First Elk hunt

[wannabhntr]

Heading to Rimrock in three days with some guys from work. This will be my first time in the elk woods. I'm hoping to learn a lot from them. I am not expecting to get anything for the first few years. I'm sure that most of my time is going to be spent learning the area. That being said, other than watching out for other people, does anyone have any tips for a first time elk hunter?

[Chukarhead]

I would recommend on planning to get an elk your first year.  No pressure for harvest, but make sure that all of your ducks are in a row before opening day.  Have all of the field processing gear ready (game bags, knives, sharpener, rope, packboards, tarp straps), and your meat care plan in place.  If it's going to a butcher, know where it's going and when they are open.  If you're butchering, have everything ready to go at home before heading out to the woods (vacuum bags, freezer paper, grinder, whatever...).  Brush up on your preferred field dressing method (I'm a big fan of the gutless method), and be ready to do it all alone-- you never know when you'll be out of touch from your buddies, or when they'll be occupied with their own elk.

I shot my first elk on my third day of big game hunting.  Alone.  It was not easy, but it definitely built character and experience.

Cell phones and GMRS radios are handy, but a satellite-based texting device (DeLorme) or PLB can save your life if things go sideways outside of cell phone/radio range.

[wannabhntr]

I would recommend on planning to get an elk your first year.  No pressure for harvest, but make sure that all of your ducks are in a row before opening day.  Have all of the field processing gear ready (game bags, knives, sharpener, rope, packboards, tarp straps), and your meat care plan in place.  If it's going to a butcher, know where it's going and when they are open.  If you're butchering, have everything ready to go at home before heading out to the woods (vacuum bags, freezer paper, grinder, whatever...).  Brush up on your preferred field dressing method (I'm a big fan of the gutless method), and be ready to do it all alone-- you never know when you'll be out of touch from your buddies, or when they'll be occupied with their own elk.

I shot my first elk on my third day of big game hunting.  Alone.  It was not easy, but it definitely built character and experience.

Cell phones and GMRS radios are handy, but a satellite-based texting device (DeLorme) or PLB can save your life if things go sideways outside of cell phone/radio range.

I have done all that. I have my pack packed and ready to go. I have everything that you mentioned except PLB. I obviously have never dressed an elk before but I have been watching a lot of videos.
The guys that I am going with have three bull tags and four cow tags so I am hoping to learn and see a lot as far as actually hunting and gutting goes. Not sure I will be with them the whole time though. I'm sure I will be used as a pack mule if I am lucky enough to be with one of them when they harvest one.
As far as locating elk, should I go about it like deer? Fresh sign, tracks, water etc.? Are cow calls effective this time of year? I have read that elk are very vocal and constantly "talking." Would hunting pressure cause them to go quiet or is that mostly the bulls?

[pianoman9701]

Don't forget your boots! Good luck.

[wannabhntr]

Don't forget your boots! Good luck.

Haha, thanks. I have two pair packed in the trailer.

[kball4]

Walk up some gated roads and get away from people.   There's a gated road on the south side of the rock that washed out it goes 2 miles up and ends its thick but there is elk in there.

[wannabhntr]

Walk up some gated roads and get away from people.   There's a gated road on the south side of the rock that washed out it goes 2 miles up and ends its thick but there is elk in there.

Good info. Thank you.

[Chukarhead]

I would recommend on planning to get an elk your first year.  No pressure for harvest, but make sure that all of your ducks are in a row before opening day.  Have all of the field processing gear ready (game bags, knives, sharpener, rope, packboards, tarp straps), and your meat care plan in place.  If it's going to a butcher, know where it's going and when they are open.  If you're butchering, have everything ready to go at home before heading out to the woods (vacuum bags, freezer paper, grinder, whatever...).  Brush up on your preferred field dressing method (I'm a big fan of the gutless method), and be ready to do it all alone-- you never know when you'll be out of touch from your buddies, or when they'll be occupied with their own elk.

I shot my first elk on my third day of big game hunting.  Alone.  It was not easy, but it definitely built character and experience.

Cell phones and GMRS radios are handy, but a satellite-based texting device (DeLorme) or PLB can save your life if things go sideways outside of cell phone/radio range.

I have done all that. I have my pack packed and ready to go. I have everything that you mentioned except PLB. I obviously have never dressed an elk before but I have been watching a lot of videos.
The guys that I am going with have three bull tags and four cow tags so I am hoping to learn and see a lot as far as actually hunting and gutting goes. Not sure I will be with them the whole time though. I'm sure I will be used as a pack mule if I am lucky enough to be with one of them when they harvest one.
As far as locating elk, should I go about it like deer? Fresh sign, tracks, water etc.? Are cow calls effective this time of year? I have read that elk are very vocal and constantly "talking." Would hunting pressure cause them to go quiet or is that mostly the bulls?

Sounds like you're well on your way.  Elk move more than deer on a daily basis, especially when pressured, which means two things: 1) there could be elk right in front of you, even though you've seen no fresh sign all day, and 2) you might have to cover a lot of ground to find elk.  These two things are contradictory, and a big part of what makes elk hunting challenging and interesting.  The primary similarity between elk and deer hunting, though, is that the farther you are from roads and Bubba, the more likely you are to find animals.  Generally speaking, "far" doesn't just relate to distance, but to also difficulty.  Steep, deep, dark, and thick usually holds more elk than easy and pretty.  My wife helped me pack this year's elk, but only after swearing a blue streak for a half mile straight up what she dubbed a "hellside."  Even so, I could hear road traffic below while I quartered my animal. Good luck out there!