New Archery Hunter - Flat Top Wilderness

[Elk-Nubi]

About to go for my third Elk in Co. This is the First DYI hunt on Public Land. I am looking at the Flat Tops Wilderness area on an OTC tag. Other than making sure I have a horse to ride and pack, what things are most important?

 

[bsnedeker]

Most important thing: Have fun out there!

 

[Elk-Nubi]

Most important thing: Have fun out there!

Thanks and I agree. I am almost 60 and hunted my first elk at over 50. I am taking two young men on their first elk hunt. We mostly plan to make memories. I have read several forum posts in the past and appreciate the sound advice. I have never packed in before and am not looking for map coordinates or anything.

Just any easy to pack foods, things you shouldn't forget, time of day to start heading toward target area, hunt software used, or other operational tips would be great. I do free consulting with many young businessmen and I am very appreciative of good tips.

Thanks guys for any help you can give.

 

[George Hamrick]

Thanks and I agree. I am almost 60 and hunted my first elk at over 50. I am taking two young men on their first elk hunt. We mostly plan to make memories. I have read several forum posts in the past and appreciate the sound advice. I have never packed in before and am not looking for map coordinates or anything.

Just any easy to pack foods, things you shouldn't forget, time of day to start heading toward target area, hunt software used, or other operational tips would be great. I do free consulting with many young businessmen and I am very appreciative of good tips.

Thanks guys for any help you can give.

Quite a few good posts on here in regards to backpacking foods. If you have a dehydrator you can save quite a bit of money by making your own dehydrated meals. I try to get around 3000 calories with the lightest food food I cou I did a ramen bomb every night since I’m not a big breakfast person.

There are some good hunting softwares out there as well. Basemap, OnX, and Gohunt has a mapping app as well now. Just depends on what you want out of them, and how much you’re willing to pay. Basemaps is $25 for the entire US I believe, so that would be your best cheap option.

Also, make sure you and your group are staying hydrated. Being dehydrated can lead to just being super tired or lead to altitude sickness. Both are good ways to make a fun trip not very fun real quick.

 

[nettereo16]

I Don’t think the core flat tops is otc archery. Some of the side units are otc I think

 

[Elk-Nubi]

Quite a few good posts on here in regards to backpacking foods. If you have a dehydrator you can save quite a bit of money by making your own dehydrated meals. I try to get around 3000 calories with the lightest food food I cou I did a ramen bomb every night since I’m not a big breakfast person.

There are some good hunting softwares out there as well. Basemap, OnX, and Gohunt has a mapping app as well now. Just depends on what you want out of them, and how much you’re willing to pay. Basemaps is $25 for the entire US I believe, so that would be your best cheap option.

Also, make sure you and your group are staying hydrated. Being dehydrated can lead to just being super tired or lead to altitude sickness. Both are good ways to make a fun trip not very fun real quick.

Thanks George, I may have to purchase a dehydrator. That is a good idea. We don't want to spend a week on packaged foods.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I Don’t think the core flat tops is otc archery. Some of the side units are otc I think

That's correct. The bulk of the Flat Tops Wilderness Area lies within GMU's 12 & 24, which are both draw units for archery elk. A little bit of FTWA extends into 25/26 (and maybe 231), which are all OTC archery units.

 

[George Hamrick]

Thanks George, I may have to purchase a dehydrator. That is a good idea. We don't want to spend a week on packaged foods.

Ramen noodle and instant mashed potatoes are pretty good for the money and weight. I was doing milk powder and some chocolate powder to do chocolate milk for breakfast. Granola, jerky, chips, cliff bars, little stuff like that for snacks. Anything with calories and protein. I’m sure there are lighter and healthier options, but I wanted to be as frugal as possible. You can shoot me a PM if you have any other questions. I did my first backpack hunt solo last year, so I’m no expert, but I’d be glad to help.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Most important with that… knowing how to actually ride and pack….


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[Elk-Nubi]

I Don’t think the core flat tops is otc archery. Some of the side units are otc I think

I agree. We were looking at the Glenwood Springs side of the wilderness. We are still scouting wilderness units in Colorado. I have had several elk run off by kids on 4 wheelers and I have never gotten off a shot on public land for elk where motorized vehicles are allowed. That's why we are focused on wilderness areas.

 

[Elk-Nubi]

Most important with that… knowing how to actually ride and pack….


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Thank you. I would like to get your thoughts on that. We are planning to walk the horses in to our base camp 4 miles in. We will have all our heavy gear on the horses and our packs on our backs. We hope that we and the horses eat enough food during the hunt to lighten our load enough to pack out the meat we hope to get. Once we get camp set, we will ride the horses up to near the top of the ridges we hope to glass over. From there, we will use our hunt application to mark the position where we tie the horses off and move to the spot where we think the elk will be coming up from their nighttime grazing and watering. Hoping to call in elk since it will be during the rut (mid-September).

Again, this is our first pack-in hunt without a guide. If this seems to be a poor idea, please help me put together a better plan.

 

[fishslap]

That's correct. The bulk of the Flat Tops Wilderness Area lies within GMU's 12 & 24, which are both draw units for archery elk. A little bit of FTWA extends into 25/26 (and maybe 231), which are all OTC archery units.

Every time I muzzleloader hunt the two draw units, I run into guys archery hunting it with OTC tags. Last year a guy with a draw tag was archery hunting one of the OTC areas. When I politely let him know, he proceeded to berate me for hunting with a muzzleloader, a flintlock…

 

[fishslap]

...

Whatcha sellin’?

 

[fwafwow]

Whatcha sellin’?

Or trying to buy?

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

It’s a bad idea if you have never actually packed, even weight sides, lashing the packs down, knowing to keep top packs lighter than sides, dealing with a wreck, dealing with horses through the night, proper water and feed, checking horses through the night, knowing signs of lameness, colic, saddle sores, when ur hunting through the day horses getting caught up or in a wreck, saddles sliding, feeding horses 2 hours before you leave camp so they have proper time to eat, there’s a laundry list of things horseman and outfitters do, and remember if you lease an horse and it dies don’t forget what you gotta pay.


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[sndmn11]

I agree. We were looking at the Glenwood Springs side of the wilderness. We are still scouting wilderness units in Colorado. I have had several elk run off by kids on 4 wheelers and I have never gotten off a shot on public land for elk where motorized vehicles are allowed. That's why we are focused on wilderness areas.

33 is draw as well.

 

[Elk-Nubi]

It’s a bad idea if you have never actually packed, even weight sides, lashing the packs down, knowing to keep top packs lighter than sides, dealing with a wreck, dealing with horses through the night, proper water and feed, checking horses through the night, knowing signs of lameness, colic, saddle sores, when ur hunting through the day horses getting caught up or in a wreck, saddles sliding, feeding horses 2 hours before you leave camp so they have proper time to eat, there’s a laundry list of things horseman and outfitters do, and remember if you lease an horse and it dies don’t forget what you gotta pay.


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Thank you for the input. I grew up with horses, mostly trail riding in TN. I also did a bit of back-packing. I guess I need to back up and consider my plan in more detail. I am not in the shape to hike several miles at high altitude each way each day. I appreciate the information. Until I get these items covered, I will continue to consider.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I am not in the shape to hike several miles at high altitude each way each day.

Horses are a huge help, but be aware that there are plenty of places in the Flat Tops that a horse can't get to because of fire-killed/beetle-killed timber and the steepness of the terrain. Those rough, horse-inaccessible areas are often where the elk like to be. It's certainly within the realm of possibility that you could kill an elk in a spot that you can get a horse to, but I'd recommend being physically/mentally prepared to pack elk quarters on your back for at least a mile. I'm not trying to discourage you from going, just trying to help set reasonable expectations. Do everything you can between now and your hunt to improve your physical condition, give yourself a day or two of easy hiking/riding/scouting on the front end of your trip to give your body time to acclimate to the altitude, and have a good time.

 

[Codysmith182]

Head up from rifle and hunt that side, have had good luck up there in the past.

 

[Next Ridge]

What happened on the first two hunts? Were those guided?