Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 50th Birthday present, I'm going Elk hunting

You've got a fantastic choice for rifle, chambering, and load. Once you're sighted in, practice shooting over a pack and/or off of bipods. Do your best to obtain a good level of expediency getting into a shooting position.

Now, take every piece of cotton hunting clothing you've got and burn it so you're not tempted to take it with you.

Lightweight and midweight Merino and/or a couple different weights of synthetic base layers. Merino can be worn several days without stinking something awful. For me, I can't stand more than 2 days in any one synthetic base layer without a wash as it holds an awful stink after that thus I prefer Merino. I suppose everyone's stink-factor/tolerance is different. I find Merino capable of comfort in a wider range of temps than synthetics. Topping out @ 7K' and an early Sept hunt means you're more likely to have to worry about hot than cold.

Boots that fit well and are well broken in. A set of travel/compact boot dryers while you're at it. Even the best waterproof boots can be sweated wet from the inside.

I sit on one of these for long-term glassing in order to keep my backside dry and the cushion of air helps insulate from the cold ground as well:

Glassing Seat

It’s a private land herd hunt...You’re likely able to go in fairly light with possible amenities provided with the hunt...Like downed elk retrieval, gutting, skinning inside a barn or shop...Chunk cutting of your meat and wrapping with cold storage to hold your meat until you leave.

Proper clothes, boots, etc...Capacity to handle your rifle out to 350-400 yards. I’ve heard some outfits won’t allow a customer to take a shot passed a predetermined distance.

Several coolers for your trip home and a good way to secure your meat in the truck from theft when you stop for rest at a hotel/motel. Yes, ass-hats will steal not only your gear, but meat, cape and horns if your bull shooting.

Take cash for a tip to your guide and meat packers, etc..

Never done one of these type of hunts, know several who have. It’s a great way to put meat in your freezer.

Have fun!
😎

I would definitely hit up Jorge they did this hunt a few yrs back and had a blast from what I remember.

Here is the write up

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11475838/

Thank you!! This is some solid advice that I am taking seriously. I knew the crew here at "The Fire" would have some helpful input. This is very much appreciated,

Rich

I had a friend that looked into this hunt, it’s a 5000 acre high fence operation.

I grew up in that part of the world. Great country. May be private land with a great lodge but it is elk country and can be pretty rough. I have seen snow in September and hot weather in October so be prepared. Prepare and enjoy.

Personally I would opt out of the Vortex.

If it were me, I would up the odds for repeatability by picking up a Nightforce or an SWFA.

Skip bench shooting once you have verified the dope on your rifle.


Once you have the rifle part squared away. Start practicing by shooting over your pack, and on steep inclines and declines. Figure out how to sit on a steep hillside and take a shot, if needed, using a bipod and your ruck.

Practice shooting using trekking poles crossed as support.

The more adaptable you are in field positions the more shooting opportunities you will have.

I was just in Salmon yesterday, it was a little chilly. Oddly enough, a good ways south of there I had roughly 50 elk run across the road right in front of me on the side road I was on, when I was going to visit a friend. I had a cow tag in my pocket and a rifle on the seat. However I just had back surgery I promised the bride I would not wrestle hind quarters for a while.. The dang things were practically begging me yesterday morning..




It would have been about the easiest cow ever... But it would have made me late, and I never would have heard the end of it from the bride.


Lots of game out.

Wild Turkeys, Bighorn Deer, Elk. It was a good day for a drive.

Anyways,

Practice your field shooting positions and cardio, cardio, cardio.

I'm not a Vortex fan either. They have as good a warranty as anyone but it doesn't help when your're on a once in a lifetime hunt and your scope goes tits up. If you are determined to take it, I would take a back up scope just in case. I doubt you will have too much trouble otherwise on a hunt like this. Have fun.

Plenty of good advice thus far.

I’ll add that you should understand what you’re actually getting in a guided hunt. It’s not just help shooting an elk, but access to your outfitter’s knowledge and experience, his help recovering meat, and access to gear and vehicles that he bought and maintains. You may never see some of this gear, but if you need it he can pull it out of thin air. On the one guided elk hunt that I’ve taken, this turned out to be mountain bikes to get into an area where vehicles were not allowed and kayaks to recover the meat.

Ask your outfitter how to prepare for this hunt then follow his advice. He’s hunted elk on that land during that time of year and he knows what he’s talking about. Once you get there, watch everything that he and his guides do. Offer to help with every chore, especially the tough ones. It’s just good manners, and the more you help the crew, the harder they’ll work for you. Ask questions, take notes, and learn as much as you can. It makes the whole thing far more enjoyable and you might learn enough to make a self-guided hunt later on.

This hunt is a big deal for you, so tip accordingly. Tip even if you don’t score. Guides and outfitters don’t earn much.

Not all shots in western hunting are long, so zero for 200 yards then start to train like Mackay Sagebrush described. Get good at that, then try it when you’re huffing and puffing from exertion or excitement. Also, train for fast offhand shots inside of 100 yards—you may jump a bull in the timber. The goal is not to prepare, but to find and understand your limits. Then you can have an honest conversation with your guide that helps him determine how to hunt with you.

Cardio is a good idea, but don't skip resistance training. Focus on compound multi-joint lifts: squats, deadlifts, dips, rows, bench presses, etc. No need to go crazy, just build good core strength and work outwards from there. Strong people are harder to kill and more useful in general, plus added muscle mass helps prevent injuries in the field. Along with that, develop a good stretching routine and maintain it in camp. You’ll be a lot more comfortable the next morning and flexibility helps prevent injuries.

Take an extra scope that’s already in rings and zeroed. A spare rifle isn’t a bad idea if there’s a safe place to keep it while you’re in the woods. If you change your mind and decide to fly, then take a rifle chambered for a common factory cartridge and know your zero for commonly available factory loads in case the airline loses your bags.


Okie John

Good choice of caliber and bullet. I'm not a fan of variable power scopes especially with a rifle that has the amount of recoil yours does. My average shot distance would be less than 150 yards . Longest ever about 350. My methods are walking quietly, sitting or spot and stalk. Good luck and enjoy your hunt.

I always put at least one box of ammo in the same case or bag as the rifle. If the rifle makes it, the ammo does too.

Good idea. But I'm pretty sure that TSA and the airlines won't allow it.


Okie John

It sounds like you got a good woman. Does she have any sisters?
Enjoy the experience!

Another way to haul meat that far is put a small chest freezer in the back of a pickup or trailer. A generator or plugging it in at night at a motel will keep it cool enough to get home. Keep it covered and tarped as moving air will warm it up.

I think most of the tips so far have been good. I would recommend two pair of good boots to alternate daily and a boot dryer if you have room for it and electricity and at least 1 back up rifle between you. I have never had a rifle or scope fail on a hunt but that’s probably because I had a suitable backup along. A layering system is preferable to a heavy jacket. With one exception, all my hunting coats are shells so I can layer up or down from morning to mid day. Don’t let “just” 7,500 feet fool you. You can become sick and dehydrated easily at that elevation in a hurry. I have had flu-like symptoms of altitude sickness at that elevation in the past when I didn’t allow a couple of days to acclimate. If you drive, coming across Wyoming, Montana, or Colorado will give you a day or so of that. Go heavy on the water and light on the booze. We’ve had guys end up in the ER for dehydration that didn’t drink enough water. Coffee and soda pop doesn’t count. A cardiac stress test might be a good thing if your insurance pays for it. Find some odorless sunscreen and use it. Don’t forget the back of your hands if not glove weather. One of the worst sunburns I ever had was from Colorado in late October. Goes double if there is snow on the ground, which is not too likely in September. Happy Trails

Tikka T3 light in a 300WSM ? My kids . Tikka in .270 Win kicks like a mule.

Broadmouth Ranch is a high fence hunt operated by Roulon Jones. His outfit has high fence hunts in Utah and New Mexico also.

This is the same ranch Jorge and Pugs hunted a few years ago and we gave them a hard time over.........

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../11480672/Great_Broadmouth_Canyon_Elk_Ma

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11475838/The_Pugs,_Jorge,_Hatari_and_Ze

Good luck on your hunt. Go now, while you are still young enough to hike and climb. I went back to hunt Colorado in 2018, at age 72. I was not as spry as I was 27 years earlier! All good advice above. Practice shooting a lot, and bring two pairs of boots, as someone said earlier. There's nothing worse than cold, wet boots in the morning.