Driving to Colorado in a Civic to hunt elk

[rhendrix]

I know you're all laughing hysterically at this, but hear me out. I'm trying to go to Colarado next year, couldn't go this year for a variety of reasons, one being cost. Kids arent cheap, and neither is buying a new house! In any case, I'm gonna make this happen next year, and seeing how the cost of the trip wont be cheaper in the foreseeable future, am I crazy for thinking about buying a roof rack and putting my gear in the trunk and the coolers on the rack and driving in my car rather than my truck? It'd cut the cost of driving in half, and if the Lord blesses me with a bull elk it may look odd to have to drive all the way back to Houston with a elk rack tied on the roof. But I won't be complaining when I get home. What say you?

 

[Curtis C]

It could be done. Need to keep it simple and only take gear that will be needed. If you dont already have coolers I'd say wait till you get here to buy them so the northbound trip fuel cost are less. Might also check into putting a hitch and hitch carrier on. Find a trailhead with fairly good roads.


C

 

[fillthefreezer]

y not, youre already going UL. i would put coolers in backseat and rack on roof with pack gear in trunk

 

[dotman]

Heck pack gear in the coolers also, I agee with putting them ib the back seat. Plenty of good access toTH that a civic could get too.

 

[JG358]

You dont even need to roof rack. I had loading my Civic and Contour for hunts down to a science. I put a 120 qt cooler in the back seat with my pack and put the bow on top of the cooler. Had 2 other cooler that filled up the truck. If you kill a bull, strap the skull to the trunk and run a strap to hold the antlers throught the back windows. Just wrap towels around the skull and antlers where they contact the car. You'll get lots of funny looks but who cares, you just killed a big bull.

 

[rhendrix]

How can I tell which trail heads I can get to in a civic without calling the GW?

 

[Ryan Avery]

I used to hunt in a Geo Metro. Who care as long your hunting!

 

[rhendrix]

I used to hunt in a Geo Metro. Who care as long your hunting!

Amen!

 

[MOHunter]

If I saw someone at a gas station or eating with a bull rack strapped to a Civic I'd have to come shake your hand. Getting it done while saving money, can't beat that.

I was actually thinking about taking a Camry out next summer on a scouting trip but wondered the same thing about trailheads. More information on this aspect would be much appreciated.

 

[JG358]

Id try USFS to see about road conditions, or figure out where you want to go and see if you can find someone on here that has been there. Some counties hardly take care of the FS roads while other are so well taken care of they might as well be paved

 

[Goober]

I took a ford Tarurus places this summer while scouting that it was never designed to go. Places that made my palms sweat and heart race. Places that locals told me I couldn't go. But I made it. And I never got stuck or scraped my oil pan off. But, I don't think I will ever do that again!!!! I got into some FS roads (trails) that I was afraid to go forward, but impossible to turn around. Found myself on a dead end over a rocklside with no turn-around and only 2 dirt tracks, washed out and trees down. Be careful and get some good intel on the roads. These places where all mapped, but be careful how old/accurate your maps are!!!

 

[fillthefreezer]

hiking sites will be yuor friend here. in WA i use WTA.org. it is used by granola backpackers and u can find recent trip reports that talk about trail condition and road condition and elevation and directions etc...

 

[G Posik]

I agree with all the above. GO FOR IT. There are plenty of roads that can get you to or near trail heads that you could make in a car. figure out the area you want to hunt and start asking around. Another option is put a hitch type bike rack and get an inexpensive mtn bike. Park the car and ride in on the bike. I have a guy here at work that rides a mtn bike into the mountains in Oregon.

Glenn

 

[fillthefreezer]

I agree with all the above. GO FOR IT. There are plenty of roads that can get you to or near trail heads that you could make in a car. figure out the area you want to hunt and start asking around. Another option is put a hitch type bike rack and get an inexpensive mtn bike. Park the car and ride in on the bike. I have a guy here at work that rides a mtn bike into the mountains in Oregon.

Glenn

ya the mountain bike is a great hunting tool. widely used around here for timber companies that have locked gates

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

You won't need the roof rack, cause here is an alternate way to haul a bull back to Texas.

 

[Tdiesel]

I took a ford Tarurus places this summer while scouting that it was never designed to go. Places that made my palms sweat and heart race. Places that locals told me I couldn't go. But I made it. And I never got stuck or scraped my oil pan off.

I'm a mechanic here in CO done my share of replacing oil pans and everything else. Glad it worked out for you Goober. I still wouldnt suggest trying four wheeling in you civic ,but I know several trail heads that wouldnt be that bad to drive too in a car and yes some of my friends use there cars for hunting. No one around here would criticize you for that, but if you punch a big hole in your oil pan, I'll be laughing at you in the shop. Just use your head and know the limitations. Trust me the tow bill isn't cheap 23 miles of dirt road and another 30 to the shop wont save any money that way. Just keep to the limitations and you'll be fine.

 

[hobbes]

There are parts of CO that you can pull of of the Interstate/Highway and hunt and plenty of trailheads that have good roads to them. Good grief the state is loaded with folks that drive tiny cars to the trailhead. I'm sure plenty of them end up having oil pans replaced, but there is a mob of them that use their head and don't have any problems. Call the local NFS office to find out road conditions.

 

[dotman]

How can I tell which trail heads I can get to in a civic without calling the GW?

In CO all the main roads are good, better then most gravel roads I have been on in MT. Maybe take a summer scouting trip and not only scout area but roads

 

[broncoformudv]

I say take your Civic and have a great hunt! Make sure you post some pics of your elk tied to your car.

 

[Evan M Vergin]

I have a friend from the midwest that drove a small car to Colorado one year. My wife and I helped him pack out his bull. Gross score 358 in. Have a Great hunt.