Upcoming Oregon Elk Trip

I have been whitetail deer hunting for as long as I can remember,

I think I'm ready to try something a little bigger...

Being completely unfamiliar with elk, I have always been apprehensive of going to another state and blundering around trying to hunt them. First of all, nonresident status in most elk states is EXPENSIVE..., not to mention the fact that, the time I could afford to spend would be severely limited because I am a self-employed working "poorboy"...lol....Yes, this excludes any type of guided hunt. Don't take me wrong, I think guided hunts are the way to go, if you can swing it. Of the three game animals I have always wanted to hunt, deer, elk, bear...so far, deer is the only one I have accomplished ...

Well, this is about to change.....

I started going to BHN chat about a year ago just to talk with other hunters and get different opinions on other hunting methods. I started meeting people just like me.. It wasn't long before I realized that this hunting chat was a perfect way for me to have a chance to hunt unfamiliar game, in unfamiliar states, and take advantage of others' knowledge of the local hunting.

I was talking about my elk hunting wishes, and was invited to go elk hunting by Tom34, or Winr from Oregon.......A perfect place to try elk hunting! [Oregon has lots more elk than Oklahoma] lol Well ,then all I had to do was figure out how to accomplish it. I decided not to drive, as I have, to all my previous hunting trips, it's about 2000 miles, just a bit too far for me ...

Uh Oh, another first....[ I've never flown anywhere] ...Not a problem ..I just remind myself....

Elk , Elk , Elk , Elk , Elk

Ok, I decided I could afford this trip, if I broke it up into smaller expenses, plane tickets,tags,etc. I bought my plane tickets in April at a cost of $ 440.00, not too bad considering I'm going 2000 miles. Next is the license and tag, I've sent off for them, as of May 23, I still haven't gotten them....

The cost to bowhunt elk for a nonresident is $344.00, this puts my total at about $784.00

All I have left to spend is just the actual expenses on the trip, meals, incidentals, as I have already paid for the most expensive part of the hunting trip ...."Sort of a Lay-a-way Plan"

Ok ,now the good part .....

On Sept. 17 the, I will be leaving Oklahoma on my way to Medford, Oregon. Tom34 and I have arranged to hunt for 9 days " the last 9 days of bow season" The elk should be bugling ........

All I have to do is find them.....

I have always hunted deer from treestands, and always at close range, which allowed me to use a bow that should have been retired a long time ago.....however, I have arrowed many whitetails all within 20 yards.......all with "antique" equipment.

After I decided to go after elk, I purchased a Mathews Featherlight bow and some carbon gametracker arrows, and started getting serious about extending my range .

To be effective on elk, I have been told 30 to 40 yards is more realistic. I started from scratch with this new setup, trying to forget all my old recurve induced habits. So far it is working, as I have moved out to 50 yds, effective range. I consider my effective range to be the maximum range that I can keep 4 out of 5 arrows in an 8" circle. I dont get to shoot as often as I would like, however I can manage to shoot 3 or 4 times a week. I plan to continue this schedule all summer so that when the time comes, I should be capable of taking a 30 to 40 yard shot comfortably.

I believe that the change from antique to modern equipment is most responsible for my new effective range. I never had any desire to chronograph my old bow, but I have the new Mathews, and the 260 feet per second I'm shooting now, seems about twice as fast........

Well, It's August now.....

I have been shooting religously all summer, my effective range is 60 yds now...........

It's amazing what a little practice can do

I work out of town several days a week, with no place to shoot .However , rather than waste the evenings, I have been trying to get myself in shape .I found a fire escape stairway directly across from our apartment in the city, perfect for mountain climbing...lol

I am already starting to get a little anxious about the trip, I wonder how long a fellow can elk hunt without sleeping at night...................

I'll keep posting as the season gets closer, for anyone interested in the progress of an e-hunt