I know lots of guys want to go elk hunting and I though I would share with you some tips I learned from my last two DIY elk hunt hunts. This last hunt I learned a lot on. I am still a novice by many standards of the many veterans out there and please add some tips for me and the others here.
1. Hunt high if it is warm. EDIT: Hunt where it is cool when it is hot..not always cool where it is high
2.Get yourself acclimated to the elevation if you are a flat lander as the high altitude sickness sucks. Hang around camp a couple of days before you try to exert yourself. Bring some Aleve as they reduce inflamation and your brain is swelling in your head and this is why you feel like hell. Drink lots of water too.
3.Biggest mistake I made on my 1st hunt was to try to pack all of my gear(70#'s) on my back way back in. HUGE mistake. Bring a wall tent and make a comfortable spike camp where you park your truck and then do your hunts out of that with a lightweight backpack.
4.Call in advance and see if fires are allowed with the current status of the woods' dryness and bring a chainsaw if it is allowed and get your wood and camp all comfortable the 1st day so you can enjoy the hunt. Most states don't allow you to bring your own wood into their state; has to be cut there.The pic below was my last DIY elk hunt camp in Sept and what a nice place to stay. I was there 14 days and could have made it another month.
5. Water nearby your camp is a big bonus for solar showers and to fill up water containers. No matter how pure you think it is..DON'T drink it unless it is boiled, purified with iodine tablets, or ran through a purifier. I have a Katdyn backpack purifier that takes up little space and instantly purifies my water.
6. Spend $$ on a quality pack as you will be carrying a good load on your back at all times.
7. Bring a backup bow in case you have a failure with your favorite one.
8. Be prepared to lose 10-15 lbs..this is the norm as I lost this much and so did many others in a survey on AT
9. Bring a camera...I did but didn't take nearly enough photos as I just bought the camera and hadn't got in the mode yet.
10. Bring a treestand and a ground blind as these are going to both be utilized.
11. Get a GPS and know how to use it...no way I would go out in the woods without one. In the midwest you can always walk out to a road or farmhouse..the big pines and aspens all look the same..easy to get lost
12. Good boots...these are a must as you will be hiking and walking on rugged terrain. Danners fit the bill and I imagine that more elk hunters wear a Danner boot than any other.
13. Bring a table or twoto put outside of your tent...a must for putting gear on and cooking off of and very convienent
14. Bring raingear..it rained almost everyday on my last hunt
15. Setup camp low and always hunt higher than camp so you pack meat downhill instead of up
16. Bring a small tent to stow extra gear in
17. Get into shape before you go!!!!!!
18. Bring a broadhead target so you can practice in camp out to 50 yds.
water purification, GPS, lightweight mountain cookstove
9.