Flying for a DIY elk hunt?

[bz_711]

Really think about this point and break it all down. For example, it takes me an hour to drive to the airport.
Arrive 1.5 hours before the flight. Shortest flight I can find is 5 hours to Bozeman, and I have to go by the airlines schedule. If I wasn't bound by that I might have been able to leave the night before the flight.

Now add another hour to get my bags and rent a car. Next, how far too drive from there top the hunt area? You could easily kill an entire day by flying if everything goes perfectly. And it often doesn't go perfectly. Flight delays, lost baggage, etc. really throw a wrench intro the best laid plans. On the back end it is very likely you'll need to quit early to return the rental car and get a motel room the night before your flight home.

I've flown on a number of hunts to places I can't easily drive to, but I hate it. If there is any choice at all I'll drive every time, especially if DIY. To me, a 20 hour drive is almost a break even time wise. And I much prefer to be on my own schedule. Guided or with someone to help you on the other end is not such a problem.

100% agree. We are only 15-16 hours from elk camp, and I wouldn't even consider flying even if it was free. I'm too much of a control freak...I daydream about elk hunt all year - no way I'm leaving anything to chance (especially when I usually only have 5 full days to hunt). I like having all the extra "emergency" items in my own car, and really like have big cooler full of ice at all times (archery elk seasons are too hot not to have ice ready).
And then ultimately I'm a penny pincher, so driving is more economical every time (especially if you have meat to haul), but even if you're driving 40 hours round trip you might be talking $500 in gas. Less money spent on one hunt can go towards the next hunt
Again - just my opinion, I'm sure flying is easier and more stress free for others. Personally I love long road trips, gives me plenty of time to de-stress and go over plans again. And as others have said, things don't always go as planned on the hunt and having a return flight booked could be an issue as well (you might want to go home early if tag out, or might need extra day if tag out at last minute and realize you have 200lbs of meat to pack out still)...just need to factor all those things in as well if flying.
If you end up with a partner, I think you'd be happier driving...Best of luck no matter what!

 

[Brendan]

+1 for driving.

I live in Boston, MA and hunt western MT. I leave after work on Friday - and am hunting Sunday afternoon. That's solo - with two nights sleep in hotels along the way. If you're flying - you'd fly out Saturday morning and be hunting Sunday morning if you're lucky. Loss: Maybe one morning hunt.

On the way home - I leave after my Thursday morning hunt. I get home Saturday afternoon. If you're flying - you'd hunt at most through Friday morning, maybe through Thursday night to make a Saturday flight home, and get home Saturday night. Loss - one afternoon, maybe a full day. Let's be honest - what happens if you get a bull down on Friday - are you confident you can get everything together in time to make your Saturday flight home? That'll be one hell of a day... (My 2014 bull was shot just after first light, 3/4 mile uphill of the truck. Took me until 5-6:00 to get him out, on ice, packed up and to the closest major city with an airport.)

That's driving solo, sleeping twice along the way, 2400-2500 miles each direction, maybe 36 hours of driving? If you've got buddies with you to drive straight, or if you're going to CO instead of MT/WY/ID - then the difference gets even smaller.

My truck does get crappy mileage with roof racks on it and driving fast. Gas bill over $800 for me round trip.

Something to think about.

 

[Scott/IL]

A lot of great advice here! I'm flying to Alaska next month so I'll have to see how that goes with my gear.

As of now, I'm leaning on taking the driving option though.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[elkstabber]

+1 for driving.

I live in Boston, MA and hunt western MT. I leave after work on Friday - and am hunting Sunday afternoon. That's solo - with two nights sleep in hotels along the way. If you're flying - you'd fly out Saturday morning and be hunting Sunday morning if you're lucky. Loss: Maybe one morning hunt.

On the way home - I leave after my Thursday morning hunt. I get home Saturday afternoon. If you're flying - you'd hunt at most through Friday morning, maybe through Thursday night to make a Saturday flight home, and get home Saturday night. Loss - one afternoon, maybe a full day. Let's be honest - what happens if you get a bull down on Friday - are you confident you can get everything together in time to make your Saturday flight home? That'll be one hell of a day... (My 2014 bull was shot just after first light, 3/4 mile uphill of the truck. Took me until 5-6:00 to get him out, on ice, packed up and to the closest major city with an airport.)

That's driving solo, sleeping twice along the way, 2400-2500 miles each direction, maybe 36 hours of driving? If you've got buddies with you to drive straight, or if you're going to CO instead of MT/WY/ID - then the difference gets even smaller.

My truck does get crappy mileage with roof racks on it and driving fast. Gas bill over $800 for me round trip.

Something to think about.

I live in eastern Virginia so my travel is about the same as yours. I disagree with your timeframe because flying saves a lot of time. For example, when you leave work on Friday you start driving but you don't start flying until Saturday morning. If you starting flying on Friday after work then you should be hunting by noon on Saturday. That's a BIG difference.

Plus, after I've driven 30+ hours I feel like crap. After an airline flight I arrive well rested and I'm ready to attack the mountains. That's another BIG difference that will affect the first couple of days of your hunt.

Flying back elk meat and antlers is tricky and takes some planning.

I've driven half the time to hunt elk out west and flown half of the time. To hunt mule deer I've always flown because the trips are shorter and deer meat and antlers are MUCH easier to fly.

One thing that I'll be looking at this year will be flying out and driving a rental car back. This will eliminate the hassle of transporting elk parts on a plane.

To me, the biggest disadvantage of flying is having to rent a car. I would drive my truck lots of places that I won't drive a rental because I'm concerned about scratching the sides on bushes/sage. It's a tough decision for those of us on the east coast.

To the OP: if I lived in IL (15 hours, 1,200 miles) there is no question that driving is the way to go.

 

[Brendan]

I live in eastern Virginia so my travel is about the same as yours. I disagree with your timeframe because flying saves a lot of time. For example, when you leave work on Friday you start driving but you don't start flying until Saturday morning. If you starting flying on Friday after work then you should be hunting by noon on Saturday. That's a BIG difference.

Except - there are no cross country flights from the east coast Friday after work that will get you to places like MT or ID, so you can't leave until Saturday morning. At the very least if you can catch one, you won't complete your flight until Saturday with connections, so you're not hunting until Sunday regardless. Think about it - time to get to airport, catch a flight, catch a connection, get your luggage, get your rental car, get to town for the supplies that you can't fly with, get to the trailhead. You're at the mercy of their schedule, where driving you dictate it... Now - if you're only flying to Denver or SLC without connections and can score a Friday night flight, then you could be hunting Saturday afternoon, but not if you're trying to get to MT or ID.

So yes - it takes more actual time to drive, but I'm talking lost hunting time which is what matters to me.

Plus, after I've driven 30+ hours I feel like crap. After an airline flight I arrive well rested and I'm ready to attack the mountains. That's another BIG difference that will affect the first couple of days of your hunt.

Doesn't bother me one bit. My truck is a hell of a lot more comfortable than an airplane, and I get two good nights sleep on my drive without being crammed in an airplane with sick people breathing all over me. I've done it three times, and driving hasn't made me arrive feeling like crap at all, and I'm hunting fresh without impact on the first day. And that goes without touching on being able to bring all the gear and coolers you need.

If you've only got one week off and every minute counts, then flying may have a little bit more of an edge.

 

[5MilesBack]

The only time I've ever flown for a hunt was coming from overseas. But that was easy, pick up my truck, load it up, and head on up. I'd take time off unpaid before I'd fly in for a DIY elk hunt, but that's me.

 

[archer wapiti]

I posted this on a different thread, but it's pertinent here. (Just couldn't find this thread when I was looking to share last week).
about 45-50 min into this podcast, Steve and Remi talk about flying with meat.
Episode 050: Steven Rinella answers frequently asked listener questions with Remi Warren along with Janis Putelis, and Garret Smith from the MeatEater crew. – MeatEater

 

[toadmeister]

Great thread!.

I live in eastern IA and am planning on driving out to WY, CO, and MT on future elk trips. Anything on the other side of the continental divide and I think I'd fly, like AZ or NM, UT.

I'm 6'4" and flying usually gets me very uncomfortable. Driving in my cozy Dodge RAM is luxury by comparison and like others say, its nice to have the quiet road to yourself and a buddy.



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[blutooth]

15-17 hours is the limit for me for driving. A 16 hr drive can be done in 1 full day keeping normal sleeping patterns. I stay much fresher and you lose the same time driving as you would flying (1 day travel each way). I drove to Idaho 2 yrs ago - 24 hrs solo in the truck and did it in 2-12 hr days driving. I wasn't tired and was ready to hunt day 1. I picked up 2 hunting partners in Missoula. They were at home 24 longer than me and back in their lazy boys before I was halfway home at the end of the trip.

I prefer driving because you have everything you need and it's easier to come out heavy. but you need time to do it and enjoy yourself so it doesn't become a grind. However just like an airline can lose your luggage a lot bad can happen on the road. Flat tires, blown tranny, fall asleep from driving too long or have a flock of sage grouse fly out of the median at 75 mph. This happened on a Sunday coming home. Drove 18 hours worried the windshield was going to fall in on me (it was Sunday so nothing was open)


To get out west for a hunt it either takes time or money. Depends which is more valuable to you.

 

[woodmoose]

I drive from NC out that way every year,,,,NM, CO, WY, and Idaho

Flew out to AZ deer hunting a few times but they were guided/outfitted hunts

I prefer to drive if its my hunt

 

[Buglebrush]

Drive for sure. Get a good audio book, and you are set

 

[pbcarch]

My buddy and i are planning on driving to CO for our first DIY elk hunt. About 31 hours each way but with 2 of us driving we can split it up quite nicely in shifts, then when splitting up the gas $$ it starts to become economical. While everyone here has much better info on this then I do one thing to consider (if this is your first time out like for me) is having your body get adapted to the elevation / environment.

Just remember when you hit CO on the east side you still have a way to go to the west !

 

[Jtelarkin08]

depending on where i draw a tag/buy a landowner tag this year I will most likely fly out to scout for a few days in August. I think flying out to hunt wouldnt be that big of an issue either. Rent a truck and line up a processor to do your meat. They can pack it up and ship it or you can check coolers. It may be a little more expensive but for some people time is money.

 

[Sapper]

My buddy and i are planning on driving to CO for our first DIY elk hunt. About 31 hours each way but with 2 of us driving we can split it up quite nicely in shifts, then when splitting up the gas $$ it starts to become economical. While everyone here has much better info on this then I do one thing to consider (if this is your first time out like for me) is having your body get adapted to the elevation / environment.

Just remember when you hit CO on the east side you still have a way to go to the west !

A buddy and I have driven out twice from Pa. about 28hrs. 1st time was a learning adventure. We left Friday morning early and got out there sat morning, went into the mountain and set up camp. I felt like crap and took half my hunt to feel half descent.
This past year, we left fri evening after work (6pm), drove straight through and were at a hotel early sat evening. Got a full nights rest and hit the mountain sun morning. We started taking Altitude Rx when we left fri and felt great sun morning. I highly recommend the Altitude Rx. The first time I was out I didn't take anything and the altitude kicked my ass. This time I felt no different than climbing the mountains here in the east. By lunchtime sat I was eating my lunch and enjoying the view just above 11k for about 2 hrs and I did start feeling a little nauseous. I dropped down about 500' and felt fine the rest of my trip. Even if solo, I'd do the same thing, maybe just stop fri night for a few hrs sleep.

 

[Hayguide]

I drive and have my truck base camp in case I need to move or need something DONT FLY UNITED!! they might overbook and throw you off the plane!! My wife and I witnessed it last week, Chicago to Duluth MN, they overbooked by 2 and at first offered $500.00 (credit) not cash- no one took it- then they upped it to $800.00 credit and thankfully someone took it. Its a bad bad airline! The overbooking is done on purpose to assure a full plane. I would drive myself, I would never trust my bow or gun in checked luggage, they throw that stuff around from cart to cart.

 

[pbcarch]

Sapper....thanks for the input , will look into that altitude rx

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[DIY HNTR]

Great thread here... I'm not planning on elk hunting this year, but I am going to fly out during September to Colorado during archery season and scout one of the GMU's I'm looking at for a future archery hunt. If I don't like the area it gives me time to look at another area for my actual hunt. I booked a flight with Frontier round trip for $138 including a checked bag (my pack) arriving Monday morning and returning Friday evening. This way I'm not spending a fortune and I get a cheap vacation for a week in the mountains and can get familiar with the area before I hunt it. I live in Georgia so it's a long drive.

My actual hunt will be in 2019 as I have other expensive trips planned this year and next. The 2019 hunt will be my first Elk hunt ever so I want to make the most of it by scouting ahead of time during season so I have a decent idea of what to expect during my actual hunt. I would buy an OTC tag in case I see something, but I don't have the money this year for that, plus meat care and only having 3+ days to be in the woods. This way I can just bring my pack and carry on my binocular pouch as a personal item. The rental car/ truck will be around $250 for the week plus gas. So it's fairly cheap if I'm figuring correctly.

My question is, have any of you done this to scout? Is it worth it? I plan to drive out there during my actual hunt, but I also considered flying there with my pack and bow, and flying back if I don't tag out, and driving a rental back if I tag out.

Also, what is not allowed on the plane in my checked bag? I'm assuming I cannot bring stove fuel or a lighter. Also probably cannot bring trioxane to start fires or the waterproof matches? Would I have to buy some stuff once I landed? Even for scouting I'll need some items like that.

 

[Scott/IL]

My bear hunt is taking all my planning mindset right now, but I'll shift to elk as soon as I land back home.

A lot of great advice has been given. Right now I'm trying to avoid flying my gear, by rounding up a hunting partner and having them drive my truck out Friday after he gets off and picking me up from an airport Satutday night after I'm able to get away from work. That way, we are hunting Sunday morning. We'll see if it works out!

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[njdoxie]

I drive and have my truck base camp in case I need to move or need something DONT FLY UNITED!! they might overbook and throw you off the plane!! My wife and I witnessed it last week, Chicago to Duluth MN, they overbooked by 2 and at first offered $500.00 (credit) not cash- no one took it- then they upped it to $800.00 credit and thankfully someone took it. Its a bad bad airline! The overbooking is done on purpose to assure a full plane. I would drive myself, I would never trust my bow or gun in checked luggage, they throw that stuff around from cart to cart.

Just a counterpoint, I fly United several times a year, they're as good as any domestic airline except for Southwest, and I actually favor them whenever possible. I have a rock solid guncase, knock on wood, never had an issue. United has improved their overbooking policy since dragging that baby off.