1 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Cutting the Distance. Today, We're gonna have 2 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: a little different feel to the show. I'm not gonna 3 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: have a guest on. We're gonna jump into preparing for 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: an el cunt. We get a lot of questions as 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: far as I'm coming on my first l cunt or 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: they've experienced maybe some lowland front country and they're wanting 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: to expand they're wanting to go a little bit deeper, 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: they're wanting to try new areas. So we're gonna just 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go ahead and take some user questions, and 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: then I'm just going to go over seven eight different 11 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: points that I think can really help you as you 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: prepare for your upcoming L hunt this year. So the 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: first thing we're going to jump into, like I said, 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: user questions, I'm gonna go ahead and answer these. And 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: if you have any questions of your own for us 16 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: here at Cutting the Distance, either myself or our guests, 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: feel free to email us at CTD at phelpsgame Calls 18 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: dot com. We'll do our best to get those questions answered. 19 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: You can also message us on social media if that's easier. So, 20 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,199 Speaker 1: the first question, what ELK sounds should I be able 21 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: to make and how good of a caller do I 22 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: need to be before I head into the woods in September. So, 23 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: in my opinion, you can go into the Elk woods 24 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: with just a I mean, you can count them on one hand. 25 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: I would say, first of all, you need to be 26 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: able to make a location bugle without getting too deep 27 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: into it. I would say, just any bugle. If you 28 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: can make a location bugle or a challenge bugle, or 29 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: one or the other. 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: That's gonna be fine. 31 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,559 Speaker 1: I'll do a little bit to explain the difference between 32 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 1: a location bugle and a challenge bogle. So a location 33 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: bugle is typically a three note two to three no 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: very high note bugle, and it's not going to have 35 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: a lot of rasp to it. It's going to be 36 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: very clean, and I usually keep it about two to 37 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: three seconds so then I can hear to make sure 38 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: that a bull is going to respond. 39 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: So if we were. 40 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: To describe a location bugle, it's two to three note, 41 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: very high. We're not adding a lot of void, We're 42 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: not adding the grould at the beginning. I'm just a 43 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: very clean note that's intended to travel very far, you know, 44 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: across the canyon down into a canyon. And I've always 45 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: said that if I know I'm doing it right, when 46 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: that high note is ear piercing, when it's kind of 47 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: rattling my own brain, when it's kind of getting to 48 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: my you know, it's a it's almost an obnoxious ring. 49 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: When we get that location bugle to that volume and 50 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: that pitch is really where it seems like we get 51 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: the best response from the elk. And to be honest, 52 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: that's the call that we're going to use. Probably you know, 53 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: over seventy five percent of time, three quarters, maybe even 54 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: up to ninety percent, is your walking ridges, as you're 55 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: walking trails, as you're in the woods. You're going to 56 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: just be using location bugles for the majority of the time. 57 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: If if I'm on maybe you know, warm sign or 58 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: I can smell elk or we've got fresh tracks, I 59 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: may locate with a cow call or a loud cow 60 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: call off of specific points, But most of the time 61 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: we're using location bugles as we walk by. Second, of all, 62 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: you need to be able to make just your typical 63 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: cow call, your your meal. Yeah, that's all we're doing. 64 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 1: You need to be able to make a clean cow call. 65 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: If you can do that, you can put a little 66 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: more pressure on the read, shorten it up, and get 67 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: your calf call not as important in my opinion, But 68 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: if you can have that cow call, you're gonna be 69 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: you know, able able to replicate that and use it 70 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: where needed. Third, uh, I use estros wines a lot, 71 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: and there we can argue all day amongst guys that 72 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: that you know the term, what each call is and 73 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: what his name should be. But in my opinion, and 74 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: estress wine is when a cow is is coming into estrus, 75 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: she needs a little more attention from her bowls. So 76 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: instead of the typical yeah, you know, our our typical 77 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: cow sound, that's gonna be wavy. So it's gonna go 78 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: high low, hilow, and we're gonna we're gonna use those 79 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: estress wines to then tell that bowl to come over here. 80 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: I need some attention, Come pay attention to me. So 81 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: I go on with an an estress wine, and then 82 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: I would say, like the fourth sound we need to 83 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: be able to do is do some sort of a 84 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: challenge bugle a little more aggression. It's got some of 85 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: that growl and throatiness in the beginning. You're gonna add 86 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: some voice back into it. You know, using your your throat, 87 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: your veil, you know, using that back of your throat 88 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: to really you know, add some of that growl and 89 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: real realism to the call. And then I also like 90 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: to be able to either add grunts or chuckles onto 91 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: the end of that bugle to add some realism. And 92 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: aside from that, that's really what you need to be 93 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,479 Speaker 1: able to make those four sounds. So on the bugle side, 94 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: a location bugle, add a little bit of aggression and 95 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: in the grunt. And then on the cow side, if 96 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: we can go out with a good cow mew and 97 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: then like an estriss wine, we're gonna be we're gonna 98 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: be really really well off. And I would say we 99 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: we throw some other stuff in like screams, bark, chuckles, 100 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, uh, estress buzzes. 101 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: There. 102 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: There's some other sounds that we will throw in that 103 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: we will make at certain times, but for the majority 104 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: of time they're not necessarily needed. And then we've answered 105 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: this a lot before, but how good of a color 106 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: do you need to be in? In my opinion, it's 107 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: much more important to know when to call and kind 108 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: of what to say and how to react to the 109 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: situation than it is on how good you are. Yes, 110 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: it's important. A lot of times we'll use mimicry as 111 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: some of our strategy. It makes a lot of sense 112 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: to be able to mimic that animal, and it takes 113 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: some skill to figure out or know what you need 114 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: to do to that diaphragm to be able to make 115 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: that sound. 116 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 2: So not as important of being a good caller. 117 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: More important as knowing when and how to react the situation, 118 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: read it and know when you need to call, when 119 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: to add some intensity, when to move in some of 120 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: those things, And then it wasn't really in the question. 121 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: You can accomplish all of this either through diaphragms through 122 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: If you can't use that, you can use some of 123 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: our external cal calls like the easy s just the 124 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: easy sucker. If you can't run a diaphragm through just 125 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: a standard bigle tube or grunt tube, we've got the 126 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: easy biggler that will then also allow you to be 127 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 1: able to make those bagles. So there are a lot 128 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: of combinations you can use to be able to make 129 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: those four elk sounds that we talked about that I 130 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: just mentioned. You need to be able to be able 131 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: to make as you head out into the elk woods. 132 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: The second question, how do I decide where to go 133 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: elk cutting? So you know, we get these questions a 134 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: lot from people back east, even people around home that 135 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: have only ever hunted around home. They're just trying to 136 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: figure out where can you go? L count where are 137 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: their opportunities? And as cliche as it sounds, you have 138 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: to have you know, that elk tag. You have to 139 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: have the opportunity before you can go hunt these elk 140 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: and so the first way is through most of these 141 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: western states, even some of the Eastern states now that 142 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: are starting to get re established herds of elk is. 143 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,679 Speaker 1: You'll have to have points for most states, with Idaho 144 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: and New Mexico being the exception. But they also don't 145 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: allow over the counter opportunities, so you have to make 146 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: sure to get into those draws. Idaho requires you to 147 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: one either jump into their I would call it their 148 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: waiting room lottery on December first, which has already passed us. 149 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: So you're not gonna be able to get that elk 150 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: tag for this year, but it's it's held pretty steady 151 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: that date for the last two years. And New Mexico 152 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: doesn't have points, so it's it's also already passed us. 153 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: But you also have to front the money for the 154 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: tag up front, so it detours a few people, I 155 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: would say, from applying. So those two states don't have points. 156 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: The rest of the states across the west have points. 157 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: So you're uh, your Nevada, your Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, everything 158 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: requires some points. Colorado does have a lot of over 159 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: the counter, which I'll also get to, but Colorado has points. 160 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: And then there are these states that don't have points. 161 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: So and it's it's it's this list is becoming smaller 162 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: and smaller as years ago on, as people implement systems, 163 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: as they add units to the systems. So and I 164 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: may be a little bit incorrect here, but but for 165 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: the I would say, for conversation's sake and the majority 166 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: of the opportunity, the states that you haven't over the 167 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: counter opportunity in right now are Washington, and that would 168 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: be west and east. But I would say when we 169 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: consider over the counter in Washington, they're mainly talking about 170 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: Roosevelt's West of the Cascades. There is some decent eastern 171 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: Washington opportunity, but you're going to be hunting spikes or 172 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: in units that maybe don't have high densities of elk. 173 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: You have the same inn organ where you now need 174 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: to apply, but you can do over the counter on 175 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: the west side. Colorado has a lot of over the 176 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: counter opportunities, and there are a few places in Utah 177 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 1: where there's some over the counter opportunities. But that's really 178 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: if you haven't been in the draws or don't have 179 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: a tag and you're wanting to get out this year, 180 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: you need to kind of focus your efforts on those 181 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: three states Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and that's how you're going 182 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: to have to find opportunity. Wyoming used to be a 183 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: place you could go hunt maybe every two years. Looking 184 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: at the dry out numbers this year, it looks like 185 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: at maybe four four and a half, maybe even five 186 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: points now just to hunt general in Wyoming. Fingers crossed 187 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: as a non resident that they don't implement the ninety 188 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 1: ten split there because I feel that we would bump 189 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: that number up just six seven eight years to draw 190 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: a Wyoming elk tag, and Wyoming is a special place 191 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: to elk hunt, really really enjoy it. But they're making 192 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: some changes to potentially get their residents additional tags, which 193 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: I can't fault them for but it would hurt me 194 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: as a non resident. 195 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: So yeah, you either got to be in the point game. 196 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: You got a few states you can do over the counter, 197 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: and that's you're going to have to figure out where 198 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: to get that tag. 199 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: So that you can go go on your hunt. 200 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: Would you recommend going with a guide for your first 201 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: elk hunt. I've always said the best way to learn 202 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: elk hunting is to go with someone who knows what 203 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: they're doing. You can cut years, five, ten, twenty years 204 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: off of what it may take to get to that 205 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: experience level if you go with somebody that's been there 206 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: before and teach you what to do and what not 207 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: to do. So you can learn by going with somebody 208 00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: that knows or an outfitter or a guide. As long 209 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: as they're good and reputable, they will knock off the 210 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: learning curve and then you'll have that knowledge for the 211 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: rest of your life. So I can only voice my 212 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: opinion that if you've got the financial resources and the 213 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: ability to go with a guide for your first all cunt, 214 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: I think it's a great way to go about it. 215 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: If you're only wanting to go on maybe one l 216 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: cunt and you don't plan on going in the future, 217 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 1: it would still be a good idea to potentially go 218 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: with a guide or outfitter. The odds for success are 219 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: going to be drastically higher than if you were to 220 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: do it on your own. But on the contrary, there's 221 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: something special about if you were to go out do 222 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: it on your own research scout, which we're going to 223 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: get into here in the discussion. If you can put 224 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: some of these things together and do it on your own, 225 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: there's a lot more satisfaction potentially involved. Maybe you don't 226 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: care how you know how you kill an elk and 227 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: so it doesn't matter, And by all means, go with 228 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: a guide outfitter. Learn what they know and then you 229 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: can apply that for you know, all of your future 230 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: a cunts. So it's really just up to you your finances. 231 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: One thing I would highly recommend is vetting your guider outfitter. 232 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: Make sure they they're reputable, make sure they do things 233 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: the right way, make sure they hunt hard. 234 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 2: And I'm not gonna lie. 235 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: I don't dog on private land hunting, but an elk 236 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: with a guide an outfitter on private land where it's 237 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: gonna be a lot different than a guider outfitter that 238 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: takes in the mountains and you know, nothing's nothing's a gimme, 239 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: nothing's patterned. Maybe I say nothing's patterned. Nothing's patterned to 240 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: the point of a lot of private land hunts and 241 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to hunt, You're gonna have to work, 242 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: You're gonna have to you know, and that's really where 243 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna learn it and kind of start to gain 244 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: that knowledge base that will pay off year after years. 245 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: So that's that's my answer for those three questions. Once again, 246 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: you have questions of your own, feel free to email 247 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: us at CTD at Phelps game Calls dot com, or 248 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: hit us up on social media, send us a message, 249 00:11:53,520 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: and we'll try to plug these into the podcast. So 250 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: let's assume that we've we've got the tag going off 251 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: of that that listener question. You know, you got to 252 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: find the tag first. Let's assume you've got to tag. 253 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 1: What do you do Once you've got to tag? You 254 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: either confined to a unit, you're confined too at general areas. 255 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: You know, Montana's got some tags that are you know, 256 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 1: nine hundred series that are kind of scattered all over 257 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 1: the state. You've got Wyoming where you get a general 258 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: tag and you've got kind of checkerboarded units all across 259 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: the state you can hunt, you know, a Montana big game, 260 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 1: you can hunt a lot of units aside from the 261 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,359 Speaker 1: selected units. So you really just have to figure out 262 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: now that you've got to tag, where are you gonna hunt? 263 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: Same with Oregon, Washington. You know you've got to You've 264 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: got an over the counter tag, You've got a lot 265 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: of units to choose from. How are you going to 266 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: zero in on a place to park your truck to 267 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: camp to go out after out? So one thing we're 268 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: gonna get into is looking at success. Uh. First thing 269 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: I do if I was a draw general tag is 270 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: start to go through you know, whether it's it's go hunt, 271 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: whether it's the fish and Wildlife website, brochures, harvest statistics, 272 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: any of that. I'm going to start there and look 273 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: at what I'm trying to accomplish. If you're just looking 274 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: to kill any legal cows and bowls, I would go 275 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: look at population densities, I would go look at hunter success. 276 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: I would also hunter success and one hundred days in 277 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 1: the field for success are two different things as well, 278 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: So you can start to look at that and if 279 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: if killing any elk is what your goal is, go 280 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: off of that, and then you're we're gonna talk about 281 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: some other things here. You're gonna want to vet that, 282 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 1: confirm it, and I'll give you some resources here in 283 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 1: a little bit. If you're if you're wanting to hunt 284 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 1: any bowl, maybe maybe your your goal wasn't to kill 285 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: a cow, but any bowl, you can then go start 286 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: to look at percent by you know, harvest bisex and 287 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: maybe maybe you don't care if it's a six plus 288 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, six point plus bowl and you're just looking 289 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: at any bowl, then you can start to weed through 290 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: that information. If if I'm going to a unit that 291 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: has or or if I'm looking to harvest a bowl 292 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: that is, you know, six plus points are better, I'm 293 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: looking for something big, mature, I'm willing to then also 294 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: sacrifice hunter success and one hundred days in the field. 295 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: And like my main the my priority is on percent 296 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: of bulls that are taken out of the unit that 297 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: are six point or better. I typically want like lower 298 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: hunter numbers, So i want a unit that has big bulls, 299 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: doesn't have as many hunters, And I'm really trying to 300 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: look at at some of that to to figure out 301 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: what unit I'm going to hunt. And another thing that's 302 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: more I would say maybe is even specific to me. 303 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: There are some people that will go out there and 304 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: they don't really care what they're hunting or what type 305 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: of terrain they're hunting. U you know, whether it's flatlands, 306 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: whether it's rolling hills, whether it's blm. I coming from 307 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: Southwest Washington, where I grew up hunting in what I 308 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: would consider the jungle, you know, Devil's clubs in the 309 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: bottom ferns, brush just you know, kind of that rainforest setting. 310 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: When I leave Washington or or Western Washington, I don't 311 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: want to go into a brushole, you know. So I'm 312 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: going to avoid avoid North Idaho. I'm going to avoid 313 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: some of those places that are just thick and brushy. 314 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: I'm looking for something, you know, above tree line. I 315 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: want to get up in the mountains. I want to 316 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: have a mix of alpine and subalpine and then you know, 317 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: crick and river bottoms. So I'm also looking for something 318 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: that's maybe even completely separated from the elk or the 319 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: elk successes in that area. I'm looking for certain terrain 320 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: and certain areas and canyon country that I want to 321 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: hunt versus say, rolling hills, you know, or something like that. Now, 322 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: when I you know, I'm hunted New Mexico before, and 323 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: we are, we're in you know, rolling Juniper, and you 324 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: you adapt to it. You may work it's elk cunning. 325 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: I still love it. But for the most part, I'm 326 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: also trying to find a place that I just like 327 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: to be in. So we've looked at harvest statistics, I 328 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: then look at places I want to hunt, and that 329 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: kind of starts to zero me in, and then some 330 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: of these other points that I'm going to get into 331 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: will well. 332 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 2: Then further that. 333 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: The first thing I do after that, I've kind of 334 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: zoned in on an area and it's going to be 335 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: called a biologist. But but I don't want to call 336 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: a biologist with an empty question how are the elk doing? 337 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: Where should I hunt? Because when you ask that question, 338 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: that biologist has given the same answer to everybody else 339 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: that calls for unit. I have a hard time believing 340 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: that that biologist is like, you know what, last time 341 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: I told somebody go to you know, Mountain A, and 342 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: this time I'm going to tell somebody to go to 343 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 1: Mountain B. And then the next color I'll tell to 344 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 1: go to Mountain c You're getting a very generic answer 345 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: of an area where he may know people harvest elk 346 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: and people have harvested in the past, and they don't 347 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: give you very good data. And they may not have 348 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: good data when you bring them specific spots, drainages or areas. 349 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: But at least you're starting to ask those questions and 350 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: you're not going to get the generic answer. So I 351 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: would like to pick up the phone and call the biologists, 352 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: get a little bit of understanding on like are these 353 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: elk migrating, when do they finish their migration up into 354 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 1: the high country, what does the herd health look like? 355 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: And then maybe some of these biologists are really good 356 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: in know their unit or a lot of times if 357 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: I give him areas they're not sure about, they'll give 358 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: me a call back, they'll do some research, ask around. 359 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: So I like to call a biologist just to get 360 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: a feel for it. It may not be the best information, 361 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 1: but at least it's it kind of adds to that 362 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,159 Speaker 1: portfolio for your hunt. 363 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 2: You know, what are they all doing. 364 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,360 Speaker 1: Maybe they've got good data on where you're at, Maybe 365 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: maybe they don't. 366 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 2: So I always call it. But I'll just get that 367 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 2: out of the way. I then. 368 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: Like to just kind of call the outfitters and I'm 369 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: upfront in the area if there is an outfitter or 370 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: a guide work in the area, like, hey, I drew 371 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: a tag for this unit, or I've got a tag 372 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: for this unit, or I've got a tag I'm thinking 373 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: about but going there, I'm just getting some information, you know, 374 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: not wanting to step on your toes. We're looking to 375 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: make sure we're not in the same area, you know, 376 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: because a lot of them even let you know what 377 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: where their camps are at, what drainages they're in, you know, 378 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: even on their websites and whatnot. So a lot of 379 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,479 Speaker 1: times they don't want you to necessarily be in their 380 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: area anyway, so they will give you good advice on 381 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: maybe what drainage to try, what the pressure is like 382 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: in an area. They can, you know, they can give 383 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: you some of that information without really hurting their clients 384 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: hunts and whatnot. So I always like to call outfitters 385 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: or guides that are in the area just to kind 386 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: of see what they have. And sometimes they they'll give 387 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: you information. Sometimes they're tight lipped and they won't and 388 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: then I always take what they give me a little 389 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: bit with the grain of salt, because you never know 390 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: if they're trying to throw you off or send you 391 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: into a dead zone, any of that. So call the 392 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: outfitters in the area, figure out what's going on in 393 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: that area as far as heavy outfitter traffic, and then 394 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: I try to avoid that and hope that they give 395 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 1: me a good answer so I can avoid them as well. 396 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: I also like to call the owner of the property, 397 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: whether it's for a service, whether it's a BLM, whether 398 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: it's any of the following DNR and get their opinion 399 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: on the area, how busy it is, what they see 400 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: for rigs parked at gates or trailheads. What's my access 401 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: in there going to be like, because a lot of 402 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 1: times I can see roads and whatnot on on X 403 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: maybe they don't have a gate in the right spot, 404 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: or there's a lot of seasonal shutdowns where RMEF or 405 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: a game department has partnered with the owner and they 406 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: shut a gate on a certain date September First, this 407 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: gate shut well on the map, it looks like I 408 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: could have drove another five or six miles or whatnot. 409 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 1: So I like to call the owner of the property, 410 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: make sure that my access that I had planned on 411 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: getting to is going to be there, and then you know, 412 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: just just kind of run that by them. And then 413 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: once again, I'm I'm not necessarily scared of any traffic, 414 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 1: whether it's you know, driving for wheler, motorcycle, hiking, whatever 415 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: it may be. But I don't want to just be 416 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: in a very, very busy area. I'll take a moderate 417 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,920 Speaker 1: to light area, but I don't want to throw myself 418 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 1: into an area that's just packed with people. So calling 419 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: the owner is great for that. I always E scout 420 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: and I'll do a lot of ES scouting, probably prior 421 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: to calling the biologists and the owner. I spend a 422 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: ton of time E scouting, and I will I'm looking 423 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,680 Speaker 1: for the three things that Elk are gonna need. I'm 424 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: looking for cover, I'm looking for food, and I'm looking 425 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: for water, you know, and Elk. 426 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 2: Needs a drink. 427 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: It's very I may be saying something that's very obvious 428 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: for most people, but if you always tie everything back 429 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: to that, it's it's gonna it's gonna work better. So 430 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: you they can't they can't sustain, they can't be there 431 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: without one of those three. So I'm always looking for 432 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: where's their water source? So they're gonna be able to drop 433 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: to a creek. Do they got a pond, Do they 434 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: have wallows? Do they have benches? 435 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: Like? Where are they gonna get their water from? 436 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: They need to have some ability to escape hunters, predators, danger, heat, 437 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: whatever it may be. In September, So I'm looking for 438 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: bedding areas. You know, I'm looking for stuff on the 439 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: north slope, I'm looking for shade. I'm looking for, you know, 440 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: spots where they can escape, be safe, not be seen. 441 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: And then I'm looking for a good food source. And 442 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 1: that that really depends on on where you're hunting. You know, 443 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: if you're in the high country of Colorado, all of 444 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: their food may be green grasses and green and shrubs 445 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: above tree line. If I'm hunting here in western Washington, 446 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 1: I'm looking for green, lush clearcuts where those elk are 447 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: gonna come feed and then they're gonna go back to 448 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: timber where that that example I used in Colorado, those 449 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: elk are going to go up above tree line and 450 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: then they're going to feed back down into the timber 451 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: or into their their bedding area and then uh, you know, 452 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: like that that escapement. The betting areas, you're looking for 453 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: big timber, you're looking for pockets. You know, ideally there's 454 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 1: a spring or water at that spot. Benches, but what 455 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: keep in mind that isn't always a telltale sign. I 456 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: just prefer benches in an area because it it doesn't. 457 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 2: Guarantee, but it gives me a higher percentage. I know 458 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 2: where they're going to be betting. 459 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: But we've seen elk bedded on fifty degree slopes and 460 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 1: they're just fine. They you know, they've kicked out above 461 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: a tree, they've got their betting there, So that that 462 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: that will also know they can bedding near anywhere. But 463 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: we're looking for for areas with with with all of 464 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: those features. And then one thing that I really like 465 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: to look for in a specific area is a good 466 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: set of ridges that connect. I work pretty inefficient if 467 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: I've got to drop off of a finger ridge across 468 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: a canyon to get on another one. So I really 469 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: like a high ridge line running through the area where 470 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: I can cover a lot of ground, or if I've 471 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,959 Speaker 1: got a trail towards the top of that, so one 472 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: or the other, either I can walk the ridge fairly 473 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: easy without being cliffed out or cut off, or I 474 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: can walk a ridge trail that keeps me pretty high 475 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: in elevation. And I love to be able to call 476 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: down into that canyon, be able to reach above me, 477 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: and be able to cover that entire canyon with my 478 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 1: location bagle. So I'm looking for that more canyon country 479 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: where we can call across, we can glass across, which 480 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 1: is very very important for my elk cutting successes. I 481 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: want to also be able to glass, and that's where 482 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: I'm drawn to some of that alpine subalpine stuff where 483 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: we can get up, we can glass avalanche shoots above 484 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: tree line and really kind of set up our hunt 485 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 1: and I don't intend to get in to that, but 486 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,439 Speaker 1: that's something I'm looking in an area glassing, good calling, and 487 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 1: then be able to cover a lot of ground. And 488 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: with those three things it starts to stack the odds 489 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: of success in my favor. And then now that we've 490 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: got all this, we've we've picked an area, we've called 491 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: the biologists, we've called the property owner, we've we've you know, 492 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: did all of this. The last thing that I do, 493 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: and it's a brief check. It's just trying to figure 494 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: out who has hunted it before and what their take 495 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: is and and in order to figure that out, I 496 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: will go a cruise forums. A lot of times it 497 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,479 Speaker 1: will be, you know, jump on Google, you type in 498 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: you know, unit X, y Z and elk in Colorado, 499 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 1: and it will tell me, you know, a lot of 500 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: times there are a forum or or something that I've 501 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 1: talked about that, and I'll just go read like, what 502 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: you know, we're people not seeing elk. And I always 503 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: take that once again with the grain of salt, because 504 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: I don't know how good the elk hunter is on 505 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: the other side of the keyboard, you know, whoever type that, 506 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: But it just gives me a general consensus or a 507 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 1: lot of times you'll see a guy pop up or 508 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: you know, a couple of people like, oh, you weren't 509 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: in the wrong spot, or you did it wrong, or 510 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 1: you didn't hunt the right spots, and it just starts 511 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: to let me know, like, all right, it's obvious that 512 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 1: maybe the densities are in different locations in this unit 513 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: are vastly different. So it just starts to let me know, like, 514 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: all right, I'm going to need to find spots. A 515 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: lot of times people will talk about specific areas they 516 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: went into and it was really really busy er lots 517 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: and lots of rigs, or they take a picture of 518 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: a of a trailhead and I start to use that 519 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: data to really hone in is my idea good or 520 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: do I need to go back to the drawing board 521 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: kind of redo everything we just talked about. Pick a 522 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: new area, pick a new you know, go back, call 523 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 1: a billo, just called up the property owner and kind 524 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: of go through that until the forums or social media. 525 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: You know, you can chearch Facebook for the same thing. 526 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: You know, units I go to YouTube see if anybody's 527 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: hunted it on video to get an idea, and then 528 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: if all this go, you know, I like to look 529 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: at the best looking spots. But then the other thing 530 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: in the back of my mind, which we've talked about, 531 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: is the difficulty of getting there. If it's right off 532 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: the road, it's probably gonna be busy. If it's one 533 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 1: to two miles in, you're probably still gonna have fifty 534 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: sixty percent of the guys in there. Once you start 535 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: to get three to four miles off the road, I'm 536 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: starting to be by myself. And then you kind of 537 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: catch back up with the horse hunters. Around seven or eight, 538 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: So I like to really plan my el hunts. Three 539 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: to eight miles from anything seems to be kind of 540 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: that sweet spot. It's it's still close enough to the truck. 541 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: We can get it out and a couple, you know, 542 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: a couple of packouts. But that's what I'm looking for. 543 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: And so you'll do these iterations until you go back 544 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,119 Speaker 1: to the forum social media maybe. And I actually like 545 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: when somebody doesn't talk about the area that I'm in 546 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: or that I've picked with any unit, but if they 547 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: are talking highly of an area, I try to see 548 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 1: how many similarities are in between the area I picked 549 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,479 Speaker 1: and the one that they're talking highly about, Like, all right, 550 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 1: do these trains is that going to make my spot? 551 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: Does it have all the same things, the same facing, 552 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 1: aspect slopes, whatever it may be, And kind of put 553 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: that all together to see if it's going to work out. 554 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 2: So we did all of this. We got a solid plan. 555 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: I know some of us like it's very difficult to 556 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: get out and scout all of these places, but nothing 557 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: is going to replace your boots on the ground. So 558 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,919 Speaker 1: you've did all this. If you can, by any means 559 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: get out there and go improof this prior to season, 560 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 1: and when you're out there some of the things that 561 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 1: I like to look for the best telltale sign because 562 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,439 Speaker 1: it depending on what time you get there. You go 563 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 1: out in July, that gives a whole lot of time. 564 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 1: That gives sixty, you know, anywhere from thirty to sixty 565 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: days for those elk to change their pattern, and the 566 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: greater distance between your scouting and your return, the greater 567 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: the distance of those elk could be. I'm not saying 568 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: it will be, but just remember if you were sixty 569 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: to you know, I would be very nervous scouting in 570 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: the in the first of July and coming back in September. 571 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: Especially the more mountainous elk that are that are doing 572 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 1: some migrating, the more nervous I would be going back. 573 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: Those cows are gonna move, those bulls are gonna move, 574 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: and so the closer you can get I would be 575 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: much much more confident. Of course, it's this is going 576 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: to be, you know, very obvious. I'd be much more 577 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 1: confident in my scouting the last week of August for 578 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: an archery l hunt than I would the first of July. 579 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: Things are just gonna move, and so take that with 580 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: a grain of salt, you know, or just take that 581 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: with a consideration as you do that. When I'm out 582 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: there scouting, uh anytime prior to season, one of the 583 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: most important things I look for is rubs that lets 584 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: me know in some way, shape or form that elk 585 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 1: were there during the rut. And I'm looking for concentration 586 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: in rubs, like how much time did they spend there, 587 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 1: was this a lone bowl, you know, traveling through the mountains, 588 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: or was this obviously an area a betting area, you know, 589 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: And if you can put the rubs together with the 590 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: betting area, you've kind of got the the problem solved 591 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: at that point. You know where they're going to bed, 592 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 1: you know, they've got a lot of rubs around that. 593 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: Because when you're out there, a lot of people want 594 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: to see elk. They want to see tracks, they want 595 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: to see you know, scot they want to see all 596 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: this stuff on the ground. But guess what, that's where 597 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: the elk are at, right then if you can find 598 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: rubs that kind of guarantees me they're there somewhere in 599 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: September early October, and that's where they like to run. 600 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: So that's my That's the number one thing I'm looking 601 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: for out there. When I'm scouting, I don't really care 602 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: if I see elk. I don't you know, it's always nice. 603 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: I don't care if I see tracks any of that. 604 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: Number one sign I'm looking for is rubs. And when 605 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: I find that, I then start to look kind of 606 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: scout around there, like from here, where are they getting 607 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: their food? If they're going to bed here, they've got 608 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:52,719 Speaker 1: rubs here where they get in their food, where they 609 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: get in their water. And you try to put that little, 610 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: you know, mini puzzle together now that you've really because 611 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: we've already dialed down from having a tag. We then 612 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: selected unit. We then selected an area within the unit, 613 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: and now we're down to like that macro of they 614 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: they're they're betting they're eating their their feeding there, they're 615 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: right here. Put that together is going to help you 616 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: kind of figure those out. One thing to remember is 617 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: if you are late mid mid August, late August, and 618 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: you feel like those cows are kind of done moving 619 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: as far as their location, remember whatever bulls you've seen, 620 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: or if you haven't seen any bulls, the majority of 621 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 1: the time those bulls will go join up with the cows, 622 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 1: So don't necessarily concentrate on where you've seen the bulls 623 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: eating up the season, contrant on where the cows are at, 624 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: and start your hunt there. Or the other thing that 625 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: could happen is they might not be in either location. 626 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: They may go to a spot where they are left 627 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: alone during that breeding season, and it may be different 628 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 1: than both of those places. But I'd always focus on 629 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: cows first and then branch out from there to to 630 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: kind of finish finding where they're at. I'm going to 631 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: cover a few pieces of gear, and I'm not the 632 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: authority on getting in shape. I've always just said I'm 633 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: I'm too hard headed to ever quit, and I've been 634 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: doing this for twenty five years in the mountains and 635 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: know what shape I need to be in. But if 636 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: you're coming out west, or you're going to a new area, 637 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: or you're coming from the lowlands, the first thing you 638 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: need to do is get in shape for elk hunting. 639 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: It's not even a meal deer hunt. There's a lot 640 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: more added in. There's a lot more meat to carry out. 641 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: You know, you can hunt meal deer just as far, 642 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: if not further from the road than elk. But once 643 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,479 Speaker 1: you got one down, it's a whole different ballgame, especially 644 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 1: if you're not hunting with a hunting partner or a group. 645 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,719 Speaker 1: I would venture to guess the majority of people are 646 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 1: going to need to take at least four packouts, if 647 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: not more, and that's going to be a pretty hefty load. So, 648 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: you know, get in shape whatever means that that is. 649 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: And this is where the scouting really pays off. Or 650 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: a mountain near you just go test yourself. Can I 651 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: do two thousand feet of elevation gain over four miles? 652 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: Can I do two thousand foot elevation gain over two miles? 653 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 2: You know? How long does it take? 654 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: Me? 655 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 2: Am? I? You know? And and just work at it, 656 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 2: you know. And there's there's a. 657 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: Lot of ways to do this and I'm I'm not 658 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: gonna get into them. You know, you can be a 659 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: long distance runner, your cardio is going to be great, 660 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: you can do CrossFit, you can whatever it may be. 661 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: Get your feet in shape, which we're going to talk 662 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: about boots here in a little bit. I can't stress 663 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: out enough we talk about shape as in muscular and 664 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: cardio fitness. I've had I've seen I'd say i've had 665 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: I've seen more people fall apart on a hunt because 666 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 1: of their feet than I have because of you know, 667 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: maybe their cardio or or their you know, physical physical condition. 668 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: So get your feet in shape, you know, be able 669 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:48,200 Speaker 1: to pack eighty to ninety pounds over long distances or 670 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: over short distances, and you really need to kind of 671 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: gauge where you can kill an elk. It's easy to 672 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: walk two or three miles through country when it's only 673 00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: you and your backpack. It's a lot different feet when 674 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: you're doing it with eighty or ninety pounds on your back, 675 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: and you know you've got to do it two, three, 676 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: four more times, depending on how many people are helping 677 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: you pack. So I'm going to diverge a little bit, 678 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: but getting the absolute best shape possible it's gonna make 679 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: the hunt more enjoyable. 680 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 2: It's gonna let you hunt. 681 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: Farther and harder, and then uh just be able to 682 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: get the animal out from from that location. Talked about 683 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: getting your feet in shape, getting into the right pair 684 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: of boots, and having boots that are ready for western 685 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: hunting or elk hunting. And I'm not talking about your 686 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: your lowland you know, your elk hunts that are down 687 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: around you know, private lowland BLM. Whatever I mean there's 688 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: deep private out there, so don't don't necessarily take that 689 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: out of cont you know, out of what I'm saying, 690 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: But you know, there there are different boots aren't as 691 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: near as important on a lowland hunter, front country hunt. 692 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: You get up in the mountains, you know, and you're 693 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: you're half mile mile. 694 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 2: Off the road. 695 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: Things get things can get pretty pretty brutal, and you're 696 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: going you're gonna want to have boots that are that 697 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: are kind of up to the task, one that fits 698 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: your feet very well, one that are comfortable, one that 699 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: you can walk six seven, eight, ten, twelve. You know, however, 700 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: many miles in that don't necessarily give you hot spots. 701 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: And so getting your boots broken prior to the hunt, 702 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 1: knowing that they're the right boot for you to you know, 703 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: climb straight up a mountain, the right boot to walk 704 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 1: on a flat trail for you know, miles after you know, 705 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:20,800 Speaker 1: mile after mile. 706 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 2: Make sure you got your boots dialed in. 707 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 1: And because it is, you know much as it may 708 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 1: just make sense, or maybe you just have tough feet 709 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 1: and it doesn't matter. When your feet fall apart, your 710 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 1: hunt kind of falls apart. So make sure you got 711 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 1: the right boots on that are that are you know, 712 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:41,439 Speaker 1: that are right for the hunt. And then last thing 713 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: is maybe different than other hunts, is have a pack 714 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: that's able to carry a decent load out on the 715 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: first trip. Once I said, we're we're we're kind of 716 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 1: taxing ourselves. We're pushing ourselves a limit. And the last 717 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: thing you want to do is is to kill an elk, 718 00:34:56,080 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 1: break it down and not be able to take out 719 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,720 Speaker 1: a decent amount of weight or a quarter or whatever 720 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 1: it may be on that first load. You want to 721 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 1: be as efficient as possible. We're gonna be war out, 722 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:09,719 Speaker 1: we're gonna get tired, so make sure you have a 723 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,879 Speaker 1: pack that's able to haul heavy loads. Have a pack 724 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: that you know you can you know, haul the heavy 725 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: load plus all of your gear that's on you at 726 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 1: the time, and it's gonna that's gonna be able to 727 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: withstand and be durable enough to make trip after trip 728 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: after trip. So that's kind of uh, you know, those 729 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: those are just a few key items you know you 730 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:31,919 Speaker 1: when it comes to elk cunting. 731 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 2: I think boots and. 732 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 1: Packs are are very important needed to make sure that 733 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 1: you've got those dialed. But yeah, this is kind of 734 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: the wrap on on getting ready and planning for your 735 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: ILK cunt. Make sure you're you're stacking the odds in 736 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 1: your favor, You're you're in a good area, You've got 737 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: the right equipment, you're in shape, and you're ready to 738 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: go out and uh kind of tackle this area. And 739 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: in part two we're going to kind of expand on this. 740 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,360 Speaker 1: Now that we've got an area, where are we going 741 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:02,719 Speaker 1: when we get there? I said, where were going? When 742 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: we get there? How am I going to quickly break 743 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:09,719 Speaker 1: the area down? Proof what we've put together on what 744 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: we've talked about. We make sure this area is gonna 745 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: hold the elk they are there, how you're gonna hunt it, 746 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:18,239 Speaker 1: and then put together some put together some plans on 747 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 1: how you're gonna attack the unit. So I really appreciate 748 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 1: you guys listening. This was kind of my planning for 749 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: an elk count episode. And catch us on part two 750 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 1: of this episode on cutting the distance where I'm gonna 751 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 1: break down once you get there, proofing all this and 752 00:36:32,880 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: putting a plan together and then some strategy