The Elk Thread

[Traildust]

7 Days!

[BuckSmasher]

14 days for me! Cant wait!

[Buck Down]

Any of yall guys hunting in Hayden Co. Or used Big rack outfitters?

[ACook]

7 days and I'm rolling SW for the Gila!!!!

[drube75]

7 days and I'm rolling SW for the Gila!!!!

X2

[Felix40]

You guys hunting the gila make me a little jealous. Maybe someday. I just need to get me crap together.

I'm leaving in the morning!

[Big Ace]

Ive hunted 12 twice. It has been several years ago, but took a 5x5 bull both trips. The last bull I killed with a rifle was there about 12 years ago.
We hunted in between yellow jacket pass and sleepy cat pass. Lots of elk there. Go hard the first day and stay out all day, it will be your best chance as the amount of hunters will have them running everywhere. It will probably sound like a war zone. The days after they will be harder to find. The first time I went I heard at least 40 shots opening morning. I shot a bull at about 10 o clock, he went down about 40 yards from another guys bull that morning. It was crazy. I saw one nice bull killed that went a little over 300" the rest I saw killed were from 230" - 280" and lots of them. I seen more dead elk in the back of trucks going down the second day than I thouhgt was possible. One of the trucks had 4 hunters with 4 bulls! That was first season rifle. We had 6 in our camp, but I was the only one to kill one.
I would go in early in the dark. They will use the drainage's as escape routes going down toward private land. They would come off the top as people move around up there. Get down in one where you can see a ways and wait.
If it snows a lot go to lower country.
The second time I went was third season rifle. We used Bar H outfitters for a drop camp. Good people and they set us up a great camp 14 miles in. It snowed 4 feet after we got to our drop camp. We were lucky to make it 500 yards from camp in that stuff. Sucked. Most of the elk moved down and we were stuck up high. After 5 days of that, they finally came with the horses and got us out. We hunted lower ground not far from their ranch house the last 2 days with about a foot and a half of snow and I was able to kill a bull on the last day a bout a mile and a half off the road. Again, out of 5 of us I was the only one in our group to get one.
I wouldn't mind going back there sometime for archery. It would be a fun hunt due to the high elk numbers, but big bulls are rare and it takes a few points to draw it. Now I had rather use my points where there may be less elk but the possibility of a big one. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I can't wait until October! I have been training hard for the last week with a 50lb pack doing 4 miles a day! I thought my legs would give out first, but the shoulders are sore! I still need to get some new boots and break them in too! I have a gps on the way and I am ordering some 160 grain partitions for the 7mm mag. My local academy, dicks, and bass pro have been out. Then I need to stretch out the legs of my setup, probably to 500-600 yards. Still looking at renting some lightweight backpacking gear, I don't want to be tracking through the mountains with a 15lb tent and Coleman stove. Has anyone ever rented any gear? Recommendations if so? I could go all in and buy the cheap stuff, but don't want to waste a grand or so and find out I hate hunting out west. Again thanks for all of the advise in this thread and keep it coming. I also want to see some fellow TBH's LDP's with a bow.

[TGoody]

7 days and I'm rolling SW for the Gila!!!!

X2

3 of us will be just down the road from you guys in 17! What early season tactics y'all gonna do!? Sit water, glass, just hike ridges, or all the above!? Think I'll sit water holes mid day to mid afternoon then glass morning and evening... Maybe get out at night and listen for bugles too


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[ACook]

Kinda like your ideas. It has been raining in there and has cooled off a good bit.

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[Texans42]

Thanks for the advice. I can't wait until October! I have been training hard for the last week with a 50lb pack doing 4 miles a day! I thought my legs would give out first, but the shoulders are sore! I still need to get some new boots and break them in too! I have a gps on the way and I am ordering some 160 grain partitions for the 7mm mag. My local academy, dicks, and bass pro have been out. Then I need to stretch out the legs of my setup, probably to 500-600 yards. Still looking at renting some lightweight backpacking gear, I don't want to be tracking through the mountains with a 15lb tent and Coleman stove. Has anyone ever rented any gear? Recommendations if so? I could go all in and buy the cheap stuff, but don't want to waste a grand or so and find out I hate hunting out west. Again thanks for all of the advise in this thread and keep it coming. I also want to see some fellow TBH's LDP's with a bow.

PM coming

[westtexducks]

8 hour shift and a 4 hour drive and I will be in the elk woods. Supposed to be raining for the next 4 days straight but what is rain gear for.

[Soclose]

Anyone have info on unit 83?

[RdRdrFan]

8 hour shift and a 4 hour drive and I will be in the elk woods. Supposed to be raining for the next 4 days straight but what is rain gear for.

Jealous. I still have a wait. Two weeks from today we will be headed towards Arizona.

[drube75]

5 days.... Tick Tock

[Matthew]

Looks like southern New Mexico is going to be pretty wet for the opener. I’ve hunted elk a couple times, but never in the rain. Hope the bulls are moving!