I constantly talk to hunters who want to give elk hunting a try. Most hunters get to hunt whitetails and that’s about it. I think the one big game animal every American hunter should hunt before he dies is elk. Elk are amazing animals and they live in breathtaking wilderness that most Midwestern deer hunters rarely, if ever, get to see unless we are hunting elk. I often speak about elk hunting at Wild Game Dinners at churches across the country in the winter. Hunters always come up to me after my event and tell me how they have always dreamed of elk hunting but don’t think they have the money to spend on an elk hunt. I am here to tell you that even if you are a burger flipper, you can afford to go on a self-guided elk hunt in Colorado or Idaho.
I have been elk hunting several times and have harvested a couple bulls. I have been on guided and unguided hunts. Guided hunts can cost thousands of dollars. Unguided hunts usually cost me about $1,000. My recent New Mexico elk hunt cost about $1,500, which is the most money I have ever spent on elk hunt. Three hundred of that was spent on having the meat processed because it would have spoiled if I wouldn’t have had it processed before heading home.
If you think elk hunting is something you want to try, there are a few things you need to know before you go.
First, get in the best shape of your life. Elk hunting is tough. If you are out of shape, the mountains will beat you to death. Exercise, exercise, exercise. I work out at my local YMCA five days a week so I can stay in good enough shape to elk hunt. I have cerebral palsy. If I can get into shape to elk hunt, anyone can.
Second, plan ahead. If you want to elk hunt in the fall of 2010, start planning your trip now. Talk to your buddies and find out who is interested in going with you. Make sure whoever comes along is aware that elk hunting is tough on your body and your mind. Wimps won’t do well in the backcountry. Determine which state you want to hunt in and figure out what units look good to you. Purchase topo maps for that unit, then call the game biologist in the unit you plan to hunt in. Tell them your plans and share with them what unit you are hunting in and what topo maps you have. They might be able to steer you in the right direction. They often know where lots of elk live. If you have extra cash, contact Jay Houston at elkcamp.com. He offers a consulting service and will point you in the right direction and tell you where to hunt. It costs a little, but the information is worth it.
Third, practice your calling. If you know how to call in a turkey, you can quickly learn how to call elk. I use Primos mouth calls to sound like a cow and to bugle with. Primos makes great bugle tubes like the new Baffle Bugle. After you have calling mastered, pick up a few elk hunting DVD’s and watch how the pros call them in. Just like turkey hunting, the caller usually sits behind the hunter and calls the bull into the lap of the hunter. When bowhunting, it is best if the caller is 50-100 yards behind the hunter. Many of the Primos Truth DVD’s explain the tactics very well.
Last, learn as much as you can about elk hunting by reading website articles, reading books and by talking to other elk hunters. Elk hunting is a lot of work but hearing screaming bulls at daylight is worth all of the work.
My buddy Tom Johnson and myself with his 2009 bull.
All the planning paid off.
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