Went on my first ever elk hunt

[shdwlkr]

I had the chance to go elk hunting last weekend and into yesterday. Nope didn't get my elk but I will go back next year.
Here is what yesterday brought us. No pictures was to busy enjoying the rural part of Idaho maybe next year.
Our base had 8 inches to a foot of snow and it got cool at night

I just came back from elk hunting and it took us two days to find where the elk were but my back and bronchitis returning cut things short. Forget the fact we woke up to 16 degrees snow, a frozen 4 wheeler had to chain up the trucks and the camper trailer I was pulling had no brakes try that sometime on snow covered forest service roads and it is all down hill for lots of miles. Brings back the excitment of being alive and out in the real country.

Will I do it again you bet and I will have more things next year as now I have an idea what I need and my friend and I are already looking for places to go turkey hunting with my son next year. He is going to be 8 next year and wants to go with dad so it will happen. Nope he doesn't live with me, more like I get him and his sister on loan a few times a year, think divorce and all your questions are answered.

[xacex]

I cant wait to get out there this year for elk. Those long hikes in the woods sure remind us of how human, or out of shape we are. I spent a total of 6 days looking for my buck this year. A bunch of doe, an occasional running buck, and finally I got one down.
I live with my son,and it is hard to get him to go with me. I made him a batch of my jerky this year all for himself, and got a promise he would join me for the hunt next year. His mom let him watch Bambi to many times, but now that he knows what Bambi can taste like he is interested.
I hope we dont have snow this year on the hunt. My 4x4's tires are just about done. I spent all my tire fund on new Mihec molds, primers, and powder. I can get tires anytime, but the mold, primers,and powder have been a bear to put in the rack this year.

[azrednek]

I just returned from an unsuccessful deer hunting trip in northern Arizona. Guess the previous archery hunt wiped out all the bucks. I saw plenty of doe and enough elk to feed an army. At sun up still dark behind the mountains and tall pines. I searched frantically through a heard with my scope looking for antlers. Finding a nice rack. I tightened my scope, dropped to one knee, unlocked the safety, lowered the cross hairs from the rack intending to shoot it in the neck and discovered it was an elk. I was never so tempted in my life to become a poacher. Good thing I stayed honest as I saw a game warden a few hours later.

[shdwlkr]

Don't know how good your health is but I am enjoying failing body parts and can use a 4 wheeler to do most of the walking. We took this one places most wouldn't have gone and had a really good time trying to get it stuck never happened. Only thing we found interesting were roads well trails that had ruts deep enough to qualify as small ponds.

Like I said I wish my health had been better my old back and yes I broke it once just wouldn't let me continue I only hope next year is better sure would like to get an Elk and not have to think about buying meat for a while.

Yea we saw some less than totally honorable hunting while out, but I am not a game warden and as far as we could tell they were not poachers but sure wished I had been a game warden is all I am saying. Remember I am just learning at my old age what elk hunting is!!

Only good thing I saw last week was a friend of mine scored on a moose here in Idaho glad for him and what a nice set of horns he has now.

Yes I saw an elk cow and not a really big one according to my friend, lots and lots of steaks, roasts and burger meat, but alas it was not mine dang it.

[elk hunter]

SHDWLKR,

You poor fellow, you are on the verge of becoming an addict, quit now while you have a chance, if you kill an elk there is no going back you'll be addicted for life. I speak from experience, I went on my first elk hunt in 1961 and had the great misfortune to kill one and haven't been able to quit hunting them since that day. You'll find yourself watching the calendar waiting for opening day, and when it arrives you will be happy, when you fill your tag or the season ends you will become sullen and grumpy knowing you have to wait another year.

I find myself looking for tracks whenever we go for a drive in the woods trying to learn more about them. My wife says I start thinking like them in the summer and by fall I probably even smell like them.

Oh, it is a fine and pleasant misery so do be careful lest you become addicted and have to go to EHA meetings, that's Elk Hunters Anonymous, and stand up and confess, "I'm an elk addict".

[shdwlkr]

Elk Hunter
I do so hope that one day I do score on an elk and yes the addiction will be in full swing by then. My only fear is that my already very abused body will not want to deal with the physical challenge of the hunt. I can already use and ATV to get to the elk and yes I am sad about that but so very greatfull for the friend who is willing to take time off from work and away from family so I can learn to enjoy the truly great outdoors that exists here in Idaho.