2020 September Colorado Elk Hunt

[commandoNate]

I wouldn't try to talk you out of backpack hunting but for your first trip maybe plan to hike in and hunt a couple days from a spike camp. Then move camp or even hike out to the truck and move to another access point and hike in there. I've done it both ways and I have found that after a few days of setting up and taking down camp, and carrying all your gear and all your food everywhere you go the legs and lungs start to fade. Just my $.02. Good luck! And as I tell all the out of state hunters, thank you for your generous contribution to our state's Parks and Wildlife Department. You just put more money into their account than I have in the last 10 elk seasons.

 

[commandoNate]

Keep an eye on the classifieds here, there are good deals to be had on packs and other gear you will need.

 

[805Bowhunter]

sign up for Elk101 and the Elknut app. Both provide a lot of advice. Talk to people on here and try to "practice" as much western hunting as you can. Meaning try and do hunts before then with your camp on your back. You will filter a lot of crap off your back before hitting the mountains in september. Regardless, make sure to go next September no matter what. There is no replacing actually going. A lot of people get excited by Youtube videos, then they get motivated, only to feel "unprepared" come Spring and "decide to wait until the next year." There are a million excuses to miss September, but the best thing you can do is go. Dont let equipment/fancy stuff get in your way of actually going.

 

[wind gypsy]

Despite the youtube fellas and Rokslide allure, you probably want to car camp your first go round. Hunting elk is hard enough without carrying 35+ lbs on your back all day, every day. That kind of hunting is good if you're going to be 3+ miles from your truck in big country. I'd recommend not killing your first elk more than 3 miles from the truck in Sept. You can still carry a backpack around the mountains 10+ miles a day and snap some pics packing out animals for the 'gram if you truck camp. Hell, Cam Hanes has been killing $18,000 - $75,000 bulls where part of the service is packing animals out for you but he still manages to get pack out pics on the gram.

 

[805Bowhunter]

Despite the youtube fellas and Rokslide allure, you probably want to car camp your first go round. Hunting elk is hard enough without carrying 35+ lbs on your back all day, every day. That kind of hunting is good if you're going to be 3+ miles from your truck in big country. I'd recommend not killing your first elk more than 3 miles from the truck in Sept. You can still carry a backpack around the mountains 10+ miles a day and snap some pics packing out animals for the 'gram if you truck camp. Hell, Cam Hanes has been killing $18,000 - $75,000 bulls where part of the service is packing animals out for you but he still manages to get pack out pics on the gram.

If you wanna hunt like Cam...you gotta keep

 

[PistolPete]

Make a gear spreadsheet and get a kitchen scale. Weigh EVERYTHING.

 

[Jeremy11]

My full pack, before food and water, for a September hunt, is under 15 lbs.

The Lightest Backpack Hunting Gear List

This is the lightest backpack-hunting gear list on Earth. Or at least on the internet. My final, comprehensive, ultralight elk hunting gea...

elkprep.blogspot.com

Can't open your link

 

[PistolPete]

Hm. Maybe this: https://elkprep.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-lightest-backpack-hunting-gear-list.html