Things you wish you knew before

[HortoTheSlayer]

I am going on my first 5 day solo elk hunt next month out here in ID and been getting prepped for sometime but curious on what are some things you wish you knew before or things you changed after your first multi-day hunts.

Things you now bring that are a game changer that you wish you knew about before type of stuff.

Easy snacks / meals...I am going to try Peak refuel meals for the first time. I wanna keep it simple and not take a whole lot. Taking some snack bars and some zipfizz for energy and electrolytes.

I'll have a base camp that I will have a tent, cot, sleeping bag and heater but that's about it. Plan to put some miles in and hopefully tag my first elk.

I've also got a deer hunt coming up this month and got the opportunity to have a videographer / officer from the fish & game tag along to film the hunt as well as a mentor to help guide me in this new country I have not been to yet. Grateful for the opportunity to learn from experienced people out here.

 

[aeverett152]

What I learned from my 2015 Elk hunt...

Go light. You will need to cover lots of ground so anything to make your pack as light as possible, Go for it.

If you are not seeing elk in an area, switch it up (change elevations, canyons, different facing slopes, etc.) DO NOT focus just on one area. Make sure you have a game plan to switch tactics up if you are not seeing elk on the first few days.

Ask the locals... I was buying firewood from a local in the unit I was hunting in, and after chatting with him for several minutes he gave me some VERY sweet advice and put me on elk that day.

May I ask what state your hunt is in? You can PM me if you do not want to post it on the thread.

 

[180ls1]

Sounds fun! I love late-season elk hunting. I get to help my dad this year again with a late-season bull tag, I'll be chasing deer.


Speaking to ID, have you done any route planning? Studying maps and getting good with elevation gain/loss is huge. Those hills are unforgiving (depending on where you hunt). This also helps you navigate in the dark, too many hunters navigate when it's light and they could be glassing/hunting.

I would also do my best to be prepared for any weather and do what I can to stay out all day. The ability to stay warm, take naps (I love naps lol) and stay fueled is huge. Funny things happen when you're out in the woods so just being out there as much as possible is always a huge plus.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

^ that. I had friends go to ID. Elk hunting, they did a little on-line scouting, a real joke. they were there for 5 days and never heard or saw sign of elk, so being they never had any sign of Elk, they decided to stay put ?????????????. they went to bed one night and were woke up by the tent damn near in their face from heavy snow fall. They didn't take enough food, so they had to ration it to be certain it lasted for the 5 days. These are two guy who have done their share of camping, but those were always weekend trips. If this is your first solo trip which I believe that's what you said, it can be a little unnerving at two in the morning and you her sounds outside the tent, real or imagined. I have done solo trips and it took a couple trips before I felt completely comfortable. On one not solo trip, I was hunting with a first timer, at around midnight the wind really came up, when you hear it howling through the Mts and trees you know why they call the wind Mariah, it truly sounds like folks are up there dying. He went into panic mode and we had to break camp and get off the MT. I thought he was going to die on me from panic.

 

[HATCHET1]

Extra gas cans!!!

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Extra gas cans!!!

To run generator to charge EV.

 

[HATCHET1]

To drive the roads!!

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

What I learned from my 2015 Elk hunt...

Go light. You will need to cover lots of ground so anything to make your pack as light as possible, Go for it.

If you are not seeing elk in an area, switch it up (change elevations, canyons, different facing slopes, etc.) DO NOT focus just on one area. Make sure you have a game plan to switch tactics up if you are not seeing elk on the first few days.

Ask the locals... I was buying firewood from a local in the unit I was hunting in, and after chatting with him for several minutes he gave me some VERY sweet advice and put me on elk that day.

May I ask what state your hunt is in? You can PM me if you do not want to post it on the thread.

Solid info thank you. I will be hunting the largest unit in Idaho. I welcome any of my SCH brothers out here!

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

Sounds fun! I love late-season elk hunting. I get to help my dad this year again with a late-season bull tag, I'll be chasing deer.


Speaking to ID, have you done any route planning? Studying maps and getting good with elevation gain/loss is huge. Those hills are unforgiving (depending on where you hunt). This also helps you navigate in the dark, too many hunters navigate when it's light and they could be glassing/hunting.

I would also do my best to be prepared for any weather and do what I can to stay out all day. The ability to stay warm, take naps (I love naps lol) and stay fueled is huge. Funny things happen when you're out in the woods so just being out there as much as possible is always a huge plus.

Are you gonna be hunting out here in ID again? I have been planning some different routes and studying the area a lot. Taken some drives out there but haven't had a lot of time to get miles on the ground. My wife and daughters are going back to SD for a week so taking advantage of having the time to get out and stay out for multiple nights.

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

^ that. I had friends go to ID. Elk hunting, they did a little on-line scouting, a real joke. they were there for 5 days and never heard or saw sign of elk, so being they never had any sign of Elk, they decided to stay put ?????????????. they went to bed one night and were woke up by the tent damn near in their face from heavy snow fall. They didn't take enough food, so they had to ration it to be certain it lasted for the 5 days. These are two guy who have done their share of camping, but those were always weekend trips. If this is your first solo trip which I believe that's what you said, it can be a little unnerving at two in the morning and you her sounds outside the tent, real or imagined. I have done solo trips and it took a couple trips before I felt completely comfortable. On one not solo trip, I was hunting with a first timer, at around midnight the wind really came up, when you hear it howling through the Mts and trees you know why they call the wind Mariah, it truly sounds like folks are up there dying. He went into panic mode and we had to break camp and get off the MT. I thought he was going to die on me from panic.

I definitely will be taking some extra meals and snacks for emergency. I imagine it will be a little unnerving at times especially since we got more predators out here then we did back in Cali but I hope to get comfortable in the new environment. I'll have my sidearm with me and tags for all said predators in my pocket in case things get western.

 

[BOWUNTR]

When I was in high school I learned that when a girl first says "no" she means "yes". Ed F

 

[Snake Charmer]

Yep..

 

[Lungpopper]

When I was in high school I learned that when a girl first says "no" she means "yes". Ed F

Now you’re showing your age.

 

[HATCHET1]

I definitely will be taking some extra meals and snacks for emergency. I imagine it will be a little unnerving at times especially since we got more predators out here then we did back in Cali but I hope to get comfortable in the new environment. I'll have my sidearm with me and tags for all said predators in my pocket in case things get western.

Remember who the boss is....Man really is the ultimate predator...I think.

 

[180ls1]

Are you gonna be hunting out here in ID again? I have been planning some different routes and studying the area a lot. Taken some drives out there but haven't had a lot of time to get miles on the ground. My wife and daughters are going back to SD for a week so taking advantage of having the time to get out and stay out for multiple nights.

Yeah, but the tags this year are in CO. We got SCREWED in the ID draw/otc this year despite having a great # in line. In the future, we might just do spring bear/turkey up there. I have friends in greater Boise that we usually hunt archery elk but I'm not sure if we will get tags again.

 

[SteveHazard]

If you work up and train yourself to be able to fast it's like unlocking a cheat code knowing you can simply go without food and be fine. Carry less, eat less, you'll be good if you have the electrolyte/salt packs to put in water and drink.

 

[BOWUNTR]

If you work up and train yourself to be able to fast it's like unlocking a cheat code knowing you can simply go without food and be fine. Carry less, eat less, you'll be good if you have the electrolyte/salt packs to put in water and drink.

That would put me in the danger zone on a backcountry elk hunt. My body needs fuel. During a hunt is not the time to go on a diet... Ed F

 

[SteveHazard]

That would put me in the danger zone on a backcountry elk hunt. My body needs fuel. During a hunt is not the time to go on a diet... Ed F

What's the longest you've gone without food?

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

If you work up and train yourself to be able to fast it's like unlocking a cheat code knowing you can simply go without food and be fine. Carry less, eat less, you'll be good if you have the electrolyte/salt packs to put in water and drink.

So I've been going 16 off and 8 on for about 6 months now. I work 12 hr shifts at work so I know I can go without eating much and still being active but I do wonder how it will be on the mountain putting in miles. I will listen to my body tho and eat and drink as needed.

 

[HATCHET1]

What's the longest you've gone without food?

I can say this..when you are consistently killing large mammals on a regular basis..it makes a guy hungry..I practice...alot ..eating as I type.