5 ELK HUNTING TIPS EVERY NEW ELK HUNTER MUST KNOW | PUBLIC LAND ELK STRATEGY

Are you a rookie elk hunter? I'm Matt Hartsky with Backbone Unlimited, and in today's post, I'm speaking directly to the new elk hunter. Whether you've never punched a tag or you've got a few close calls under your belt, I'm going to share with you the five things I wish I could teach every new elk hunter before they ever step foot into the backcountry.

These are hard-won lessons from over 30 seasons of chasing elk on public land, and I promise—if you absorb what I lay down here, you'll cut years off your learning curve.

1. You Can’t Cheat the Preparation

Everyone wants the glory shot with the bull on the ground. But what they don’t see is the grind behind it. Preparation is the only shortcut.

You're not training for the elk. You're training for the suffering. Elk hunting is endurance, decision-making under fatigue, and carrying weight over vertical terrain.

Action Steps:

• Start training 3–6 months out. Year-round is even better.

• Mix rucking, trail running, and stair climbs while carrying weight.

• Do 3–5 rucking sessions a week with increasing load.

• Practice shooting under fatigue—after burpees, stairs, or long hikes.

• Do full-day simulated hunts with full gear.

• Visualize discomfort. Accept that weather, solitude, and setbacks are part of the game.

Don't ask, "Am I in shape?" Ask, "Can I suffer well?"

2. E-Scouting Is Not Optional

E-scouting is your hunt before the hunt. If you're planning to wing it on opening morning, let me save you some heartache—you're going to waste half your season wandering around.

E-scouting isn’t just about finding elk. It’s about having plans when your plans fail.

Action Steps:

• Use OnX to analyze elevation, terrain features, and public/private boundaries.

• Identify bedding areas (north-facing timber), feeding areas (meadows, burns), water, transition corridors, and escape routes.

• Build multiple hunt plans—tag them A through E.

• Take notes on wind, thermals, and terrain.

• Print maps or download them offline. Batteries die.

• Scout pressure. If everyone is at one trailhead, go deeper or different.

E-scouting is the discipline side of hunting. If you skip it, don't blame the elk. They were probably there. You weren't ready.

3. Elk Will Teach You—If You Let Them

What separates average hunters from killers? Studentship.

Every failed stalk, busted herd, or quiet basin can teach you volumes if you’re humble enough to learn.

Action Steps:

• Journal every elk encounter—note time, wind, terrain, behavior, and your approach.

• Record bugling and calling sessions. What worked? What didn’t?

• Slow down. Glass and observe. Don't just hunt—learn.

• Watch thermals, escape routes, and bedding behavior.

• Debrief after every hunt. What went right? What failed? Why?

My son Sax and I spend weeks each year just observing and filming elk. It’s how we learn. It’s how we get better. Every elk is a professor. Don’t miss the lesson.

4. The Wind Is Your Boss

If you ignore everything else—hear this: the wind is the most important factor in elk hunting. Period.

If elk smell you, the game is over. Doesn't matter how good your call or camo is.

Action Steps:

• Learn thermal behavior:

  • Cold mornings = downhill thermals

  • Warm afternoons = uphill thermals

  • Overcast = swirling, unpredictable wind

• Use puffer powder or milkweed constantly.

• Check wind every 50–100 yards.

• Plan your approach backwards—from elk to you.

• Use terrain to shield scent. Ridges can help.

• If the wind changes, back out. Live to stalk another day.

Respect the wind—or you’ll walk out empty.

5. You Need More Grit Than Gear

We all love gear. I've tested, reviewed, and packed it to the ounce. But the one thing most new elk hunters are missing? It’s not boots. Not optics. It’s grit.

Action Steps:

• Train in bad weather.

• Sleep outside before the season starts.

• Hike hard, with no reward, to simulate grind.

• Visualize discomfort, fatigue, and setback—and how you'll respond.

• Practice positive self-talk: "This is the part that makes me better."

• Pace yourself. Hunt to outlast, not outblast.

• Have a "why" deeper than antlers. Purpose fuels grit.

Your best piece of gear is between your ears. Toughness isn't macho. It's refusing to quit when everything says you should.

That’s Backbone.

So new hunters, those are the five lessons I’d hand-deliver to every new elk hunter. Not just so you tag out—but so you last long enough to enjoy the hunt and become consistent at creating opportunities.

You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be prepared. You need to be humble. And you need to be tough as hell when it counts.

If this post helped you, do me a favor:

• Drop a comment with the lesson that hit hardest.

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Train harder. Hunt smarter. Live relentless.

– Matt Hartsky