Never hunted before and got an elk tag, In desperate need of advice...

[kidoggy]

So I decided to get my hunting license this year and put in for some tags here in Nevada where I live. I was expecting not a single tag and was hoping to go with some friends this year for the experience. I figured I would get a few points and maybe get something in the next few years. Well the luck that I have, I managed to get a late 051 bull elk.

Now I?m shitting my pants. Any info on the area, hunting elk, rifle, not dying, any advice would be highly appreciated

my very best advise ......on your elk hunt , DO NOT soil your jeans , it will not make for a pleasant experience.

unless it's really,really cold. in which case ,do what ya gotta do to keep warm. what happens on the mtn ,stays on the mtn but only if you hunt alone.

 

[Team Kabob]

Good luck! That first elk hunt is eye opening! I was not in sheep shape to chase elk when I went on my hunt. But, learned from it and have some great memories even though I didn?t arrow a elk.


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[Fatrascal]

Watch lots of elk hunting videos. Both on youtube and videos you can buy. Make another post asking about what kind of gear you need. Such as first aid kit, clothing, boots, backpack, rain gear, spot messenger/GPS, and the list goes on and on. Read magazines and live on this forum as well as other forums. Ask lots of questions and look in the archives for old elk hunting posts. Goodluck. Fatrascal.

 

[hskrhntr]

Like others have said.... get in shape. Focus on legs. Squats, lunges, climbing. You need aerobic too but running 5 miles on flat ground isn't as important as having the leg strength for climbing with a pack and hopefully coming out heavy.

Search this forum. There is a load of good info on everything from gear to strategy.

Oh and congratulations on drawing. Good luck!

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[mcseal2]

Buy Mike Eastman's elk hunting book and read it, get in shape, and have fun!

If you aren't used to judging distances out west buy or borrow a rangefinder with angle compensation that is rated for twice as far as you want to shoot. It is a real confidence booster to know exactly how far to hold for when shooting, and a confident shooter has a greater chance of making a good shot. Practice your shooting and practice shooting winded. Not much wrecks a hunt more to me than wounding and losing an animal.

 

[badgerbob]

Some good advice already given here. One thing I might ask you is, do you hunt deer? If so have you ever taken one and field dressed it? That experience will go a long way toward field dressing an elk, should you get one. These are big animals and unless you have had a little experience in field dressing something, it is going to be pretty tough. You really need to get someone with at least a little bit of elk hunting experience to go along, if you can. I'm not saying you can't go it alone and make it work, it's just going to be easier with someone who has done it before.....good luck.

 

[kidoggy]

Some good advice already given here. One thing I might ask you is, do you hunt deer? If so have you ever taken one and field dressed it? That experience will go a long way toward field dressing an elk, should you get one. These are big animals and unless you have had a little experience in field dressing something, it is going to be pretty tough. You really need to get someone with at least a little bit of elk hunting experience to go along, if you can. I'm not saying you can't go it alone and make it work, it's just going to be easier with someone who has done it before.....good luck.

good advice ,even if your a pro at elk hunting.
it's ALWAYS nice to have an extra "pack mule."

 

[lang]

PM sent
Just hoping everyone mentioning field dressing elk know about the gutless method. So much easier and cleaner in every way. If you don't know about it just try it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[kidoggy]

PM sent
Just hoping everyone mentioning field dressing elk know about the gutless method. So much easier and cleaner in every way. If you don't know about it just try it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

never tried it but I may.IF I can get over my love of being arm deep in bloodnguts.

 

[JimP]

One problem that I have seen with those that use the gutless method is that they leave a whole lot of meat on the hill. I have come across a number of animals both deer and elk where someone has used it and you could get another 40 lbs of meat off of what they left on a elk, deer not so much but there is still meat left.

I hunted with a friend a few years ago and I shot my bull elk. He told me that he would show me how to do the gutless method and I let him go for it. By the time he was done I still cut meat off of the bones to pack out. He couldn't believe how much meat that I got off of it when he was done. The sad part was that he was going to leave the tender loins on the carcass just because he didn't want to go inside of the gut cavity. Not to mention leaving both the heart and liver.

 

[kidoggy]

One problem that I have seen with those that use the gutless method is that they leave a whole lot of meat on the hill. I have come across a number of animals both deer and elk where someone has used it and you could get another 40 lbs of meat off of what they left on a elk, deer not so much but there is still meat left.

I hunted with a friend a few years ago and I shot my bull elk. He told me that he would show me how to do the gutless method and I let him go for it. By the time he was done I still cut meat off of the bones to pack out. He couldn't believe how much meat that I got off of it when he was done. The sad part was that he was going to leave the tender loins on the carcass just because he didn't want to go inside of the gut cavity. Not to mention leaving both the heart and liver.

yeah ,I wondered what they did with the loins. that's the best part of the elk. would be criminal to leave em

 

[JimP]

You can get the loins, liver and the heart if you are careful. The loins are easy, liver and heart take some work without actually gutting the animal..

 

[Gr8bawana]

never tried it but I may.IF I can get over my love of being arm deep in bloodnguts.

That's right! Half the fun of elk hunting is being elbow deep in blood.

 

[hskrhntr]

I posted this a couple years ago after my first hunt. Hopefully it's helpful...

Last year was my first mountain, backcountry hunt. I had never hunted a mountain state and had little backpacking/mountain experience. I did it solo. Here are a few things that I learned (and wished I would have known). I'm from central/western Nebraska so timber hunting was a whole new world to me.

1. If you're a rookie and going solo have an emergency contact device...sat phone, SPOT, something like that. I didn't have any problems, but I went down twice, a couple miles from the trailhead and in the timber. Had I injured myself, I would have been in trouble. I actually packed up camp a couple days early because I felt it was irresponsible of me, with my lack of experience, a wife at home, etc. to risk it.

2. If you think you're in good enough shape, you're not. Being able to run 7 miles helps, but its the climbing with 40-50 lbs on your back that will kill ya. I didn't do enough strength/climbing training and it made the hike in really hard. I only packed in 2 miles and 1400 ft, but 2 miles in the mountains is VERY different than 2 miles out here in the flatlands.

3. Take somebody with you. I enjoy alone time, it's a nice break from the day-to-day rush of work, but it's an amazing experience that would be a lot more fun if you share it with somebody. Also, you have a lot of down time while glassing, etc. Having someone there would make it more fun. And, back to #1, it's safer, just in case something happens.

4. Get a GPS Unit with Onxmaps. I used mine ALL the time. Not because I was lost, but because I needed to know that I was on the right route to where I was heading and that I was on public ground. The area I was hunting was a mix of public/private. There is no way I would have known where the boundaries were without my Garmin. Also, it was really nice to know I was following the same route out that I took in. It will save a lot of time and wasted steps. Also take a good topo map and compass. My GPS didn't work for a while and I used the compass.

5. Do it for the experience your first time out. You will learn A LOT! As long as you're out there hunting you'll have a chance to get your trophy, but also be sure you're taking note of everything so that you can use the info the next time out.

6. Take your time. Everything takes longer out there. Don't get in a rush...unless you see a monster and need to make a move quick. [emoji4]

7. Watch the weather. Like everywhere, it will have a huge impact on your hunt, but in the mountains it will also have a huge impact on your ability to get in OR OUT of many places. Rain will make many places unaccessible, same with snow. It will also get you stuck on the mountain if it's bad enough and you don't get out ahead of it.

8. Expect some things to go wrong and prepare for that. Some of you equipment will fail. Anything that is absolutely necessary, have a backup.

9. Do a lot research ahead of time. This forum is a great place for information on everything, gear, tips, backpacking, soloing, hunting strategy...read it all. Until you've been out there, it will be hard to wrap your head around some of it, but you'll get it once you're out there.

10. DO IT.....IT'S AWESOME!!!!! if you've wanted to get out there and do it but just haven't for whatever reason...DO IT! I ate my tag, never even saw a mulie I would consider shooting, and it was one of the most memorable, amazing hunts of my life.

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