[UtahIrishman]

As part of my bucket list in life I've always wanted to go hunting at least once.

So hopefully this will be the year. I bought an over-the-counter Bull Elk tag and am getting things ready. The Elk Hunt here in Utah is from Oct 7th to October 18th.

Planning on taking two rifles. My primary will be 8 mm Mauser with a 4-12 x40 Vortex Scope. I will have my Browning Lever in .308 as a backup gun in case something happens to the Mauser.

I'll be reloading for both

I'm an experienced outdoors man having done a lot of camping, fishing and hiking over the years. I've just never managed to put the time or effort into a hunting trip.

Haven't found a hunting partner yet, though my daughter said she would go if I can't find anyone to go with. She's hunted before but doesn't really care for it.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Thanks

[boomchakabowwow]

wow..good luck!! my bro and i each killed great bulls our rookie year. with rifles.

this year we will be OTC hunting in idaho. sept 7th to 19..bowhunting.

i though rifle hunting was relatively simple once you found the animals. buy great binos..rifle season is colder, so prep for weather.

join the elknut forums..lots of helpful guys there..this forum is a ghosttown....especially for good advice.

[UtahIrishman]

thanks for the information boomchaka

I'll have to check them out

thanks again

[Zombie Steve]

Scout the area beforehand... preferably a couple times. I don't know if you've hunted other big game or not, so I apologize if this is remedial for you...

Know where the water is, know where the game trails are. Know what their tracks and scat look like. When you go do some scouting, pay attention to how the wind comes through the valley (for example). If it's possible, you always want to hunt into the wind. I don't know the area where you'll be hunting, but here in the mountains, you are hoping like hell for cold snowy weather, otherwise, they don't come down from the higher elevations - you have to go up to them. Makes everything harder.

There's got to be a local forum where you can get some more specific advice. I can't imagine it would be that tough in Utah to find a guy that's hunted the area.

Good luck.

[UtahIrishman]

Thanks for the reply Zombie Steve
No I haven't hunted other big game other than with a camera. I know how to track some, but scouting the area before hand is a good idea.

Yea and I'm hoping for cold snowy weather too. I don't want to have to go all the way to the top of the Uinta's. Be a fun hike but a tough one.

Thanks for the input

[Mountain10mm]

I've never hunted Utah, but spend more than my share of time in the Colorado backcountry chasing elk. The best advice I can give is be in great physical shape and be prepared for any sort of weather. In Colorado, walking 8 miles a day is probably about average for good hunters. (The elk don't hang out by the roads.) The weather can be 70 degrees in town, and blizzard conditions on the mountain...and it can change FAST. I've literally run down a mountain from above the tree line because a storm moved in with serious lightning. We thought it was just becoming overcast and then the lightning and snow started. Had to hunker down under a tarp for an hour or so until we could see again, it was snowing and blowing so hard.

Elk are elusive and the hunting shows on TV make it look easy. Herd sizes might be measured in the 20-30's, which sounds promising, until you think that herd has a 20 square mile home. Look for fresh sign, natural escape routes from other hunters and go where no other hunter wants to go. I seriously think these elusive giants can find food just about anywhere in the mountains - sure they have their favorites, but when bullets start flying, they seem to disappear. Water holes aren't a big deal unless it's rut and the bulls are looking to wallow. They are big, move really fast, and can run up a mountain side so steep people can't walk on it. Steep, north-facing slopes with dense timber seem to be a sweet spot, but getting a shot off or finding them in the thick of it, can be impossible. Sometimes you can walk through the “black timber” and smell them…but never see or hear one.

[Big Bird]

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

Scout the area beforehand... preferably a couple times. I don't know if you've hunted other big game or not, so I apologize if this is remedial for you...

Know where the water is, know where the game trails are. Know what their tracks and scat look like. When you go do some scouting, pay attention to how the wind comes through the valley (for example). If it's possible, you always want to hunt into the wind. I don't know the area where you'll be hunting, but here in the mountains, you are hoping like hell for cold snowy weather, otherwise, they don't come down from the higher elevations - you have to go up to them. Makes everything harder.

There's got to be a local forum where you can get some more specific advice. I can't imagine it would be that tough in Utah to find a guy that's hunted the area.

Good luck.

This is kind of the problem with elk that most eastern deer hunters don't get. Deer will stay within a 2 mile radius their entire life unless forced to move. An elk will move 30 miles in a day due to changing weather patterns. Its not enough to scout an area. You have to know the elk patterns over several hundred square miles. Where do they go when it snows. Where do they go when its hot. They are often significant distances involved.

[2bgop]

You have some experienced hunters on here that can add far more than I can, but one of the things I would say is to make sure you are in good shape. I am in pretty good shape and hunt a fair amount, but I don't do anything more physically demanding than an extended elk hunt.

[countrygun]

Originally Posted by Big Bird

This is kind of the problem with elk that most eastern deer hunters don't get. Deer will stay within a 2 mile radius their entire life unless forced to move. An elk will move 30 miles in a day due to changing weather patterns. Its not enough to scout an area. You have to know the elk patterns over several hundred square miles. Where do they go when it snows. Where do they go when its hot. They are often significant distances involved.

Amen to that. We don't quite get that much movement but our terrain is a bit unusual, nonetheless, they can be miles from where they were yesterday.

"where they are" isn't as important as "where they are going to be"

If you can scout ahead of time don't get too hung up on finding them. find their paths and sign, the "wallows" and where they can find browse when weather conditions shift.

Good field glasses and a ton of patience go along with being in shape.

If possible try to hunt areas that work to your advantage or make the area work for you. that is, if there is timber, be in the timber not watching them disappear into it. Or catch them in the complete open. Nothing is more frustrating than watching them in the timber without a shot across a meadow.

[Big Bird]

Other thing is get in shape. Its one thing to go do a 4-5 mile daily hike around your neighborhood in prep for the season. Quite another to do it at 5-6k feet (or higher) with 30-40 lbs on your back.

STRONGLY encourage you to find an outfitter in the area with a pack string that can come to your aid if you get an animal down. Make arrangements prior to your hunt in terms of cost, how long it will take him to get to you etc. You backpack in 5-10 miles and shoot an elk 15 miles from your car you are sunk without SIGNIFICANT help.

A good size bull will be a minium of 4 round trip loads and as much as 6 depending on how much you can carry and what you are willing to leave on the ground. If you are only 5 miles from the car that's 40 miles hiking (20 under load)....MINIMUM 2 days of grueling work. More like 3 and if you have any weather above 40 degrees and on top of all that you have to have a way to cool the meat or you'll end up with nothing.

[Zombie Steve]

Getting to 6,000 feet is a walk down the hill for me...


There's a reason the Olympic Training Center is here.





Kidding, point taken, and good advice.

[Berto]

Elk are smarter than deer. Even when they are dead, they make you work your ass off.
Elk hunting is a group event.

[UtahIrishman]

thanks for the tips guys.
I'm already at 5,000 feet and currently run and bike. Haven't done any hiking for any distance for a while.
I used to hike twenty with a pack without even thinking about it. But that was ten years ago. I'll have to throw on a pack and head up some of the hills around here and see how I do.

I'm strong but certainly not strong enough to pack an elk for even a couple miles.

[ked]

Originally Posted by UtahIrishman

thanks for the tips guys.
I'm already at 5,000 feet and currently run and bike. Haven't done any hiking for any distance for a while.
I used to hike twenty with a pack without even thinking about it. But that was ten years ago. I'll have to throw on a pack and head up some of the hills around here and see how I do.

I'm strong but certainly not strong enough to pack an elk for even a couple miles.

there you have it! once you kill an elk, your work is just beginning.

i agree that you should look strongly into hiring a guide.

have fun, ked

[boomchakabowwow]

Got one last thurs! Bowhunt. Idaho OTC public land.

[Zombie Steve]

Niiiice.

[Hummer]

Congratulations, very nice bull!

Looks like you were working in the dark to get him dressed out, but at least you had some help.

[BierGut]

Congrats!

[K.Kiser]

Yes, very nice... I've never hunted or eaten elk, but I'd sincerely love to do both... The thought of some long smoked or grilled Elk sounds like paradise right now to offset my castrating salad diet right now...

Did you use the 8mm..? I love the x57 family of cartridges... 308's are great too, have had and used both with perfectly clean success...

[UtahIrishman]

Kiser et al

Sadly I am unable to go after all. Several circumstances, among them financial, have put the kibosh on an Elk Hunt this year. I'm hoping I will get to go next year.

congrats boomchakabowwow on your Elk. Looks like a nice one

[duncan]

Sorry to hear you can't go.

I'm working on my first Elk group hunt this year with a bunch of Scouters.

Couple of 4-wheel drives and patient guys.

Wish us luck!