Starting to panic... Lots of questions!

[Scooter]

My archery tag is mid-November, and being a first-time elk hunter I have thought up some questions as I've been talking to people and reading everything I can. I am an experienced hunter and outdoorsman, but I've never taken on a solo hunt for this long... and if successful, with this large of an animal.

 

1. Do you have to "book" a meat processor near where you hunt? Or do they just have space available because that's what they do every year?

 

2. How many coolers and what size should they be? How many Game Bags?

 

3. How much freeze dried food for a 13-day hunt? How much Water?

 

4. Do some of the hunters go on a bivy hunt or are most of the guys trailer/tent camping? Which do you think is better?

 

5. How helpful are other hunters as far as getting the meat packed out? I know I'd sure help someone out if I came across them solo hunting out there- am I an anomaly?

 

 

[My Rights As An American]

Scooter, I may have missed it, but what did you get drawn for? Archery cow/bull? Unit? That would help a ton in answering lots of those questions. Sorry if I have not seen where you were drawn.

[Scooter]

I don't really want to say the area because I don't want people to think i'm E-scouting... Its a late archery bull tag. We'll just say it's in the Payson/Strawberry/Pine area. I've already got a hunting area in mind and I know it pretty well so I'm not looking for hunting tips- just logistical stuff.

[Antmo23]

1.) No, just take you bull to their freezer trailer and they'll take care of the rest.

 

2.) I dont know how many you'll use. I brought one for drinks, one for adult drinks, one for snacks, one for frozen foods, one that was just ice, plus an empty extra one. But my hunt was in sept and it was hot. A minimum of 6 game bags, one for each quarter, one for backstraps, and one for misc meat.

 

3.) I've never hunted out of my backpack, can't help you there.

 

4.) there is a possibility of very cold weather in November. I'd go with a trailer/tent camping.

 

5.) that's a crap shoot. I know I'd help out, but I can't speak for everyone.

 

I hope that helps. Good luck!

[awatson]

Are you talking about coolers for the meat? I wouldn't worry about coolers for the meat, just get the quarters to the refrigerator truck that the processors will have up there. Bivy hunt or not, is up to you, but either way, if you can't get a vehicle to it, I'd cut it into pieces and get them up into trees, skin off & in game bags. After that, you should be fine taking your sweet time getting it out piece by piece, especially that time of year, even if takes a couple day & multiple trips.

[My Rights As An American]

Scooter, I have the same tag and had it last year also. Feel free to pm me and we can talk a little more specifically about that area and weather, as those play into quite a few of your questions. You are SOOO close to town that it is far easier to just run into town every few days and grab fresh ice and food. Much easier than overpacking and trying to eat food that may spoil soon.

[JLW]

My archery tag is mid-November, and being a first-time elk hunter I have thought up some questions as I've been talking to people and reading everything I can. I am an experienced hunter and outdoorsman, but I've never taken on a solo hunt for this long... and if successful, with this large of an animal.

 

1. Do you have to "book" a meat processor near where you hunt? Or do they just have space available because that's what they do every year?

 

2. How many coolers and what size should they be? How many Game Bags?

 

3. How much freeze dried food for a 13-day hunt? How much Water?

 

4. Do some of the hunters go on a bivy hunt or are most of the guys trailer/tent camping? Which do you think is better?

 

5. How helpful are other hunters as far as getting the meat packed out? I know I'd sure help someone out if I came across them solo hunting out there- am I an anomaly?

Scooter,

lot's of places to camp for that hunt. you can find spots to glass or sit trails/water depending on rain/snow your style of hunting. I know you deer hunted there last year so you know what your dealing with there. I have seen snow and cold early, seen 80 deg. too

should be cool enough that you won't have to rush gettin it out. should be a processor near so I wouldn't worry too much about cooler for your monster elk!

I'm sure some go bivy style for more secluded hunt, if that is your style plenty of trails to get your seclusion on.

If your doing freeze dried I have no help for you as I have only done short trips. Payson is close and I would bring a few days of food and make a trip to payson to stock back up and break up the monotony that can become frustration sometimes.

I wouldn't count on other people but if your in a bind you can call me I'm 90 minutes away. 480-212-3670

 

James

[6ANut]

Solo hunting elk is the real deal especially when you get one down. Get the cape off asap and get the meat hung. Dont count on other to help because they will be hunting as well. Then write a post in cwt about needing help and I will split the gas with JLW and help if available. I love getting bloody especially when its not mine.

[Scooter]

Thanks guys... yeah I want to maximize my time looking for elk because this will be the only time I get to chase them for a few years since my job will probably be sending me elsewhere next spring. I know full-well it won't be an easy hunt, so I might be way in over my head as far as planning. So many of you have mentioned refridgerator trucks... how do you know where they will be?

[pwrguy]

Scooter, if you are the bivy/backpack style of hunter, just make sure you have at least the 6 game bags as stated previously. Depending on how far in you are, stay with your elk and get it skinned out, taken apart and hung somewhere as shady as you can find. Once you have this done you can begin your pack out and possibly see if you can locate some help. That time of year if you take care of your meat you should have a little time to get it out. Depending on how far in you are, you might consider boning out the entire thing and not hauling any bone out. If you can post to this site, you could probably locate someone to help fairly quickly, there are a lot of people in Gila county on CWT. Also, like previously stated, you need to be somewhat prepared for any kind of weater, at least have some extra stuff in your truck that you can get back to and grab if you need it. Good luck!!!

[Antmo23]

The refrigerator trucks show up in the same spots year after year. I took mine to Millers Southwest (a sponsor of CWT.com) in Forest Lakes. I'm sure if you call around, they'll tell you exactly where their trucks are. You just worry about knocking down a good bull, dont worry about packing it out, help isn't far away. Post a request for volenteer packers and I'm sure a few upon us will come running! If I'm not busy(I shouldn't be) then I'll help ya out! Like 6Anut said, I sure do like getting bloody....

[PRDATR]

If I'm not out scouting for my late Nov WT hunt in 33 I'd also come up to lend you a hand. The weather should easily hit freezing each night and you could see it into the teens. Keep an eye on it as we have had years when there was enough snow the Ski Resorts opened up by Thanksgiving.

Make sure you let someone know where you will be camping, it's always a good idea. If you have other camps in the vicinity stop in a say howdy. Most other hunters I have met were always courteous and offered to lend a hand if I wanted one should I bee lucky enough to get an animal down. The rut will be over and sometimes you can find a few bulls together in the evenings when the shadows get longer as they get up to move around around 4-4:30.

They are usually pretty worn out after the rut and start heading to their beds at sunrise. It is also common to see a few with broken antlers. Good luck

[Shedhunteraz]

Pm me and I will help you out with lunch box aka JlW. We have 3 hunts from mid nov to dec. I am right there and can load ranger up and help u out also

[Scooter]

That's why I love CWT.com!!! Never even met y'all but looks like there's lots of good sportsmen around to help!!!

 

Another question- what's the best way to learn how to quarter an elk (I keep hearing about the gutless method?) other than waiting until you shoot an elk???

[Big Browns]

The gutless method is the Best way to take care of an Elk in the Back country. It's very simple. Quarter the animal. Remove all the neck & rib meat. When you take the back straps off you can get to the Tenderloin from the top. It's a lot easier if you have a few people with you, but it can be done by yourself.

 

If you’re on a slope do yourself a huge favor and tie off one of the legs before you start quartering the Elk. Trust me! I tried quartering my Elk last year by myself on a steep slope without tying the legs. The Elk was 30 yards down the hill after I finished quartering him. Every time I moved him, he would slide down the hill. It SUCKED! I learned a very valuable lesson!

 

I will be up there scouting for my wife's hunt. If you get one down call me!

 

Adam