This was our second year hunting elk. The first year, a friend and I started by spending a week backpacking, before the season, as a scouting mission for the upcoming bow season. We found elk, made a plan, and came back two weeks later for a 10-day backpack hunting trip. We had many close calls but ultimately came home empty-handed. We tried again this year.

A herd through binoculars.

We started hunting on opening day in late August. It was hot.