What's the longest distance you would hike for an elk?

[Sagebrush77]

Archery guys, I know you put on the miles. What about my rifle hunters, how far do you typically have to hike to get a good look at those bulls?

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

6 Miles is the farthest I have packed one of my own out from. I would saw average is 2 miles.

 

[Ben Long]

I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more...

 

[MTLabrador]

I put in a lot more miles rifle hunting than I do archery hunting.

 

[mtmuley]

I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more...

I remember a SNL skit using that song and Michael Jordan scoring points. Hilarious. But yeah, me too. mtmuley

 

[Werty]

3-5 miles, I'm taking my horse if its any farther.

 

[Southern Elk]

Depends on the terrain.

 

[JF35]

We did a 11.5 mile ballon on a string shaped loop this year so we were a little over 5.5 miles from the pickup. We had 3 of us so I was a little worried. But we figured we would just completely bone one out If we got one that far out. A few years back 2 of us brought one out from 3 miles In and that was pretty hard on us 40 somethings lol

 

[Oak]

Hard to get too fired up about elk. I took this pic through my scope from the seat of my truck and chose to go watch the Broncos instead.

 

[GrantK]

I put in a lot more miles rifle hunting than I do archery hunting.

this is how it usually works for me, I've put in up to 14 miles in a day with a rifle, that said, none of that 14 miles was more than about 3 miles off the road, I try to draw the line for packouts at about 3 miles one way if I'm solo, maybe push into 4-something if the elk is big and I have help...
I'd suffer more for a bull like that one @Oak just posted though...

 

[mtmuley]

Hard to get too fired up about elk. I took this pic through my scope from the seat of my truck and chose to go watch the Broncos instead.

View attachment 241929

The Broncos? Shoulda killed the bull. mtmuley

 

[Oak]

Shoulda killed the bull.

I've heard that a few times in my life.

 

[antlerradar]

Hard to get too fired up about elk. I took this pic through my scope from the seat of my truck and chose to go watch the Broncos instead.

View attachment 241929

From one Bronco's fan to another, that was more painful than packing out an elk.
A win is a win I guess, but it was hard of watch.

 

[MTGomer]

It really depends. Assuming no horses, the distance is shortened but what’s the terrain?

I will/have kill one 8 miles in if it’s downhill on a pack trail or gated logging road back to the truck.
4 miles is too far if you have to climb 3k vertical feet through lodgepole blowdown bullshit covered in a few inches of slippery snow.

If the bull were big enough I’d kill him dang near anywhere in November and take my time getting it out and getting help from others. You don’t have that luxury in September when you need to get the meat out immediately due to heat.

 

[Idaho2320]

Archery guys, I know you put on the miles. What about my rifle hunters, how far do you typically have to hike to get a good look at those bulls?

I have done 7 miles with about 3000 ft elevation gain... Sort of thankful that I have never actually killed one way back in there. I think it just depends on how much work you really want to do. I would happily kill a rag horn a mile or two from the truck, but when I go back there I don't want to shoot anything under 300"

 

[Buckskinbob]

I havnt killed enough elk to turn one down any distance from the road, but I've been hunting between 2 and 6 miles from the road this year. I mostly try and work a big loop I like seeing new country on the way back.

 

[jtm307]

I've never needed to hike more than 3 miles from the truck to kill an elk.

 

[MtnElk]

Based on this thread and its responses, my hunt will go one of two ways:

1. I'm going to be completely alone back there and balls deep in Elk

OR

2. My e-scouting plan is complete crap and I'm going to suffer needlessly

knowing my luck, its #2

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Same^^

I’ll hike as far as required of me. My buddies talk me out of some.

Need new hunting buddies…

Love the proclaimers quote… I’d walk a 1000 miles to fall down at my first bull……. Prolly shoot a cow after like 2 though.

 

[MtnElk]

Same^^

When we get our elk