The Elk Thread

[a3dhunter]

I completely agree with this ^^^^^. Also I have had the majority of bulls I have called in come in silent in OTC units. Just because they aren't talking back to you don't mean they aren't coming in to investigate.

If I hear a bugle in one of these areas I will get up and move toward it to investigate myself. Silently, not calling back. The way they like to come to calls.

Reminds me of calling in two cows and we were watching them come in and I heard something behind me, in the opposite direction from the cows. As I turned to look the bull spotted my movements and took off. All I saw was a huge rack going through the branches like a freight train, and that rack went at least 4 feet over his head! I never had a clue he was coming in until it was too late. Funny part was, it was about 3 minutes after I had sneezed while calling, giving the worst cow elk call of my life.

[TWP]

Don't worry, I picked up a longbow for this type of hunting. Lol

Yeah, with a pack string it would make those ultralight packs/gear a no brainer!

Ha ha! No, I am still staring at my framed tag on the wall, so haven't had the experience of packing my own success story out of the backcountry. I hunt with freinds local to the area who have their own packstock for those fortunate to harvest. This past season I was also lucky enough to arrive after the monsters were taken and "missed" out on assisting to the horses!

It will take some time, but I can put my gear list up when I can get it off my laptop. I will forwarn all that I am a total "Sheldon" when it comes to this kind of stuff and have spared no cost nor time researching the most lightweight (read expensive) gear imaginable. There are even dedicated websites for travel sized everything! Pain meds to food, cookware to waste disposal... You ask for it, it's out there.

BTW
Yes, I did buy a Mathews Helim just because it weighs a smidge under 4 pounds outfitted... It's a sickness that I will take no responsibility infecting others with !

[TWP]

I completely agree with this ^^^^^. Also I have had the majority of bulls I have called in come in silent in OTC units. Just because they aren't talking back to you don't mean they aren't coming in to investigate.

If I hear a bugle in one of these areas I will get up and move toward it to investigate myself. Silently, not calling back. The way they like to come to calls.

How long do you guys like to sit a set up?

Here is a situation. Warm days and no moon. Not hearing any bugles except for early early morning before shooting light. You are in elk, because smoking hot sign is everywhere. How do you proceed?

Me, I chase bugles in the early morning trying to get in position well before daylight and work my way down to them. Once the sun is up, I set up a series of cow calling set ups. Nothing crazy and will sit them for a long time. Kind of like varmint calling. Once hot afternoon comes, I'm trying to sit water or wallows...and pray they start talking before the week is up. Ha ha ha

[hbuck]

I agree with most of the bulls I have called have come in silent. I am usally doing the calling and have a couple of shooters with me. When we have a fix on a bull we set up with shooters in front. Sometimes bull will turn tail and head out of there. I will stay in one place and bugle ,rake and make a few estrus calls while shooters try and stalk in on heard. Bull will usally keep calling back to me so shooters can get a fix on him. Hot afternoons I will get in close to bedding area and make a few cow and calf calls hoping bull will come and take a look see.

[tommyp]

Wyoming non-resident elk results, will be posted earlier than originally estimated... they will be available online 02-21-12 at 9 am central time....

[drthornton]

Wyoming non-resident elk results, will be posted earlier than originally estimated... they will be available online 02-21-12 at 9 am central time....

That's great news....where did you hear that?

[drthornton]

Wyoming non-resident elk results, will be posted earlier than originally estimated... they will be available online 02-21-12 at 9 am central time....

That's great news....where did you hear that?

Never mind I confirmed it on Facebook and the WY wildlife website.

[tommyp]

yes, i first saw it on facebook and then on thier web site also.

[a3dhunter]

loaded my gear in the Timberline pack and with water bladder full it weighed just under 32 lbs. Did not have any extra clothing or food.
Did have the pack,tipi,sleeping bag, game bags, headlamps, jetboil, gloves, beanie, neck gaiter, gaiters for boots, lightweight raincoat, knives, meds,firestarter, water purification tablets, etc...

May be possible to keep 5 days under 40 lbs after all.

[a3dhunter]

The first photo shows the Kifaru Timberline Series, The T1 is the biggest at 7200 cu. inches and gets smaller with the T2 at 5200 cu. in. and T3 at 3700 cu. in.

The T1 loaded up:
I used two Eberlestock belt pouches for now,and it has the XTL lid on it instead of the regular.
This pack also has the alluminum stays instead of the ultralight composite stays. The alluminum stays are heavier.






I am 6'1" with a 19 1/2" torso, this picture shows the 26" stays still provide functional load lifters.



I grabbed everything I could think of, and without actually getting all my meals ready for a hunt through together what I could, including a whole container of peanut butter to take the place of some extra food I would pack for 7 days.


Packing list:
Timberline w XTL lid and 2 belt pouches -7 lbs
3 Liter Source Hydration bladder filled
Go Lite 5 man tipi
Big Agnes Encampment Long sl. bag
B.A. insulated air core pad
Jetboil Sip with 1 fuel canister
Water purification- tablets
Princeton TEC Remix headlamp
1st aid kit and meds
Havalon Piranta
Cabelas crosslock
Gerber multi-tool
matches/lighters/firestarter
carnivore game bags
eye glasses and contacts/case/saline sol.
3 stuff sacks
tiolet paper and wipes
vortex ridgeview tripod
Minox MD50 spotting scope
Gaitors
Sitka core top
Russell RainTamer jacket
Russell windproof fleece jacket
Cabelas Ultra Space pullover
socks/underwear
7 dehydrated Mountain House/Backpackers pantry meals
compass in black case
pack cover in zip lock bag
You may also notice some other things I threw in, gloves, beanie, neck gaitor, etc just because I would usually take them and they might end up being in the pack.

Total Pack Weight was 52 lbs.
Now, I would usually not be taking the tripod and spotting scope with me on a long pack in trip, so I removed those. There are a few other things I would trim down as well but haven't gone through them yet.
If I remove the tripod,spotting scope and Russell Raintamer jacket I end up under 45 lbs. even with 3 lbs of misc I threw in just because.

I unloaded everything and cinched the pack down like I would use for a daypack.



This is by far the most comfortable pack I have worn, and it feels lightweight.
For example, I had the eberlestock j105 pack and it felt heavy when empty, this pack you can also remove the XTL lid and belt pouches and drop it under 5 1/2 lbs.

[ELKAHOLIC]

How long do you guys like to sit a set up?

Here is a situation. Warm days and no moon. Not hearing any bugles except for early early morning before shooting light. You are in elk, because smoking hot sign is everywhere. How do you proceed?

Me, I chase bugles in the early morning trying to get in position well before daylight and work my way down to them. Once the sun is up, I set up a series of cow calling set ups. Nothing crazy and will sit them for a long time. Kind of like varmint calling. Once hot afternoon comes, I'm trying to sit water or wallows...and pray they start talking before the week is up. Ha ha ha

Go with your gut.

In that situation. I will sometimes get set up and cow call a few times. Wait 10 minutes and watch if nothing I will cow call a few more times, then more and more building into a lot of different cow calls. Trying to sound like a heard of elk sometimes using 5 or 6 different calls. I like to use 2 different squeeze calls so I can overlap my mouth calls. I will do this for a couple minutes then stop. I will wait there silently for at least 30 minutes before I move on.

I killed My first bull with a bow this way. A heard of about 15 cows and 2 bulls came in about 10 or 15 minutes after I stopped calling. They came in silent and looking. As they came by I was able to shoot the bigger bull at about 17 yards. I then hit my knees and thanked God for the opportunity and said I was ready for him to take me whenever he was ready!


I have called in a few others with this method and plan on using it in the future. As I said before (for those that have not hunted much in OTC units) these elk will a lot of times come in silent.

[TWP]

Awesome tips! Need more tips suggestions for folks and myself to learn from. Gear and gizmos are fine and dandy, but they don't put elk on the ground. Techniques and tactics do.

How many are going to take at least one scouting trip this year?

[TWP]

Thanks 3D! In your opinion, is it the best do all pack on the market for mountain hunting? How high does the pack sit in day pack mode? Little high or about right?

Great list for everyone.

[a3dhunter]

Thanks 3D! In your opinion, is it the best do all pack on the market for mountain hunting? How high does the pack sit in day pack mode? Little high or about right?

Great list for everyone.

IMO it is the perfect pack, it is light enough you don't need something smaller and big enough and strong enough you don't need something more.

It is rated to carry 100 lb. loads and where I've been I don't want to pack 100 lbs off the mountain anyway.

It does not stick up too high, and really isn't even as high as a badlands 2200.

[Matthew]

Awesome tips! Need more tips suggestions for folks and myself to learn from. Gear and gizmos are fine and dandy, but they don't put elk on the ground. Techniques and tactics do.

How many are going to take at least one scouting trip this year?

If you buy a call, practice now! I bought a cow call Saturday, and sounded like a wounded rabbit.