Hello from MD...

[wamp]

hello from maryland, this september i will be making the trek to colorado for my first ever elk hunt (unit 34 and 25)! i have been trying to gather any information i can to increase my odd so i figured if i were going to be searching and digging through this forum the least i could do would be to join so i can at least congratulate successful hunters come fall since all of my experience is in the world of whitetails and turkey....
going into this hunt the odds are highly stacked against me since i live 28hrs away and with my only scouting being done by maps and google earth so i am thinking of this hunt as it will be an awesome camping trip, and if i were able to be part of the small percentage that gets the opportunity to place my tag on an elk then that would be icing on the cake....

so far i have went over what seems like 100 pack lists and seem to have a good day pack list rounded up, i do a lot of exercising of different kinds, have good boots, shoot my bow regularly from 10 to 80yds.... so i guess i am off to a fairly good start on things i can control...... when it comes to the elk woods is where i am lost.....

with all of my searching of maps and arial photos it all kind of looks the same to me when i think i have an elk holding area. what tips can you give that can help me eliminate or prioritize my areas to good, better, and best places to go.... what tips can you give me in general to make this hunt the hunt of a lifetime, i am ready to absorb information from all aspects of the hunt.....

thanks ahead for your time and any information!

[JGH]

I'm still new, but as a whitetail hunter who moved west, the first thing you'll notice is that elk are spread out way more than whitetails.

For whitetails: Good habitat = deer.

For elk: Good elk habitat may not see an elk for years.

And so "hunting for elk to hunt" is the first obstacle. And it's a big one. It can be very discouraging to spend your only vacation days of the year looking for elk to hunt and not finding them. Plan on this being a big portion of your trip.

Local knowledge is very valuable, but hard to come by. One thing I think helps is to know that elk can hide, but tracks and poop can't. Sign doesn't mean they are there, but absence of sign is a clear message that you are in the wrong place.

Also, elk can travel over any terrain, but like any other critter, they prefer the easy routes ... saddles, trails, etc. Elk country is huge, and you have to narrow down in your mind where they are most likely, like north faces, major saddles, and undisturbed areas.

[mtnmutt]

This is where I found additional information after getting local tips when I lived in the CO mountains:

CPW Hunting Atlas:
http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/
Zoom in on your GMU
Select Map Layers & Legend
Select Visibility
Select Hunter Reference and check the boxes you care about
Select Game Species
Select Elk

Unfortunately, the Hunting Atlas Summer concentration is not as helpful as the old MapIt app. I hunt within 1-3 miles of where they used to highlight the elk Summer concentration in the below MapIt Interactive application.

The old MapIt Interactive is still available too: click on large button marked: Click for GAME Maps. Select American Elk Summer Activity Areas.
Here is a snaphot of GMU35/34.
http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/Maps/fra ... rocess.asp

The CPW regional Hunting guide may help you. It is updated by July 1st.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/SiteCollect ... tGuide.pdf

The CPW also encourages hunters to contact the biologist for that GMU or DAU(by elk herds), but contact them now. They get busier as it gets warmer. There are telephone numbers for your area in the above NW guide.

They used to have the DATA ANALYSIS UNIT PLAN (DAUs) for each elk herd which is more detailed then the above, but I cannot find those anymore.

Contact the local National Forest office about Forest Service road closures due to logging operations. A couple of years ago, some fellows I talked to in my GMU changed GMUs because their normal hunting area access was closed due to logging operations. Lots of beetle kill pines=lots of logging.

Get the Elknut Playbook and maybe the new DVD Scouting. Based on Paul's tips on this site, I have no doubt that his Scouting DVD helps long distance elk hunters get a leg up on scouting. He also has a lot of Tips on this site that help. Look at the cold calling thread that has pictures.

Google Earth is great. Someone here or on AT had some good suggestions on settings for GE, but I did not write them down.

National Geographic Trail Illustrated maps are great for viewing a large area, but then you want a 1:24,000 map for detail. While viewing GE, make notes on your topo map. I now have a Nexus Tablet 7" that allows me to save GE shots that I can now view in camp. You may also print your own before heading to CO.

I may be slow, but it took me 2 years or so before I figured out the elk travel routes for my hunting area. However, that was before I learned about the elknut playbook which speeds up the learning curve.

FYI: They may re-introduce elk to NW MD (Allegany and Garrett counties). I have lived in CO for 22 years, however, MD is my native state. Therefore, I follow this re-introduction with a little bit of pride. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has donated funds towards this effort.

[>>>---WW---->]

Most of the guys that post their pack list are seasoned hunters here. Some may prefer a few more creature comforts than others. So you do need to sort through things and figure your own comfort zone. But the key thing to think about is just because you may have a 5000 cu. pack doesn't mean you have to fill it up. And also, the only difference between a 2 day pack and a 7 day pack is the extra food you need. But, that is JMHO

Also, Elknut has a great DVD on what to look for and how to find good elk country. I can't think of the name of it right now. But I'll bet if you give him a call he'll get you started off on the right track.

Good luck on your hunt this fall and wELKome to the forum.

[Swede]

As I consider the hunt that Wamp in prepping for, there are a few things that come to mind. You have a good understanding of the task before you and the challenge it presents. That is good, as you are not likely to wake up out somewhere discouraged and just throw in the towel. My advice is to learn all you can before you go. Then learn all you can while in elk country. Be careful of the advise you take. Even locals are not always right and some "experts" on some hunting forums make elk hunting sound like it is easy. That is rarely true on OTC public land hunts. Hunt steady until you have to come back. Hunting steady does not always mean hard, but you need to continue. Patience is as valuable as running, but often more difficult. Remember, luck is 90% knowledge and persistence.

[WapitiTalk1]

Pour through the threads on Elknut's webpage to drastically increase your odds for success. Yes, I'm biased. I've hunted elk for over 30 years with more than a few Army interruptions but have never seen the quantity of expert information contained here. The information that is offered here by Elknut, Swede, cnelk, Indian Summer, WW, Slim9300, J. Fitzpatrick, and a bunch of others is... well, priceless (many more names/hunters offer wisdom here than what I've mentioned). They all get it and have spent the majority of their lives perfecting their understanding of how to get very, very close to these barn smelling beasts. Some of us have harvested 15-20 elk, others, many more than that. What is unique about this site is that these long beards (sorry WW, you're not that much older than me... ) are willing to share knowledge. Oh, and welcome to the addition and "the elk forum". RJ

[wamp]

thanks for the input guys, i really appreciate each bit of advise that you have given, and every little bit help. i will keep digging and reading for the next several months and maybe i will be part of the small percentage to place a tag on an elk......

[wamp]

mtnmutt, i am born and raised garrett county MD and i have been lucky enough to land a job with the DNR so i have been hearing about this elk reintroduction for a while now..... its a long ways down the road, it would be cool to live with elk but i personally think there would be space and competition issues.... time will tell i guess.......

[Willie makit]

Wamp, welcome to my world and welcome to the forum,

signed,
A Lurker.