Tic, Toc, Tic, Toc. When do you leave for the elk woods?

by **WapitiTalk1** » 08 22, 2013 • [Post 1]

Even after over 35 years of doing this elk hunting thing, it never changes (and I hope it never does). Sleep is getting harder and harder to come by these last few weeks before the truck is "finally" loaded and I head out. I still find myself waking up on a given night (if I've slept much at all) to pour over some maps of a new area or three I plan on visiting; jumping on my favorite elk forum to see what folks are discussing; slipping out into the garage to ensure I've replaced the batteries in my backup headlamp; adding something to my "got to have" packing list, etc., etc. Please share what your elk hunting plans are this year. When do you leave? Are you hunting with a buddy or in a camp with a few elk crazed hunters? Are you hunting your home state or are you traveling to another? Are you anxious to try some new methods you feel you've really worked on this year and feel confident with?

by **Trophyhill** » 08 22, 2013 • [Post 2]

yes sir it's getting close and more prepared from a gear stand point than I've ever been. today was broadhead tuning day for me. turned out well. my bow is still in tune and shooting fixed heads right where i'm aiming. I had several last minute items that I purchased today. a micro sd card for my Garmin that covers the western states with land status, and Exped UL7 LW pad with Pillow Pump. i'm going to truck camp for the opener and a few days after. I can be very mobile this way and pack up camp and head to the other end of the unit if I have too. gonna hunt with a couple friends the first week then I will hike in backcountry style for week 2 and explore some country I've only looked at on maps. though I've hunted these units 2 other times, a guy could hunt it 10 years running and still not hunt it all. I love seeing new Elk country whereas others are content to hunt the same boring places every year. and you know who you are

week 3 will be more backcountry with another friend from CO. hopefully my tags are filled by the time the 4th week comes rolling around but if not it will be "game on". last year I was kinda rushed and ended up eating my CO tag so I just want to go out and enjoy myself on the elk's timetable.

by **ChukarNUT** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 3]

Im like a kid waiting for Christmas morning!! All I am thinking now is elk hunting 24-7. Im sure my wife is going to be relieved to have me out of the house so she doesnt have to hear me talk about it non-stop in hopes that I will get it out of my system for a few months!! Boy is she wrong! lol Our season in Oregon opens this Saturday. I work graveyard and get off at sunrise, so plan is to zip into the woods and stalk around for a few hours before going home to sleep. It's nice having prime elk/deer hunting access 10 minutes from town. Will do this each morning until my days off, then my son and I are going to pull my trailer up to our actuall elk basecamp (NF land on the border of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, about 1.5hr/60mi. drive from the house on Tuesday. Set up camp and hunt Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning then head home. Work a few more days, then I am off Sept. 1 until the end of the season on the 22!!! I have a buddy coming in from out of state to hunt with me Sept. 1-8, then going solo the rest of the season. I have 2 stands set-up that we will sit at in the afternoon, R&G mornings. Probably give him a taste of spike camp/backpack hunting for a night or two. When he leaves, if my tag isnt filled yet, it will be time to load the backpack and head into the wilderness to live with the elk until i run out of food or fill my tag!!

by **Bullnuts** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 4]

I'm pulling out on Thursday afternoon, as soon as the kids get home from school. I have a float trip scheduled for Monday, so that will take a bit of the edge off, loading the truck and all my gear on Tuesday and Wed, and I'll be hooked up and ready to go Thursday. Can't wait to get back in the woods!

by **G Posik** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 5]

Tuesday August 27th after work get on the road. Stop and pick up two guys in my group and then 16 hours to our little hunting grounds in Colorado. We will hike a very short distance the first evening and set a camp. then 2 days of glassing to find out where we will be opening morning. Work is a big distraction right now, gets this way every year at this time. My boss gets upset every year about this time. He leaves for his trip two days after I return, so he knows his time is get close............. but not close enough. Packing list has been poured over 50 times. In the next few days it will be gone through about 10-15 more times. Then pack everything and be ready to go.

Glenn

by **easeup** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 6]

Phantom16 wrote:Even after over 35 years of doing this elk hunting thing, it never changes (and I hope it never does). Sleep is getting harder and harder to come by these last few weeks before the truck is "finally" loaded and I head out. I still find myself waking up on a given night (if I've slept much at all) to pour over some maps of a new area or three I plan on visiting; jumping on my favorite elk forum to see what folks are discussing; slipping out into the garage to ensure I've replaced the batteries in my backup headlamp; adding something to my "got to have" packing list, etc., etc. Please share what your elk hunting plans are this year. When do you leave? Are you hunting with a buddy or in a camp with a few elk crazed hunters? Are you hunting your home state or are you traveling to another? Are you anxious to try some new methods you feel you've really worked on this year and feel confident with?

same here phantom. tick tok...good grief...I got three more weeks to wait and then drive up to CO for some OTC hunting with two very good friends of mine; their pics are on the far right. hah hah. I shot in 3d last weekend for a tune up and shot lights out so that part is ready should I get the chance this year to draw on something. sleep is getting irratic now and my productivity at work is down. why is that?

by **otcWill** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 7]

I leave on Wednesday for 3 days of glassing and smelling the roses before the season kicks off here in Colorado next Saturday. I'll be hunting with a good friend from back east on his first ever hunt of any sort. Should be an awesome week! Good luck to all

by **six** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 8]

October 19. Minutes after my sons last football game for the year.

by **Herb** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 9]

4:00 a.m. September 18........Just starting to get the gear all accounted for.

by **Backcountry** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 10]

September 8th is my first day. Ready to go!

by **bnsafe** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 11]

im leaving next Friday morning an setting up camp, will hunt for 3 days an come home for one night just to shower an sleep then mtg a cousin for 8 days of hunting, then back to work for one week just to remind them they don't need to hire anybody else, then its off for the last week of sep.

by **cnelk** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 12]

Headed up on Sunday to set up camp.
The leave early next Friday afternoon the 30th with my son to meet my NR buddy driving in to camp.

by **pikemaster** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 13]

Going to skip the maddness of opening weekend here in CO being that it is a major holiday and all. heading up to unit 61 sept. 6th for 8 days, hopefully we can repeat what cnelk did last year in that unit.

by **mtnmutt** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 14]

Leave Friday August 30th at 6 am, Gone until Sept 8th. Rest of September hunting long weekends. My 4th season. 3 seasons of tag soup. Tag soup taste bad, time for elk meat.
3 tags: Either sex elk, anterless elk, either sex deer and 4 weeks to get it done.
solo hunting - one elk crazed hunter is enough
CO OTC home state
164 miles 3.2 hrs to base camp for first trip
Trying new methods or more correctly, fixing the mistakes I have done the previous 3 seasons. A call with Paul this week cleared up a number of misconceptions that I had for the tactics I plan to use. Everyone here also contributed to "correcting" my mistakes of the past and giving me new tactics to try.

I am not ready. Behind on shooting because of the new string/cable tuning issues. Bow is finally tuned and now it is operator error with TP. Finally doing broadheads this weekend. Never waited this long to do that before. I also have not shot much 3D. I normally spend 2.5 months doing 3D. I need one well placed arrow, just one!

Practicing Visualization over and over again of the entire hunt is helping me gain confidence.

Packing this weekend. All gear and most food has been bought. Sunday, trial run on packing the car. Good thing there are no passengers because they would have to ride on the roof rack.

Conditioning is done. It is what it is. No sense pushing it the last week and risking injury. I already got mountain ready with scouting trips.

Tonight: dinner with my brother to go over hunting times and daily check in times. I need an elk this year so I can get my brother to do ML next year. It would be fun for us to hunt together next year. He will be the first person to receive a text of my harvested elk. My mom will be the 2nd person. She is craving elk chili and has made many hints to that fact. Absolutely no pressure there. :roll:

Good luck everyone!

by **AmericanBwana** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 15]

Probably heading up Friday afternoon.

This is a new unit investment year. I'm not going to bow hunt this year due to the RFW tag I drew. But, I do want to get up high Friday in attempt to find elk as they move down to their feeding areas, then watch how they respond to hunting pressure Saturday. I'm mostly interested in where they go to hide (At least the general direction).

Then I'll head in for a day of scouting, looking for obvious elk sign, and spike camp locations for next year.

Well, that's the plan.

AB

by **BRazz** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 16]

We are headed up Friday morning, the day before the archery opener here in CO. I know it's a busy holiday weekend, but we rarely run into other hunters up there. Plus that extra day is especially welcome this year. Very few things make me change my elk hunting plans, but Baby #1 on the way is one of them! I'm now saving up all my vacation days for when he/she arrives in February. So no weeklong archery adventure for me this year, I guess I'll have to get it done openining weekend. I plan to do some glassing where I can, but most of the country is pretty thick with only a few spots above treeline that are glass-able. Hopefully I hear some bugling to help us out.

Also, what kind of person plans their wedding in September? I have to be gone the second weekend of the season - I need new friends... Seriously people.

by **Mikeha33** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 17]

Headin to Unit 81 in CO Sept 1st, and start hunting Tuesday the 3rd, hopefully to avoid some of the people there for a long holiday weekend. I cant sleep, I cant think, I cant get anything done at work. Next week is gonna be a killer.

by **easeup** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 18]

mtnmutt wrote:
.... I normally spend 2.5 months doing 3D. I need one well placed arrow, just one!

yes that's right...just one.

mtnmutt wrote: Conditioning is done. It is what it is. No sense pushing it the last week and risking injury. I already got mountain ready with scouting trips. !

I agree. It is what it is and it will be good enough.

by **aron** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 19]

Heading to MT for my first elk hunt on Sept 13th. Will be out backpack hunting for two weeks and it feels like I got a lot left to do in the mean time.

by **Bowhunter** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 20]

Leaving sept 9th at 5 am for 2 weeks. I am packing all but perishable food this weekend. I am ready and it can't get here soon enough.

by **snake** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 21]

Heading out for my first elk hunt Sept. 11th, sometime that evening. We were gonna leave on the 12th, but the sooner the better. :mrgreen:

We will be hunting OTC in Southwest Colorado. Less than 3 weeks!

by **dapper** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 22]

Pulling out on the morning of the 13th for two weeks. Can't wait!
Good luck to all!

by **elk-n-walleye** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 23]

Packed and mailed all my gear to my hunting partner, my dad, weeks ago. Didn't want to have any "lost in the mail" mishaps close to hunting dates. My flight leaves Sept 12th... drive to base of mountains and stay with sister that night. Head up mtn early next morning to set up camp and scout the rest of that day and next. Start hunting Sept 15th and hunt til tag is filled or til the 21st! hopefully not the latter. fly back sept 22. Going to be a blast!

by **Birks** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 24]

I'll be heading to elk Country on sept 17. That's when the season opens here for rifle. and for my Cow elk Draw. I hunt in northern Alberta, canada in the Grande Prairie area. There aren't any mountains were i hunt, but there are lots of rolling hills, valleys, and Farmers fields full of Wonderful feed for the Elk lol. I'll be staying the a cabin where I always do from sept 22 to the 27 with my Dad and a buddy from work who i've hunted with the last 3 years. I have cameras in the area, so i'll be out checkin them when i get in the area, then planning the attack. Other hunters will be in the area before me because the owner of the cabin only lets the people staying there hunt on his property so no one is hunting over eachother. But i have lots of other spots to hunt while i'm there. As far a gear is concerned, All i really need is a HD video camera because i want to start taping my hunts.

by **Lefty** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 25]

Well be glass'in in the morning
Packed and ready for Friday,.. Just need to cut my new arrows

by **CrazyElkHunter** » 08 23, 2013 • [Post 26]

2 trucks, 2 trailers loaded and ready to leave Mon morning for over 4 weeks in elk camp. 1 friends plans all changed this week with the big fire near Yosemite. He is less than 4 miles from the fire at this moment, waiting for the reverse 911 call to evacuate. I drove up there yesterday to pick up a trailer and his gear, with strong hope, he can join us later by taking a train to Grand Junction. Prayers and fingers crossed his home will be spared.

by **Washington Wapiti** » 08 26, 2013 • [Post 27]

Definitely home state. My brother and I packed in every last camp essential this weekend. We carted it, bagged and toted it, tarped it and brushed it in, in the understory making it look like just a part of the ground. No perishables this year . . . all canned foods, gorp, packets of Country Time Lemonade, Cup-o-Noodles and the like. Season starts on the 3rd, so I will hike in on Labor Day with just my bow and nearly empty pack, and spring forth our camp from the ground! Then take the remainder of the day to clean-up, relax, and absorb my surroundings. Probably check SD cards if I've found a device to view cards in the field by then.

Burning ban so no fire. Morning of the 3rd I will wipe down, DDW myself, bath in elk pee, and make an exquisitely, stealthy mile hike in and be in my stand before sun-up.

Then I will await the arrival of 'ol Bullwinkle or Ms. Cow. I have photos of a recurring fatty that has been on one of our cameras all summer. I will have a couple days of solo hunting, then my bro will join me Thursday night. I suppose in a way, it won't be much different than how I've hunted elk out of my blind. So, it's a pretty easy transition. I'm stoked about being elevated this year though. This area lends itself very well to treestand hunting and will be way more effective I think. It'll be interesting to see how vocal they are this year. Last year the whole hillside was erupting with bugles. The year before that not a peep. We gotta seal the deal quick. Only a week in the elk woods before we head to Okanogan for our annual mulie trip.

by fm » 08 26, 2013 • [Post 28]

I am done working at 1:00 tomorrow. I will finish loading the trailer and head down to my uncles house and load up his gear and get a good nights sleep and head out Wednesday morning and will get to camp Thursday morning. We will meet the rest of my relatives at camp. We have a good sized camp this year, there will be seven of us in camp. Then there are six local guys who camp at the same camp spot so we have a good time just being in camp catching up with everything that has happened in the last year. Nice thing is they help us get our elk out and we help them get theirs out. Works out good for everyone. We will be in camp till the 13th and be home on the 14th. I will check back in before I head out, but want to wish everyone a safe and successful season.

Remember to take lots of pictures and good luck

fm

by **BobcatJerry** » 08 26, 2013 • [Post 29]

Sept 1 at 6 AM, Probably go to the Buckeyes game on Saturday, leave Sunday morning. Pick up my buddy and his son in Indianapolis on the way. Hope to be in our Idaho camp by 5 PM Monday. Come out mid week and pick up son in law in Idaho Falls, and hunt 5-6 more days. pumped and ready to roll.

by **elkaholic** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 30]

5 pm Friday my partner and I are outa here for a 3 day hunt. Then a 2.5 week wait till the long 10 day expedition. Totally having that Christmas feeling like when I was 5.

by **Broken arrow** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 31]

Leaving on the 7th at 9:00am get to the trailhead around 10:00 pm try and sleep ( yeah right!) before I load up and start hiking in around 4:00am on the 8th. 12 days to getter done before I have to return to civilization.

by **ishy** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 32]

I almost cried yesterday on my way to work a buddy was on his way out of town. The unit I am staying in doesn't open till the sixth, they get to start Aug 30th. I have been really excited to hunt alone this year with a new tree stand over a great wallow, but the reality hit me harder than I expected.

by **elkmtngear** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 33]

16 days, 3 hours, 20 minutes!

by **dotman** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 34]

Sep 13th 5pm CST, plan to meet Phantom16 at first light the morning of the 15th.

by **ABQ_Chica** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 35]

I'll head out to camp Aug. 31, then hunt Sept. 1-4.
If I need to head out again, it will be third week, Sept. 15-20.
Good luck, everyone!

by **WapitiTalk1** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 36]

dotman wrote:Sep 13th 5pm CST, plan to meet Phantom16 at first light the morning of the 15th.

Yes sir, looking forward to it. Now if I can only remember..... were we hunting Idaho or Montana? Oh well, I have a 50/50 chance of being in the correct state

...

by **GWH** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 37]

I will head to my spot Saturday morning. My hunt starts Sunday.

by **one_elk** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 38]

Have a little bit of field work to get done on Wednesday and Thursday then headed out Friday morning and will be out until the 8th and back the last week if needed. New are this year but have done a fair bit of scouting and things are lookin good!!!! With any luck will be hunting pronghorns by the middle of the week (ok, we will see how that goes…). Anyway lots of excitement and anticipation here come on Saturday……..Good luck to all

by **FemoralArchery** » 08 27, 2013 • [Post 39]

elkaholic wrote:5 pm Friday my partner and I are outa here for a 3 day hunt. Then a 2.5 week wait till the long 10 day expedition. Totally having that Christmas feeling like when I was 5.

I will be hunting on Friday. I haven't decided if I'll leave Thursday night or Friday morning. Either way I don't have to come home til Tuesday!!

Don't worry elkaholic, I'll take some pictures of some elk and send them to you, so you'll know what to look for.

by **HTNFSH** » 08 28, 2013 • [Post 40]

On the road west Monday morning. If it wasn't for my dog Kimber, I'd be scouting this weekend.

I am still not ready and keep feeling like Ill forget something.

by **treestanding** » 08 28, 2013 • [Post 41]

It's almost go-time for me! Leaving tomorrow morning about 6 am. from SE Wi. for central Co. Shoud be at the trail head about 4 am. Friday. Hike in just over 4 miles and set up camp. Packing out on the 6th. This is our third year in a row back to the same spot. No one has killed an elk yet, but we've seen a lot and had some close encounters.

Good luck to everyone! Looking forward to seeing all the pictures and hearing all the stories.

by **Yotkilr** » 09 02, 2013 • [Post 42]

Getting closer I pickup Steve from the airport in Dickinson on the 12th at 6 PM then driving thru the night to western MT. This will be our first elk hunt so can't hardly wait, already got the trailer loaded up.

by **twinkieman** » 09 02, 2013 • [Post 43]

Standing by on countdown, now at day 5 before leaving for Id. I wish I was already there, but knowing I will be there until Sept.30, makes up for the not being there yet. Good luck to all.

by **8upbowhunter** » 09 03, 2013 • [Post 44]

My buddy and I are heading out to Colorado on the 12th for 2 weeks in the elk woods. I've been there 2 times before Mule deer hunting but this will be my first time elk hunting and his 3rd time.

by **Pmcgee** » 09 07, 2013 • [Post 45]

Leaving from PA on the 14th. It'll be my first trip out west.

We leave 7 days from today for GMU 53 in CO. WE WILL NOT RETURN TILL THE SEASON IS OVER, archery that is! Camp will be on our backs for the duration of the hunt. It's almost time for the hard off season preparation to pay off!

by **Backcountry** » 09 07, 2013 • [Post 47]

Leaving in about 5 hours;)

by **Buglemaster** » 09 07, 2013 • [Post 48]

Heading west on Thursday after work & it will be go time Friday. Have nearly everything packed except the groceries & expect to be a basket case until I get to suit up for the big game. Some great animals have already hit the deck. Congrats to all who have drawn blood.

by **twinkieman** » 09 08, 2013 • [Post 49]

Finally, left home yesterday a.m., and now on the road to Idaho. 4 more hours till camp

by **elk-n-walleye** » 09 09, 2013 • [Post 50]

2 1/2 days and I'm on my way. plan A and B are in place. topo and arial photo maps are downloaded and at my fingertips for "in the field" access. all my gear and equipment are ready. will buy food on our way to the mtns. life is pretty good right now. Best thing that can happen over the next two weeks: call in a nice bull or cow near camp and get it on ice quick! worst that can happen (barring any physical/medical injury): spend 10 days with my dad camping and hiking like when I was a kid. Sounds pretty good either way!

by **dreamhunter** » 09 09, 2013 • [Post 51]

T - 10 days and a 10-11 hr road trip which is no big deal. I'm getting pretty stoked to get out there and get after it.I had mentioned in an earlier post that I am going it alone this year.I have been scouring the area with my maps and google earth.I think I am going to hike up a little farther and back in a little farther each day to get to know the area better.I think I will have more luck on locating and seeing elk as in my usual areas.I need to expand my hunting turf so as not to over hunt one or two areas.It's kinda like christmas,I'm making a list and checkin it twice.