Greg / MO you are 12-13 weeks from your elk hunt - how exactly areyou going to do it ?

backpack in andbivy camp ?

hunt from your truck and stay at someones house ?

trailhead camping and day hunt from there ?

private lands, leased grounds and someone driving you around on a 4 wheeler ?

Thats all exremely important in deciding how good your conditioning needs to be, what type of pack to use, etc etc

I will be hunting first week of season, South San Juans in an area I've never hunted. I expect to push 10-12 milesa day out of my body at plus 10,000 feet elevation. We arecamping from a basecamp 6 miles into a wilderness area. Its not extreme elk hunting, buts its going to be tough. I'm aleady in good shape, I will be fine tuning the hiking conditioning of my body in the next 12 weeks. My feet, shoulders, wearing my boots, socks, hunting clothes, and packframe.

I use a Schuh pack from Cabela's. I havecustom boots. I use a Cabela's tent, propane top cook everything and propane burners. We use a water filter, though in high coutnry I drink a lot from the streams.

Do you drink caffeine ? If so, STOP IT 2 weeks before your hunt. I've found my head pounds from the altitude if I'm on caffeine. Use Emergen C mixed with Gatorade for your drink - much better for you than all gatorade.

On your pack frame, decide how much weight you'll carry everyday. I'm guessing at least 15 pounds, and a fanny pack will kill you with that weight. To decide on what backframe to get, try to get to a Cabela's or Bass pro, and try them all on. Just like boots - find the pair that fits you and feels really good. Dont' worry so much about anything else other than how they fit. My buddy went one year and literally wore the soles off a pair of cheap Bass pro boots that didn't fit, and had to walk out and drive to a town and buy a new pair !

For calls, get yourself a Mac Daddy bugle (easy to make squeals with) and a cow call of any brand you can use easily.