Planning a pack in trip for elk hunt this year

[Vo2max]

Just wondering... what about a mountain bike? Any chance someone can ride a bike into the area or at least part of the way? I am considering doing the same sort of trip but will be using a mountain bike and trailer. Thoughts for this guy's trip?

Erik

[bobcat]

He's talking about going into an official wilderness area so mountain bikes won't be an option.

[Vo2max]

Gotcha! Did not know... still learning the different units etc.

[Shawn Ryan]

Huntergreg,

Sorry you got so many negative replies to your post.  Your trip is very doable with the right preparation and gear.  You will find a lot of answers to your specific question on 24 Hour Campfire under the backpack hunting forum:  http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forums/25/1/Backpack_Hunting.  This specific thread is a good place to start, but there are many threads there about what gear to use on that type of trip:  http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3680986/How_light_can_you_go#Post3680986.

If you haven't been in that area in September, believe the posts about the mosquitos.  The photos of the mosquito on the dog are real.  Scouting in August is almost unbearable.  

I don't recall the man's name, but Indian Creek Corral on Hwy 12 was agreeable to packing meat out for a fair price, even if they did not pack you in or pack your gear out.  If you are concerned about being able to pack out fast enough, that is an option.  If you have a good trail most of the way to your rig and are in good enough shape, consider humping out the meat through out the night.  If I understand the area you intend to hunt, the heavy trip out is mostly downhill.

If you have not read Cameron Hanes' book, it is a good read and will help you believe you can do it.


Do the hunt; you'll be glad you did.

[high country]

they don't call it mosquito valley for nutin'....lol. I would do it...........again.

[huntergreg]

Thanks for all the great info. We have a way to get the elk out if we harvest anything. My uncle has 5 horses so it should be easy enough to get animals out of the woods. He is just a phone call away. We might even be going with him and using his horses if he decides to go with. We wouldn't be heading out until the day before elk opens. The spot we are going to we wont be there in time for the group to head up to the camp spot. They are riding there horses up there. The group of friends are heading up a few days early to get there camp set up and do some scouting. That is why we would be heading in on foot. It is interesting on how negative some people get towards what we are trying to do. It is going to be a fun hunt I think.

[colockumelk]

People are usually negative when they feel threatened.  IE someone doing a hunt back in 9 miles because they know they could not do the same.  (Include me in that group)  However you don't know if you can do it until you try.  

I still say if you are gonna go in deep you might as well get a West Side tag so you can shoot a bull.  To me a cow or a spike just isn't worth the effort.  Also as I've said before, maybe it's also because cows are far too smart for me.  I like hunting things that are horny and dumb. (That's a quote that will come back to haunt me:)

I also can not suggest enough, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!  It will cut at least 5 years off of your learning curve.  It's by Camron Hanes.  Basically the BAMF of backcountry bowhunting.  Good luck I can't wait to hear your story.  And you BETTER take some pics.  I'll be in Alabama for two years so I'll have to live vicariously through guys like you. 

http://www.eastmans.com/shop/books/backcountry-bowhunting.html

[halflife65]

I second what Shawn Ryan and Colockumelk said.  There are 3 forums that I visit regularly.  One is this one and one of the other two is the backpack hunting part of 24hourcampfire, which is really good (I don't really care about most of the rest of that site, honestly.)

Good luck on your hunt!

[Kent Hunter]

Do a "Drop Camp". It's a great way to do it. The outfitter takes all your gear and food in for you and drops you off. Then he comes back on whatever pre determined day you want and packs you back out.

[Shawn Ryan]

Not intending to hi-jack the thread, but Halflife, what is the other forum you visit?

[halflife65]

Not intending to hi-jack the thread, but Halflife, what is the other forum you visit?

PM sent

[MichaelJ]

9 miles on foot is crazy for a sept bow hunt...  Ok I take it back its not crazy, but with only two guys, and two tags to fill, that there is crazy.  Glad you found another way to get the meat out with your Uncle's horses.  Good luck this fall!

Michael

[unluckyjohn]

3 of us did the bike/hike in well past twin sisters last muzzy season. snow, rain and very cold. few big bulls and cows but no spikes. spoke with a few hunters on horse back and never heard a shot. We may try again,  be ready for anything and don't leave anything in the truck. The west side hike in is looking better. Two friends filled muzzy tags on the west side last year.

[BAR C3]

Me and a friend were thinking about doing a walk in hunt for elk this year if neither of us get drawn for a bull tag. I put in for the 328-329 unit so my chances are slim. We plan on maybe hunting the bumping unit. We have a friend that goes in there every year on horseback and gets his elk every year. We dont have any horse so in by foot we go. We know the area he hunts and wanted to try it sometime. The area is about a 9 mile or so of a hike in. My question is what items would you want to have with you on a trip like this. We plan on a 5 day hunt. There will be 2 of us and dont want to pack in to much weight in case we both get an elk. Or if you have dont a hunt like this what did you take in with you?

Hunter Greg,
Blow off all the negative stuff about your plan. I have hunted Bumping in September with an "Any Bull tag". Very good tag. From the responses you have seen on here, you don't have to worry about any of them hunting up there. I hunt it with three other guys and when we get something down, We all pack it out. We sent up a base camp, and set up spike camps in the wilderness. Every couple days a couple of us back out for refreshments and restock.
The last time we did it, we did run into some idiots that didn't know spikes were game and they kept robbing our hunting areas until they were told to beat it. We kept calling them into our calls. Worse case scenerio, you can pay an outfitter to pack your game out for a pretty reasonable price. I won't hunt any other way, Good time even if your not successful. Definately go with partners! Good Luck.

[unluckyjohn]

HunterGreg. What it all comes down to , my first (09) pack in hunt was the best hunting trip for me to date. I am moving my 6 any bull points to the bumping area and will hike in, eat backpacking food, sleep on the ground and flat out rough it for a week or so again. If we do get a animal on the ground we all spend the day getting it out. thats what friends do. (we did stash a good game cart at the bottom of a trail head) Ill make up for sleep when the seasons over. no regrets.. just live.  Best of luck if you go for it.