CO Bow elk necessities

[Sacpd70]

Going on my first bow elk hunt in 2021. What’s some equipment must haves for DIY bow?
Thanks

 

[trophyhill]

Besides the obvious bow and arrow;
Pack
Knife
Game bags
GPS of some kind. Whether it’s a gps, InReach, OnX. But some kind of mapping system.
Good boots
Rain gear
Rangefinder
Calls/tube

If I’m truck camping I bring different camping/sleeping and cooking gear than if I’m packing camp in. The last couple years I’ve been doing a hybrid style. A week in the backcountry and a week at the truck. +— depending on time off of work.

Binos and spotter are optional.

Obviously the list is different depending on the individual and the extent of the experience one is seeking

 

[Dirtydan]

about six months of reading on this site.

 

[bradr3367]

Get some Darn Tough socks and some merino wool under shorts & t shirt. It's money well spent. Buy a set of trekking poles too. A cheap set will work just fine.

 

[George Hamrick]

A good pack and good boots are number one and two. Don’t skimp on those. Everything else you can buy cheaper gear and get by with. Keep an eye on the classifieds. You can get essentially everything you’ll need on here.

 

[Nkustan]

As others said, I would drop most of the budget on the best pack and boots you can buy. I cringed paying 400+ for boots but after wearing a pair of Crispi, Schnee’s, etc. you will never want to wear anything less quality again.

 

[camelcluch]

Chapstick. Forget it one time and you will know that it’s a necessity. Baby wipes too.

 

[5MilesBack]

In the simplest of terms......whatever you need to survive, whatever you need to break down an animal, a way to haul said animal back to the truck, and a way to keep the meat cold until you process it. Everything else is a luxury item.

 

[rkcdvm]

Spend the most $ on your boots . Don’t go cheap or your hunt may end quickly . Good bino’s. Spotter is optional. I didn’t need one this year . Unit was full of timber and the spotter was overkill. A pack that fits you and is made to do the job. My GF is a diehard hiker and wanted to help with the pack out . Her $400 Z-pack ultralight didn’t survive . My kifaru laughed at the weight .... my back was similar to the Z-pack. Bring ibuprofen

 

[fatlander]

You need to go ahead and make peace with the fact that OTC elk hunting isn’t like a primos video. The elk are going to be quiet. The terrain in which you find them will be awful and there will be lots of other hunters in your unit. If you put your time in, you’ll have your chances but it’s not easy. And it’s a different kind of fun.

Gear is great, but understanding the amount of suck you’re paying for needs to be understood. Don’t get discouraged and quit early. The mountains are way bigger, steeper, and devoid of game than they look on the map.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gearqueer]

If you have a thousand plus dollars to spend, then find an elk packing list online just buy things on it that you don’t already have. If you don’t think you will need it then you probably don’t. You can mimic others like this. The more elk packing lists you see the more you realize what is necessary and what isn’t.

If you don’t have a lot of money then start reading on here and figure out ways to get around $300 backpacking tents, $400 boots, $600 packs, and all the other nice-to-haves. You can make it work with a little knowledge. Don’t let a lack of gear to keep you from going.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk