Eagle338

Pretty extensive and diverse! Here is a Do and a Don't that might contribute and save someone from the "School of Hard Knocks."

DO - Know Your Rifle - Lost An Opportunity On A Nice Elk This Way:
If you hunt with a bolt action rifle, then can you lift the bolt handle while the safety is on? With most (Rem 700's and Win 70's) rifles you cannot, the safety won't allow it. With others (Mossberg 510D for one) you can and here is the problem. If you are hunting with a backpack and your rifle slung over your shoulder and then you pull your rifle down fast (or slow) if the straps of your back pack catch the bolt handle and lift it up a little (say an inch), then you have a problem. When you take the safety off and pull the trigger the energy in the firing pin spring will be applied to "popping" your bolt handle back down into place instead of "snapping" the firing pin into the primer. Your "misfire" will sound like a "clunk" instead of a dry "click." Test it at home before the hunt - I almost went crazy before I figured it out!

DON'T: "Shoot" someone with your muzzle blast.
Toward sundown on first day of the elk season three of us were walking single file down the trail with me in the lead. As we crested a very small hill I saw about 20 elk strung out cross wise of the trail ahead and below at about 100 yards. I hand signaled the two behind me to "come on up." By the time they got there, 3 to 5 seconds, I was in the sitting position and lining up on a large dry looking cow. The elk still didn't know we were there but then it happened! I never pulled the trigger - I was on the ground, grabbing my head and writhing in pain and not really sure what had happened. One of the other hunters had taken a standing offhand shot from about 5 feet to my right and with the tip of the muzzle maybe 18 inches behind me and simply lit up every bulb in my tree - THANK GOD HE WASN'T USING A MUZZLEBREAK or it could have been much worse. He was (and still is) a trustworthy hunter and friend and he felt terrible - we were always used to hunting alone once we were "on stand" with lots of distance between us and therefore it never was a problem before. Now each year we review the "come on up" hand signal and the "line up" rules for that situation - especially with any new folks.

gleninAZ

Coldhunter-I'll give you one. I get my share of elk and many have come because I roll out of the rack at 3 am for a 5:30 daylight shoot and I climb the nastiest hill I can find. I will go so steep I have to grab bushes to keep from falling back. I take my time and stop at the top to rest and listen for horn clicks. I never run into other hunters even in heavily hunted public areas as 90% just would never think of this kind of pain to get to the animals. After the kill it's a lot easier to slide hunks downhill too. Good luck next year.

Bullkllr

Coldhunter:
Nine days in the high country sounds like a GREAT hunt. As far as what I know about elk huntin' you should keep these facts in mind:

Don't expect too much too early. Theres a reason something like only 8% of the hunters in my state (Washington) get an elk any given year. Most other states are better, but most hunters go home elkless. It ain't easy. Plenty of unsuccessful hunters are not in the stupid/lazy/drunk/can't shoot categories. You got to spend time in the right country; but you still have to get at least a bit lucky, most times.

With that in mind, you will be more successful more often if you:
A. Have extreme knowledge of the animals in the area you hunt
B. Work harder, ie)hike farther, pack where others won't, get up earlier, travel in dark, stay through extreme weather, etc.
C. Are extremely lucky!

I've never been a lucky hunter, like some guys I know. I depend on knowing the area and hard work(esp. hard work!) for my success.

That, in a nutshell is all. Now go learn. Experience is the best...
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ELKampMaster

Merry Christmas to all!

DO: If you aren't heating your wall tent with wood (propane, fuel oil, etc.) always take a backup form of heat (like wood) with you. This way if your &quot;fancy&quot; heat source fails (thermocouple, jelled fuel oil, low oxygen sensor malfunction, etc.) you won't have to cold camp. Always take along the old wood stove, even if you don't plan to use it.[Note: The low-oxygen sensors on Coleman 'buddy heaters' are not reliable over 8000 feet above sea level.]

DON'T: Leave an empty coffee pot on the stove overnight - always have water in it. Then if someone staggers out of bed half asleep in the morning and goes into the kitchen and turns on all the burners in order to heat up the place they won't accidently destroy the coffee pot. Elk camp without coffee is a sad thing!

EKM

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Half of elk hunting is knowing what NOT to do!

Edited by - ELKampMaster on 12/25/2002 20:35:24

PaintballB4Girl

I'm not an elk hunter yet, but DONT shoot unless you are confident in a kill shot. I know a game warden, and am good friends with him. He showed me in his garage about 70-100 elk racks, at least. He killed 7 of them. The rest he found dead, about 50/50 between road kill and bad shots. Shoot only to kill.

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just gotta hunt

Eagle338

I'm hoping that even the worst hunter in the world, when aiming for wild game, thinks he can kill and acquire it. Main question is does the hunter have enough gun and skill and sobriety to get the job done. Good point though.

DO: Use a rainfly on your wall tent. You'll find it is a lot warmer in side if you do and you'll use less fuel to maintain the same temperature. Also, if your tent is new (or a new rental) then it may leak in the stitchlines, unless you hosed it down before you headed into the hills, which causes the canvas to swell back around the needlehole and thread. (If you wet it down, then completely dry it before rolling it up to avoid mildew.)

DON'T: Don't think horses can't kick sideways with their front feet. I'd been around &quot;tame&quot; horses 20 years and never seen it, then my group rented some summer range bronc's for elk hunting that were a fight from day one! If you are trying to load quarters onto the saddle or set up panniers on a horse and the horse is scared and your trying to &quot;force&quot; the loading, then watch out for for this one! Most folks seem to think that in order to get hit/kicked by a horse's front feet that the horse has to rear up - not so. Granted, this &quot;sidearm&quot; type of kick may not go too high, maybe knee to mid thigh, and may not be &quot;full strength&quot; but with a shod horse thats scared of you this can ruin your trip on the spot.

Edited by - eagle338 on 12/31/2002 00:09:38

ELKampMaster

Do: Do use enough gun!
Don't: Don't use a 30-30 on elk!

EKM

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Half of elk hunting is knowing what NOT to do!

MinnFinn

This was my first Elk hunt in December, so I won't say much. I went with 2 very experienced Elk hunters and one other fellow who was on his first Elk hunt, too. It was quite an experience to say the very least!

Do:
- Plan nearly a year ahead to start thinking and planning for your hunt.
- Listen to your experienced friends on what clothing and equipment to bring along, what to leave at home and how to hunt Elk.
- Communicate with each other clearly where you'll hunt, when to meet and what to do if something goes wrong with you're plans.
- Drink plenty of water regularly to stay hydrated and eat well.
- Know what your physical capabilities are and that of your equipment, especially your rifle and scope (are adequate for the range you're likely to get into Elk at).
- Know the differences in calls bulls, cows and calves make at different times of the session and how to answer.
- Expect to work very hard in hiking in high country and pulling out the game.
- Do start getting in better shape earlier this year than last. :-)

Don't:
- Change you plans without communicating clearly to those you're with.
- Go into Grizzly country without knowing what you'll do clearly thought out in your mind in case you have an &quot;encounter&quot;.
- Don't let the beautiful country make you forget that it can be unforgiving.

BowElkDwn

I just have a couple.
Try to scout the area before as much as possible.
Go out prepared if your in bugling season learn how to bugle and cow call. Not just half arse but get really good. Mimic an elk as close as possible. Get tapes and listen to what they really sound like. A reed in your mouth is the most versatile. Practice with it.
Don't forget refreshments and have fun!!

Don't hunt in packs..If you have four or more people in your camp split up. 2 people in each group is always the best. One caller one shooter.

Hickie

Sure alot of good advice in here. I would like to remind everyone of a coulpe of essential tips not only for elk hunting but for hunting in general.

Do- Encourage youngsters to become interested in hunting by taking them with you not only hunting but on some scouting trips, and trips to the range, ect. The amount of hunters in todays world is dramaticaly decreasing and without the next generation taking an active role im scared that the time will come when hunting becomes extinct.

Do- Try to take a freind who has not hunted before. I dont know about you but there are allways people who say they would like to go hunting but never do. Even if its just for a chicken hunt or something at least once a year take a new hunter.

Don't add feul to the anti-hunting groups by being unethical. follow the laws, target practice, dont waste the meat.