Elk Backpacking Hunt Coming Out Light

[NFW]

Took my first guided backpacking elk trip this past week. 6 days in the backcountry was no joke. Camped at 11,100 hunted everywhere between 10,300 to 12,000 ft. I'm not sure how to sum up the hunt. The guide we hired seemed to have a lot of experience under his belt and guaranteed us shots, now he did not specify on cows or bulls however neither showed for the opportunity. I would have been glad to stick a cow for my first trip out there. Lord knows I've hunted long enough to know in hunting it is never a guarantee, in which why we call it hunting and not killing. I've hunted all my life and know how it works, yet after preparing and getting in shape after 4 months and not having a chance of even seeing an elk leaves me feeling disappointed. I will be definitely be back to chase the majestic dinosaurs. But wanted some input to see if we had be had.

We hunted hard and with non stop swirling winds which were a challenge all by its self, but not sure if we hunted too hard or the guide just didn't set us up properly. With the morning thermals after the first two days we elected to hike up with winds in our face and try our best to stalk some elk higher elevation did present us farther viewing, as what we mostly hunted visibility was limited to 30-50 yards. After 3 days of not fresh sign up high we elected to not hunt the morning to keep our wind from blowing straight down to the elk or at least where the guide said they were bedded.

The afternoons we tried to wait until the thermals switched in our favor but basically still hunted with cow calling every now and then. Now real question comes into play as to how many real bulls we heard vs hunters bugling. I reckon we did hear a handful of real bulls just based on how quick they covered ground uphill, not to mention the few adolescent squeals we heard.

One thing the guide said which I felt that was a little odd, one being nobody can stalk an elk, and two being bugling at a bull is the most ridiculous way to kill one since the bull will just gather his cows and leave. Looking to hear some others thoughts on these tactics. Was the guide too old school? Should we have moved locations after 2 days of no action/ bugling?

If anything try to figure out as to what I can do better next year to seal the deal or at least put myself in a better position. I can't help but feel disappointed to put in so much effort into a hunt and not see an elk for over a week.

 

[bigngreen]

What state?

 

[dfanonymous]

I think all guided hunts are being had. Even if you were successful, the amount of money spent is usually laughable.

It's a big reason I refuse to get a tag in Alaska for my sheep grand slam. I will never pay a guy to do my hunting for me. As a guy who's lived and grown up hunting out west.

Last thing on my guide soap box is IMO, they did not do their job if you did not see one. That's like, litterally why you hire them, besides the ones that hold tags hostage.


As you probably figured, you can in fact stalk elk. I have. People do all the time. In my person opinion, bugling is not always the best way to bring in bulls, sometimes cow calls work better more often. This is even more dependent on the season…so there is some validity there.


As a guy that pretty much tags out every year, yes, sometimes stuff happens. Archery and stalking is very hard. You will miss more opportunity than not.
Best I can say is get out and hunt.

That's how you get better at it. Instead of relying on a guide pointing at the animals, it's more useful to learn why they are where they are, when they are. What food they need. Water. Elevation bans in your unit. Things like that.

Keep at it, and you'll get er dun, no doubt.

 

[Ckleeves]

It's hard to say on moving locations without knowing the terrain. The dark timber and stuff with 30 yard vis can be a little tougher determining if elk are in the area at that time but in 2 days you should have a pretty good idea just off noise, tracks, wallows, poop etc.

If you're hunting stuff you can glass then it shouldn't take real long. I'm not talking glassing stuff 400 yards away, I'm talking getting to the best glassing spot you can in the area (might be the top of a 13'k scree covered peak) and getting the big glass on tripods and looking at sq miles of country.

If the wind is super shifty I'm still gonna hunt the morning even if it just means finding a spot on google earth I can glass somewhere off of so i have something to hunt that evening.

The still hunting and cow calling isn't a great technique in hard hunted OTC units. Cold calling setups can certainly work but some thought has to go into them.

Bugleing can still work but you have to be good at reading a bulls mood at the time which I would say the guide more then likely isn't if he won't do it because the bull rounds up and leaves.