How many miles?

[AvidIndoorsman]

 

[Bigjay73]

Subtract an average of 25% from the answers if you want real numbers. Hunters are full of sh!t when replying to this question, myself included

 

[kwyeewyk]

Subtract an average of 25% from the answers if you want real numbers. Hunters are full of sh!t when replying to this question, myself included

Do you use a GPS track? It's pretty easy to get a fairly accurate distance, some error probably mostly over estimated, but close. If no gps track then yeah probably at least 25% overestimate. I don't doubt the numbers I'm seeing people post.

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

How much I average hiking while hunting each season depends on the general weather pattern for the hunting season and the location. I’ve been fit, skinny my whole life. Sitting is very uncomfortable and extremely boring for me. ‘Hiking while hunting’ is fun and there is something new to discover over every hill and around every bend. Following fresh tracks is my favorite way to hunt. Last year with the deep snow I could reliably get into elk within a mile of most trailhead parking lots-this year, with little snow, I was usually finding elk at or above 8000ft, which was a solid 10-12mile round trip in the mountain range that I did most of my hunting. In that area I did glass a couple nice bulls from above that were ‘close’ (as the crow flies) to the trailhead along the private/public boundary but getting one of them out would have been torture-there was two steep, heavily timbered ridges that separated their bedding ridge from the trailhead. It would’ve been impossible to get a horse to the quarters-I’m not interested in putting antlers first, meat second. Occasionally I’ll cover a few miles in the dark on horseback but I usually keep my horses at the house until there is a dead elk to pack out. This year after about 8 days of hard hunting I finally pried myself away from my go to spots and switched to another mountain range that I’d never hunted before and cut fresh tracks 200yds from my car. Ended up killing one about a mile from the trailhead and I was grinning ear to ear at how little hunting pressure there was at my new spot-there were lots of fart sniffing fatties in big trucks and sidebysides down on the road but they would’ve had a heart attack if they’d tried to lift their asses out of their vehicle and I suppose the elk knew it

Well stated! Congratulations.

 

[isu22andy]

I still want to see Westelkers kill pics . Put a black box over your head .

 

[Dsnow9]

What if he is actually khunter’s alter ego and now he can tell us how we are doing it wrong without hesitation. Would explain why there a no pics, we would all recognize him and the animals he has killed. Made up a good back story to throw us off his trail!

 

[WildWill]

Will someone please turn of the dick signal so @Westelker - W. Colorado will go away.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I don’t care to put up any numbers, but I know that mine would be mostly underestimated. I use google earth to draw some estimates for planning purposes, but otherwise I just figure it in time, based on terrain and distance both. GE distance is great as a coarse tool and adequate for my needs.

Somehow I’m sure even that is lying, and I promise I’ll try to do better to appease those who find elk next to their truck.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Will someone please turn of the dick signal so @Westelker - W. Colorado will go away.View attachment 312446

keep it clean

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Will someone please turn of the dick signal so @Westelker - W. Colorado will go away.View attachment 312446

Is anyone here computer nerdy enough to sneak into Rokslide’s inner workings and make that the logo?

 

[Deleted member 48080]

I've only killed two antlered bulls, and both were 5+ miles behind the gate on logging roads.

I despise elk hunting.

 

[TheTone]

Just used measuring tool on OnX. It says my best bull was killed about 540 yards off a gravel road; it can be done

 

[brymoore]

I usually hike 1-3 miles to a glassing spot in the dark. I might move another mile or so changing glassing spots. Stalks might be up to a mile if we find an animal. Repeat 1-3 mile hike out in the dark.

 

[BenP]

That's exactly the strategy I am referring to and have employed for years. Several places in CO I have got lucky and figured out via Google earth that hold elk close to roads; and, a couple spots I discovered where elk crossed the road in snow in places where I thought was unusual locations and the herd was not migrating. I'll also add to this thread that just because a hunter may walk X miles does not necessarily mean he's/she's that far from camp or truck.

So everyone is doing it wrong and you're doing it right and you want everyone to change and do it your way? You must like it crowded or are trying to empty out the back country so you have more bulls for yourself.

So have you ever been to Norris road?

 

[FLGAcracker]

Great responses here, thanks, helps to set/reset expectations.

 

[Spedray]

Sounds like a great simple strategy. To alleviate walking all the way back to your truck after an elk is down, have you ever thought about driving up "that" spot the next time before you start hunting? That may shorter your walking considerably.

The elk can be anywhere on the mountain. Never the same spot. We usually will leave a truck on both sides and hike to which ever is closest. Kind of a weird spot, there is a road on both sides of the very small mountain range.

 

[MonsterElk]

How many miles do you estimate or track you walk on a daily average for elk? Max/min, archery vs. Rifle? Just thowing those out there.

We tracked ours this year avg was 5 to 7 day on bow and rifle

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

I still want to see Westelkers kill pics . Put a black box over your head .

The elk can be anywhere on the mountain. Never the same spot. We usually will leave a truck on both sides and hike to which ever is closest. Kind of a weird spot, there is a road on both sides of the very small mountain range.

Sounds like you have it wired, makes sense. Good luck in the future.

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

So everyone is doing it wrong and you're doing it right and you want everyone to change and do it your way? You must like it crowded or are trying to empty out the back country so you have more bulls for yourself.

So have you ever been to Norris road?

All I am suggesting is to consider utilizing GE, if studied hard it may reveal all kinds hidden places that could hold elk. Which also could be small hidden areas near roads. To each is own!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

All I am suggesting is to consider utilizing GE, if studied hard it may reveal all kinds hidden places that could hold elk. Which also could be small hidden areas near roads. To each is own!

I'm not sure that's quite all you're suggesting, or if so, it's been with the nuance of a jackhammer. However, this is largely true, or at least worth a hard look for those with the primary goal of finding "some elk".

There are lots of other things that make elk hunting fun for some of us though, namely not spending a lot of time in thick hell-holes that may or may not be small areas near roads. The very nature of being up and away from roads, in big glorious country is usually a higher priority unless short on meat. Basically high country mule deer hunting for elk, which is the far superior way to enjoy the outdoors, though rarely the most efficient.