July what will you be doing for your elk hunt?

[Lefty]

My gear is ready
In two weeks 'll set up a post and place my trailcam
I'll spend a few days looking for elk and walk the high ground, maybe even GPS some of the more ideal glassing locations
Shoot and shoot some more,
Ill dig out some other calls and practice with my granddaughter

Just got an email. Our Boy scout camp(Island Park, ID) will have a 3-D range for scout masters and other adult leaders, we are invited to bring our own gear. In the past we needed permission to bring our own bows

[zpd307]

dennis, we will be in island park aug 8-13. 2 of those days we will break away and go to our hunting spot and scout.
right now I am just exercising, started shooting the bow again, and just broke out the calls. I all ready got my new gear that I needed and I wont start gathering/packing until we are 2 weeks out or so. everything I need will be in my pack, so the list isn't too long and most of it is still in there from last year...

[Texasdan]

Buying the rest of the gear list.
Fretting over of our location in MT. Will it have elk...will it not...
Shooting

[bloodarrow]

Continuing to shoot.....tune in broadheads.....get more gear, finalize list. Do a trial run with the pack, just to make sure everything fits and 'walks good'. More situps, lifting, and hiking.....and wasting time on websites...

[elkaholic]

Continuing to shoot the bow at long distances to hopefully make those practical shots easier. I will be testing out the gear on my mule deer scouting trips (going to use the camstrap this year to get some more footage). Pouring over maps and GE to locate some new areas. I won't get a scouting trip in this year for elk because I am using that time to look for a good buck on my LE archery tag.

[Swede]

In a couple of weeks I plan to take my scouting trip. I am looking forward to that nearly as much as the hunt itself. It is always fun to see elk country again and look for new things. In the mean time I am shooting and doing what I can to get ready for the big dance.

[Lefty]

dennis, we will be in island park aug 8-13. 2 of those days we will break away and go to our hunting spot and scout....

Gary Ill be at Scout camp the 7th -11.
My wife is picking me up on Friday afternoon, were going to ATV some trails north of Henrys Lake And a few more on the Montana side.
Generally there are mosquitoes early July, around IP but not so much this year.
If buy chance you see a 99 teal F-150 on a trailhead that would be us

Are you guys swimming in the water out there?

[zpd307]

i planned on some swimming, i think there is a lake somewhere near our place. i havent researched the trip much. that is the wives doings. been focusing on the scouting part. i know we will spend some time in yellowstone.

[elkmtngear]

Added the pack to my daily workout...ugh!

Going to be an adjustment period there.

Bought a Delorme Inreach SE, so the wife will be able to track me down

Otherwise, it's just business as usual!

[WapitiTalk1]

Added the pack to my daily workout...ugh!

Going to be an adjustment period there.

Bought a Delorme Inreach SE, so the wife will be able to track me down

Otherwise, it's just business as usual!

Jeff, please let us know how you like the Delorme Inreach SE. Pretty cool reviews on that thing but I don't know anybody personally who has really used it so feedback from elkmtngear would be great! RJ

[elkmtngear]

Added the pack to my daily workout...ugh!

Going to be an adjustment period there.

Bought a Delorme Inreach SE, so the wife will be able to track me down

Otherwise, it's just business as usual!

Jeff, please let us know how you like the Delorme Inreach SE. Pretty cool reviews on that thing but I don't know anybody personally who has really used it so feedback from elkmtngear would be great! RJ

Will do, Buddy!

[WapitiTalk1]

Scouting in Idaho this weekend. Been upping the workouts with a bit more weight in my pack and am starting to get into elk woods shape. Shamefully, have not been shooting much... that's coming very, very soon. Will be learning to effectively use my new spotter this weekend (first spotter in my gear arsenal, ever) but I'm sure the new Vortex will perform well.

[elk-n-walleye]

I'll be starting my work out routine similar to last year at this time. 5 miles on a stationary bike and 2 on the treadmill 3-4 days a week. Order the few items I want to complete my gear list for this year.

[elk.addict]

Jeff, please let us know how you like the Delorme Inreach SE. Pretty cool reviews on that thing but I don't know anybody personally who has really used it so feedback from elkmtngear would be great! RJ

Yeah, would love to hear about the new model too. I have the older version of the inreach (the one that syncs with an Android phone). It works ok, I am hoping the new one is a bit more reliable (and the fact that's standalone is really nice). It actually saved me a trip last year, I packed into spike camp and realized I had forgot something. I was able to message my buddy from camp and tell him to bring the items before he left town.

Anyway, to answer the topic of the thread, I will be doing lots of scouting in July. I have several scouting trips planned and a mountaineering trip or two also. I also switched to new arrows and broadheads this year, so I have some fine tuning to do.

[Brendan]

Gear is almost set, but have a couple more items and need to get out and try some of my camping gear and my new backpack in the woods.

Been shooting a lot, but need to get the bow 100% tuned and do some broadhead shooting, generate a sight tape for my new arrows.

Practice calling, internet scouting, and make the final call on exactly where I'm going... Keep reading the playbook and surfing the Elknut forums

Keep working out - but feel I'm pretty well prepared for two months out.

[Screaming_btf]

Ill be out scouting a few weekends in Idaho and Utah as I plan to hunt both. Practice shooting, calling, and breaking in new gear. Continue to walk 2 miles at night with 60-70 lbs when I cannot get out and scout, ride my bike. Study maps and reflect on the info I have on the hunting areas I will be in and formulate plans and backup plans. Move my trail cams to some new spots and into spots I already know are good. Mentally prepare for a hard hunt and the possible days of seeing nothing while hunting. I've already been out and have seen some rather large ELK in the areas I hunt so I'll probably dream of a chance to find them and execute during the hunt.
I am also working on trying to get some new people into ELK hunting, and during the rifle hunt so I can have an excuse to go hunting again in the Rifle season... although I wouldn't be able to shoot anything.

[Lark Bunting]

Gear- I am about covered now with the exception of broad heads and a rangefinder. I am not exactly sure which broad heads I am going to use nor do I know which CoC BH's I want to get my son. Once I get that figured out I will feel a little better. Also, I figured the rangefinder will be easy to get used to so I may wait until my bday in Aug and spoil myself.

Preparation- I am feeling confident. I have an embarrassing amount of hours into mapping and figuring out my GPS. I have read and re-read books, articles and websites. I have been quizzing my son as well since this is his first year ever big game hunting. I couldn't ask for a better hunting partner.

Calling- Good to go.


All I need now is a little luck in that the elk cooperate so that I can use everything I've learned this past year.

I have never wished away a summer before but I can't wait for September to be here.

[Rizzy]

I will be setting out some trailcams in one of my spots if I get a chance. Other than that, I will continue to scout for Goats, until the Elk hunt

[phall]

shooting bow daily... tightening groups... extending range

upping the cardio

organizing, packing, and making last minute orders for the small stuff

waiting on hunting partner to get back out of high country scouting so i can hear some good news can get several places mapped

[otcWill]

Training, shooting, scouting all summer. I hunt more than just elk so I've got mulies to glass, and cams/blinds to set for antelope. I am also mapping some new otc areas for a friend. Feels like the summer has already slipped away, like 40something days till WY pronghorn kicks off my bowseason! Good luck, Elknuts!

[LongShot]

Working on shooting accuracy, hiking up and down steep inclines and through timber, and getting final gear purchases done. Mid month I'll start wearing the pack, even though for this year's hunt I'll only use about half the space (basically a day pack, hunting area is about 12 miles from my house). Also planning a few scouting drives w/ the wife, might gather some firewood. Next month there will be a couple or 4 dry runs before sun's up, final gear preps and pack, and a couple of restless nights waiting for opening day!

[Lefty]

i planned on some swimming, i think there is a lake somewhere near our place. i havent researched the trip much. that is the wives doings. been focusing on the scouting part. i know we will spend some time in yellowstone.

I ment is your part of the state one big lake?
My brother in Mankato had a pump going 200 gallons a minute running for 8 hours to keep the water out of his house
But you should bring a swimsuit Island Park will be in the upper 80's low 90's this week