Plan Your Elk Hunt Now!

Unless you are an elk hunting fanatic like I am, you may not be thinking about an elk hunt. Yet.

Watching a television show about elk hunting may get you to thinking about it.

Maybe you will start thinking about it when you hear coworkers talking about their elk hunt.

Or maybe you and your deer hunting buddies talk about it during whitetail season: “Someday we should go on an elk hunt”.

“Someday” never comes. It’s time to get serious about this. You have to plan it and do it. You have to stop making excuses, and get it done. You’ll be glad you did. In today’s post I’ll help you get past the mental blocks that prevent you from taking action. Take these 4 steps to planning your elk hunt, and you’ll find yourself in the Rocky Mountains this fall in one of the greatest pursuits available to a North American hunter.

1. Make The Commitment

In 2014 my sons and I went on a backpacking trip to Colorado. That wasn’t a big trek for us, just a few hours driving, and hiking a few miles into the wilderness. While on that trip, we talked about backpacking in Yellowstone. It wasn’t the first time that we had this discussion, but this time was different. We made the commitment to go, and started planned as soon as we got home.

In August of 2015, we made the trip. While we were in the midst of our 11 day backpacking, camping, touring adventure, I reflected on how we got there. I realized that it never would have happened if we hadn’t made the commitment and started the planning far in advance.

If you want to go on an elk hunt, that’s what you need to do now. Make the commitment and take some steps toward making it happen.

Vacation Time

Many of us use the excuse “I can’t take time off” to go on an elk hunt. But if you plan for it now, it is much more likely to happen. Put the time on the vacation calendar now. Let your boss and your coworkers know that you will be on an elk hunt this fall, and they will need to plan around it.

Hunting Buddy

Find a hunting buddy to go on your elk hunt with you. Promise that you will hold each other to the commitment. You are less likely to back out if someone is depending on you.

Set Aside Some Money

Certainly, going on an elk hunt can be expensive. But if you plan ahead, it’s likely that you can fit it into your budget, or come up with a way to earn some extra cash to pay for the trip. Sacrificing now to pay yourself later is a great way to make a commitment.

2. Do your Elk Hunt Homework

If you and your buddy aren’t experienced elk hunters, planning an elk hunt may feel like climbing Mount Everest. You know that some people do it, but you don’t know where to start. Fortunately there is plenty of information available. That is what elkhuntersguide.com is all about. There are also many other resources available, you just need to put in the time and effort to do your homework.

Where to Go

Unless you live in a state that has elk hunting, one of the first things you’ll need to do is decide where to go on your elk hunt. Virtually all of the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest states have elk hunting. Visit this page at elkhuntersguide.com for a primer on applying for a tag and links to the websites of the game departments for these states.

Another good source of information is internet forums such as archerytalk.com or wapititalk.com. While the folks that frequent these online conversations aren’t likely to give up the location of their “Honey Holes”, it is usually easy to find help at the state and hunting unit level.

How to Hunt

When I worked as a hunting guide, most of my clients were whitetail hunters. It was not unusual for these hunters to want to employ their favorite whitetail tactics on their elk hunt. This is not usually effective. Sign up for this blog at the bottom of this post and you will receive 35 tips for hunting elk, that will help you be more successful

3. Seal the Deal

Once you have done enough research to narrow your choices to a specific state, unit, and season, you are ready to seal the deal by applying for your hunt or purchasing your OTC tag. If you are applying for a tag via a state’s lottery drawing system, it’s always good to have a back-up plan with an OTC option. Once you have your tag in hand, you have sealed the deal. You are going on an elk hunt.

4. Prep for Your Elk Hunt

You really don’t have to wait for steps 1-3 to be complete before starting step 4. In fact, you should start this preparation immediately after making the commitment to go on your elk hunt. The more prepared you are, the more you will enjoy your time in the elk woods, and the better your chances will be of harvesting an elk.

Conditioning

Elk hunting can be physically demanding. It not only involves lots of hiking, but it is often in steep terrain and at high altitude. Getting in good physical condition is the best thing you can to have a good experience on your elk hunt. Aerobic exercise and leg strengthening need to be your focus. The hunting itself will be hard enough, but realize that if you are blessed enough to harvest an elk, you’ll need to be able get several hundred pounds of meat out of the woods quickly. Once you have an elk down, the real work begins.

Gear

Elk hunting gear can fall into two general categories: Gear you need for the actual hunt; and gear you need to camp.

Hunting Gear – If you are already a hunter of other species, you probably already have much of the gear that you will need for an elk hunt. But here are some things to think about as you prepare. Make sure you have boots that are rugged, comfortable, and already well broken in. Never take new boots on an elk hunt. As for hunting clothes, plan to dress in layers, being prepared for sudden changes in weather. And as for your weapon, make sure you are proficient at shooting at various distances. Also, ensure that your weapon is powerful enough to humanely harvest an elk. This is where your whitetail setup may not be adequate.
Camping Gear – Although there might be a motel within driving distance of your hunting area, chances are you’ll be camping without facilities. The type of camping gear you need depends on the type of camping/hunting you choose. Do you plan to hunt from a base camp at your vehicle? Or do you plan to carry your camp into the back country? Make this decision early in your preparation to get the right camping gear.

Conclusion

Many hunters would like to go on an elk hunt. Others may even talk about it. But the only way to get it done is to make a plan and execute the plan. Remember – 1. Make the Commitment; 2. Do Your Elk Hunt Homework; 3. Seal the Deal, 4. Prepare for your elk hunt. Even if it’s too late to do it this year, start planning for next year. Because if you don’t plan, it will never happen.