A couple newb questions

Dan, one other thing that I will throw out there with regards to the ATV: if you are taking that deep into the woods or there are trails around where others can take ATV\'s, I would try to distance myself even further from those trails. In my experience, elk really avoid the areas where ATV\'s are driven frequently. I believe it is just because they are so much louder than a typical vehicle. Sure you might see elk by those trails, but for me when I am using an ATV, I know that the second I park it, anything within a 1/2 mile or more just heard me come in and they know exactly where I am. I don\'t have the best hearing, but I have sat at 3/4 of a mile or more from a trail and have heard ATV\'s on a trail. That tells me that elk can hear you even further than that and they can pinpoint exactly where you are at. Just something to think about...
 
I am not an experienced elk hunter, so I am a sponge for all elk behavior tips.

Here is some information passed onto me that was observed by a lady who tended cattle solo in the CO mountains.

Hunters would ride down a road on their ATVs, the elk would wait for them to be clear a ways and then the elk would cross the road behind them. Apparently, it was hilarious to watch.

Last year, I paid more attention to places the elk crossed the road. I would walk the road looking for crossings. There were lots of hunters slowly driving the road to look on each side to find the elk crossings.

I personally like to get at least 1/2 mile from the road towards Wilderness if possible. However, last season, all my close elk encounters were within 150 yards to 1/4 mile from the road. It was nice to find out that I could hunt closer to camp if I wanted an easier day to recharge for the next day.
 
mtnmutt & cohunter14,

I agree with the noise being an issue and I will do my best to not let it effect me this year. As soon as this deployment finishes up, I want to get right out there and start scouting. That way I can find the areas that I know the Elk wont hear any other people driving around on ATVs.

You talked about the elk crossing the roads and you encounters not too far into the woods.


I guess a question I should have asked originally is, how similar to elk to moose?

After many years hunting whitetail in Maine, I had MANY encounters with moose. They were never actually scared of me and always very curious. If I wanted to I could walk right up onto a moose, no issue. It might just be where I was, the fact they hardly get hunted, or maybe they are just slow :crazy:

But, how similar are elk to moose? If they get spooked, are they gone like a flash? Or more of a slow get away?
 
Elk are nothing like moose. Elk have fear of humans, and will flee at the first sniff.

Moose don\'t fear anything. Not even grizz. They\'re more likely to charge you than flee.
 
When I lived in the CO mtns and walked or x-country skied with my dog, I had lots of moose encounters and near zero elk encounters. The elk stayed away from you unless you were in a town. Elk know they are not hunted in certain places.

Elk are curious animals, however, only the calves are likely to want to come up to you. But mama will yell at her kid to get the heck away from you.

Just my 2 cents worth after living in the CO mtns for 8 years. Others may have a different take on it.
 
You guys are the best! Thank you all for your answers!


This site absolutely lives up to it\'s name. :)
 
i will completely agree with cnelk on his post, an add this.
i started out carrying extra food, jetboil, water filter, first aid kit, rain gear, small tarp, para cord, extra gps batteries, etc etc etc. by the end of about day three im down to one or two protein bars, game bags, knife, camera. i keep the extra stuff like an extra release, framepack, saw, etc in the car. the only extra dead an kinda dumb wt i carry, ALWAYS, is my 45. it really isnt needed but makes me feel better. if i get lost at least i can shoot occ. lol.
as far as getting one out. i did a somewhat gutless method, an just started cutting off junks of meat. the butcher wasnt real please with my job an let me know i ruined alot of round steak etc. frankly i didnt care. dont care for wild game meat, even elk, anyway so i try to do hamburger an kill it with other seasonings. an i still got plenty of steaks etc.
one more thing, i got around 170 lbs of meat out off my bull. i was sure i did a lousy job of getting meat off an was kinda upset with myself. but, ive read some other posts an that seems pretty common to get 170 ish lbs of boned out meat off an elk.
it took me 2.5 trips to get mine out. but i need to explain that. mine was almost all down hill ((still sucked). i boned him out an took a big load out, got the saw an went back. i filled my pack with meat, strapped the head on the outside (the head weighs a ton, plan on it) an started out. then i decided i didnt wanna climb the mnt again so i grabbed the last load in my arms an held onto it for the trip down the mnt. it was a hell especially in the deadfall. but as soon as i got to the bottom i dropped it in some shade an carried the rest out. then i only had to go back after the last bag an no mnt to climb, hence 2.5 trips. even at that i was shot when i got done. i thought going downhill wouldnt be to bad, i was wrong.
sounds like your young an strong an smart. prepare an you wont have any problems. good luck.
 
You answered a lot for me right there that I had planned on asking down the road. One thing being how much meat am I looking at packing out.
I know that varies on size, but an average helps. Now I know I can be upwards of 100+lbs. That gives me a good start, so I know how much I can do my workouts with.

I also have a feeling that my pack load will start out larger like you said, then eventually trim it down. I am not one for carrying more than I have to.

You bring up a good point though. I need to research if I can bring out a side arm or not in NM.


Thanks!
 
Just so you know. I\'ve hunted since the early 50\'s, and never needed a sidearm while hunting. I\'ve carried bear spray, and i\'ve never needed it either.

Now, i\'m not a bow hunter, but even if I was I wouldn\'t have needed a sidearm. That doesn\'t mean you might not need one, but the odds are low. I like to hunt as light as possible. Even while bear hunting this year with a one shot muzzleloader. I only have a bowie knife as backup. I don\'t even bother with bear spray anymore.
 
I understand. I have never once needed one either, but when I was born, I had a smith and Wesson .357 in my hand.
It\'s something that I am just used to having on me, sort of like my wallet or my watch....

I bring one with me on every hunt (in states where I can legally carry them)
My grandfather raised me on S&W and he still, to this day, gets a kick out of me taking them on hunts or that I still use it as my personal carry gun.
It is not the end of the world if I cant carry one while hunting in NM. It\'s just something I need to find out.




I am with you too when it comes to the knife. If something comes in too fast, I am going for my knife.
 
I\'m a fan of S&W too. I was born and brought up in Springfield Mass where they\'re made. All my handguns have been S&W over the years.

I\'m a retired truck driver, and felt a need to carry a handgun on my job more than in the mountains. What does that say for our society?
 
Want to know why I carry a S&W 40 cal while hunting or in my truck?

Because I can
 
Not practical, but romantic to take care of any problems with a bowie knife.

It may be my death, but what the hell. We all have to go some way.
 
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