No problem at all BC--always better to get it straight from the horse's mouth--I'm liable to get something crossed up.
Bob knows more of the details than I do, but I'll give it a shot.
The hunts were lots of walking and calling. The rut hadn't started yet, but we did get a few bugles in reply to calling and I think a few curious cows came to check out calls. My main mistakes were moving too fast (didn't think that was possible for me, especially with the thin air), not hiding well enough (move from one hiding spot to the next, don't just stand in the open regardless if you can breath or not!), not calling enough, and not looking hard enough (Bruce got within 10 yds or so of two cows and didn't see them until they busted from their bed). Up a mountain or ridge in the morning (ideally you would get up before daylight and try to beat the elk to the top where they bedded after feeding in the meadows at night), but we never managed to do that--needed a good breakfast to tackle that climb!
Trails and sign was very good--too good--couldn't decide what to follow most of the time.
Elevation at the camp was.....around 7,000-7,500 feet, I think? I went to well over 8,000 feet one day (top of a small mountain), dang near killed me.
Temps were mid 60's during the day, low-mid 30's at night--just right for a sleeping bag.
Weather was beautiful, got a small sprinkle once or twice, got rained on once, but not a hard rain.
We couldn't have asked for a nice campsite--had a spot where the ground was almost level to pitch our tents, a nice (COLD) stream close by to get water, wash our clothes, and bathe (try taking a bath in 48 degree water--SHEW!), plenty of trees to tie up the horse and plenty of grass for him to eat on (plus the 50# sack of feed we had to take in for him--he was an eating machine!).
We parked at the trailhead, where a lot of folks camp, got our horse, loaded him and our packs, and headed out. Took a long time to get there, but that was because we didn't know the exact trail to take (or missed it--I forget--whichever it was, I blame it on Bob
). Coming out (they knew the trail then) took about 3.5 hours, mostly up-hill. Bob and Ed took the meat to the cooler before we packed out, and I think it took them about 3 hours coming in (more downhill than up).
We carried in food (instand oatmeal, ramin noodles, individually packs of tuna, trail mix, instandcoffee,etc.) 3 small tents (two men per tent, one extra to keep gear out of the weather), a few pots (only needed two), a cup and "spork" each (the "spork" is a camping utinsel--spoon on one end, fork on the other), rain gear, tarps, water containers, water filters, sleeping bags and pads......quite a list of things. It was all we could get on the horse and on our packs. A good pack frame is a MUST (I didn't have a good one, used a military ALICE pack frame--not the best choice). We could have eliminated some things--you want to be sure to take everything you need, but nothing extra--more stuff = more weight.
Besides what I learned about hunting elk, I also learned two VERY important things. MONTHS before you leave, start walking. Walk, walk, then walk some more. All uphill if possible. Start walking with a pack. Build up to the point where you can walk several miles with a 50# pack, and maybe you'll only feel like you are having 1/2 a heart attack going in. Bob, Bruce, and Ed were all in MUCH better shape than me, and it was all to obvious before we'd gone a half-mile. The second is be sure to take a good water filter/pump--do NOT drink straight from the stream, no matter how cold and clear the water is. We heard of one fellow who took one drink from a stream and spent the next three days in the hospital.
I have to give these three guys I went witha LOT of credit--they really took care of me, waited on me (when I was hunched over on the trail, trying to breathe and looking for my lungs which I was sure had fallen out of my chest a ways back), and they never fussed or complained--they only encouraged me, which really made a difference.
I'm not in the worst shape--39 years old, still pretty strong, overweight but carry it pretty well. Before I left I was able to walk with 80# in my pack for 1-1.5 miles without passing out (well, not completely pass out anyway), so I thought I had it under control--NOT! I know for sure that if I get another chance to go, I WILL be in better shape! I didn't get my legs under me until Friday, on the way out--and it still wasn't easy by any stretch.
I've tromped around Northern Ontario for moose (rocky, rough walking, but didn't have to deal with the elevation), sloshed through swamps for hogs in GA (I thought walking through "sucking" mud all day was tough), and covered various other terrains--elk in CO was by far the toughest hunting I've ever done. Hope I get to do it again!
Chad