How Far For Your Elk Hunt?

[ElkNut1]

Curious as to how far some have to travel to hunt the mighty Wapiti? (grin) I live in the heart of elk country so our travels are minor in comparison to some.

So how far to you go & do you drive or fly?

ElkNut1

[Pop-r]

I drive just a lil over a thousand miles one way! Thinkin ab takin some cameras out in June.

[Lefty]

I can be sitting at a waterhole in 2 hours.

[Slim jim]

I only wish I lived in a state where I could hunt elk every year within a short reach. I'm in Las Vegas NV and I will be driving north into ID this September for about a 12-14 hour drive each way.

[RockChucker30]

About 1500 miles one way for me.

I went with a partner last year and we did the drive in 26 hours. Two hours we were both sleeping, from about 4-6 in the morning. The rest of the time we were moving.

Coming back I was alone so I started it 6 am, drove till 10:30 pm, slept to 3, drove until 7, then napped until 8 and drove the rest of the way. That is a long couple of days.

I found it helps to run around your truck and do jumping squats during breaks at rest stops. But I did get some weird looks....I mean, a pretty rough looking smelly dude running and jumping around a truck loaded with gear and an elk rack in the bed...I'm surprised nobody called the police.

[tdiesel]

about 20 miles is where I could start usually drive about 70 to where I nrmally hunt though.

[WapitiTalk1]

80 some miles to my area in Washington. Around 450 to Idaho.

[easeup]

1000 mi each way will get it for me. Then there is the 1000 mi each way for the summer scouting / just fishing and dreaming trip.

Of course there is the 1000 mi each way for a second trip with a rifle should I find a way to hook another tag somewhere else later that season too.
Driven them all. no flying. So as to date that keeps me away from the northern rockies and PNW states as it is just too far to go.

[elkmtngear]

One Thousand Miles for me one-way as well. Two days of endless sage and anticipation.

With a couple of elk in the back, the trip home will be like floating on air !

[bnsafe]

bout 90 miles this year, round 800 last

[Mikeha33]

Ill be in for right at 1600 +/- miles, round trip from SE KS, to where we're gonna leave the truck.

[BrentLaBere]

Roughly 600 miles one way driving for me this year.
Last year it was only 150 so it will be a big change.

[mtnmutt]

Primary areas: For my Wilderness area elk hunts with less hunters, more elk: 3-3.5 hrs to base camp. These are my preferred areas. I used to live 30 minutes from one of these spots. I was spoiled back then.

Secondary area: Close to home area with more hunters, less elk, less public land and ATV highways: 1-1.5 hrs. I only go here if I can't get away for more than one day.

[Rojix]

2000 miles one way. I used to do this drive 2 or 3 times a year when I was stationed in CO, but then again I was a lot younger. I plan on it taking 2 days each way.

[mandrroofing]

I drive just about 1500 miles one way central ohio to west colorado.Last year we drove stright through.lol thats a long drive with 5 guys.The trucks smells real bad after that drive

[Swede]

I must be about 300 miles and eight hours away when hauling camp. It is nothing compared to some here.

[dapper]

About 1000 miles, one way.

[CrazyElkHunter]

1100 one way. 8 miles per gallon pulling trailer

[snake]

I believe that it's gonna be around 1200 miles one way. Glad I have three other guys to help pay for the gas.

[eriks.]

Gonna be around 750 miles one way for me. Don't mind it though. Love the open road. Lots of time to practice while listening to Sounds by the elk Should be an "expert caller" by the time I get there. lol

[planebow]

About 400 miles to where I will be for the first 2 weeks of the season and then if I go out again it will be about 40 miles

[Indian Summer]

2250 milles ONE way.

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

I live just about three miles outsde of a little town that bills itself as (The Elk Hunting Capitol Of The World) So needless to say, I don't have to travel very far.

[wideangle]

360 miles one way.

[JimKirk]

15 to 50 miles here in NM.

[Trophyhill]

Right now about 3300 miles 1 way. Combination of flying and driving

[Da White Shoe]

Right now about 3300 miles 1 way. Combination of flying and driving

Wouldn't want to swim any of it... with all the sharks!

[Da White Shoe]

It could be 2 miles... if I could ever draw another South Dakota tag.

Usually, we go to Colorado... about a 10 hour drive.
We hunted the Gila in '09 and it was quite a drive.
Flew out to Oregon in '08.
Flying to Alaska this September... but, that will be for those European elk!

[NCelkhtr]

right at 1700 miles one way. I wish I were closer. I get excited and hardly sleep any on the way out and the drive dont seam that bad. But that drive back is a LONG couple of days, that seems like it takes forever.

[kjv1959]

1223.0 mi one way from Wis

[Bowhunter]

About 950 miles one way. Takes me about 14 hours. I do it in one day stopping only for fuel.

[8upbowhunter]

Looks like it will be 1,270 miles one way.

[Trophyhill]

Right now about 3300 miles 1 way. Combination of flying and driving

Wouldn't want to swim any of it... with all the sharks!

Tell me about it. I know the guy who made the "Chompy The Shark" video on AHTV via YouTube. Makes you realize how small you really are once you enter the food chain!

[rudyc]

1,300 miles one way.
Gonna drive my partner crazy with elk calls and jibber-jabber.
I wonder if the elk really appreciate all the time and expense a fella goes through to kill one.
Love a road trip!!!

[BobcatJerry]

1800+ miles one way from central Ohio. Usually drive straight through to Idaho with a buddy. 2010 went antelope hunting too in WY. Put 8000 miles on my truck in 4 weeks.

[bnsafe]

holy cow yall just made me appreciate movin to co more.

[Camo]

I am coming from southeast Texas and it will take us 22 hours to reach central Colorado. Driving through northeast New Mexico is mega boring other than watching pronghorn antelope and a few trains. Thank goodness the New Mexico highway department has finally finished some of the road work. However it is worth it. The mountains are awesome! New Mexico is closer but we can't get drawn so we have to go further.

[Waygoner]

For the late seasons I can be hunting within 15 min of home. It's usually 45 min to base camp though. I've hunted elk before going to work a few times.

[pd]

Wow. I am astounded by you guys, and your determination. I see drives anywhere from 1,800 miles to drive+fly of 3,300 miles. Incredible.

I am about 3 hours (by car) from the trailhead, and then 2 to 3 hours hike in to the camera. I guess that this shouldn't be considered "far" at all, should it?

I saw the post about being able to elk hunt while driving to work. One of my hunting buddies shot a deer last year while driving to pick up his daughter from school. Yes, given rules about firearms on school campuses he had to be careful with the smoke pole in the trunk. But, more than that, he had a buck in the back seat.

[huntemhigh]

1957 miles one way.

[baddaddy]

40 minutes...one way.

[TENFIVE]

4,300 miles & 64 hours in the truck for the round trip . . . . Massachusetts to Gunnison, Colorado.

We wanted to bring all the gear we wanted and not have to worry about getting antlers and meat back home.

That is a lot of windshield time, but I would do it again tomorrow if it was elk season. We were into elk but didn't close the deal. We will make the drive again.

Appreciate it if you are luck enough to live in elk country!

[slim9300]

A 10 to 11 hour drive to MT and a 2 hour drive to my WA spot.

[sreekers]

3 hours tops, usually 1.5 for my general units. If I draw some cow tags close to home its a lot easier. Can be in elk country in less than 20 minutes.

[pointysticks]

i am shopping for a small utility trailer this year. i am hoping to get more gas money splitting people in one car..and we will need the gear space.

i hate hunting commutes. the added costs are brutal.

i can dip a toe in the pacific ocean after a 3 minute walk..right now. elk are in the middle of our country..i see 20+ hour drives.

[Lefty]

,....I saw the post about being able to elk hunt while driving to work. ,......

I had a Wyoming school superintendent offer me a job and the carrot was other teachers would help load up the elk on our way home,.. even the school bus was known to stop and help teachers load game

[Whitetail180]

When I go to New Mexico,it's 14hours for me and when I go to Colorado it's 10.5 to 11 hours.....quite honestly it wouldn't matter how far I had to drive. I must Elk hunt, it's in my Soul......

[Breeze]

1630 miles one way. I've done it in 26 hours but average 30. We usually drive straight through and switch off drivers every tank o gas, which is only 225 miles with the pickup camper. Eight fillups. Ouch.

[Z Barebow]

Varies. NM was over 1600 miles. WYO is around 1000 miles and this year I am head to MT, looks to be a little under 700 miles to my planned area. I drive on all of my hunts.

[Canvsbk]

1,300 miles to get there....but it's the fuel costs that really stink

[Hackbow]

1000 mi this year, but I moved closer. The last two trips were 1650. Worth every mile, every minute and every penny.

[Curious]

200 miles. As someone else mentioned, nothing compared to what some of you are driving.

[bowpackerrob]

This year looks to be probably around 1200 miles one way, drew unit 9 New Mexico.

[wawhitey]

right now its 360 miles. looks like im going to be buying a new place soon, and when (if) i get it ill have about a 10 minute drive for my best bet, or a possibility of leaving my back door on foot to get into some elk.

[ABQ_Chica]

My elk-hunting drive ranges from 100-200 miles, depending on which unit I draw. Can't complain about that. Kudos to those of you coming from far, far away...

[mtman71]

If I could actually draw a Kentucky elk tag, it would be a easy 260 miles or so. That being said, our happy elk hunting grounds in CO are about 1150 miles

[WindedBowhunter]

Paul, we travel from VA to MT, CO, MT to chase elk! So, furthest distance to date has been 2,470 miles!

400' to 3,000' just from a plane ride, then 2,000' gain in elevation in the truck! We flatlanders always have an adventure coming out west...and love it!

[sleepymoe]

1,100-1,400 miles one way, enjoy every mile of it regardless of the outcome

[flyinhunter]

I can step out my back door (at times) and see elk although it's not much of a hunting area. So to actually hunt it's about 40-50 miles to the trailhead. My favorite elk hunting spot is another 30 miles from the trailhead so add another 8 hours of riding if it goes smooth. If we are having horse/mule wrecks or running into down timber on the trail that we have to cut it takes a lot longer... longest was 15 hours from the trailhead to camp.

Granted, the 15 hours included the time spent fixing everything after a horse rolled down the mountain and through my pack string with me (sorta) sitting on him right in the middle of a very steep shale slide. That was a bad day but we were lucky no one got hurt including animals. Although, that horse was recaught, unsaddled and tied to the back of the string. Being in a pinch I had to unload a pack mule and put my riding saddle on him. Out of my whole string I had one mule that had propane bottles on. Since I knew we had plenty of propane already in camp I cut "The Bubba Donkey" out of the string and stashed the propane in the trees nearby. We had to have a few "lessons" before we headed back up the trail because "Bubba" the pack mule wasn't a riding mule. Once he figured it out he became one of the greatest guide mules I've ever got to ride until one bad bear encounter cracked his egg so-to-speak and earned me a few broken toes to boot.

Ever since the infamous bear encounter, when we headed down river out of camp we could only go left where the trail Y'd. The little sucker could not be forced into going right no matter what even the following year. Obviously, the right Y trail led to the spot where Bubba and I met a not too friendly bear literally upclose and personal and he didn't think much of that area anymore. Even though the Y was a good 3 or 4 miles from "the scene" no amount of reassurance, kicking, fighting or following other mules would help. He'd call BS and just stop in his tracks, pin his ears, chew his bit, caulk is head and glare at me with one eye. If I pushed much he'd whirrel and bolt for camp with me grabbin' for leather and cussing like a sailor. haha. This didn't instill much confidence in my hunters when my mule and I were arguing over which direction to go. It only took once or twice before I had to submit to Bubba's way of thinking and plan my hunts based on which mule I was riding that day. "Ah crap, I'm riding Bubba so we might as well just go upriver".

Oops, I got side tracked there. Yeah, 40 or so miles

[Bartfrncs]

About 250 but that's just to the trail head. Its 12more to get to the Elk. Let me tell you that 12 is pure hell takes several hours.

[flyinhunter]

About 250 but that's just to the trail head. Its 12more to get to the Elk. Let me tell you that 12 is pure hell takes several hours.

Horses/mules or on foot?

[Magic]

Most years we drive about 1500 miles. It will only be about 1200 this year.

[spyder24]

I drive 1610 miles one way from WV to camp. Already looking forward to doing it again this year.

[Triplebhunters]

1700 miles from northwestern pa to Gunnison.

[ElkNut1]

Dave, welcome to the Forum!

Some of you travel great distances to fulfill your yearly dreams & first time elk hunting dreams. That is way cool, congrats to you guys & gals!

ElkNut1

[Triplebhunters]

Thanks Paul. I've pretty much been one of those Lurkers for a while. I spoke with you on the phone a few times last year getting reccomendation on calls and videos. Thanks for your time with that. Sure helped with easing my mind. This will be my third year out west, maybe my year to bag a bull.

[huntnut12]

our drive is right 1200 miles usually 3 -4 guys in a truck, driveing strait through only stopping for gas.
the drive out is'nt bad eveyone is excited, ready to get it done. the drive back is a whole differant story
even if you did tag out that is ONE long ride back, after a week of climbing as most of you know.

[dotman]

Most years it is an easy 750 miles to CO, usualy 2 or 3 trips a year but this year it is a 1600 mile solo trip one way to ID.

[WapitiTalk1]

Most years it is an easy 750 miles to CO, usualy 2 or 3 trips a year but this year it is a 1600 mile solo trip one way to ID.

Long trip for sure but you'll more than likely have multiple opportunities to skewer a bull in the Gem state. Don't forget the premium sipping beverage as I think they check you for it when you cross that final state line on your trip

[dotman]

I'll not only have a sippin beverage but be bringing some KC micro brews.

[ElkNut1]

Dave, sounds good, hopefully the bulls will fear you! (grin) Feel free to call me anytime! Thanks.

ElkNut1

[elkaholic]

My little 150 miles 1 way seems really small compared to a lot of folks on here. About 2.5 hr drive time to the trailhead and then another hour to camp.

[otcWill]

Depends on where I wanna hunt 'em. I got spots 30 min. from the door and spots 7 hours away.