Some older and younger but a lot in that range. As a hunter who studies bulls in the Rocky Mountain Region, I see various bulls aged between 10 and 15 years old. So, we turn to other methods that will give us a rough idea.Īn older bull will generally be lighter in color, have rougher, coarse hair, generally has swaying or more curvature in its antlers in between the points, has more color around its eyes, and lastly has a more defined hip bone on his rear quarter. To truly judge the age of a bull would be to check teeth, but over the past 20 years of hunting elk extremely hard, I have always struggled to peek in the mouth of a living bull. Only laying eyes on the elk can give you a good idea of its age. Some say you can hear it in the bugle, but that shouldn’t be used to determine age. If it looks like a big yellow bus, it’s a mature elk. Mature bulls also have a swayback in the lower neck, a bigger hump and a lower head. Usually, the bigger and heavier the antlers, the more mature the bull elk. Scott Hatch has been chasing elk for years, and he ages elk by their antlers, body size and shape, and head position. Get dressed and packed and have your wife, kids, husband, friend whoever, listen and eliminate all foreign noise. During the 10 years that I guided elk hunts it never failed that the first 3 hours of first day I would walk behind my guests fixing zippers, dumping water bottles, getting rid of pocket change, etc. To create the most success for yourself you should be able to shoot with a backpack on and without removing any accessories.Įliminate foreign noise. A hunter that must take off their backpack and or quiver to take the shot causes movement and slows down the process. With the concept of bow hunting, it is fairly common to see a bow hunter not from the Rocky Mountain region take off their quiver when shooting. A multi-pin sight allowing a hunter to range multiple points and be prepared as the elk stops at these points saves time. This costs you time and worry of being seen. A hunter that uses a single pin sight has to create movement in the final seconds to adjust his pins to the distance at which the animal is at or will be. The shot is everything! Learning to be prepared, be comfortable, and be quick is a major portion of success. We do a ton of work on a hunt and it all boils down to a few seconds when it’s time to take the shot. I also mix in 12 ounces of coconut water to hydrate each day before hiking. Being hydrated will lower the chance of altitude sickness, prevent cramping, build energy, and generally make you feel better on the hunt. Each and every individual should double and in some cases triple their water intake in the month before the hunt. Hydrate! This is the number one thing that will help a person prepare for an elk hunt, or any strenuous activity for that matter. I would carry that same weight each and every time I hike or walk to prepare your body for the upcoming hunt. On top of your fast-paced walk, I would load my hunting pack as if I was going out on a hunt. Once you have that time, take 25 percent off of that time and try and hold yourself at that pace for your entire walk. Being that the hunt will be fast pace, I would time yourself casually walking two miles. So, in the weeks leading up to hunt I could try and walk that same two to four miles each day. The average elk hunter probably walks between two and four miles a day. To keep it simple, here are the basics to physical success. With that being said, you definitely don’t have to be a bodybuilder or fitness guru, but having your legs under you and decent cardio will go a long ways. ![]() Being as physically fit as possible can dramatically increase your opportunity at a successful elk hunt. It’s steep, there isn’t much air, and to top it off, you need to achieve everything in record time. There is a small chance you could find yourself hunting a water hole or sitting on meadow, but more than likely you will be hiking, chasing, and pursuing elk! For every step you take the elk takes four. Here are four things to consider before you head out:Įlk hunting is a physical, strenuous hunt and you never really know what it might require. When it comes to being prepared for an upcoming elk hunt there are many things to consider. And always drink plenty of water before, during and after the hunt. Once you get there, you will need to get acclimated to the altitude, so don’t overdo your climb even if you are physically ready. You need to get physically fit well in advance of your hunt. Scott Hatch from Three Forks Ranch in Colorado advises first-time elk hunters to get in shape. ![]() Before you even get to your destination, you need to prepare for your elk hunt.
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