Little by little I'm learning. Slow down, think, rest, use your protective clothing. Or else. E

Good advice for any pursuit where there is potential for "bad things" to happen due to poor choices ...

Our #1 criteria for a successful hunt is that everyone gets home safely.

Like you, I rarely if ever have a problem going in. After miles of up and down with a pack and a rifle it is a different story. So far everyone has always made it back to camp but there have been some nasty falls on the way back.

Never had the problem. All I have to worry about is having enough energy to throw a leg over the saddle. Most of my falls come from not being attentive while I am hunting.

We all must be prepared to make it back.

Do you have a cell phone with you and are you always in range?

I don't always and you have me thinking about the topic.

When sailing I was extra careful and thus I get to write about it this morning.

"Always in cell range"....

Yeah, MT, CO, ID, etc. are legendary for their full and complete cell coverage in all areas, especially the back country.

DumbassDon strikes again.

E;

Superb point. The end of the day is the most dangerous, due to exhaustion, fading or failing light, cumulative weather and temperature conditions, and basic inattentiveness.

I'm surprised you can connect to the internet sitting in elk camp! I don't bother to even take my portable electronics with me, since I know there is no signal where I go. They all get left in the truck.

Down hill is always more suspect to falling since you are usually walking on your heals vs your toes. Down hill you weight is dropping down vs you securing footing and applying power to climb. Couple that with being tired and worn out, I agree you are more at risk.

Last week wading thru 3 foot deep snow, my legs got wet and cold. When I got back to the tent and laid on the cot, they cramped up. I guess I dehydrated more than I realized trying to hike in that wet snow, coupled with the stress of climbing snow covered ridges and the muscles getting cold from being wet.

I have to remind folks that come with us, that we are 20 miles down a dirt road, and 7 miles up a canyon on horseback, then several miles on foot as you roam the mountain side looking for elk. Emergency help is many hours away if something happens to you. We met some folks from back east on a Cruise one winter, They were interested in hunting the west, So we invited them to come join us. They showed up and hunted one day, then asked for a ride to the airport. As they departed, they said, "When we get home, you will become legends of what true hunting is".

I guess elk hunting the west is different than sitting in your hunting shack, drinking cold drinks out of the fridge listening to the game while waiting for a white tail to strol by.

I admit that I "cheat" a little while elk hunting. I'm sitting in a fully equipped truck camper in an RV park at the foot of the Rocky Mtns. I have been driving ten miles, and hiking to almost the top of the mountain range where the elk are.
There is nothing like a nice warm camp, a shower every night, and the easy means to keep and prepare food. To say nothing of the support services for things like tires this little town provides.
OK, so I'm kind of a wimp. Well, I have hunted them for a day in under zero temperatures and have worn crampons many times just to get around.
I love it. E

Yes its knowing our limits. I had to sell the boat as its just too difficult to do well at my age.

I have climbed on some mountains out West and here in the East and it can indeed be very taxing and dangerous.

My buddy and I were in his SUV up in VT where we hunt and he said to me: "Remember when you got that buck on the backside of that mountain?"

I looked up at that mountain and knew I would not get a buck there again. I am fortunate that I am still walking at my age. I walked the fields and hills on a big farm yesterday and did well carrying my 7mm Kimber.

Its so good to still be able to hunt. I go about once a week.

Bullshit is getting thick now..

Don showed up; what else do you expect?

Crampons, hypothermia, mountain climbing..

Where's Liar24 when you need him?

You're assuming that DumbassDon wasn't Samson's "companion"...

i just got back from an elk hunt. on day three, i fell and cut my hand open and broke my arm (fracture). didn't get a bull but came close. no cell coverage by the way.

below are some pics of some idaho elk country...

Sorry to hear you injuried yourself. That's some very steep, mean country. Montana is tough enough for me. That place looks worse. E

E and other solo hunters,

I would seriously consider purchasing and packing the new ACR ResQlink PLB . It can be had for about $275 and the battery is good for at least 5yrs. That comes out to about $55 a year for a chance of being rescued if $hit happens.

Its fairly light and compact:


I figure in 5yrs there will be newer better units and maybe the new SEND standard will be in place. But for now the ACR ResQlink is the perfect PLB for the wilderness hunter who ventures deep.

MtnHtr

We carry SPOT.. maybe not as good, but figure better than nothing and we have it already.

As to cell coverage in elk country... geeze, I can't even believe that comment.

Well, I must admit I have found cell coverage on a mountain top where I came very close to killing a big 6 pt. bull. I, ah, could see the town and it cell tower from way up there....
But even where I live in Kalifornia, I have to be within sight of the Hwy 50 corridor to get cell phone coverage. But no where else. Even on top of Mt. Price, where I can see Hwy 50, I'm just too far out to get a signal. So, you have to be kinda close too.
Thanks, Mtn Hunter. That's sounds like a simple, reliable system I ought to have. E

Most of my near injuries have occurred on the way out, which I attribute fatigue. And today was no exception.

i refuse to carry a spot or e locator, i just see it as one more way to track us, kind of like onstar, I know i sound paranoid but that stuff scares me. someday i may wish i had it but then again if i die in the back country it will be know i died doing what i loved.