I. Thou shalt be in shape, for elk dwelleth not in the flatlands, nor where there is oxygen.
II. If thine ass resembleth 20 pounds of chewed bubble gum, bitter shall be thy lot.
IV. Thou shalt not stuff thy pack with all manner of goods. Thou needst it not, and it shall do naught but rob thee of thy breath and turn thy knees to Jello.
This is funny. and true.
I've take quite a few people on their first western elk hunt. A few things I see:
1) People aren't prepared. Elk hunting is hard. Period. Many eastern guys aren't mentally or physically prepared for what they are about to see/encounter. In my mind, there is flat-land good shape, and then there is Rocky Mtn good shape. I tell everyone from the east: I don't care how good of shape you are in, you will wish you spent more time, and doing much more work, to be in better cardiovascular condition. You can not be in too good of shape. Living in East Tn, you do have an advantage. East TN has real mountains, with real relief and topography. Spend time in the Smoky's. I guarantee if you start at Clingmans Dome and hike down Noland ridge to Fontana and back, you'll cover 29ish miles and 4600 feet in elevation. You can scale anything in between as training.
2) You won't freeze to death. Many people get intimidated by the temps. Trust me 20 degrees in CO/WY/MT is not the same as 20 degrees in the east. Humidity sucks and makes it feel colder than it really is. You won't need a -40 degree bag, 17 layers of clothes, or 2000 gram boots. And you will be ok at night if you buy a good sleeping bag.
3) Things to spend money on: Feet system, Base Layers. I wore Danner elk hunters for 10 years or so. Good boots. Spend time trying to figure out socks and boot fit with the goal of moving moisture away from your feet. You won't be elk hunting long with blisters on your feet - take care of your feet. In like manner, buy good base layers. I like synthetic for the quick drying factor. If you go synthetic make sure they have polygiene or similar to keep the stench down.
4) Misc things: Leukatape will help with foot care. A beanie at night in the sleeping bag makes a difference. Get maps and a GPS - but don't rely solely on the GPS.
You'll be fine with your current rifle set up and shooting. I personally don't take a spotting scope. 10x42 binocs have served me well.
Gotta take the wife out.
