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1. Group hunting is always the best choice

Never go for boars alone. At least to people are required for a safe boar hunting trip, but more is better. There are not enough eyes to control your perimeter, besides, more people implies more firepower, which can make the difference in case a wounded hoar decides to pay revenge.

2. Always keep an emergency, escape route

When you shoot a wild pig there's always a chance to get caught but the wounded animal or one of its companions, so keep always an emergency, escape route in mind and be aware of where it is in case you need to run away.

Wild boars can run fast, much more than one might think, so just running away will not be enough, instead climbing a tree is a better choice since pigs are unable to see upwards or climb trees.

Being aware of robust, tall, easy to climb trees in the area you are hunting is always a good safety measure. Of course, you must be in good shape and be able to climb a tree, otherwise, their presence is useless.

3. Watch your back

Keep your eyes wide open and always check your back. Boars are intelligent creatures who have embushed hunters in the past surprising them by their back. So keep surveillance over your perimeter and never neglect to check your flanks and back, if not, an unexpected, surprise attack may arrive suddenly from your back, and that's something you won't wish to deal with.

A GPS is a good alternative to know exactly where you are, however considering the risk of battery exhaustion during long expeditions regardless of extra batteries, a classical, backup compass is always a good idea.

On the other hand, radios, satelital telephones or even cell phones (if the service is available nearby your hunting ground) are necessary to keep in touch with civilization, especially in case of an emergency.

Once again, remember extra batteries or, if possible, a sun-powered recharging station to assure communications all the time.

3. Optics

If you wish to catch an elk, you will need to find it first, but these elusive critters won't make things easy for you; so you will need to find them first and that implies a lot of tracking and scope.

Rarely you will face an elk along your way instead, you need to spot the area, track the animal and get as close as possible to have a clear shot, and to make it possible, a pair of high-quality binoculars are essential.

What type of binocular is hard to say due to individual preferences however, the best option is that assuring you a clear view.

Find maps of the area, reports about the best places to see elks, and gather as much information as possible.

Nowadays there's a lot of resources on the internet which will save a lot of time on research.

Once you are on the field, the next thing to do is scouting. Take your time to explore the area, hike the terrain and try to spot the best places to find elks.

Remember, these are elusive creatures living on a very complicated terrain, thus scouting probably will take longer than it would with other hunting types.

If it's your first time on a particular land, hiring a local guide or an outfitter is a great choice. They will not only guide you but also will help to keep you safe.

These people have been working and hunting on those lands for years and their valuable experience is not comparable to what one might gather from the internet and scouting alone.

Keeping in mind their advice and following their instructions is a good way to increase your success odds. Perhaps later, once you have hit the area more than once, you might go on your own, that will be on you when the time comes.

An important thing to do is spotting areas where you might camp or have shelter. Unlike other hunting expeditions, elk hunting might take several days, so it's important to have a clear idea of where you may expend the night and find shelter.

Being in good shape is not an option but an obligation. Routine exercises including aerobic training combined with weight lift are a good combination. Get sure to increase your endurance and strength as much as possible, at the end of the day you will need every single bit of energy and much more, so start training several months before.

2. Get used to lack of oxygen
It's not the same to hunt at sea level or just a few meters above it than 3.000 meters high in the mountains, where elks live. If you are not a local, altitude may - and will - play against you.

People who are not used to move on high altitudes will feel exhausted promptly and their physical performance will be beyond their standards, then it's necessary to properly acclimatize yourself before starting your hunt.

To do so it's possible to climb mountains or move during weekends to high areas above 2.500 meters, if available, and train to hike and make exercises up there. This way your body will get used to work with lower oxygen than usual.

Another good choice is to move towards the area you pretend to hunt on, a couple of weeks before hunting starts, this way your body will have time to adapt to the new situation, and once the hunt begins, you will have fewer problems with altitude.

3. Mental strength is a key
The ability to tolerate frustration, pain, and hopeless sense will be as valuable as physical endurance on your elk hunting adventure.

Elk hunting will ask the best of you and will punish as much as possible, so if you are not able to overcome the frustration of a whole day hiking on the worst possible conditions and terrain and see no single elk; if you are not ready to ignore muscle pain and cramps to wake up early in the morning to face a physical extenuating hunting without guarantees to at least see an elk, then you probably will quit faster than you think.

If we add to this, wet and cold weather, a minor bleb or cut in your feet may get very complicated, leading even to ankle sprains and falls because walking and standing become very painful tasks, your steps are modified and it's easier to lose balance.

That's why keeping feet healthy all along the excursion remains paramount; otherwise, things might get complicated, sometimes very complicated.

So, in order to avoid feet problems during your time outdoors, keep in mind the following tips:

1. Assure proper Insulation
Too much heat or cold will damage your skin, especially cold, so be sure to use proper insulation in order to keep your feet warm.

2. Avoid wet
Wet is the number 1 enemy of skin when it's enclosed inside a boot or shoe, leading to maceration and wounds. Be sure to use proper, transpirable socks to keep your feet as dry as possible.

3. Change your socks regularly
Sometimes it's necessary to change your socks up to two or three times a day. When the fabric gets wet, its physical properties change and may create attrition on the feet skin, leading to minor injuries that later may get complicated.