First Time Elk Hunter, Colorado GMU 017 rifle draw. "Now what?" Top Ten List

[jlpoe]

soooooo excited!!!!

yep, I'll do my due diligence on researching all the things to bring, but I'd love peoples experience maybe in the unit.

Also, maybe your wisdom of retrieval if I'm blessed to drop one since I'm going solo.

I drew the 4th hunt Nov. 23rd-27th so it'll be chilly

Context..........

63 yrs old, 215lbs 6,1" OK shape but plan to start a squats and strength program (I know, last minute) along with heavy pack training rucks

thanks in advance to this amazing community!!!!

 

[Jaquomo]

Bring tire chains, a tow rope, an Inreach in case you get stuck where there is no cell service, and very warm clothes. Carry a survival kit in case you hurt yourself, so you can survive until help (from your Inreach) arrives. Keep a warm sleeping bag and some food in your truck in case you get stuck and have to spend the night out somewhere. It can easily be -20 at night, or colder. Most of the elk will be on winter range by then, so look for them out in the sagebrush, in folds of terrain not visible from the road. They will get up and move around more when the sun gets on them. The huge majority of elk in 17 will be on the lower ranches that late in the season. Do a lot of glassing around the edges of the ranches. Have a good GPS or OnX, because the BLM where you'll be hunting around the edges of the ranches will likely not be marked or fenced. You have to know where you are.

Very likely to be snow then. A plastic sled can really help with retrieval. When you do kill one, get him quartered right then, as fast as you can, because by morning he will be frozen. It gets dark by 5:15 pm, so have something to do for 12 hours every night. Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

 

[11boo]

Take a stack of 100s for bribes to pack the meat out.

 

[jlpoe]

Bring tire chains, a tow rope, an Inreach in case you get stuck where there is no cell service, and very warm clothes. Carry a survival kit in case you hurt yourself, so you can survive until help (from your Inreach) arrives. Keep a warm sleeping bag and some food in your truck in case you get stuck and have to spend the night out somewhere. It can easily be -20 at night, or colder. Most of the elk will be on winter range by then, so look for them out in the sagebrush, in folds of terrain not visible from the road. They will get up and move around more when the sun gets on them. The huge majority of elk in 17 will be on the lower ranches that late in the season. Do a lot of glassing around the edges of the ranches. Have a good GPS or OnX, because the BLM where you'll be hunting around the edges of the ranches will likely not be marked or fenced. You have to know where you are.

Very likely to be snow then. A plastic sled can really help with retrieval. When you do kill one, get him quartered right then, as fast as you can, because by morning he will be frozen. It gets dark by 5:15 pm, so have something to do for 12 hours every night. Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

This is awesome, very helpful.

thank you

 

[jlpoe]

Take a stack of 100s for bribes to pack the meat out.

Haha!!!! great thought. I'd read on some other forums that checking out local ranches or guide services for just that, meat retrieval, is a thing. I'd never thought about that and will do some checking when I scout the next 2 planned trips up there before my hunt. Great stuff!