STEVE PUPPE ON ELK HUNTING IN THE BITTERROOT MOUNTAINS

Equipping The Elk Hunter

EDITOR'S NOTE: Steve Puppe of Hamilton, Montana, promotions director for Knight Rifles and longtime avid hunter, lives on the edge of the Bitterroot National Forest with its abundant elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer.

QUESTION: Tell me about the decoy you use, how it works and when you use it.
ANSWER: I use a Montana decoy. It's a silhouette-type decoy that folds up, similar to a photo shield you use to throw light. It has a spring-loaded frame and stakes. I use that when I'm calling to an elk. I fool their ears with my call. I fool their noses by using the wind in my favor, and I try to fool their eyes because they are looking for something. They may stand at 70 or 80 yards and look. If they can't see anything, they may leave. By using a decoy, you get the bull's attention, and he sees the decoy before he spots the hunter. Often, I use a decoy when I'm guiding several people. If I call for somebody, I want to take the attention away from the hunter so the elk is focused on the decoy. It gives that hunter the opportunity to draw his bow. If I'm hunting by myself, I put the decoy beyond or behind me so he looks past my location. He comes to that sound and sees the decoy. It's just like turkey hunting. His focusing on my decoy gives me the opportunity to take a shot.

QUESTION: You climb a lot of mountains when you elk hunt. What kind of boots do you recommend?
ANSWER: You need a comfortable boot that fits your foot snug because you don't want your feet to slide. I always wear Gore-Tex boots. You need something that is waterproof because your feet get wet and soggy. And wet socks cause you to get blisters. There's nothing worse than having blisters on your feet. If you're planning an elk hunt, make sure to get your boots long before the hunt so you can break them in good.

QUESTION: You also use a GPS. Tell me about when you've used a GPS and how it's helped you.
ANSWER: The GPS is a great tool. Sometimes in the mountains you have trouble picking up satellites, depending on where you are. If you get on top of any ridge, generally you can pick up all the satellites to find your position. But they really work good for finding your way in the dark when you can't see any landmarks. You may have an elk down and are trying to pick it up in the dark. A GPS leads you right to it. You need to have confidence in your equipment. A lot of people don't.

Once I had an elk down. He was probably one and a half miles from the road. It had gotten dark, and I was unfamiliar with that area. I knew there was a road so I packed out the first load. I marked the elk with my GPS, walked out the draw, ended up at a road and walked up the road a good distance to get to the truck. When I reached my truck, I backed down to the little draw where I was and followed it. When my GPS said I was there, I looked around with my flashlight and I was five feet from the bull. The GPS led me right to him. With zero visibility, it won't do you any good to have a map if you can't see the terrain. Generally following a stream down will take you somewhere. If you know a ridge is there, you can get on the ridge, and the GPS will point you in the direction you need to go. I mark a lot of things with my GPS. I mark my camp. I mark my truck. If I find a honey hole that the elk frequent, I'll mark it.

QUESTION: You said, "Eighty percent of hunters don't get their elk." Why?
ANSWER: Hunter limitations. Many hunters are limited by their physical endurance. To hunt elk, you must be physically and mentally able. Those are the two limitations that keep most people from killing elk.

QUESTION: What are some physical limitations?
ANSWER: Physical limitations can simply mean not being in good shape. For instance, there may be a big meadow at the top of a mountain where elk are feeding. If you have to walk one and a half miles and it takes you five hours, you're not going to get there soon enough. To be there at daylight, you have to leave at 2:00 in the morning. Then you're be physically drained. Being in good physical condition will help you tremendously.

QUESTION: How does a guide pull a hunter up a hill mentally?
ANSWER: To help a hunter mentally, go at his pace and always encourage him. Never discourage a hunter. Say, "Hey, it isn't that far up there. It's only another half mile." The distance actually may be a mile, but giving mental encouragement helps tremendously. I've never had somebody who hasn't made it through a hunt.

QUESTION: So the secret to getting an elk is to get a guide who can mentally help you to do that?
ANSWER: Oh, yes. As a guide, you must encourage the hunter. Instantly you can tell their limitations. You can tell their physical capabilities and their mental state-of-mind. By giving them encouragement, you can generally put them in the right position to kill an elk.

To learn more about Knight Rifles, call (641) 856-2626, write them at Knight Rifles, Customer Service Dept., 21852 Hwy J46, Centerville, IA 52544, or visit the Web site www.knightrifles.com. You can contact Scott Boulanger, a dependable, expert elk guide in this section of Montana by writing him at P.O. Box 733, Darby, Montana, 59289. You can call him at (406) 821-0017, E-mail him at elkhunter@circlekbl.com, or visit his Web site www.circlekbl.com.