How Far To Hunt Elk?

[ElkNut1]

I know many here have to drive long distances to do their yearly elk hunts, but how far is far for you?

We are generally under an hour to many of our areas, our base camp is generally inside an hour away as well.

ElkNut1

[Swede]

I travel a little over 300 miles. I can go there for a scouting trip early summer and just before the season, but I can't just go out on just any weekend and scout it like I used to. I miss having that opportunity, but these days, it has more to do with just enjoying being out than it has to do with keeping track of where the animals are.

[foxvalley]

Takes me 26 hours straight to where I park the truck.

[Freebird134]

Like you Paul, I use to be elk hunting within an hour. But since I can't find a job in Idaho and now live in Wisconsin, my trips are quite an ordeal. I fly 1500 miles or so from Wisconsin to Boise, my parents pick me up and take me to Twin Falls, then it's still about a 5hr drive from Twin falls to our trail head. It's worth it. Very worth it.

[elkohalic]

13 hours to and 13 back. Did it twice last year just so I could come back and take my daughter youth deer hunting. She shot a 147 inch typ ten point on the second day. Then it was straight back out to Colorado.

[Brad Peterson]

Usually right around 2hrs away. Makes it nice when its hard to get time off from work.

[cnelk]

2 hours for me too.

I was just up on Saturday goofing off and calling some moose....

[Flintlocker]

28hrs, coming in from Pennsylvania

[Goneelkn]

20 hours one way.

[eltaco]

Like you Paul, I use to be elk hunting within an hour. But since I can't find a job in Idaho and now live in Wisconsin, my trips are quite an ordeal. I fly 1500 miles or so from Wisconsin to Boise, my parents pick me up and take me to Twin Falls, then it's still about a 5hr drive from Twin falls to our trail head. It's worth it. Very worth it.

Any chance you worked for Micron? I was in that same boat with Boise a few years back! I still miss it out there!

I currently hunt a couple of hours from where I live... but if I were forced out of the West for work I'd be flying across the country to hunt elk every season. I'm absolutely hooked!!

[CrazyElkHunter]

2000 mile round trip towing a small toy hauler from Calif.

[bowpackerrob]

13 1/2 hours one way. Worth every hour of it.

[ElkNut1]

Wow! We sure have some dedicated elk hunters here! Very cool! I am surprised about some of those distances, I know I would do the same. Heck, whatever it takes!!! Good stuff guys!!!

ElkNut1

[planebow]

I have seen elk across form my driveway but drive about 8 hours to where I hunt

[sockeye]

Normally less than an hour drive to were I camp, have several options to hunt from there. This year I am also driving to Montana that is about 8 hours away.

[N5J]

We used to be at our hunting area within 2 hours...this year we're going to be 4 hours away.

N5J

James

[Breeze]

The old truck and trailer usually takes 30 hours. It's 8 fill-ups at the gas station...and that's the worst part! Enjoy the drive every time. It's part of the experience.

Once my daughter drove 26 hours straight to the Boise airport and picked me up for a long weekend bow hunt. (2nd time out there that season) That day with practically no sleep she shot a bull in the antler, then shortly thereafter center heart punched a tree. She didn't miss again until the next day when we were in the middle of an amazing 'scream-fest' between a couple bulls after I did the 'threat #3'. It took her 5 days to drive home, and cost me a couple motel fee's and a truck wheel bearing. I got home on the Sunday 'red-eye' at 3am and was on the bus with my HS tennis team at 5am. Worth every second and every penny!!!
Breeze

[Freebird134]

Like you Paul, I use to be elk hunting within an hour. But since I can't find a job in Idaho and now live in Wisconsin, my trips are quite an ordeal. I fly 1500 miles or so from Wisconsin to Boise, my parents pick me up and take me to Twin Falls, then it's still about a 5hr drive from Twin falls to our trail head. It's worth it. Very worth it.

Any chance you worked for Micron? I was in that same boat with Boise a few years back! I still miss it out there!

I currently hunt a couple of hours from where I live... but if I were forced out of the West for work I'd be flying across the country to hunt elk every season. I'm absolutely hooked!!

Nope, but I know guys that worked for Micron and had do a serious career shift!

[bnsafe]

14 hours one way, lookin forward to it

[Burnerman]

I am driving from the West.... Western Massachusetts that is. It should take us 34 hours straight through to The West ElK Wildness. My wife thinks that I am crazy and she might be right. But I kind of like it this way. Come on September!!!!

[easeup]

it is about 900 miles up from the Lone Star state to the rocky mountain paradise for me.

[Buglemaster]

5 1/2 hours drive for me if I dont see any patrolmen & dont stop to p. To eventually live in "their" backyard again is my dream. I lived in Steamboat when I was a kid & could have walked up the canyon & got into elk.I really dont think you could move me far enough away to stop me from hunting elk.I live for it!

[elkaholic]

About a 2-3 hour drive to any of the various spots that I elk hunt. Then it is usually a 1 hour 4 wheeler ride from there to the trailhead.

[RockChucker30]

It'll be 25 hours each way this year.

[Buckriser]

4 hrs one way for me.

[tracker12]

2038 miles 32 hours drive time

[six]

20 hours from Michigan

[iRem]

1 1/2 hours to get to local spot in Wa. All day trip from Washington to Utah about every 3 years, this depends on family being able to get together from 3 different states!

[Broken arrow]

About 1400 miles round trip for me. Made a scouting trip at the end of May and been ready to get back there ever since!

[WVARCHER]

26hrs from west Virginia

[dotman]

This depends:

To go home and hunt MT is 22hrs one way

CO is 13hrs one way

And if I ever draw my KS tag that is 2hrs away.

[Waygoner]

I can be hunting within 10 minutes of my front door. I've even hunted before going to work a few times and can catch trout on my lunch hour. Typically it's a 45 minute drive to elk camp though.

[lag]

15 min & i to have seen elk from house

[Lefty]

2 hours from my door to my blind including foot travel

[shorthair15]

i usually hunt about 20 minutes from my house some times a 1/2 hr. i live in roosvelt country

[hornart]

I have hunted elk all over the State of New Mexico,,since I live along the Colorado border it can some times be quite a drive depending on what tags we draw,,this fall it is a 5 hour drive

[spyder24]

1610 miles and 25.5 hours one way from West Virginia for me

[elkoholic]

15 miles before I make it to national forest, maybe 30 mins before I hit camp here in new Mexico unit 10.

[Charkbait]

34 hours, 2100 miles in a vehicle

4 miles and a couple hours on foot to camp...

[Vanish]

It takes 2.5 hours to get to the area we hunt, but another hour to get to our camping spot. As of yet we hunt right from there, but as we get more experience I hope to branch out and have several access points in the area.

[otcWill]

What? I'll go anywhere to have a good elk hunt. Always an adventure to go somewhere new though rarely find better than I've got here at home!

[cantgetdrawn]

Right now I am planning to drive south 3 hours to hunt deer then drive 10 hours to the north right past home to hunt elk up in Colorado. 1100 miles round trip.

[Beekeeper]

New England to Colorado.

According to Mapquest: 2120.55 miles or 34 hours and 1 minute (one way)
According to my GPS: 238 feet above sea level to 10,716 feet above sea level (drop camp).

Not sure which will be the worse but both will be an adventure!

[dreamingbig]

A 2.5 hour drive (3 with traffic in the city) and a 2 hour hike. I usually leave to avoid rush hour (very early in the day, mid day or late at night).

[Joetech]

16 to 18hrs for us.

[Dor]

Last 4 trips
MN to CO
MN to WY
MN to MT
This year MN to NM

Worth every mile!

[Gazelle]

7 hours one way. Cailf to Nev

[bullrub]

Man, : I'm one lucky elk hunter, 20 to 30 mins. to my camp from my house.

[heartshotmo]

13 hours 1 way.

[pointysticks]

14 hours of driving.

if i ever draw a NM tag, about 20..or a plane ride to my brother and drive with him. 3 hours from his direction.

i had a protected herd of Tule elk about 15 mins from my house..i used to cow call to them. RMEF moved them about 5 years ago. i wished they didnt. it was cool.

[hornart]

Man, : I'm one lucky elk hunter, 20 to 30 mins. to my camp from my house.

Yeah,,you`re one lucky SOB

[ColoradoHunter]

Less than an hour to my best spot, a little over two hours to my backup spots.

[JimKirk]

well there's never a distance that is too far but closer is better or at least a blast living in elk country. I am 25 miles to one sport 60 to another. it sure makes scouting and just spending time in your hunting area alot more convenient.

[Oregoncombatvet]

6 hours from the house to my hunting buddys house then another hour to hour and half to camp. Then its time to put on the bivy pack and hike in.

[BobcatJerry]

Two years ago buddy and I drove 2000 miles in 30 hours form Ohio to Idaho. One month earlier I drove solo 1400 miles to hunt antelope in Wyoming. 6800 miles in one month. This year we fly to Idaho. Save a few days.

[Bowhunter]

900 miles which should take about 14 hours. I am hunting a little closer this year usually it is 1200-1300 miles.

[one_elk]

2 to 4 hours....

[huntemhigh]

Just over 2000 miles both ways

[Jahnke76]

We will be traveling 19 hours or 1250 miles one way.

[dreamhunter]

11 hrs from wichita ,ks to south central colorado

[ceetoo]

Just 3hrs to get down to chase the local Oregon Rosie's, and roughly 12hrs to our spot in MT this year.

[louisianafulldraw]

From Louisiana 18 hours. Any one here hunt in Alamosa are hae any pointers or area to recomend. We camp on Jacobs Hill and looking for information. Thanks. Will be there Sept 9 thur the 21st

[GhostStalker]

Western Oregon 20 min to 1hr1/2, but eastern Oregon for me is about 5-9 hrs. Btw Paul I love the new site.

[Fulldraw]

14 hours...each way

[weaver]

2 hrs

[Freebird134]

I definitely took it for granted when I lived within an hour of good elk hunting (Idaho unit 8). What I would give to be that close again!!!!!

[Bullnuts]

If I could draw a tag in the area where I live, it would only be about an hour to get into good elk country. As it goes, hunting an OTC area, I drive about 3 hours one way.