I'm actually taking a first time elk hunter from church with me this year and have been thinking alot about this topic helping him sort things out. A couple more thoughts:
1) Food. Check with your outfitter to see what the individual weight limit is. I'm guessing 60-75 lbs. I HATE freeze dried/dehydrated food. Wife and I went backpacking a few weeks back and had some Backpacker Pantry that was actually pretty good. My personal preference is Seal-A-Meal real food frozen to perfection. Plan a menu for how many guys are going, pre-make the meals, keep them frozen on way out. If they thaw but stay cold, all is still good as long as they don't get warm. The first guy back to camp fires up the stove, puts water on and throws the meal for the night into the pot. 15-20 mins later you are eating real food. If you weigh all your gear and split the meals between all the guys, you should be fine. I'd say a good, warm meal at the end of the day is a real bonus, both mentally and physically.
I am taking some dehydrated meals but we are also taking real food. I think dehydrated for breakfast, some snacks and real food at the end of the day is a great idea. I think the limit is around 75lbs.
2) Clothing/sleeping. I was in a hurry when I typed my original message. Plan for low teens at night, low 40s during the day. This can swing 20 degrees one way or the other. Warmer is no big deal. Cooler/colder is simply a matter of putting on more clothes. Get a 0-20 degree bag and adjust your sleeping temp with clothes. On outer wear, you can cover alot of ground with a good base layer, a mid layer (think Sitka Core Heavyweight/Patagonia R2), a good puffy, and a good outer layer windbreaker. I've hunted down into the single digits with this setup. Elk hunting is a more mobile game than deer. Overheating and sweat management is the key. As an example, I tend to hike to my area in a light baselayer (FirstLite Aerowool shirt) and a Sitka Core Heavyweight. That works down into the teens. Wind is the only wildcard. Wind and 15-20 degrees can suck.
I am looking at different base layers now as I think those will help with my management of heat and clothing. Obviously I don’t want to get cold but if I sweat a ton moving then I’ll never get warm. When I hunt around here I dress light going in and pack my heavier gear. I thought that might work out there but I had one guy tell me 1000gr boots, 2-3 pair of wool socks and at least a snow suit. I’ll look like a hillbilly Randy off the Christmas Story.
3) Guns/bullets/shots. I've seen your posts for years - you'll be ok with your gun/bullet/scope combos. I dare say most long time posters but first time elk hunters overthink the gun/bullet part. I did - and still do <G>. I'm not in the same league as many of the long time elk posters but have managed to kill 7-8-9 elk in the past 10-12 years and a couple of good 6 pts. The longest shot has been ~ 225 yards. The rest have been less than 100, some as close as 10 yards. I tend to still hunt in the timber which explains the distances. Prepare for 4-500 yards but don't overlook 20 yards. I'd bet shot be between 75 and 250 yards.
Originally I was going to take my 7wsm or my 30-06. I had some 180 Partitions but I just never got the consistency I wanted from them and after fooling with it the 7 was just heavier than I wanted to pack. I’ve seen the posts on here about the 708 and elk so since it’s lighter, I shoot it really well and it seems very effective I went that route. I have 2nd guessed it a few times and the guys I’m going with think I’m crazy. They’re 7 mags and a 300 weatherby with 6-24x50’s on them. If I find one that’s foolish is enough to be in my area and close enough for a shot my plan is to hit him in the important parts.
The BSF is a great place to train. Honey Creek loop is one of my favorites. Load a pack with 25 lbs or so and go. The key is elevation - both uphill and downhill under load. If your going with an outfitter, ask about horse retrieval. A horse is a marvelous machine when it comes to 200 lbs of elk meat on the ground. Be the best $2-300 ever, especially if its in deep and ugly. Work out the details ahead of time. If no horse, have a plan. You'll hear lots of he-man stories of guys carrying 100 lbs of elk for 10 miles. A fully grown bull hind quarter will weigh 60-65 lbs each side. A front about 30-40. If an elk is more than 1 mile from camp/truck, plan to carry 1 hind or 2 fronts at a time. It will be a 3-4 trip deal depending on what you take the first trip. And it will suck. Hiking poles are a great aid.
Honey Creek is a great hike. I’ve been taking a pack but it may be a little light. I’ll add some more weight. I talked to the ram rod of our trip and he said if one of us gets an elk we can contact the outfitter and they will try to get a horse up to it.
You haven't asked about finding elk but I found the series of videos from Randy Newberg very helpful in thinking about where to find elk. Elk country is huge and elk, especially bulls after the rut, don't occupy much of it. Bulls tend to withdraw to secure little areas to eat and rest. Finding them can be tough. As smoke pointed out, mobility is your friend. Where they aren't is almost as valuable as where they are. If you have multiple guys that aren't intimidated by the country, map out a game plan so each of you can hunt/scout/evaluate different areas early in the hunt. Then compare notes at the end of each day. I tend to move until I find the elk. Away from people is the best bet. Distance works well, especially away from trails and easy travel routes. Tough terrain works better but can wear on a guy if he's not finding animals. I really like small secluded feed areas off the beaten path, with an adjacent north facing, black timbered slope. I look in avalanche chutes and the top end of drainages for small meadows. I also like aspens with green grass in them adjacent to black timbered areas off the beaten path. I also find bulls tend to like to bed in the upper parts of the mountain - unless pressure pushes them somewhere else, then its a new ball game and they can be anywhere.............
Ive been reading and watching as much stuff as I can. The guys I’m going with are dead set on me having to have a 60x spotting scope to pack around. I’m not seeing it but I sure ain’t an elk hunter so I may regret not taking one. The advice I’ve gotten here says I will not regret not having one and that’s enough for me.
So bulls are kind of like whitetail bucks other than When they’re chasing the wimmins they’re probably hiding in a hole somewhere close to water?
Most importantly - have fun. If you don't kill an elk, it is a week spent in some of the most beautiful country God created.
It will be tough but it will be a good time, I’m sure of it.
Thanks again
