MOST ELK HUNTERS ONLY PLAN FOR 2 DAYS - HERES THE 10 DAY SYSTEM | EP. 216

Most elk hunters have a plan for opening morning. Very few have a clear elk hunting strategy for days 4, 6, 8, or 10. That’s why so many promising 10-day elk hunts start falling apart halfway through the trip. Fatigue builds, the elk aren’t cooperating, confidence drops, and hunters begin making emotional decisions they should’ve made before ever reaching the trailhead. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down a complete day-by-day plan for a 10-day elk hunt. Instead of treating the entire hunt like one long push, you’ll learn how to divide it into four distinct phases—each with its own objective, decision rules, opportunities, and potential mistakes. You’ll learn: • Why days 1 and 2 should focus on locating elk and building information • How to hunt days 3 through 5 without abandoning good elk country too soon • When fresh elk sign means you should stay—and when cold sign means it’s time to move • Why days 6 through 8 are the critical grind phase of a backcountry elk hunt • How to make a strategic move while there’s still enough time to capitalize on it • Why days 9 and 10 must remain complete hunting days • How to plan your morning, midday, and evening hunting windows • When midday recovery is smart—and when staying close to bedded elk creates opportunity • How to prepare for fatigue, changing conditions, pressure, and declining confidence • Why your elk pack-out plan must be solved before a bull is on the ground Whether you’re preparing for an archery elk hunt, rifle elk hunt, guided hunt, or a do-it-yourself public-land elk hunt, this episode will help you build a plan that extends beyond opening weekend. Matt draws from 34 years of western elk hunting and guiding experience, along with 30 years as a professional strength, conditioning, and nutrition coach, to explain why hunters who perform for the full duration of a difficult hunt are rarely relying on motivation alone. They’ve built a system that tells them what to do when the excitement fades, the body gets tired, and the easy decisions disappear. A 10-day elk hunt gives you enough time to locate elk, learn their patterns, adjust your strategy, recover from mistakes, and still fill your tag—but only when every day has a purpose. If you want my eyes on your actual elk hunt plan before you head into the field — your maps, access, terrain, pressure points, wind and thermals, and overall strategy — book an Elk Hunt Plan Audit and I'll help you build the right approach for whichever phase of September you're hunting: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/elk-hunt-plan-audit If you want to study the complete elk hunting system on your own, start with my Elk Hunting Series E-Books: https://backboneunlimited.com/collections/elk-hunting-series-e-books For daily guidance, accountability, and a community of serious western hunters working toward the same goals, join Team Backbone: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/membership If the missing piece is your body — legs, lungs, and the ability to handle mountain miles under a heavy pack across all of September — check out my Backbone Unlimited Training Plans: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/training For pre-season body composition, in-field fueling, and in-season performance nutrition, check out my Nutrition Plans: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/nutrition