Elk Hunting RSS
New Mexico Bull Elk
Backcountry Hunting Essentials: Preparing for a Hunt in the Backcountry
One of the most common questions I get from novices is ‘how should I prepare for my first hunt in the backcountry?’ Hunting for elk and other big game in what can be a dangerous and unwelcoming environment is no small task, but I think I can help make it a little easier for you by sharing some of my backcountry hunting essentials. These are a handful of tips based on my experience as a backcountry hunter that could be valuable to novices and seasoned adventurers alike. Before you head out on your next excursion to remote areas, take my...
Saying Goodbye to Hunting Season
The highlight of owning pack animals is to take them into the wilderness, making it possible for a more fulfilling backcountry experience, whether it’s hunting, fishing or just camping out with family. I am constantly planning and thinking about my next trip. When spring comes and the snow begins to melt in the mountains, I can hardly wait to hit the trail. When the packing season nears its end, I am often planning trips back-to-back, never wasting a moment. Without fail, the last one of the season is bittersweet. It was my second hunting trip of the season. I had...
Good Donkey!
A few years ago, I was elk hunting in the backcountry. I had seen a nice bull elk the previous afternoon along the edge of a large meadow about 1½ miles from camp. Rather than hike up and hunt in the black timber where he’d gone, I decided to ride the donkeys a little farther in, high-line them and hunt from there. I left camp around 3:00 in the afternoon, rode about three miles, and tied up the donkeys. I had the rest of the afternoon to hunt so I headed out on foot. I saw a few elk but...
We Make Our Own Luck
Some people seem to have the ability to do a number of things and do them well. These folks are successful in their careers, relationships, hobbies, and seem to be happy and live meaningful lives. Would you consider these people lucky? Along those same lines, why are some sportsmen able to consistently harvest game? I have heard many people say that hunting is 10% skill and 90% luck. After all, you can’t catch fish if they aren’t biting and you can’t shoot an elk in the backcountry if you don’t see any. So when a hunter kills an animal or...
