# T&D's 2018 Wyoming Archery Elk Hunt



## QDMAMAN

The Doob said:


> "Given that, the next mountain adventure should come in significantly lower than this one! "
> 
> My experience is that the above tenant is not true!!!!



I concur, although I wish it was!


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## WMU05

I started laying gear/supplies out this afternoon. Man does it look like a lot! I know my last trip in the mountains, I had enough sh*t in my pack the first day out to survive a month. By the last day, I may have had enough to get through the night.  

That's a little exaggerated, but there's nothing like a day of huffing up and down a mountain to turn you into a minimalist.

Hopefully, it will all fit in my pack?  









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## WMU05

Ran 5 miles last night, just finished an hour shooting session at the range, and now off for a couple hour trail ride via horseback. 

3 weeks...

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## Huntmaster143

WMU05 said:


> I started laying gear/supplies out this afternoon. Man does it look like a lot! I know my last trip in the mountains, I had enough sh*t in my pack the first day out to survive a month. By the last day, I may have had enough to get through the night.
> 
> That's a little exaggerated, but there's nothing like a day of huffing up and down a mountain to turn you into a minimalist.
> 
> Hopefully, it will all fit in my pack?
> View attachment 325268
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


You can probably get by without the gun vice in your pack.


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## Swampdog467

Probably won't need that boom box either..

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## WMU05

One more week of work to go!

I've got 2 hours of riding booked for tomorrow morning (I did 6 total hours last weekend and felt pretty good on Monday) along with a final distance shoot at the forest preserve range. Sunday morning I'll do the last pack workout before leaving and then wash everything that's not clean. I've got most everything to pack laid out so it's only final assembly left. 

I'm an optimist, so I picked up a new chest freezer last night. Gotta have room for all that elk meat!  

Man, next week is going to be a long one at the office...


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## Firefighter

So jealous!

I know whatever the outcome, the recap will be epic!


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## WMU05

And it begins...

Trip week is finally here and we've had our first unexpected challenge. Derek sent me the attached photo from his practice session this morning. On the bright side, it's better to get this out of the way before we're on the mountain! 










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## jatc

Are you guys throwing in at least one “back up” bow for the group just in case of something like this happening while on the mountain? 

Might be a trip saver.


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## WMU05

jatc said:


> Are you guys throwing in at least one “back up” bow for the group just in case of something like this happening while on the mountain?
> 
> Might be a trip saver.


We're talking about it now! We had only been planning on taking a back-up string and release. The problem is, both of us bought new bows in the last year and half because we didn't think our old rigs were suited for elk (lower poundage, lighter arrows and not consistent past 30 yards or so). So while we could, and may, take one of them as a back-up, we'd be pretty limited by the setup. But obviously limited range and hunting is better than being out of commission!

Looks like one of them may be making the trip, at least to base camp.


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## WMU05

Well, Derek got his bow dialed back in and is ready to roll. If that's our only setback, I'll be pleased!

I, on the other hand, have had a fire drill break out at the office this week. I haven't been real busy all summer and then, of course, the week before we leave...all hell breaks loose. Oh well, at least it's making the time fly by. Back to the hose. 

3 days to go...


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## Sewey

WMU05 said:


> We're talking about it now! We had only been planning on taking a back-up string and release. The problem is, both of us bought new bows in the last year and half because we didn't think our old rigs were suited for elk (lower poundage, lighter arrows and not consistent past 30 yards or so). So while we could, and may, take one of them as a back-up, we'd be pretty limited by the setup. But obviously limited range and hunting is better than being out of commission!
> 
> Looks like one of them may be making the trip, at least to base camp.


I too upgraded my bow this year and was thinking about keeping my old one in the truck. But like you guys, it would be limited in range, especially on elk. However, one thing I heard from Kifaru Cast was that a bow can "blow up" if left in a hot truck. So that steered me away from even bringing the thing and hoping we don't have any catastrophic event with a bow.


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## lreigler

If you need a bunch of the elk meat made into jerky upon your return, I know a guy. Modest keepers fee of course!


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## WMU05

This is it. Nearly two years of planning, training, buying gear, buying more gear, and training some more...and it's finally here. I finished up the last thing I needed to do for work this morning, so I'm now on vacation. I shot my bow one last time and just zipped up all the gear bags. I'll mow the yard and go for a final run this afternoon to kill some time and clear my head. 

Derek drives over from Michigan this evening and we hit the road first thing tomorrow morning. We've got 12 hours of driving planned tomorrow followed by a stop for the night in Sydney, NE. This will allow us to get any last minute essentials at Cabelas that we may have missed, along with watching the ND/UM game and getting a good night's sleep. We've got 8 more hours of driving on Sunday with Dubois, WY the destination for the night. This will put us 1 1/2 hours from base camp which we'll cover Monday morning. We pack in on Monday and start 6 days of hunting on Tuesday. I still can't believe I get to do this. 

I'm ready!


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## WMU05

Gear









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## steelyspeed

WMU05 said:


> Gear
> View attachment 328299
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Why do the first lite stickers make rifle and bow cases look so good? 

Be safe, shoot straight!


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## WMU05

Day 1 of travel in the books. Man, Nebraska is a loooong state. 

Pretty good storm rolled in soon after we pulled off for the night...









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## WMU05

We made it to Dubois about 2:00 this afternoon. We did a little exploring and then the motel let us set up a target in the backyard so we could get a shooting session in. Everything's still dialed in. And since I'm also a trout junkie, I may even wet a line out the back door in the Wind River after dinner. God I love the mountains!

1.5 hours to base camp in the morning and we're off the grid for a week. Here we go!



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## Ranger Ray

Good luck!


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## WMU05

I think this is a good sign...









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## WMU05

After a couple hours with no action, we decided to saddle up and head back towards camp. I stretched out as best I could (my ribs were starting to get sore with deep breaths or certain movements) and got back on the horse. Sam told Derek we'd do another evening hunt, and could either go up Tripod on the way back or get to camp and hit the logging road again in the evening. We had some time to decide, so hit the trail in the afternoon heat. 

Cassidy continued to be extremely jumpy, so I had taken my pack off the saddle horn and put it on for the afternoon ride. I figured the less she had bouncing around on her the better. I was wrong. Shortly into our afternoon ride, while moving across a small sagebrush flat, a large fly or bee of some kind buzzed around my head. I dared not wave my arm, but it didn't matter. I watched in horror as the bug made a bee-line for Cassidy's ears. In an instant, we were off. Sam reached out and nearly caught the lead rope as we sailed by on his left side. This time I had both hands free and put everything I had into pulling back on the reigns. After 50 yards or so, she started to ease up, which caused my weight to shift back forward. This apparently loosened the reigns just enough to encourage her to continue on. As she accelerated a second time I began to lose my balance (which is sh*tty to begin with) and looked for a spot to make a controlled landing. I landed in an open spot in the sage, scraping my left elbow/forearm on the way down, but otherwise landing safely on my rear end. 

This time I was p*ssed. After Sam got back with Cassidy (she kept going this time instead of circling back) I told him there wasn't a chance in hell I'd get back on that f'ing horse and that I'd walk back from here. He told me it was 8 miles. I dropped my head. To his credit, Sam was also p*ssed. The first time was partially or mostly my fault, this time Cassidy was just being a b*tch. (My apologies for the language here, but it most accurately reflects the mood and dialogue of the moment). Sam thought for a minute then asked me to hold his horse while he jumped on Cassidy and proceeded to demonstrate his cowboy bonafides. The best description I can give is that for the next five minutes he gave her an @ss kicking. He'd intentionally spook her by slapping his hat or waving his arm, she'd spook and jump or go to run, he'd lay into the reigns and spur her in the shoulder, she'd stop...rinse and repeat. Sam was swearing and sweating and Cassidy was giving it right back for a couple minutes...then she wore down. Finally, he was able to slap his hat without her moving. Her current anxiety was broken. Sam said he'd tie Cassidy's lead rope to his saddle so she couldn't go further than 6 feet the rest of the way back. I reluctantly climbed back in the saddle. 

I was now really sore, and we still had a 2-hour ride ahead of us. At this point I told Derek and Sam I was done, after getting back to camp I'd work on packing and dinner* as they went out for the evening. Nobody tried to persuade me otherwise. Thankfully, the ride back was uneventful and I could feel a very different demeanor in Cassidy after Sam had his way with her. However, I was still more tense than when we'd run into the bear. I was never so happy to see camp as I was when we pulled back in mid-afternoon. 

*That morning before heading out I told Clem I would donate the two tenderloins from my elk to the camp for dinner that evening, under one condition...she couldn't put them anywhere near a frying pan. She immediately and nonchalantly responded "then you can cook them". While this was in no way my intent, I do all of the cooking in my house, and was more than happy to tackle elk tenderloin over an open fire.


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## WMU05

My mood had mellowed on the ride back, thankful that I wasn't seriously injured and chalking it up to being just another part of the adventure. I could tell every time Derek re-imagined one of the two ejections, because he start to giggle behind me. Back in camp, everyone got a good laugh out of my misfortune. However, I could sense Sam and Heath giving each other a look of relief at how it turned out.

We had a couple hours to kill before Derek and Sam went back out, so we sat around for a few beers and listened to the other crew's story of an uneventful search. I was finally starting to relax.









I also took my bull out and got a few picture with the head in the daylight. 









Before long, Derek and Sam were riding out and I took the time to pack some gear and then went to work trimming and prepping the tenderloins for dinner. Beside the bourbon, I'd also packed in a good bottle of Cab (what can I say, I tried to plan for everything ).









After the meat was ready, I got a good fire going and sat alone for a bit, writing in my journal and thinking again about the week and how lucky I was. It had felt like we'd been gone for weeks, a good sign that I'd really break'n away from everyday life.

Since the only wood to burn was pine, I got a good hot bed of coals built up by dark so that I could cook with little to no smoke on the meat. As dark settled in without a sign of Sam and Derek, I began to get hopeful that he'd pulled off a little last minute magic. When they finally pulled in 15 or so minutes later, a smile on Derek's face, I was certain of it.

It was not to be. He'd had a great encounter with the bigger 6 pt from the wallow the night before. Tonight he had a couple cows with him, and was down near the bottom in and around the willows. Sam stayed up high while Derek dropped down and tried to make it happen. At one point he could see the bull's rack over a bunch of willows not 40 yards away. He thought he had him, but their dance never put the bull in the open within bow range. He worked till the last minute, finally giving up with a smile as shooting light disappeared, knowing he'd given it his all. His consolation prized was on the fire.









I've cooked some great meals in my life, and eaten at some outstanding Michelin star restaurants, but I don't think I've ever eaten a finer piece of red meat than that elk tenderloin, cooked medium rare over an open fire. Surprisingly, I guess in my mind, Sam and Heath appreciatively poured themselves wine with Derek and I and we ate in near silence, savoring the delicacy. It was culinary bliss. The only downside was that the eight of us ate both tenderloins...there was none going home with me.

Sam, Heath, Derek and I sat up in the cook tent until 11:00 that night, long after the others had crashed. We talked about the week, and about life. We were four guys of the same age, with very different life experiences. We had some similarities however, and the one that mattered most this week was that we'd all grown up chasing and killing critters. It was our bond as hunters, and we enjoyed sharing it with each other.

Derek and I lingered that night, knowing that going to bed meant waking up to packing out. Our hunt was over. It was everything we'd hoped it would be...and more. As I laid in my cot that night, after taking Ibuprofen for the pain, I thought back to the first evening in camp. As we sat around the fire that night, Heath said something that will always stick with me. He said, in preparing us mentally for the week, that in their experience, "bowhunters have the best stories, but the fewest trophies". I laid their grinning, thinking..."I got both".


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## hooknhorn

Thanks for taking us along. Your ability to paint the picture has made this one of the best I’ve followed. Congrats on your Bull!!


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## WMU05

*Day 10 - Pack Out
*
Pack out day did not mean sleep-in day. We were up at 4:00. These guys were going to have one afternoon and evening at base camp, sleeping in real beds for a night, before packing in four more bowhunters the following day...and they wanted to make the most of it. 

I packed what was left in the dark and had a rather leisurely morning, helping out where I could as the crew went to work. Sam caped my bull and Cody went to retrieve the meat from the meat pole while Derek and I helped Heath load mules. The antlers went on last, and with that, we were ready to ride. 








Derek and I tipped Clem, Cody and Mark before we left camp. Clem was staying behind, taking an evening off before the next crew arrived...this time with a gun.  We thanked her for the cooking and hospitality during the week and I thanked Mark and Cody for all of the work getting horses ready for us each day, and for a night of packing out meat. 

We were all riding out together, and the mule trains were ready for the road right about 7:00, just as the sun was beginning to show.









The ride out was uneventful. I wasn't on Cassidy (we each had two horses we alternated during the week), so was a little less anxious for the last three hours in the saddle. Once we arrived back to the trail-head around 10:30, the gang made quick work of unloading the mules and packing up the trucks and trailers. Before parting ways, Derek and I grabbed Sam for a photo, tipped him, and thanked him profusely for the experience and effort he provided.
I'd hunt with Sam again in a heartbeat.









After loading the meat and gear into the truck, we had about an hours drive into Jackson Hole where we'd drop the meat off for processing and start to re-adjust to the civilized world. Cell service re-appeared during the drive, and while re-connecting with the world didn't sound very appealing, letting family and friends know that we made it out safely and sharing our success made for a rather enjoyable ride. I booked us a hotel for the night on the drive in, and was given a discount when I told the lady we'd killed an elk and were coming into town for the night to have it processed...only in the mountains. We only had one delay on the drive, as a line of tourists were stopped to allow a small herd of bison cross the road. This kind of traffic jam I could deal with.










We made straight for the butcher open getting to town and unloaded the quarters for processing. 








Derek and I were splitting it, so we took our time giving detailed instructions on how the meat was to be cut, making sure nothing was lost in translation. 

From there we grabbed lunch where our camo garb attracted some attention, and we spent most of the time between bites sharing stories of our week with interested patrons. From there it was the hotel...and showers! We got back into the truck to make a run for more coolers and were horrified by the smell inside. Apparently the shower had cleansed our nasal passages, which were no longer immune to the mix of smoke, grease, sweat and livestock that had become our odor. 

That evening we walked over to Snake River Brewing, and had an "its a small world" experience as one of my sister's friends and old roommates served us beer on the house. We watched football, shared stories, laughed, ate and drank until we were ready to drop...which wasn't very late. Back at the hotel, after probably one too many beers, sleep came quick.


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## WMU05

*Days 11/12 - Homeward Bound
*
We slept in, at least by mountain standards, and didn't roll out of bed until 7:00 or so the following morning. We showered, re-packed our gear for the ride home, and walked a few blocks for breakfast. After breakfast, we figured we mill around town for a while, grabbing a few things for the wives and kids back home, as our meat likely wasn't going to be ready until close to noon. However, shortly after entering the first store, around 9:30, the butcher called to tell us it was ready. Time to go!

We grabbed the truck and made once stop at a liquor store for some more mountain souvenirs and ice before heading over for the meat. They rolled a full rack of trays out upon our arrival, and boy was it a sight. There was around 175 lbs of vacuum sealed, frozen solid, organic goodness. We loaded up the coolers with our prize.









At 10:30 we were on the road, heading south out of Jackson to Hoback Junction, then east to Pinedale before turning back south to pick-up 80 for the long haul east. The two day trip home was uneventful, as we did 12 hours the day we left Jackson and the final 10 the following day. 

As we drove between Jackson and Pinedale, I took one last shot of the mountains we were now putting in the rear view mirror.









Our adventure had come to a close. It was epic, everything we'd hoped it would be and more. It's hard for something to live up to the expectations when there is so much time and build-up leading up to it, but this trip did. As we settled in for the ride home, and were already beginning to re-live part of the week, Derek uttered a perfect three word summary of our experience. 

"We are blessed"

I couldn't put it any better.


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## WMU05

For those following along, thanks for hanging in there! I know it's long, but it's been fun to re-live the week through this recap. I've got a couple other ideas for summary posts about the gear I used and the costs associated with this kind of trip, as I tracked them for the two years leading up to it. I'll try to get those up in the coming week. I'll also try to answer any questions anyone has. In the meantime...happy hunting!


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## giver108

Excellent story, pics and writing. Thanks for sharing.


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## hk_sl8

Man, thanks for writing this up and I even enjoyed you slow playing the installments over the week. We leave in a week and a half for CO for my buddy’s and my first elk hunt and our excitement is peaking. This story has added fuel to that but has also tempered our expectations and brought some fresh questions regarding preparation to our minds. Glad your injuries weren’t any worse and I bet you still can’t wipe the smile off your face.  Great job, guys!


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## WILDCATWICK

Congrats Trent! Both on your bull and on the memories made both are true trophies. It seems to me the west treats you well. When are you moving out here?:lol: Be sure to tell your dad Wildcat says howdy.


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## WMU05

WILDCATWICK said:


> Congrats Trent! Both on your bull and on the memories made both are true trophies. It seems to me the west treats you well. When are you moving out here? Be sure to tell your dad Wildcat says howdy.


Thanks Wildcat! And will do.

If I lived there, it probably wouldn't be as magical...but you tell me. 

My dad and I are booked for 5 days on the Henry's Fork the end of next June. Gotta check another destination off the list. 

Also, I got my 6 year-old son his first trout in the driftless this summer. Trips are gonna be parties of three soon.

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## Firefighter

In my opinion, the best recap I've ever read on the site. 

Excellent job guys. 

I hope to experience just a sliver of what you did eventually.


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## Dom

Waidmannsheil on a good Bull. Enjoyed reading your experience, another good hunt you can look back on and enjoy the memories. Glad you enjoyed it.


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## Bomba

Awesome recap, thanks for taking us along!
Congrats on the bull!


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## Swampdog467

Awesome tale, perfect how you stretched it out. Just seems better not reading a story like that all at once, we got to soak it in as you told it. Looking forward to your next adventure and reading your account!

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## Swampdog467

Awesome tale, perfect how you stretched it out. Just seems better not reading a story like that all at once, we got to soak it in as you told it. Looking forward to your next adventure and reading your account!

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## Huntmaster143

Congrats of a great trip! And an equally good job relaying the story!


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## BWHUNTR

Nice read and what an adventure. Congrats! This should be a "featured thread" job well done.


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## WMU05

*Gear Review:*

I kept track of the gear I bought over the last couple years leading up to this trip, and looking back at it now, man is it a lot! To be fair, some of it would have been purchased for deer hunting anyway, like the replacement for my 10 year old bow, and nearly all of it will be used for years to come, but I probably still overdid it. 

With that said, I'll provide some highlights...

*Bow*: I bought a Matthews Halon 32 18 months before the hunt and set it up specifically for longer distance and bigger animals. I was shooting an Easton Hexx arrow with a brass insert and 125 gr. fixed blade NAP broad-head on the front...totaling about 535 grains per arrow. Pulling 70 lbs with a 31.5" draw created a lot of energy, which all paid off in the moment of truth when I punched a hole through both sides of my bull. Generally speaking, the smoothness, quietness and accuracy at long range compared to my 10 year-old PSE is remarkable.

*Boots:* I bought a pair of un-insulated Scarpa boots a year before the hunt and wore them last fast until it got cold. I also wore them on all of my pre-hunt pack workouts. They are great boots, though pretty stiff (which I wanted given a past ankle injury), and might not be for everyone. Even though stiff, I never got a blister, training or during the hunt. Given the lack of hard hiking we did, I probably could of gotten by with a "lesser" pair of boots, but I wasn't willing to take that chance with my feet. Plus, I'll get years of use out of them. 

*Clothing:* I tried to watch for sales and clearance items over the last couple of years as I gathered a stockpile of clothes from KUIU and First Lite. I bought a number of lightweight merino base layers that have me wondering what I'm going to do with the drawer of Under Amour I've built up over the years. I noted at one point during the training I'd gone 8-10 workouts before one of the t-shirts was noticeably smelly! The stuff is amazing. I wore the same Sitka pants all week with no complaints, and most days had a First Lite merino hoodie (probably my favorite piece of clothing purchased) on over a base layer, providing all day comfort. With layering, I never got cold or hot during the hunt. I had a vest from KUIU that was made unnecessary by the hoodie, but I did wear around camp in the evenings. In the mornings, depending on how cold it was, I wore either a KUIU jacket or a First Lite uncompahgre Puffy as an outer layer. I had no real complaints with either, and the Puffy was especially light to pack away, but it is not made to take abuse and I tore a hole in the sleeve one morning riding through some thick timber in the dark. All of that said, this is the area to cut back on to make your budget work. I loved the gear, and believe it made the week more comfortable, but Derek hunted in mostly all of his whitetail gear and didn't have a problem. We were also blessed with dry warm weather. 

*Miscellaneous*: I picked up a new bino harness from KUIU as one of my last purchases and boy am I glad I did. It was really convenient to have both my binos and rangefinder securely tightly to my chest, with easy one hand access while riding. 

I was also pretty worried about altitude sickness before going out, and took as many precautions as possible. I bought a pre-climb supplement, hydrate and recover drink mixes and protein bars from Wilderness Athlete before the trip. I took the supplement 5 days leading up to the trip and while at altitude. I filled my water bladder (Osprey with straight water each morning and then a 32 oz Nalgene bottle with the drink mix. I forced myself to drink all of each of them each day while hunting and then another bottle of water upon return to camp. I never once felt a symptom of altitude sickness, so I'd repeat this same routine next time. 

The only piece of gear I didn't take, that I would next time, is my .45 Auto. I had it in the truck for the ride out and left it locked there as I carried bear spray into camp. Sam and Heath said they tell hunters to bring it for liability purposes, but after years of living and working in grizzly country, they don't think it's worth a ****. Sam had a funny story about using it on a b*tch of a cow once that kept charging his horse, and said it took close to 10 full seconds after taking a face full before she stopped coming after him. I didn't think my .45 was "big" enough to be a real deterrent when it came down to it, and after much research, opted for just the spray. Then what happened the morning we ran into the bear in the dark? Sam pulled out his sidearm...a .45 Auto! The rest of the guys in camp carried .44 magnums, and the other hunter Shawn rode around with a .500 magnum cannon strapped to his chest (he had a scary encounter on his previous hunt). I felt under-gunned with only an aerosol can!


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## WMU05

Okay, last post in this thread and then it's time to focus on deer season. I'm somewhat hesitant put this info up, as I realize this type of hunt isn't in the cards for everyone (and wasn't for me 5-10 years ago)...but if you're looking to make a guided elk hunt happen, I think it may be helpful to see the cadence of expenses. I took out all the gear purchases (which are optional and personal preference), so this shows the hunt specific amounts paid, and when, over the years leading up to and during the hunt. And while tips are personal judgement, and food and lodging on the trip could probably be done a little more frugally, this should give you a good starting point for planning purposes. 

*Guided Elk Hunt Budget:








*

Thanks for following along. Until next time...good hunting!


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## Scottygvsu

WMU05 said:


> Okay, last post in this thread and then it's time to focus on deer season. I'm somewhat hesitant put this info up, as I realize this type of hunt isn't in the cards for everyone (and wasn't for me 5-10 years ago)...but if you're looking to make a guided elk hunt happen, I think it may be helpful to see the cadence of expenses. I took out all the gear purchases (which are optional and personal preference), so this shows the hunt specific amounts paid, and when, over the years leading up to and during the hunt. And while tips are personal judgement, and food and lodging on the trip could probably be done a little more frugally, this should give you a good starting point for planning purposes.
> 
> *Guided Elk Hunt Budget:
> View attachment 335403
> 
> *
> 
> Thanks for following along. Until next time...good hunting!


I’m glad you posted that. Gives us a goal. When you look into a hunt like that, you’re inclined to focus on outfitter costs and overlook incidentals.


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## U of M Fan

Great story and congrats on a successful hunt. I can’t believe I didn’t see this earlier. Thanks for the detailed description on everything. My Dad wants to do a Wyoming elk hunt but at his age he wouldn’t be able to the horseback thing. Great read


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## goodworkstractors

That was a very good read. Sounds like you had an excellent guide too. Very interesting how many bulls they kill in the morning versus evening. 

How did you prevent the meat from spoiling in those high daytime temps? You mentioned a meat pole, but not sure if that was simply to hang or if there was some cooling process involved with that.

Got me all geeked up about my elk hunt next year! Thanks for the top notch recap!


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## WMU05

goodworkstractors said:


> That was a very good read. Sounds like you had an excellent guide too. Very interesting how many bulls they kill in the morning versus evening.
> 
> How did you prevent the meat from spoiling in those high daytime temps? You mentioned a meat pole, but not sure if that was simply to hang or if there was some cooling process involved with that.
> 
> Got me all geeked up about my elk hunt next year! Thanks for the top notch recap!


We hunted with top notch guides, no doubt about it. I talked to the outfitter a week ago and they had another great year. Killed a lot of good rifle bulls and had two different archery hunters screw up a shot at a B&C bull in early September (a cross-bow hunter had him broadside at 10 yards and forgot to take the safety off :lol. He said he just took his first rifle hunt deposit for 2022!

Regarding the meat, given the cold overnight temps, they weren't concerned about the meat spoiling the next day up on the pole, with air movement all around it. Now, with that said, if it wouldn't have been the second to last evening, I would have made a trip out with a packer and gotten it into a cooler in Jackson Hole. We wouldn't have let it hang for more than one afternoon.


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## goodworkstractors

WMU05 said:


> We hunted with top notch guides, no doubt about it. I talked to the outfitter a week ago and they had another great year. Killed a lot of good rifle bulls and had two different archery hunters screw up a shot at a B&C bull in early September (a cross-bow hunter had him broadside at 10 yards and forgot to take the safety off :lol. He said he just took his first rifle hunt deposit for 2022!
> 
> Regarding the meat, given the cold overnight temps, they weren't concerned about the meat spoiling the next day up on the pole, with air movement all around it. Now, with that said, if it wouldn't have been the second to last evening, I would have made a trip out with a packer and gotten it into a cooler in Jackson Hole. We wouldn't have let it hang for more than one afternoon.


Geez, 2022! That speaks for itself.

Good to know about the meat. I don't think we'll have an issue next fall in late October/early November, but take all the info I can got on meat preservation. Thanks for the response and congrats again!


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## WMU05

It's happening! T&D chase Wyoming elk - Part Deux! September 8-14, 2023. Just signed the outfitter contract and wrote the deposit check. It's taken 5 years, but here we go. 

We're heading to the Big Horns this time. No horses, no grizzlies...all the fun.

Looking forward to another epic adventure!


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## bowjack

Just read through this entire post for the first time. Great story! Thank you for sharing! Brought back fond memories of my many elk bow hunts from years ago. Looking forward to reading about your 2023 elk hunt now.


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