Everyone dreams of that once in a lifetime trophy bull, but it takes years of skill patience and luck at elk hunting to make that dream come true.  Truly, in this sport, the quest really is the reward and no matter how many priceless experiences you have out on the hunt the thrill will always leave you wanting more.  Taking two weeks away from it all and getting out somewhere new so you can escape the daily grind can be refreshing and exhilarating.  You will come home ready to take on the world regardless of the trophy you have claimed.

This sounds silly, but great vacations are made and broken this way.  First aid items, food stuffs, water bottles, hunting equipment, and emergency car items are all a must.  Ladies, always remember no matter the timing that there are no kotex dispensers in the wild woods of Montana, and if you want it, pack it.  Make a list like an inventory of things you should always have no matter what and make sure you have everything you need.  Keep separate spaces for clean and dirty clothing.  And really consider a GPS device; they can quite literally be a lifesaver in some of the more desolate areas of the country.

Be realistic, twenty miles of cross country traveling in rough wooded terrain may not be possible save by horseback (which in my opinion is the only way to go).  Plan ahead where you are staying and try to stick with it, this way you can let friends or family know where you plan to be and when so if you fail to arrive they can get emergency help to you in time should you need it.  Also, have exit strategies of how to get that big boy out of the wilds when you bag him, make sure you can pack him out.  Have more than one way if possible, ATV’s can break down and you never know what situation you might be confronted with.

Again, a no brainer that seems to be forgotten by those with no brains.   Do not parade your kill through town displayed like Santa’s Rudolph.  Just a thought, but those are the kinds of ideas that fuel those nut job PETA activists.  They would just love to put all us “Bambi Murderers” out of business for good, so try not to antagonize them as much as possible.  Cover your carcass (and that of the large ungulate you shot) while you are in public.  Also while you are elk hunting, don’t shoot at anything that you are not one hundred percent sure is an elk.  I heard a story once of a “Prized Cow” that turned out to be someone’s pet mule.  The steel shoes it wore I think gave it away.  Needless to say that bloke lost his hunting permit, and the owner still probably laments the loss of the mule.