Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting ELK 2014 Humble Pie

Live and learn. I live in elk country but usually day hunt. I turn around when I hit the 5 miles mark from the road, and I have buddies with horses.

I believe the old adage that 75% (or whatever % it is) hunt with a mile of the road is true. If I get in a couple miles, I usually have the place to myself.

Very true, this.

Especially in the Bob. Big country for sure and the elk can/will range for miles and miles, not to mention the wolf factor. If you go the guide route be sure to check out guiding services very carefully. There are some great people out there, and then some not so much. A guide/drop camp for a group your size would be viable alternative as well.

Thanks for posting this. I know I learned many of the same lessons you did. Just don't stop trying! It will get 'easier' as you get more experience. What you learned on this trip will be worth it's weight (pun definitely intended ) on future trips.

Someone above mentioned positive attitude. IMO, that's the most important thing to pack. It is something I have to consiously try to do. It's easy to get down when you've put in that much effort and aren't seeing game. That said, sitting in camp getting one's mope on doesn't fix it. BTW, I'm not saying that's what you did, but I have done that.

Good luck and always keep asking questions.

Your pictures are very revealing! You guys would have needed to push farther south toward the "Park" to find any decent numbers of elk....I've hunted that country you were in since 1980. The fires of 88', and the wolves have changed the dynamics of the elk heard in that part of the "AB"....still a great piece of true wilderness, and it has, and always will hold a special place in my heart.

One of the biggest bulls I've ever seen was was up on the west side of Iron Mountain, not too far from where you were. That was the fall of 2001. I was hunting sheep, had some rams located, and decided to pass on him. In hindsight, I should have killed him....but that's hunting.

When you kill an elk and backpack it out of that country, you've been on a real elk hunt...

Good effort! The agony, and pain of defeat, will always dilute, when success is finally achieved...

You pegged it�

I think there are some nice animals in there, I just need to get to know it and continue to learn.

Thanks for the insight, and thanks to all that have replied.

-Dustin

I think the take away from your whole experience is that you actually cowboyed up and did it!! Millions of people dream the dream each year but you and 6 other guys did it!! Heck I run into guys year in and year out here in PA that talk the talk, but come time to put the time and money into an elk hunt waffle every year. Next year, you will have a firm hold on what you need to do and how to do it, and Ill wager a good bit of money that you guys get into elk!!

+1, and he's gonna do it again, a tip of the hat to you, rifles.

Truer words have never been spoken. I can't tell you how many times I have hunted areas that were infested with elk. So many elk they were actually tearing up the mountain. Next day not a single elk to be found. You have to be flexible with elk hunting hunt where the elk are, sounds stupid I know. Find the elk before you kill yourself hunting animals that may not even be there. This is different than mule deer hunting.

Thanks for an interesting story. When I first started reading I knew quickly this wasn't going to end good. For heavens sake someone should have at least jumped on a 4 wheeler and checked out the road first. Hiking your tail off just to see other trucks there or 4 wheelers sucks so bad. I know I have done it without knowing a road was I the area. I agree too many people.

Yes, elk are mobile, and they can appear as fast as they disappear. Last fall, 4 of us were hunting together. By the last week, none of us had scored on elk although we'd got several deer. For the last week, 3 of us went back up for a final 5 day whack at it. After 2 days of seeing not even a track, 1 guy went home about noon on the 3d day. That day we had new snow and that afternoon the elk arrived. The 2 of us still hunting found 50 or more within 1/4 mile of a main road but it was too dark to shoot. They were right out in the open in plain sight of everything. We were there before shooting light the next morning and brought home 2 of them. We sneaked about 200 yds off the road to some timber and shot them on the open hillside above us. We were able to roll them down to the flat and drive the truck right to them.

You did a great job of writing this story. I was laughing with you, not at you. It sounded eerily similar to some of my first elk hunts. It can be very humbling. It gets better though, especially when you realize you don't need all of that "stuff" to have a productive, comfortable, and safe trip. You also learn that getting in shape and being prepared for an elk hunt requires significant effort. Thanks for sharing.

Oh hell, I was laughing at him a couple of times Manley because I was in his position on my first elk hunt, nothing humbles you quite so much as your first DIY elk hunt.

Gear: if you know you need it, you just might. If you think you need it, you probably don't.

Your chance of success dwindles precipitously once your group size grows larger than 3.

I know my blood pressure would climb exponentially with every person more than two, counting myself, and that's not a knock on the third guy. It's just simple math and the likelihood that at any given point in time you'll be waiting on someone else to take a dump, refill his water container, stop for a snack, stop for a breather, stop to re-lace his boots, stop to take care of a blister, stop to take a photo, stop to mug up, stop.........

Amen! I doubt there are many of us who have been there who haven't been in many of the same situations or at least have a great appreciation for what you endured. DIY back country Elk hunting is hard.

A great statement! That will always be playing in my head while packing.

Good for you that you did it. My first backpack hunt out west was 2012. I had a couple of guys that were interested in going, one had committed. All backed out and I did a solo hunt. Very humbling being in the wilderness by yourself and I did feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. I didn't get a deer, but had a great experience and learned a lot. One thing I did right was try gear on several backpack trips before I went to see what worked, what I needed, what I could do without. I still carried stuff I found I didn't need and erred on the heavy side, mostly by carrying too much food.

Next year will be better for you. You know now how to prepare.

And you can't be in too good of shape to hunt out west. That is the number one thing IMO that will make your hunt the most pleasant. It's hard to focus on what you're there for when you're exhausted, sore, and feel you won't be able to handle the situation you're in.