First Colorado elk hunt advice

[JordanH]

Map scout all you can. Look for north facing drainages/slopes with food, water, and heavy timber close together. It could be a mile from a road or 6 miles. Some great spots are not far from busy roads but are overlooked or harder to access and left alone.....except by the elk. It could be at 14K' or 8000'.

Check out the vids done by Randy Newberg last year on e-scouting. Use the knowledge. Good stuff.

Cnelk has it right, get that book and read it over and over.

Get yourself a mapping app for your phone, that allows you to mark spots of interest, camp spots, water, etc. then save to your phone for off grid use. Like Giai or OnX hunt maps.....there are many. Being able to change our layers and have a plan for what to do in advance saves alot of wasted time afield when you don't have time to pre season scout.

Look for sign, poo, tracks, rubs, etc. If it is old or none found....move on to another spot. If you smell elk...stop.....look around. You may be close to a live elk or a recent poo pile or piss spot or bed. You may find sign dispersed, but look for areas of concentration. I like to focus on pinch points that funnel the animals, like saddles.
Just because there are 20 vehicles parked doesn't mean the spot is over run or there are folks in the spots YOU identified by map scouting. Check it out. You may have the spot everyone else walked past that still holds elk.

 

[JordanH]

You can pick up a bottle of O2 at the gas stations in the mtns....>LOL<

If you want to build lung capacity and o2 uptake efficiency........go to a local track. Sprint the corners and walk the straights. Do this a bunch. Embrace the suck. It will help. But up always hurts in the western mtns......everybody has to work harder and suffers for it no matter their level of conditioning.

When you get here, start slow. Drinks LOTS of water. More than you think. Force it down. Bending over to set tent pegs can make a dude dizzy at 10K in elevation if you just came from FL. I've lived in MO, FL and CO......I have felt the difference. If you show up on Friday expecting to set up camp and hunt hard the next day........you are gonna hate yourself and ruin the entire hunt most likely.

 

[DamnRinella]

High altitude masks are a total joke and waste of time. Buy one for halloween, don't use one at the gym, you will simply look like a wanna be.

Elite athletes that truly want the benefit of more red blood cells often actually train at LOWER altitude so they have access to MORE oxygen so they can exert as much power as possible over their daily training cycle. Then they LIVE, SLEEP and RECOVER at high altitude in order to get the benefit due to the lower partial pressure of oxygen making the body create a higher red blood cell count.

Those dumb ass masks simply limit your ability to train as hard as you can. You have to live at high altitude to build a substantially higher red blood cell count.

Sorry to be so coarse, those masks are f'n stupid

I tried the mask and now plan on doing EPO to compensate for the altitude change.

 

[RobertsA]

Alright. So I’ve been looking at a few units and one that has really sparked my interest is unit 24. I really like the variety of terrain there. Only issue I see with that is that unit seems to spark everyone’s interest in the mid west.... lol. Is this unit still extremely pressured in 2nd rifle season or has that changed in the past 3 years? I don’t mind seeing a couple of hunters but I do not want to be bumping people every turn.

 

[Still Hunter]

Find the deepest , steepest, thickness dark timber areas that everyone drives right past and that no one in their right mind would want to try and go hunt in, often = Elk

 

[RobertsA]

Find the deepest , steepest, thickness dark timber areas that everyone drives right past and that no one in their right mind would want to try and go hunt in, often = Elk

It seems that has been the ticket to success for most hunters. I did find time to scout at the end of this month so that’s exactly what I’ll be looking for

 

[njdoxie]

One word - BLEACHERS

Treadmill ain't gonna get your legs ready for the mountain.

Flying and renting a car is doable. But you had better have a plan in case you get lucky and trip and fall over an elk. You'll have 200+ lbs. of meat to deal with then.

Treadmill on max incline with or without a backpack makes for excellent training, it’ll spike your heart rate and have you gasping for air and your legs will be burning.


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[Newtosavage]

Treadmill on max incline with or without a backpack makes for excellent training, it’ll spike your heart rate and have you gasping for air and your legs will be burning.


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Good point. I actually had to do that last summer because they closed the local HS stadium to replace the field with artificial turf. It was a decent alternative, but still didn't get my legs and chest burning like the bleachers will. But yea, if it's what you have then use it!

 

[Valkyrie]

This is a great thread as a buddy and I are going this September for archery.

 

[arwhntr]

Can't stress physical conditioning enough. Get a weighted pack on your back and hit the stair stepper or inclined treadmill. Being in shape will make the hunt much more enjoyable.
Also hunt all day. My first western hunt was to CO on an OTC archery. I punched my tag by still hunting a thick bench midday while most hunters are back at camp. It was the only elk I saw that trip.

 

[GotDraw?]

Also, with regard to your training...

Taper.

Cut your workout by 33% the week before you go. Light workouts only the week you are leaving. You do not want to hit the mountains having tried to jam hard workouts into that last week. Give your body time to be rested and ready.

 

[lyle_destroys]

Lol I figured the sooner the better. I started today! Started with running a mile today and will continue that until I make it with ease and increase from there. Even thought about purchasing a high altitude mask and training with that at some point

Dont get a high altitude mask. They are a waste of money. Nothing will prepare you for altitude except for altitude. Cardio, cardio, cardio.

 

[KChunter71]

Enjoy the altitude! A lot of water, rest when you can, and enjoy the suck. Altitude gets me if I get behind on hydration.


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[fwafwow]

High altitude masks are a total joke and waste of time. Buy one for halloween, don't use one at the gym, you will simply look like a wanna be.

Elite athletes that truly want the benefit of more red blood cells often actually train at LOWER altitude so they have access to MORE oxygen so they can exert as much power as possible over their daily training cycle. Then they LIVE, SLEEP and RECOVER at high altitude in order to get the benefit due to the lower partial pressure of oxygen making the body create a higher red blood cell count.

Those dumb ass masks simply limit your ability to train as hard as you can. You have to live at high altitude to build a substantially higher red blood cell count.

Sorry to be so coarse, those masks are f'n stupid

Anyone use the altitude *tents* to prepare for altitude? I'm getting in shape, will quit drinking weeks before, drink lots of water, have Diamox (to treat, not as a preventative), be in the unit for about a day before we start hunting, and go easy the first day. BUT I've spent so much time (and money) preparing, I want to do whatever I can to avoid problems.

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[md126]

Legs and core. The cardio will take care of itself while you build up your legs and core.

Lots of Lunges, squats, planks, etc..

 

[njdoxie]

Legs and core. The cardio will take care of itself while you build up your legs and core

Maybe for you, but not close to being true for everyone.


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[md126]

He asked for advice and that’s mine.

Work your legs and core in such a way that it incorporates cardio (weighted pack hikes, stairs etc).

In the backcountry that applies to everyone in my opinion

 

[njdoxie]

He asked for advice and that’s mine.

Work your legs and core in such a way that it incorporates cardio (weighted pack hikes, stairs etc).

In the backcountry that applies to everyone in my opinion

Good point, didn’t realize you were including weighted hikes and stairs in your post.


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[RockinU]

A lot of good advice in this thread, I've really enjoyed it. The bleachers with a pack is one of my main things, I train for hunting 5 days a week, and never have a week without weighted bleachers. I also agree with a lightweight shelter/sleep system, not always, but often the further you get from that trailhead, the better. You're going to learn a lot from your first trip...my initial failures taught me so much. As for flying for your hunt, I've only ever flown into one mountain hunt, and it's the only one I've ever had any altitude issues with. May not be the reason, but I've always wondered if getting on a plane at 400 feet, and hiking to 9500 the next morning was the reason...I hate the drive, but I don't want to feel bad on the mountain again. Make yourself drink a lot...and have a blast, time on the mountain is special.

 

[trophyhill]

Treadmill on max incline with or without a backpack makes for excellent training, it’ll spike your heart rate and have you gasping for air and your legs will be burning.


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I tried that 1 year and got shin splints on both legs a month and a half before season. It ended my workouts. Luckily it healed up in time