To backpack elk hunt or not? How to identify your strengths to figure out what style of bowhunt suits your needs. Plus tactics for backpack bowhunting for elk
Backpack archery hunting for elk is one of my favorite pastimes and has been since the early 2000s when I discovered that this style of hunting helped me find success more consistently. However, I know many good hunters who prefer to day hunt and seem to find success regularly, too. Before I dive into the pros and cons of backpacking hunting for archery elk and offer some tips in regards to this style of hunting, I’ll say that you should try to identify your strengths and what style of hunting allows you to be your best.
For me, backpack elk hunting is worth it for several reasons. First, the experience of putting on a 50-pound backpack and living off my back for 10 days is a success in itself. I like the challenge of being self-sufficient and testing my physical and mental fortitude. I’ve undertaken long backpack elk hunts where I didn’t tag out on a bull, but the experience itself left me feeling more than satisfied because of the adventure. There’s just something about going to sleep under the stars, working to find water, and taking a midday nap when things are slow under a canopy of aspen that makes those long trips a success. I don’t get that same feeling and sense of satisfaction from a hunt where I’m back and forth to the truck every night.
Second, I do think that there’s an advantage to backpack elk hunting. I still believe and have found that if I’m willing to go deeper into the backcountry, I’ll leave the majority of other hunters closer to the road. While I may not find more elk by doing this every time, I do feel like the bulls are less pressured and also more vocal. In recent years, there are definitely more people pushing deeper into the backcountry; however, in my opinion, there’s still much less pressure deep in the mountains. For example, last year, I hunted an over-the-counter (OTC) unit in Colorado and, when we left the trailhead, there were several other vehicles already in the parking area. Within three to four miles, we were seeing camps just out of the main drainages. Three or four miles is not a distance to scoff at when considering packing out a bull elk — and there were elk in the area — but beyond that distance, we could see several groups of cows/calves and bulls. That evening, we pushed deeper, and for a few more days, we had great elk hunting almost all to ourselves, and I arrowed a nice 6-point bull.
Third, living off my back offers me the ability to roam and camp as I go. There’ve been many times when I’ve found a herd of elk late in the day and tried to make a play on them, only to have them feed just out ahead of me into the next drainage as daylight completely fades. Knowing where the elk were at dark and sleeping within striking distance gave me the advantage of being able to pick that same bugling bull up in the morning and, once again, make a move on them just after light. I have killed several bulls where this exact situation has played out. I was recently asked how I compete in areas where there are outfitter camps with horses in an area where the elk are. My answer was that you have to be closer to those same elk in the morning and be making a move toward them before those outfitter camps are saddling up and riding out in the morning. Several years ago in New Mexico, I worked a bull prior to dark, and he just would not commit and come into range before it got dark. After dark, I made a small bivy camp and continued to cow call occasionally while I ate. He bugled within a few hundred yards for another two hours before I went to bed. The next morning, I was packed and ready to chase before light, and within a few hundred yards, he sounded off once again. I trailed that herd for another three miles that morning before they slowed mid-morning to bed, and I was able to call the herd bull back to me. The rest, as they say, is history. I’ve had that experience several times — even on a late archery elk hunt where I was only a couple miles from the road. I was able to wake up, glass a bull up, and make a stalk before he could make it to timber, and I arrowed him at 35 yards. I’m convinced that those opportunities wouldn’t have been possible if I’d tried to hike in and out of an area in the dark, where I would have made more noise and spread more scent. Granted, hunting with a full backpack is physically taxing, and I may not have the speed and agility that I would have with a lighter pack, but I do get more sleep every night, and I am in a better position, usually during the most critical minutes of each day.
Mobile-style backpack elk hunting may not be everyone's cup of tea. You have to physically be prepared and you definitely give up on the comforts of a base camp. You also may commit to an area where you invest a solid day and possibly a second if you have to relocate because you aren’t finding elk. Finding water is challenging at times and I’ve had some days where I was really thirsty. Backpack hunting can also seem intimidating. It’s lonely, and the personal health risk is higher. Finally, if you are successful in killing a bull on a backpack elk hunt you have to be prepared to pack approximately 180 to 200 pounds of boned-out meat back to the truck along with your gear. The amount of work is tremendous when undertaking a backpack elk hunt, but, in my opinion, it’s still worth it. It’s worth the experience — whether I am successful for not — and that’s what keeps me going back.
Backpack elk hunting for 10 days is going to push your limits. Get in shape — both physically and mentally. You must be ready to haul 50 pounds on your back day after day in mountainous terrain. I am by no means an expert in fitness. If there is a weakness in my own skill set, this might be it. I do have some thoughts on the topic based on my experience, though, with the first being that I think legs and lungs kill elk. Good cardio and strong legs are key. If you see elk and talk yourself out of going after them because you are dreading the physical excursion, you’ll struggle to kill. You have to be willing and have the legs and lungs to close the distance and not shy away from almost every opportunity. I’m not giving advice because everyone is in a different position in terms of physical ability and fitness, but what’s worked for me has been consistent running and weighted pack hiking throughout the summer months. I’m not going to say what you should do but do something. Get in the best shape you can and do it any way that works for you. I hate CrossFit, calisthenics, and weightlifting. Should I do it, and would it make me a better elk hunter? It probably would, but I loathe it. I like running, and I like rucking, so I work at those and I believe it’s allowed me to consistently find success. Overall, do something, do everything you can to be in better shape, and I believe you will be rewarded for it.
Depending on whether you’re hunting with a partner or alone, mentally, this type of hunt can be really tough. In the past, I’ve done several hunts where I was alone for 10 days and it was extremely lonely. Every skeleton you have tucked away in a closet will make an appearance. You’ll beat yourself up, you’ll miss your family and friends, you’ll analyze experiences and life situations in a way you almost never do. The point being: this type of hunting requires you to be mentally ready for the task. You’ll undoubtedly find reasons you should abandon your hunt when things are not going the way you hoped. Believe me — during backpack hunts, I’ve experienced epic mental wrestling matches. One tip I would offer is that sometimes it’s helped to break it down into smaller chunks of time. For example, I’ll commit to staying another hour before I reassess or sometimes another night or two, depending on how I’m feeling. It goes back to that saying: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
For me, it helps to know that this wave of emotions, thoughts, and feelings are coming. It helps me prepare in some way to think about it and mentally tell myself the challenge is coming. Committing to the entire experience before I leave has been helpful to me. I often think about the fact that in an entire year, I’m only likely to get one week to hunt elk, and I commit to those days mentally to pursue that task no matter what. One last tip: I find it helpful to close loops at home and work before I leave. Pay your bills, make good with any relationships you have, wrap up work and communicate with your employer, mow your yard — basically, take care of the tasks that are going to offer you more focus, freedom, peace, and clarity in pursuing your goal of arrowing an elk.
More articles on mental toughness on hunts:
Backpack elk hunting requires a fair amount of gear, and the better your gear is, the more comfortable and functional you’ll be. A month ago, we dropped my full archery elk gear list on our YouTube channel. You can check out that video below:
I won’t dive into each item here, but I will cover some key pieces that I believe are worth further discussion.
Buy a quality backpack that fits you well, rides comfortably, and is durable. Typically, for a week-long backpack elk hunt, I want a backpack with at least 6,000 cubic inches. Make sure your backpack is adjusted to fit your body, and if you’re buying a new backpack, I would recommend breaking it in with some training hikes.
Secondly, you’ll need a solid clothing system that includes underwear and a base layer top. Once again, wear those during training hikes to know that you aren’t going to have any odd rubbing or chafing. You’ll need a pair of comfortable hiking pants, a mid-layer top, an insulating jacket, and a set of rain pants and jacket. I’d also suggest a pair of lightly insulated gloves and, of course, a good hat. Lastly, boots and socks are extremely important. Every foot is different, so find boots and socks that fit well and break both of them in sufficiently. Personally, I like a pair of boots that fits within our stiffness scale of three to four. Climbing up and down mountains and side hilling in elk country requires a boot that supports your weight and helps to conserve your legs.
Your sleep system is critical. You’ll need a lightweight sleeping bag that compacts well. For that reason, I’d suggest a high-quality down sleeping bag. I prefer a temperature rating in the 15-degree range for September high-country elk hunting. An inflatable sleeping pad like the Therm-A-Rest Xlite NXT Sleeping Pad is a great lightweight, comfortable option. You’ll want to pack a small patch kit as well, just in case. My shelter preference is a bivy sack and a tarp, but there are many single and two-person lightweight shelters on the market, such as the Stone Glacier Sky Air ULT Tarp or the Big Agnes Tigerwall UL 1 Person.
Finally, there are a lot of other smaller gear pieces I should mention: Leukotape for blisters or cuts, a stove and pot for heating water, water treatment drops or a filter, knives, game bags, cordage, a power bank, fire starter and medical kit and a small packable saw. There are many more items, but you can check out my gear list to see a full listing. Overall, gear is important — and the right gear will help immensely. Don’t forget good optics, rangefinder, wind checker and, since we are talking elk, several elk calls!
Drink enough water and refuel with enough food. Early archery elk hunting is often hot and staying hydrated is important. Throughout most elk country, water is available; however, you’ll want to make sure before you leave that you map out likely water locations before you leave and have a strategy to access it. Generally, I would suggest trying to consume three to five liters of water per day and even more if it’s really hot and you are working hard. Water bladders or Nalgene bottles with a hard-side hydration hose are best for allowing you to constantly access and drink water while you are hiking. Staying on top of hydration is recommended throughout the day. Throughout most elk country I have access to running clear water. For that reason, I rarely pack a filter and, instead, I pack Aquamira purification drops. If you’re hunting arid areas where you might be forced to filter from a pond, seep, or cattle tank, you should pack a filter and purification drop or a Steripen.
Everyone has different dietary and calorie requirements, but, generally speaking, you’ll need 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day to function, and you’ll still burn more than that and lose weight during your hunt. I’ve read from reliable sources that an adult man carrying a 50-pound backpack in mountainous terrain is more likely to burn 5,000 to 6,000 calories. Depending on your goals, body weight, and energy requirements, you’ll need to adjust accordingly. Personally, I pack and eat the same things every day and I average around 3,500 calories. A few key points: eat when you are hungry, fuel up before a big climb or a large task like breaking down an elk, eat and drink regularly, and stay on top of fueling your body. There’s nothing worse than bonking because you have failed to fuel and hydrate. I’ve seen it in others several times and it not only impacts you physically but mentally as well. I’ve seen panic and fear wash over hunters being in remote country due to a lack of fuel and water, and it’s not a pleasant experience.
I’ve thought about what to include in this section and I’m going to try to draw from the hunting experiences I’ve had and, hopefully, there’s information that can help someone.
The first step is to find elk. I’ve done several other articles and videos talking about how to use GOHUNT maps and the various layers to find areas that are likely to have elk in them. Check out this article for some great information, How to find elk using maps when e-scouting.So, before you even leave, do your homework to find the areas to hunt and also know where or how to access those areas.
After I arrive at the trailhead or jump-off point, I’m primarily focused on hiking into the areas I think the elk are and finding bulls.
I primarily use two methods when trying to find elk:
Most often, my first step is vantage points and glassing — even during archery seasons. I like to glass because I can see where the elk are, but also observe the direction they are moving, and I get a better understanding of how they may be using the landscape. In order to kill elk you have to put yourself in close proximity to them when they are most active, which is the morning and evening. I use glassing and locating elk so that I can get an idea of where I need to be to see them at first light or hear them. Elk will almost always feed with the wind in their nose, meaning they will mostly feed uphill in the morning with the thermals in their nose. They regularly will feed in the mornings towards a shady, flatter bedding area.
I’ve found that’s one of the best times to pursue and kill a bull, and by that, I mean trailing them in the morning hours to a point where they begin to slow down and approach a bedding area. A mature bull with cows is hard to call away from cows while they are feeding in the morning, but as they approach bedding or after they have bedded down, I’ve found that the bulls will often come back to inspect the cow (me) that’s been trailing the herd and making cow calls and/or some bugles.
I’ve also often been led to incredible water and wallow sources as I have trailed elk herds in the morning hours. I’ve shot several bulls from water sources and wallows that I’ve found like this a day or two later. If I haven’t had an encounter or found elk in the morning hours, then I spend my afternoons glassing, still hunting, and calling through likely bedding areas with the wind in my face. When it comes to camping while backpack hunting, I try to camp on the backside of a ridge or the bottom of a canyon a decent distance away from any elk that I’ve found. I always pay attention to the wind and the direction it’s blowing in relation to where elk are or are likely to be.
Always strategize, think like an elk, and plan to hunt accordingly. Be mindful, be present, and, above all, stay in the game and hunt as hard as you can.
You only get so many Septembers — make the most of those precious fall days this year!
The first being to climb to good vantage points and using my binoculars to glass.
The second is using a bugle to make a locator call and hoping to get a response.
