What a difference a day makes

[Indian Summer]

I suppose this thread is geared more toward the non resident hunter who can only spend a week or so each season, or every other season, in elk country. If you're thinking about a once in a lifetime hunt then it's really something to think about. I was reading the thread about the alititude training mask which got me thinking about the idea of getting acclimated. About the things we can do to overcome the number one symptom of altitude adjustment: Not killing an elk.

I don't know if the gadget works but I do know that there is one thing you can do to improve your success rate, and fun factor, and that is to add a day or two to your hunt. Time is the biggest factor assuming you know what you're doing. Maybe moreso if you don't. I know this is a no brainer on any hunt but with mountain hunting it's a bigger bonus by far than with deer etc. An added day is not just another day of hunting like all the rest.

When I would have clients thinking about adding extra days to their hunt here's what I'd tell them: Think about it, how many hunters have walked away from a hunt thinking "If I only had 1 more day I'd get it done" 0n day 1 some of the same guys were saying "1 more day of this & I could be dead" By the end of the hunt the day or days we are talking about adding are quality hunting days.

First of all nobody can start the season or their 7 day hunt in 6th gear. Day 1 means pacing yourself, drinking tons of water.... and trying to locate elk if you're not lucky enough to be able to scout before the hunt. For some unfortunately, days 2 & 3 aren't a whole lot different. Then there's the day mid hunt where your body tells your hell bent mind it's time to regroup so you lose a morning. How many good solid days of hunting does a guy really get on a 7 or 9 day hunt? I like to give it hell for 5 days then break a day.

The day extra days are ones where you're finally feeling like Camern Hanes (ok a little closer anyway) AND you know what's going on around the mountain. Days to put it all together after learning a few good lessons throughout the week. These are days where the fun factor is high too. They are nothing like days 1 & 2. You are in the zone.

Do the math too. A longer hunt gives you way more bang for your buck. If you dumped $2100 on a 7 day hunt, license travel and all, you'd be spending $300/day to hunt. With a little additinal food costs you can make it a 10 day hunt and bring that down to just over $200/day... and have a better chance of punching your tag.

I know as we get older time becomes more valuable than money. Truth is it always was. In addition to money we spend a fair amount of time on this labor of love so while you're thinking about license apps, backpacks, and hunt scenarios... think about adding some valuable time to your hunt. It's an insurance policy on everything else you have invested in it.

0f course the clients who listened to me would often kill on day 1 and we would laugh. But I never heard one complain about doing a little scouting for next year & then just going into vacation mode and enjoying elk camp. I did have a multi time repeat look at me once after killing a bull in 45 minutes and say "you're a helluva salesman... now I'd like to book my 1 day hunt for next year" L0l! He's no dummy though and was back for 10 days again this year.

I think everyone should do their best to squeeze in as many days as possible. As the saying goes.... what a difference a day makes. Maybe the difference between tag soup & elk steaks.

[Swede]

Indian Summer, you make an excellent point. The same is true for the DIY hunter. I see the problem every year in my camp. Hunters come full of hope and excitement, then after a very few days, (3-4) they pack up and leave. Some are done for the season, and others hop around looking at different areas.
Indian Summer, I see many guided hunts advertised as a 5 day affair. I thought that was because the outfitter wanted to book as many clients as possible into the season. I did not know extending the 5 days was a possibility in most cases.

[Indian Summer]

By all means it's a suggestion for DIY hunters Swede. Those are ALWAYS the people I'm talking to even though it certainly makes sense for the guided guys. Drop campers for sure.

0ne thing I didn't mention is that a longer time period allows for the usual ups and downs in elk activity, changes in weather, AND if it's just not happening where you are..... time to relocate.

[easeup]

absolutely agree mr. IS.

many years of DIY hunts have proved every word. I even preached the same sermon to a friend last year and it fell on deaf ears.
I guess my delivery was bad..huh?

on the 10th day of last years DIY, the towel was thrown in (done and tag not punched), and I hiked up above the timberline to catch some trout and enjoy the mountains and what health I have been given...and was I ever blessed... it was the first tag soup in quite some time but somehow my heart was light and a smile on my face driving back downhill.

[Broken arrow]

I'm taking 14 days total with 2 days driving there and back and a day or 2 for recovery when I get home. I'm already figuring the first 2 days are scouting acclimation and feeling out the hunting pressure days (taking it nice and easy) then it's time to become part of the mountains to be a ghost work the wind go where others won't go with a recurve and wood arrows non the less! My success isn't to kill an elk (although I am confident I will) but to give 100% everyday all day over come fear solitude aching shoulders and jello legs from packing meat! Most of all enjoying what I love. On my scouting trip last year I saw 23 elk and a handful of mulies in 2 days and had the time of my life!!! I think that was pretty good for a flatlander greenhorn. Is it September yet?!?

Edit: let me just say looking at the success rates is like someone telling me I won't succeed! Tell me I can't and I WILL prove you wrong! That's what drives me.

[bnsafe]

if your gonna spend the money make sure a day or two is not gonna make a diff. i scheduled 9 days last year to hunt and didnt hunt effectively. my fault. but, if your gonna come out here plan hard, train hard, and hunt hard. worry about gettin the elk our after its down.

[Indian Summer]

"let me just say looking at the success rates is like someone telling me I won't succeed!"

Isn't that the truth! But as the saying goes 10% of hunters kill 90% of the elk and that means year after year. Another tidbit I tell my hunters when they ask about success rates: If I had 10 hunters in camp and 4 of them killed bulls that'd be a 40% success rate. But if I had the same 10 guys every week most likely the same 4 would keep killing the elk. For those guys it's 100%. Those are the hunters we should be looking at saying I need to be in that group.

Those of us who manage to be consistent look at the low success rates and think... wow that's a lot of bad luck... but realistically it's more than likely a lack of 3 other things... preparation and determination.... & time. Many of the guys in the successful column are non res. So are many of the unlucky hunters and chances are they hunted an average of 5 days. Even a resident who has a job and family and no choice but to be a weekend warrior doesn't get in the quality days that a 10 day+ hunt will consist of.

I guess we can look at our cup as half empty when we see the low numbers. But if you hunt longer your cup, and freezer, may just end up full to the top.

You have a solid plan Broken Arrow. More than that a solid state of mind which will carry us further than our legs. I have faith that you're going to git er dun. Where r ya' hunting?

[Broken arrow]

Thanks indian summer!!!! Colorado. West elk mountains.