Am I crazy?

[cquery2]

I've never posted here but been reading through for a bit now . Unlike other forums I've been a part of, most of what I see is guys willing to share information and a shared passion. I've learned a lot from just reading through the forum. I appreciate the discussions.

I've been a considerably successful whitetail hunter from the Midwest and I've always had the dream of going west for elk with my archery gear. I've tried for a few years to talk buddies into it but they just aren't committed enough. I've now decided it's time to do it on my own if need be. I'll be 40 in 2019 and have absolutely zero elk experience but I've been a pretty successful hunter of most all species of game in my area. Do you seasoned guys think it is too late for me to get this bug and possibly have success? I'm in decent shape but realize I'd have to commit myself to get into elk shape which I'm in the process of doing now. At times reading these forums I feel a bit overwhelmed and that I won't be able to do it. Heck just figuring out drawing odds and available tags etc is hard enough.

I don't have points accumulated or anything like that (I did buy a WY point this year). Granted I'll love being on location and beautiful scenery I see many of you post but I could do that on a vacation. My overall goal is to kill a bull elk (no score expectation) with my archery gear. At my age, I figure I can DIY style hunt alone for 4-5 years at least or I could invest in probably one or maybe two guided hunts during that same timeframe.

For you experienced guys, If you were in the same boat as I which would you suggest? I appreciate any feedback I receive. Thanks

[saddlesore]

No you are not TOO old, 40 and you are still a youngster. Being 74, I still hunt by myself every once in awhile. Of course a lot slower than 30 years ago and the end dis very near for me..

Elk hunting is not like white tail hunting.There area whole new set of rules.
The the other thing to figure out is how to get 300-400 pounds pf meat from the kill site to the truck

[Roosiebull]

Not even close to too old, and no you aren't crazy, it will be a great adventure, just make sure you cover the things needed, like mentioned above, how to get that bull out of the woods.

I have almost always hunted solo, and prefer it. You need to stick close enough you can realistically get one out by yourself without spoilage.

Have a plan, keep it in your realistic means, and you will have a great hunt.

Stay positive and motivated, there is a need for mental toughness. It is way within your realistic means to go hunt elk. It's not as hard as some make it out to be. There are lots of difficulty to overcome starting out, but that is part of the fun.

Go do it.

[Grousewit]

If yr crazy then I'm nuts!!! Harvested whitetails for 50 yrs and at 61 yrs-old I'm going on my first elk hunt next month in CO! Get yr butt in shape an go. Wish I had the means when I was 40 to b able to go west to hunt elk but had to wait till now. Applied in PA here the last 14yrs without being drawn yet!

[JKaboom]

You may be crazy but not for getting into hunting elk. Keep following the good advice here and you will do well.

[Elkduds]

Welcome to the forum, kudos for resigning your lurker status. I favor DIY w some in-camp mentors rather than the outfitter route, if you want it bad enough to dedicate several years to the learning curve.

[Elkhntr08]

Bought a Wyoming point this year myself. We're in the same boat, but there's always Idaho and Colorado. Get ready, because the applications start early next year.
What part of the Midwest are you from?
You have to be a little crazy to chase the greatest animal that God put on the earth in some of the most beautiful places. You'd be plain stupid not to.

[Lefty]

Just another soon to be addict

Elknut tis and clips, archived tips are another place on this forum.
There are a number of other resources too,
RMEF http://www.rmef.org/ It isnt just for the western Hunter
There are a number of good "western" magazines too>

[cquery2]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. ELKhtr08..I'm from Indiana. I'll likely keep preparing for DIY. My wife thinks I should go guided but I've never done anything guided. My main concern is reading a lot of stuff I think I've built it up to an impossible task in my mind. Seems like most of the advice indicates you have to have an inside source and be in Triatholon shape to have success. I appreciate the feedback indicating it may not be quite as impossible as I'm perceiving it. I'm sure after my first trip I'll be enlightened... one way or another.

[Indian Summer]

Age is not a factor. What lies between your ears is. The mind drives the body. If you are mentally tough you'll do fine. There are 20 and 30 year olds who can't handle elk hunting because they are used to things being handed to them.

The best elk hunters I know are 40 or older. We hunt hard but we have learned about elk, learned our areas well, and we hunt smart. If you are interested in speeding up the learning curve you should have a look at my website. Spend your money on a diy elk hunt plan and get started in an area where you can continue to hunt. That's a better idea in my opinion than spending 4 times the money on an outfitter hunting an area you won't go back to. You might also want to look up some of my reviews on Bowsite since you want to archery hunt.

Best of luck to you and welcome aboard!

Joe Ferraro
Headin West Hunt Consulting
www.headinwest.net

[Deanmac]

I was 60 on my first trip after I retired, this year will be my 3rd trip in a row. I wish I had got started earlier but being a school teacher/coach would not allow the time off during elk season.
I will leave in less than two weeks for Colorado. Preparing camp meals now. LOL

[Backyard]

I was 36 when I went on my first elk hunt, I'm 54 now. I used to go every other year, but starting next season, it'll be a yearly adventure as I most likely don't have many many left and I've got a lot more to learn that I can only learn firsthand (and from this site of course ) to become the expert that half the guys on this site are. I too solo by the way.
Do you need to be in triathlon shape? No. Decent physical condition? Absolutely! As stated; there is an element of time to (should one be successful)get about 250 lbs of meat back and in a cooler before spoilage sets in. And you wont enjoy yourself much out there if you're whupped after a day on the mountain, it is a vacation after all.
As far as outfitter or not, if you have some back country or wilderness experience, know how to handle yourself in an emergency situation out in the wilderness and are willing to actually sit down between now and next season (or whenever you plan on heading out) and learn everything you can about elk and elk hunting. I would DIY.
But as people have been warned before; watch out, this thing known as elk hunting is addictive and will consume you for the rest of your days on earth.
Good luck!

[Lark Bunting]

I started hunting when I was either 39 or 40, I mean...literally that's when I started hunting. I just got my first elk this year at 45. It's not easy but it's a challenge I accepted and embraced. You'd think it would be easy for someone that lived in Colorado but with a family and at my age I was still very limited with my time in the woods for scouting.

Set the goal, do research, ask questions and stay with it!

[wewarev]

I lurked on th his site for 4 yrs before I had the means to go. The guys on this forum are great! They love to help you out but they won't do it for you. Do your research and you'll cut years off the learning curve.

I finally went on a DIY hunt 4 years ago at age 53 for the first time. Had a 5x5 on the ground in my first 6 hours. Very blessed I know, but the strategy I used I learned from Paul.

I should have had a bigger one down the next year but I made a rookie mistake, although I knew better (from what I learned on here), I just didn't apply it then.

The elk hunting addiction is helping me stay motivated to stay in shape (a must as we get older). I want to keep going out west into my 70's if the good Lord will allow.

Go ahead and jump in and join this fun, crazy addiction...p.s. deer hunting won't be as fun anymore...[GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[six]

I’ve been on 4 successful elk hunts. Shortest pack out being 100 yards the longest 3 miles. We hired a packer for the 3 mile one as the temps were warm and we panicked. I have learned a lot since then and we wouldn’t have needed a packer. I don’t think I would go solo for my first time, but I wouldn’t hesitate going solo next year if I had too. I’m 47 and I plan on elk hunting until I physically can’t do it anymore. That might mean 10 or maybe even 20 more years. You have the beginning stages of the addiction now that you’re on this site. A guided hunt or hunting with an experienced hunter would most likely increase your learning curve a lot.

[olympushunt]

I just read this post. Sorry for the late reply. Sooooo.....isn't this like walking into an AA group meeting with an big ol bottle of fine Kentucky Bourbon as asking if anyone wants a sip? LOL
Sooooo....you want to know if you are crazy. Do you want to wake up at 3 in the morning (some call this night time) to go out in the cold and look for animals that can see you coming a mile away, hear your thoughts in any part of the county you are stepping in and smell you from one state away? Do you like the idea of hiking so many miles your body feels like some sort of gelatin desert? Do you like having your mission SO CLOSE to success only to be kicked in the nads.....repeatedly... by some force you can not control? And if you do get lucky... Do you mind packing a HUGE animal out in pieces and if you are really really really lucky multiple animals out until 3am in the morning (again some refer to this time as being bedtime) until every muscle feels like it's on fire? Do you want to sit in wait at times until you think the trees are talking back to you? Do you like the idea of repeating this day after day until you are having a difficult time remembering where your real home is? If you say yes......yah....you are certifiable and WELCOME ABOARD MY FRIEND! You are welcome in my camp anytime! As Joe said earlier, "Age is not a factor. What lies between your ears is." You are never to old to become insane. I don't have much between my ears so I am IN!

[dirtyq]

Ha, yeah I didn't really mean am I crazy for wanting to do it. I already know I'm obsessed in that sense. I guess what I meant was am I crazy in thinking I can be successful at it with no experience and starting at a later time in life than I assume most do. Regardless, I'm going to give it a shot. I told the wife last night I haven't found any game animal or bird yet I couldn't kill if given a little time. I think elk will be much the same. Thanks for all the replies. I'll update as I make plans and hopefully people will volunteer to let me know what I'm doing wrong. HAHA.

[olympushunt]

Ha, yeah I didn't really mean am I crazy for wanting to do it. I already know I'm obsessed in that sense. I guess what I meant was am I crazy in thinking I can be successful at it with no experience and starting at a later time in life than I assume most do. Regardless, I'm going to give it a shot. I told the wife last night I haven't found any game animal or bird yet I couldn't kill if given a little time. I think elk will be much the same. Thanks for all the replies. I'll update as I make plans and hopefully people will volunteer to let me know what I'm doing wrong. HAHA.

Well I think you have the exact right attitude to be quiet successful! You will find the people on here are very willing to help! We might critique when asked but not criticize! You certainly are not to old to start and with the ambition you are showing you will be knee deep in elk blood soon. If you have interest in Oregon I can point you out the things I look for when going to an area I haven't been before. Good luck in your search!!!

Luke

[Swede]

Welcome to you new members. I like the question, "Am I Crazy?". Probably. So what? Does it matter? I agree with what has been posted above. My thought is that if you go on a DIY over the counter hunt, prepare yourself to be humbled. You could get very lucky, but the odds are against you. If you need cheap meat and instant gratification, go to the butcher shop. Elk have a way of frustrating the most experienced and capable amongst us.
You are never too old if you can get out and hunt. As someone said earlier, be realistic. RJ and Joe were telling me about going three miles down in some awful brushy and steep holes to chase elk. That was ok for them. I just replied if those elk were waiting for me to come after them, I hope they have a nice long and happy life. I could go down in those holes but am no longer going to even try and pack one out. I don't mind asking for help packing, but I have to be able to do anything I want anyone else to do. The point is we are all different in our abilities. We just need to know our personal limits. I am still hunting, but have my own limits.
Best wishes.