Bending down to lift my pack, I could definitely feel the wear and tear of seven straight days in the wilderness.

Sore muscles, blistered feet and a sticky coating of sweat seemed to cover every inch of my body.

We were here by choice, though.

After years of hunting accessible lands that posed no difficulty for the average hunter, we had decided to head in a little further.

I hoisted the pack, scanned the area and then began the long walk out to the trailhead, a mere 6 miles off. Success was with us too: my partner and I were packing out our second elk.

As the hindquarter of the elk weighed heavy on my shoulders, I knew we had made the right decision to hunt deep in the backcountry.

I’d been fortunate enough to bag an elk on the first day of the hunt, and my partner had just sent an arrow to its mark two hours earlier.

Where to hunt

It started a few years earlier on a finger ridge perched high in the Pacific Northwest’s Blue Mountains.

At sunrise, I gave a long locating bugle and got a response from a receptive bull.

Feverishly working our way towards the bugling bull, we cut the distance to a hundred yards.

Instantly everything came alive as the herd bull finally broke the morning air with a spine-tingling scream.

Peeking through a small opening I could see a handful of cows and a decent raghorn. The wind shifted slightly and the herd started to move deeper in the “hole” that lay below us.

I looked over at my hunting companion, Steve Scott of Medford, Ore., and without saying a word we picked our gear and jogged toward the sounds of the breaking brush.

We made our way down the center of the finger ridge.

A few hundred yards later we broke into an opening and that was when it all became crystal clear: After many years of chasing bulls we realized we had been hunting the wrong areas. It was like someone had just pulled a great curtain back and all the secrets of elk hunting lay before us.

We were standing in elk heaven! We had bulls to left and bulls to the right, bulls below us and bulls behind us. We worked four different bulls that morning and finally sat down by a stream around noon to grab some lunch before making the long trek back up the hill.

It would take us a solid two hours of climbing up a vertical ridge without stopping to reach the truck. As our quads burned from the climb, we made up our minds to get the gear we needed to be able to stay comfortably in the wilderness, and experience this type of elk hunting every day.

This is the only way we hunt for elk now, and many elk have fallen since that day. Just like the two mentioned above.

Gear

Getting away from roads and people will boost your odds of harvesting an animal with your bow or gun.

I can honestly say that every year we venture into the backcountry, we have an opportunity to harvest at least a cow almost every day. Most people are not willing to venture too far away from their comfort zone and will not walk more than a mile from their vehicle.

Many times when you commit to venturing into the great unknown, count on at least a 12-mile jaunt.

It sounds crazy until you experience the sights and sounds of being in elk everyday.

Having a mature bull come to your calls rather than turn away at the sound will get your blood pumping, and this kind of excitement will push you further than expected. Below are few items that have really turned my hunting around.

With these things, I can hunt long into the day while most other guys head back to camp.

Whoever said that hunting is the best in the morning and the evening never hunted the backcountry.

The hunting is good all day!

• A good frame pack should be first on your list. Find one that fits your body.

  Look for a snug waist belt that helps manage a heavy load, and comfortable straps to rest on your shoulders.

  Personally, I like the moose type bag that I can fit an elk quarter into. These attach easily with some pins and can be rinsed out easily.

• Alaska game bags are a must have. They’re light, compact and don’t take up much room.

  Hunting with a buddy is a good idea. You can carry two game bags and your partner can carry two.

• Carry a good knife and a stone. No reason for carrying three knives and a multi-tool, which may add unneeded weight.
• A hydration pack and a water filter can save weight too. Be sure never to drink from a stream no matter how clean it may look.

  Unless I’m dying of thirst, I’ll use a filter.

  If you do plan on drinking from a stream, Imodium AD is very lightweight and there are plenty of leaves to help clean up.

• A Therm-a-Rest self-inflating pad has been the best investment I’ve made for backcountry elk hunting.

  It not only makes for a softer bed, but also keeps in much-needed body heat.

• Another necessity is a quality sleeping bag. Look for something lightweight, 3 to 4 pounds.

  A good mummy bag with a built-in hood is like a condominium in the wilderness. A good stocking cap will conserve body heat at night too.

• A good windproof lighter can greatly increase your odds of making a fire.

  Matches are good, but once they get wet, you’re gambling with your ability to survive.

  I do carry a small pack of matches that I wrap in a Ziploc bag. A fire serves a dual purpose, warmth and security.

• Cooking can be done easily with a small butane stove that lights easily and can boil a quart of water within a few minutes.

  When hunting with a friend, one should carry the stove and the other a lantern that is also compatible with the fuel container.

• A small water pot that will hold about a cup and a half of water is all the dishes I carry.

  I can boil water for coffee singles and freeze-dried meals.

The meals are not the tastiest, but between those and MREs (Meal Ready to Eat), that’s about all you need.

No canned good — too heavy.

Pack hunting

Hunting with camp on your back will keep you mobile and in the hunt if done correctly.

Don’t overdo it, however. Too much weight will ruin your hunt and make for a miserable time.

Find out what you can sacrifice to be comfortable and prepared. Granted, I know guys who are more serious than me.

They count the ounces of what goes into their packs, and I don’t blame them.

The first time I ventured into the wilderness to hunt from my pack, I was so overloaded I stopped and stripped it down to the bare minimum.

A well-equipped pack should weigh about 40 to 50 pounds. This will hold you over for two to three days. Remember, when you’re loading your pack to head into the woods, you only want it heavy on the trip out. The main benefit of backpack hunting in the wilderness is that you don’t have to hike in and out every day.

We get ourselves into a great area, move off a few hundred yards and settle down for the night and then in the morning, we are right in the middle of all the action.

Backcountry hunting is definitely not for every one, but for those who have thought about it, give it a try.

It’s a true hunting experience you’ll never forget.

Many years ago I watched an elk hunting video with Larry D. Jones and Dwight Schuh as they manipulated bulls with soft cow talk and harsh bugles.

I was captivated by all the elk bugling and excitement that these two generated, when in the woods.

At that time I was hunting elk in southern Oregon and had chased a few around but had never experienced the type of action that I was witnessing on the television.

I soon realized I didn’t know what I was doing when I entered the elk woods.

In fact, the more I learned about elk calling and herd talk, the more I realized how little I knew.

I immersed myself in every video and book I could lay my eyes on and studied and practiced calling techniques and tactics.

Now it’s a different story and I can honestly tell you that every year in the woods is comparable to living “Elk Fever.”

Knowing what to say and when to say it can easily bring a bull directly into bow range.

Granted, there are those lucky few who buy a cow call and seem to call in a decent 300-inch bull on their first try, but this is more a matter of being in the right place at the right time than skill and effort.

Unfortunately for them, getting another such bull may take a lifetime.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather be lucky than good any day of the week too, but it just doesn’t work that way for me, so I am forced to climb into deep, bottomless holes and try to lure a bull into archery range with a variety of soft, seductive mews and calf talk coupled with an occasional bugle or two.

Sometimes it works, and when it does finally come together, you don’t even feel the earth under your feet.

Which is a nice feeling since you don’t notice the blisters on the bottom of your feet either.

I have had many days filled with trial and error — well, mostly error. These mistakes and rewards have taught me valuable lessons.

Here I will break down some of the calling tips and techniques that have brought others and myself success over the past decade.

Keep in mind these tips will work, but first you have to put yourself in a good hunting area. Your hunt is only going to be as good as your spot.

If you are not getting a response from the elk, then it may be time to try another location.

There are a few key things to take into consideration before you start calling. You need to be aware of your surroundings.

Mainly this applies to areas that are easily accessible to other hunters.

Once you get a bull fired up, you are inviting every hunter within earshot to your location. I have had many bulls blown out from under me due to this.

Elk like to move mainly from deep, mild temperature bedding grounds to open feeding areas in the late afternoon.

Once you locate the herd, run these questions through your head before you spring into action: How many hunters are in the area?

Have these elk been pressured and pushed here?

How many elk are in the herd and how many satellite bulls are roaming in the immediate area? What is their travel pattern looking like?

You want to cover all these basics before rushing into a calling situation.

If I know there are other hunters in the area, I am more likely to take it easy.

I don’t want to do any bugling that may invite a hunter to my location and have him walk through the herd and end my hunt early.

Elk that have been pressured by calling are not likely to answer a call.

If you do get a response, it might be as the bull rounds his cows up and moves them and himself out of the immediate area.

A herd that contains quite a few elk can be more of a problem than a bonus — more elk mean more eyes, ears and, even worse, noses.

Calling techniques

As for calling techniques, let’s start with bugling. Every new elk hunter owns a bugle; whether or not they know how to use it properly is another thing.

Years ago, the bugle used to be a great way to bring elk in close.

Bulls were accustomed to other bulls “bugling” their way into the herd, and the herd bull would defend his cows and come after the intruder, often creating a shot for the hunter.

Now that every hunter owns a bugle, elk have grown accustomed to the instant onslaught of bugling and feverish cow calling that occurs when archery seasons open in late August and early September.

The rut usually peaks about the second week of September and finishes well after the archery season has closed.

Bugling activity from active bulls really starts to pick up during this time.

Activity in highly pressured areas may pick up more after dark as nocturnal herds spread out in the cool air to fight for breeding rights.

Using the bugle to your advantage

From a high vantage point, you can often lay out a long series of tones and pitches that simulate a mature bull seeking other elk.

This is not necessarily a call for a fight or to take over the herd, but basically as a way to say “Hello, where are you?”

Elk are social animals and are very communicative while keeping in touch with one another.

It is very common to get a response from a bull during early morning and late afternoons stretching into dusk.

During cooler weather when rutting and bugling activity is at its prime, calling can last all day.

The bugle can be used as an aggressive call, seductive or warning.

Usually what will bring a bull into a hunter’s call is curiosity to basically size up the competition.

If you ever watch a herd of elk, the smaller bulls are usually quiet and constantly sneaking their way around the herd to try and get a chance with a receptive cow.

Once the herd bull bugles, though, the smaller bulls will usually look in that direction and clear out before being seen. They are familiar with the herd bull.

Let your presence be known but don’t be overly aggressive with your calls.

A bull with a large herd which has been fighting satellite bulls all evening can easily push his cows out of the immediate area instead of respond.

A bull with a couple cows does not want to compete and chance losing his cows that he may have just gotten. More than likely he will leave too.

However, sometimes a bull has just lost his harem and is looking for a fight. If he keeps answering your bugle, keep bugling.

The only time you would need a cow call would be to stop the bull for a shot.

Take the bull’s “temperature.”

If he sounds big, try to tone it down a little and give him the feeling that you’re an easy target for punishment.

Couple this with a few soft cow calls, and the bull will think he can come in and take what’s his.

Cow calling

Everyone I know owns the Hyper Hot Cow Call by Woodswise.

While it is a great call and can be very deadly when used correctly, the key to any cow call is to be realistic and not too loud.

If you have a cow call that is slightly nasally, this is realistic to elk.

Once you’re in close to a herd, a cow call may not be much use.

A hyper cow call may create some excitement, but as soon as you begin to make some noise, you are going to have every eye looking in your direction.

Usually the lead cow (or sentry) will come in close to investigate; this may bring the bull in too. The cows control the herd and the bull.

Where the cows go, the bull follows. If the bull is unresponsive, then try to pull a cow to you with some soft cow calls.

Sometimes this will get a cow to feed or walk into your direction which may bring the bull in closer too.

Keep it soft and simple. Mimic whatever the cow does and all the herd talk might create some curiosity to bring the bull to within range.

If the bull hangs back and the cow comes within 30 yards, hit your bugle and make the bull think a smaller bull is in the herd.

Not being one to give up a cow, usually the bull will come charging in your direction in no time.

Tactics

There are many different tactics, but if you are sensible about your approach your odds of calling in a bull greatly increase.

I suggest watching instructional videos.

You may need to go back a couple years to find a good one.

More of today’s elk hunting videos are made up of mostly kill shots with very little focus on the actual calling techniques that are used to bring an animal into range.

The main thing is to keep it simple and as real as possible. It’s not a bugling contest.

A loud bugle will shut every bull in the woods down for fear of both their lives and herds being taken from them.

Soft and seductive calling when you are in close will usually create a shot opportunity.

Perched high in our vantage point, we tried to hide from the falling rain and occasional lightning strikes that had quickly moved in and overtaken us without notice.

Hunting in the popular Blue Mountains of Oregon meant lots of elk and an equal number of hunters.

Many of our attempts to lure a bull into archery range using a call had failed, and now we were forced to change our tactics and go with the spot-and-stalk.

Situated between the rocks, my hunting partner and myself watched a distant herd of elk feed across an open hillside as the shadows grew longer.

There was no way we could make it over to them before nightfall, so we watched intently and made a plan to intercept them in the morning.

Due to the hunting pressure in the area, we knew we would have to leave well before light to reach the herd.

Hopefully they would be in the same general location.

With just a couple days left to hunt, it was crunch time, and competing with other hunters bugling their way into the herd we had been tracking was not on the agenda.

Even though we were sitting a few miles from a road, we knew that other hunters were among us, and we needed to come up with a plan in hopes of filling our last tag.

Too many hunters had converged on the area we usually frequent and educated most of the resident bulls.

With the industry pushing so many elk calls in today’s market, everyone who steps into the woods seems to be blowing some sort of cow call or bugle.

The only problem with this situation is that elk will become educated to calling and shut down during hunting hours.

When this happens, the only alternative for a hunter to fill an elk tag mybe to put on a successful spot-and-stalk in an attempt to place an arrow into an animal.

The basics

Most of us know the drill: Glass a bull from a distance and try to sneak in closer to call the bull into range.

The outcome more often than not is the bull retreating at 60 miles per hour in the opposite direction.

Obviously, that bull will have been worked with a call recently, or even been shot at.

His warning senses will be on full alert, and unless he sees an elk he’s not likely to investigate the source of the calling.

He’ll just retreat to live another day.

To get in close, today’s archery hunter needs to take a few things into consideration — herd location and pattern, wind and scent — and you must have patience.

When calling bulls, you’re trying to make something happen, essentially forcing the issue and inviting the bull to come into your location either aggressively or seductively, depending on the situation.

Spot-and-stalk hunting relies solely on the movement and bedding or feeding pattern of the animal, and trying to sneak within bow range without being detected.

This is where scent control is most important.

Getting within your effective archery range is even tougher when you can’t call an animal towards you.

You have to get in closer to the herd, and just the smallest amount of human scent will give your location away.

Scent-control clothing is essential to archery hunting, and even more important in a spot-and-stalk situation.

Picking a target

During early morning hours, elk are very active with breeding activity. A hunter can easily advance on a herd simply by listening to the elk talk.

Try to slip in close and get a shot at an unsuspecting bull as he tries to enter the herd or mingle with the cows.

For most bow hunters, a cow will be more than sufficient to fill the freezer.

In a good herd, cows are plentiful and usually spread out, sometimes making a shot possible.

If you’re not too picky, a cow or spike can be an easy target for a spot-and-stalk situation.

Cows and younger, immature bulls make up a good portion of the herd and can spread out, creating more shot opportunities.

A feeding group of cows and spikes can make for a great spot-and-stalk situation.

Cows are not particularly interested in all the bull activity.

An elk cow’s main objective is to eat and reproduce, and which bull does the job is sometimes left up in the air.

Occasionally they may lift their head to observe what is taking place around them, but unless they smell or see something, their schedule remains the same.

The tricky part of this equation is all the extra eyes, ears and noses.

One small whiff of human scent and the herd can scatter, leaving a bowhunter to watch a hundred hooves tear down a canyon.

Always be aware of wind direction by using a small bottle filled with talcum powder or ash.

When sprayed into the air, the powder will flow in the direction of the wind. During an average year expect to refill your bottle twice.

It’s almost a habit to constantly check wind direction.

If you do happen to bust the herd, you’ve only got one option: Run! Run directly after the herd and try to get closer.

A herd on the run will usually travel a couple hundred yards and then try to regroup.

All the noise and chaos created from the herd will disguise your movement and actually help in getting in closer.

Without calling, this may create a shot opportunity too.

Another great spot-and-stalk technique is to follow a herd to their bedding area.

Elk usually like to bed in a circle and face in different directions, basically circling the wagons to catch an unsuspecting predator.

Sneaking into a bedding area can sometimes create a shot as elk rest. Pay attention to your own sense of smell.

Once you smell elk, you’re close, very close. Nock an arrow and take a look around — you might be standing in the middle them without even knowing it.

Today’s bowhunter has to be prepared for any situation. You’ll find yourself in more spot-and-stalk hunting situations due to increased hunting pressure on public lands.

If there are hunters in the area, any calling that strikes up a bugle may invite other hunters to you and decrease your chances at an elk.

Keep the calls in your pocket and try to sneak in close for a shot.

You can find well executed spot-and-stalk situations by staying back a little more than usual and paying close attention to herd movements and activities.

Sometimes it may take a couple days to figure out a pattern that may produce a shot opportunity.

When it does present itself, you’ll realize how just how rewarding spot-and-stalk elk hunting can be.