# Elk Hunting Rifle High Uintas North Slope



## goldnugget (Sep 4, 2012)

This will be my first elk hunt. I will be alone and plan on staying within a mile of the road as i'm afraid i would lose most of the meat if I was further back. I have never quartered any animal before so it will be a learning experience. Any suggestions of where to hunt on the North Slope? Any suggested sites to familiarize myself with quartering an elk solo? For the deer season i'm on the North Slope also, but I should be able to drag a deer to the truck if I get so lucky. Thanks for the good site. GN


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## alpinebowman (Sep 24, 2007)

Good lord I wouldn't drag a deer more than 200 yards. My wife's buck was about 200 yards from the road and i still almost cut it up. Dragging sucks. Go the gutless method and you will never look back. I wouldn't worry about loosing meat that time of the year if you quarter it out. As long as it is cut and hung over night you should be fine. Also if you are by yourself make sure you bring some parachute cord to help hold legs out of the way or up while you are taking it apart

Good luck on the elk I have seen a couple elk on the NS but they were no where near a that close to a road.


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

The first elk I killed by myself I drug it for about 7 hours. I think I maybe got 400 yards, needless to say I just about killed myself. It was an extremely stupid idea. I was pretty young and had never killed an animal that large before (it was actually as smaller sized cow). Just quartering an elk by yourself will wear you out. If there are trees around I like to use them for extra help. I'll tie each of the legs to a tree to spread the elk open. It's so much easier if you have someone there who can help lift pieces for you while you cut. Though I know from experience you can't always have someone come along.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Look.up gutless method on YouTube and learn that method to maintain sanity.


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## Yahtahay (Jul 3, 2008)

> Look.up gutless method on YouTube and learn that method to maintain sanity.


+1

Elk101.com has a great video tutorial that you can download. I used the gutless method for the first time ever about two weeks ago and it saves a buttload of time and no guts to deal with.


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## bowhuntinornutin (Mar 4, 2012)

YouTube Fred Eichler gutless method. He cuts up a cow elk and keeps 100% of the edible meat in less then 7 minutes. Watch it until your comfortable. There's also a book at sportsmens or cabelas that show how to gut and skin many different types of animals. Everything from birds to elk that can be taken out to the field with you. That's the same book I used to skin my first bear. I felt kind of goofy reading a step by step procedure from a book in the field.That same bear looks good hanging on my wall and the taxidermist didn't have a problem with it. You won't feel good about it until you have one under your belt. Then you'll be ask yourself what the big deal was???


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

i have hunted the north and south slope for quit a while now. and i agree you need to prepare for this hunt alot differant than you are. a mile away from the road is not going to get you onto many elk. look into quartering the elk out


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I have been hiking up there all summer, and I can tell you that 1 mile through THOSE forests, over all the deadfall, around the ponds, is not like any other mile I have ever hiked...and that was with just my scouting gear. There are elk all over up there, but getting one out even with horses (unless it is right by a nice trail) is going to be murder. Nonetheless, I am planning on being there to do it.

I found plenty of elk sign SW of Stateline Dam, and also S,SE of Hoop Lake...just get out there, away from the crowds and hope for the best. Happy Hunting.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I'll second the Fred Echler video. Mind-blowing when he pulls the tenderloins.


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

Don't listen to these guys. For some reason they think you need to hike 10 miles a day to shoot an elk. I have shot 2 elk in the last 3 years less than .5 of a mile from the road. They are correct on the "gutless method" however.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

fixed blade XC-3 said:


> Don't listen to these guys. For some reason they think you need to hike 10 miles a day to shoot an elk. I have shot 2 elk in the last 3 years less than .5 of a mile from the road. They are correct on the "gutless method" however.


+1

The elk we have shot up there have been within 1 mile. It took some time to figure it out, but they are there.


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## goldnugget (Sep 4, 2012)

Thanks for all the feedback as i've never shot an elk or a mule deer for that matter as i'm used to whitetail. I will definately look up the gutless method and probably watch the video a 100 times. Thanks again for all the feedback and good luck to everybody. ps. I figured you would have to hike in further than a mile, but it's not worth wasting meat to me if I can't get it out, which is why i would like to stay about a mile from the road especially this being my first time. Thanks and good luck to everyone. Gold


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

If I were you I'd start looking around for a partner. You will be able to hunt a lot harder and a lot safer and increase your chances of success doing it this way rather than going it alone.


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