It's no picnic out there.

[WapitiTalk1]

Elk country, real elk country, is no picnic.. It's unforgiving. The elevation changes, the unpredictable weather, the terrain itself, is unlike anything most hunters who do not live in MT, ID, CO, WY, WA, and OR have every experienced if they don't live here. There are "walls" of alder brush that are impenetrable, to go 1/2 mile across a draw as the crow flies may take several hours, the rocks in the bottom of a two foot stream are like grease, shale slides if not negotiated carefully will take you on a ride that will shatter bones.... It's not quite like the beautifull pictures we post up and are strewn all over the inernet. It's tough, very tough country, and one must be acutely aware of each step and certainly, where you're heading for the day's hunt. Modern day NW elk hunters know this as they live in God's country. We take nothing for granted and ensure we are in the type of physical shape it takes to spend any extended amount of time in the elk woods. I grew up in NW MT logging, working in mills, mines, etc. and in my younger years, was always in top shape because of the type of work I did.. The kind of shape which hardly breaths hard when packing out 100 pounds on a wooden packboard for miles. Now, as I'm a bit older.. (not quite as old as Paul but close).. ... and, having been there/done that, I know the kind of shape I must be in to successfully scout, hunt, kill, and get an elk out of the woods.

My point? If you're planning a NW elk hunt... you must be in the best shape of your life.. Not pilates, not merely cardio vascular endurance on an eliptical or treadmill, but very.. very... good shape or you'll pay the price. If you have a draw tag, or, are picking up an OTC tag for one of our great elk states... you need to be throwing a ruck on your back now..and at least 5 days per week for the next few months. This my friends, will make the difference betwen a great, memorable hunt or perhaps, something else. RJ

[HurricaneHuge]

Thanks Phantom, it's midnight here and now I feel the need to spend the next 3 hours hiking with a full pack. Man, that lit a fire under me like no ones business. Of course I've always been a sucker for motivation. Play Rudy and Hoosiers back to back and warn the High School that I want to check on my eligiblity in case I have some left. Great honest post about what it will take for guys like me venturing out for our first time. And thanks to everyone for their attempts to help poor souls like me.

[wideangle]

Amen brother! I beleive maximizing your aerobic endurance is key. I archery hunt in NW Oregon.
Days are long and we put in some miles locating elk. Doing this day after day can grind you down.
I keep my weight low and prepare by weight lifting, cycling, swimming and summer backpacking.

[elkmtngear]

Great Post, Phantom! You've got to go through hell sometimes to get to heaven.....but it's worth the pain and effort!

[Freebird134]

Great post Phantom. I always see these beautiful pictures and videos of guys elk hutning in realtively flat terrain and wonder "where they heck are they?" Event he pic Jeff (elkmtngear) just posted above looks flat to me! We hunt steep stuff--up and down steep. And even if we get to hunt in a "flatter" spot, there is usually a lot of UP to get there and back! I'm actually a little worried, because this year will be my first year hunting elk and mule deer since moving to the flat FLAT cornfields of Wisconsin. Me and the stairstepper are becoming good buddies

[dotman]

Great post RJ!

[slim9300]

It's hard to get ready for packing heavy loads on your back without packing heavy loads in preparation.

[ElkNut1]

Slim, very true, unless you're under 40 & not over weight, then it's much easier when you're young! Young guys can get away with little training & they can still get it done! A lot of it is right between the ears! Get older & things are magnified in the difficulty dept! (grin) Now training better be a way of life or us older ones will pay the consequences! (grin) Being fit is certainly important but it's not a competition! You will get out of your hunt what you put into it!



ElkNut1

[slim9300]

Slim, very true, unless you're under 40 & not over weight, then it's much easier when you're young! Young guys can get away with little training & they can still get it done! A lot of it is right between the ears! Get older & things are magnified in the difficulty dept! (grin) Now training better be a way of life or us older ones will pay the consequences! (grin) Being fit is certainly important but it's not a competition! You will get out of your hunt what you put into it!

ElkNut1

Exactly.

[mlauber]

While elk hunting is extremely exciting, & it is great to dream about it from season to season it is extremely necessary to condition your body for the rigors of the hunt.

If you are just planning to go & are locked in with dates any conditioning is better than no conditioning, but year round training makes pursuing these critters more enjoyable.

The terrain will be tough as the days & hours tick onward.

If you are on a DIY ( Do IT Yourself ) hunt it is even more critical to be in the best physical shape you can be in order to make the hunt more enjoyable, & fun.

On these style hunts there is no one to carry your load.

Making shots, & the ability to make shots when one is fatigued are part of this game, & I can't stress more to anyone considering elk hunting to be all that you can be.

Everyday that we don't work out we get weaker. Every day the elk keep moving they are getting stronger. What's your plan for keeping up the pace?

[Whrauch]

Glad to have found a group with experiance Elk Hunting. I believe we all realize we need to be in near world class condition for our respective ages to really get the most from the hunt and come out without great injury. As a first time Elk hunter (planned for 2013) I need your advise on "lessons learned" type equipment to take along. An example of one suggestion was to take a cordless receperoracating saw (if on Horse Back) and a stiff roll of plastic to construct a rough table for butchering. ANy of those things that over the years you have found as one of those great ideas I would appreciate your wisdom. Few facts already planned two rifles, 280 Rem and 338 Mag, standard sleeping gear and clothing (Wool and synthetic), rope (200') micro block and tackle (3)...well you get the point. Appreciate any help

[mlauber]

Here is a good link to get to learn about elk hunting devloped by the Colorado DOW since 2010 called Elk Hunting University.

It was placed on the Colorado DOW web-site to educate all of the people who like me had numerous questions when starting out seven years ago.

Heck I always have questions! The quest for elk hunting knowledge never ends.

They are running a series for 2012. The previous years are listed there as well.

I encourage you to look over the information as it is very useful.

I still read all I can about elk hunting becuase of where I live which is in the deep South...No elk here! Dang!!!

Enjoy the link & the reading. Sort through what you need.

My best advice is to be as fit as a fiddle because once the hunt begins it is taxing on the mind & body....as it was meant to be tough.

Best of luck to you.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/Elk ... doElk.aspx

[ElkNut1]

Yes, physical conditioning should top the list on everyones mind, not to the point of hurting oneself but to the extent to bettering oneself. Only us as individuals know what those needed levels are! It's tough to know what one needs to do now if they've never elk hunted, but for those that have it gives them a great understanding as to how well they did & what things they need to work on now! Beast type mode is not needed to hunt elk, don't go to extremes where it takes all the joy out of the hunt, that's carrying things too far, this is not a competition amongst hunters! Guys need to experience what it's like out there & then they will have a better appreciation of what's needed in their personal workouts!

For me, I hate running so I do other things to up my wind & cardio levels, it works out just fine yet I'm not a triathelet! Balance is key here in what you expect to do on your elk hunt! You want to bivy 5-7 miles in then train accordingly. You want to just treestand hunt, then likewise train for that. So there's not just one thing that applies to all hunters, but all hunters need to do something to build up their endurance & confidence for the hunt! Fat & lazy is not an option if you plan on covering 6-10 miles a day in elk country! (grin)

If it's understanding elk sounds to the highest levels found anywhere then this is the forum for you! With all the input of actual personal experiences shared by all it doesn't get any better than this!

ElkNut1

[Lefty]

Elk country, real elk country, ,..... and one must be acutely aware of each step and certainly, . ,.......

My first (rifle ) elk hunt was when I was 40 years old. I ran on a Nordictrack 30 minutes everyday,.. Living at 256 ft elevation and hunting at 6500-9000 was the challenge.
I now live at 5400 feet and hunt mostly below 6000. I am 54, and over-weight but my cardio is good for a man my age. (too many lazy skinny guys )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VrFV5r8cs0
Of course you should be in great shape. I dont work out, however I hunt within my abilities. I enjoy the physical challenge of miles, weather ,and topography
while we should be in the best shape possible the mental attitude of "enjoyment" is up to each of us

[Swede]

I try to stay in good, not great shape year around. I am not a marathoner or weight lifter. I just keep in reasonably good shape. Getting around in the mountains is important to me. I have not been working in the woods for almost nine years now. I notice that I am a little more clumsy than I used to be. I am out of practice with walking over bad ground and obstacles. I also notice that I can have more of a problem getting around in the forest if and when I gain just five pounds. Tripping and falling , to me , is as much of a pain as being out of breath. I love it though when some young bucks are out with me and I can leave them gasping for air. It is also fun to be kicked back waiting in the shade, when they come in dragging from carrying their elk quarter.

[ETHunter]

My brothers and I have been traveling from Texas for several years to hunt in Colorado. Each year one or more of our friends come with us to give it a try. We tell them up front that it is the hardest hunting that they can imagine. After thier first hunt they have all said it was worse than they could have ever imagined. You can not explain to someone how difficult the mountains are. It has to be experienced for them to get a true understanding.