Planning my first elk hunt (Colorado)

[DWinVA]

Run those hills, they'll make you stronger faster. I'm one of those weirdoes that seek out hills, running and on my bike. I've been doing some of my deer gutless ever since it became legal here in VA. I feel confident I could break down an elk unless it's in a spot that wouldn't allow me to physically move it.

God Bless!

 

[Bar]

I feel confident I could break down an elk unless it's in a spot that wouldn't allow me to physically move it.

God Bless!

How would you get the meat out if you couldn't move it? Gutless, or not.

 

[Finch]

I didn't realize there were any legality issues with doing the gutless method. I had planned on doing that this season anyway. Glad you guys mentioned that and I see that DWinVA confirmed it is legal. Why would it be illegal? I'm thinking my preparation for elk season will make me a better whitetail hunter. I plan on hunting miles back this year.

 

[DWinVA]

I guess if I couldn't move an elk at all I would skin and cut pieces until I could.

In the days before the phone game check system a deer had to checked in at a check station before it could be cut up.

 

[Bar]

You can drag a deer out. Not so easy with an elk.

 

[DWinVA]

That's for sure.

God Bless.

 

[DWinVA]

To be clear. You have to check the deer in via the phone checking system before you can legally break it down and pack it out of the woods.

God Bless.

 

[Finch]

To be clear. You have to check the deer in via the phone checking system before you can legally break it down and pack it out of the woods.

God Bless.

As well as notching your license. I thought you meant virginia didn't allow the gutless method for some reason.... didn't think about when we had to check them the old fashioned way. I follow now.

 

[Bails-UK]

Hi Donnie, must say feels like dejavue on here, b7_711 (Hi Matt).

I live in England, UK, where we are not even allowed to Bowhunt and our highest Mountain(Ben Nevis is only 4'400ft). I've been on three Elk camps, including last years, two of which were in Unit 45 in a Big Group camp. Last year Myself and a couple of UK friends backpacked and drop camped near to Clark Peak, Colorado, it was a whole new ball game , but one I really enjoyed and shall be repeating again in 2016. Forums like this are a wealth of knowledge and will help you to prepare everything needed for your hunt. The preperation was a big issue, but easily manageable. just break everything down into catagories ie, sleeping gear, eating and food prep, hunting gear and accessories. Then put what you need to take in each section, here is a rough idea of what I took, food was added when we got there, but basically this what I took in my Backpack for my Elk trip last year.
Add to that , Camo, Boots, Bow etc etc!!!!

 

[Finch]

Hi, must say feels like dejavue on here, b7_711 (Hi Matt).

I live in England, UK, where we are not even allowed to Bowhunt and our highest Mountain(Ben Nevis is only 4'400ft). I've been on three Elk camps, including last years, two of which were in Unit 45 in a Big Group camp. Last year Myself and a couple of UK friends backpacked and drop camped near to Clark Peak, Colorado, it was a whole new ball game , but one I really enjoyed and shall be repeating again in 2016. Forums like this are a wealth of knowledge and will help you to prepare everything needed for your hunt. The preperation was a big issue, but easily manageable. just break everything down into catagories ie, sleeping gear, eating and food prep, hunting gear and accessories. Then put what you need to take in each section, here is a rough idea of what I took, food was added when we got there, but basically this what I took in my Backpack for my Elk trip last year. View attachment 18176
Add to that , Camo, Boots, Bow etc etc!!!!

Hey Bails - not sure if you remember but you sent me some arrows several years back. Not sure if it was the HNI site or BH.com. I still have them! Glad to see you've made it over to hunt. I'm currently researching all the gear I want/need and making a list. So if a deal pops up, the research is done and I can pounce on it.

Did you guys have any luck?

 

[bz_711]

Hi Donnie, must say feels like dejavue on here, b7_711 (Hi Matt).

I live in England, UK, where we are not even allowed to Bowhunt and our highest Mountain(Ben Nevis is only 4'400ft). I've been on three Elk camps, including last years, two of which were in Unit 45 in a Big Group camp. Last year Myself and a couple of UK friends backpacked and drop camped near to Clark Peak, Colorado, it was a whole new ball game , but one I really enjoyed and shall be repeating again in 2016. Forums like this are a wealth of knowledge and will help you to prepare everything needed for your hunt. The preperation was a big issue, but easily manageable. just break everything down into catagories ie, sleeping gear, eating and food prep, hunting gear and accessories. Then put what you need to take in each section, here is a rough idea of what I took, food was added when we got there, but basically this what I took in my Backpack for my Elk trip last year. View attachment 18176
Add to that , Camo, Boots, Bow etc etc!!!!

Dave - you even got the bow square packed
It sure all starts to add up if you are planning on living off your back - but looks like you did a great job getting it down to a manageable amount. Anxious to catch up at camp this year!

Donnie - you are definitely on the right track...you know - it's not too late to meet up with Dave and I in a month...although I totally understand that short notice is not the best for wife and young kids...

Stay in touch after this coming season - plenty of time to make contacts on this site if you do not want to pull off a solo hunt. Good odds I'll be back out to CO next fall also and I'm willing to help any way I can just as others have done for me...There's always room for another tent at our camp.

 

[bigeasygator]

Lots of great advice already on this thread. As someone who lives below sea-level but has a passion for hunting the west, I thought I'd give my two cents.

1. If the drive is in the neighborhood of 20 hours, I think it's far better to drive than to fly. I drive for the majority of my hunts out west (to NM and CO) and I found that I actually like the drive. To me it's all part of the adventure -- watching the scenery change throughout the country as you leave the urban east, pass through the heartland, and then see the mountains start to materialize. It somehow makes it all the more real and is a part of the journey I cherish. I've made the drive alone a few times and it's actually a great time to reflect on whatever it is you feel like reflecting on -- kinda cathartic in a way (for me anyway). Safety is still the number 1 priority and I make sure to leave myself ample time for the drive in case I need to pull over and rest. As for flying, sometimes it's more practical but you'll find it's generally more expensive, limits the gear you can take, and creates some logistical issues, especially if you kill something. I flew to a hunt in ID last year (as the drive would have been closer to 48 hours) and had to have my elk shipped home. It cost me about $1,200 to ship my 300 lbs of meat back and another $500 to have my mount crated and shipped home (I left it with a taxidermist out there). The cost to ship the meat was more than I expected, and there may have been a cheaper option (I went UPS 2nd day air), but it'll still be relatively expensive.

2. How you camp will be very influenced by where you hunt in my opinion. I think there are areas that lend themselves out to hunting out of a basecamp (those areas that you only have to hike a few miles from a trailhead to be in elk) versus backpacking (areas that may take you further away from the trailhead -- and with it increasing some of the difficulty). Backpacking to me definitely raises the stakes a bit. The biggest challenge to a successful hunt (defined however you want to define it) is having the mental strength to see it through. There are lots of things in the backcountry that can challenge your mental fortitude -- and that's part of the allure of a backpacking hunt for some. But make no bones about it, it isn't for the faint of heart. Being comfortable goes a long way in keeping you mentally strong, and backpack hunting is far less comfortable than hunting out of a basecamp setup that affords you more gear and amenities. I hope I'm not discouraging you, it's more about preparing you if that's what you want to do. There is nothing like living out of a backpack for a week and the challenge and sense of accomplishment that goes with it. I think you'll find though as much as you try to prepare yourself for it, it's always a bit different than what you expect (in good ways and bad ways). Also, elk are pretty mobile animals in my experience. Obviously each herd and elk behaves differently, but in my experience they cover a lot more ground than say a high country mule deer in September. The elk are going to be where they are and with a 70 lb backpack on you can sometimes limit the area that you cover.

3) I think nothing will guarantee you a successful hunt more than being in the best shape you can. I mentioned the mental strength in the previous paragraph -- nothing eats at your ability to be mentally strong more than being unprepared physically for the mountains. Not only will it keep you mentally strong and eliminate much of the self doubt, it will help you get up in the morning or push yourself to that next ridge top. Do you need to be in marathon shape or squat 400 lbs to do it? Not at all. But the more you are in shape the better off you'll be. I've also found that there are really no exercises that can mimic hiking up and down a mountain at altitude. This means that despite getting into shape, you still may find it takes some time to acclimate and find your legs and your lungs. I remember my buddy, who is not in great shape but not in bad shape, was literally huffing and puffing 200 yards from the trailhead on a five mile hike in during a mule deer backpack hunt. The trip in took a lot longer than we planned, with only a modest 2,000 of elevation gain. That being said, after about four days on the mountain he was moving a lot faster and had found his lungs and legs. Just to drive it home, even when I've felt in shape I always feel like I could've done more when I got out west.

That's just some of my two cents. As many have said, the whole experience will get in your blood. Since my first elk hunt in Colorado in 2008, I've been on 7 elk hunts, 3 mule deer hunts, and 1 bear hunt in the Rockies. I've got an archery elk hunt in NM this year and a rifle elk hunt in Colorado as well. There's nothing like it and it seems like you've already been bitten by the bug -- I can definitely relate. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions on what to expect -- I've hunted backpack, out of tents, out of campers, guided, DIY, high country, high desert, etc and I'm happy to share what I've learned. Best of luck!

 

[Bails-UK]

Hey Bails - not sure if you remember but you sent me some arrows several years back. Not sure if it was the HNI site or BH.com. I still have them! Glad to see you've made it over to hunt. I'm currently researching all the gear I want/need and making a list. So if a deal pops up, the research is done and I can pounce on it.

Did you guys have any luck?

Hi Donnie, course I remember you Dude , it was HNI and chuffed you still got the arrows, it means your shooting better than me lol. So glad to see you getting ready for a DIY Elk Hunt, I have learn't so much on my 3 previous hunts, each ending without a kill(although I had my chances on each), but lessons learned and experience gained. Last year we packed into the Highcountry with Trad bows and had the pleasure of having Rudy from HUNTOGRAPHY coming out to hunt with us. If you want to see how Myself and my mates did last year, check out the Huntography website and pre-order the ELKTOUR COLORADO DVD .... http://www.huntography.com/elktour/elktour-2/ ............ If you can get to this years camp Donnie, make it happen, there is enough space!

Dave - you even got the bow square packed
It sure all starts to add up if you are planning on living off your back - but looks like you did a great job getting it down to a manageable amount. Anxious to catch up at camp this year!

Matt-
I fiitted everything to last 5 days into a 45ltr backpack and I only took the bow square to check my nocking point and Brace height on my Longbow, proved essential for us all as 3 of us had take down bows(although it did not stay in my pack once my bow was set-up).
I too cannot wait to get to camp, really want to hear your first hand account of the hunt you did last year(so happy you got your Bull)...... I remember punching the air when I saw the picture ..... Well deserved my friend!

 

[Finch]

Got a quick question.

Are wildnerness areas and National Forests essentially the same? My hunting partner and I are thinking of only honing in on wilderness areas that don't allow ATVs. Are these allowed on National Forests? Also, we've been looking over the Colorado hunting atlas. Is there really an easy way of determining a wilderness area? They lump the WA's and NFs in as the same color on the map legend.

I called the hunt planner the other day and he suggessted units 14 & 81. I'm thinking about calling again (hopefully to speak to someone different) and get their opinion as well.

 

[Bar]

Wilderness areas are marked on the map. I agree that no ATV's is a plus, but you will have horses.

 

[bz_711]

Got a quick question.

Are wildnerness areas and National Forests essentially the same? My hunting partner and I are thinking of only honing in on wilderness areas that don't allow ATVs. Are these allowed on National Forests? Also, we've been looking over the Colorado hunting atlas. Is there really an easy way of determining a wilderness area? They lump the WA's and NFs in as the same color on the map legend.

I called the hunt planner the other day and he suggessted units 14 & 81. I'm thinking about calling again (hopefully to speak to someone different) and get their opinion as well.

My understanding is that Wilderness Areas are typically within National Forest areas...but the Wilderness has the increased restrictions and No roads...the area actually goes around roads as no motors of any type are allowed on WA. I was surprised last summer on an overnight hike to Conundrum Hot Springs (in Maroon Bells WA)...the forest rangers we met on trail were clearing large downed pines with two man hand saws...I talked to them, and even rangers are not allowed to take chain saw on WA.

I agree - for what your are planning - makes sense to focus on Wilderness...at least you'll have the peace and quiet of no motorized travel around you. It does not mean there will be less foot traffic.

Here is link to CO WA: http://www.coloradowilderness.com/wildpages/map.html

 

[zman]

Hunted a wilderness area solo last year for the first time. Funny thing is you don't have to hike in 10 miles with some huge pack and be all mountain man. Try doing one nighters with a small pack. Keep an eye on the weather and if its nice hunt your way back to the truck the next day. Colorado's wilderness areas aren't as big as people think. Its a good way to get in there without too much craziness. And try the smaller wilderness areas... not so many outfitters.

 

[Finch]

I guess I'm imagining ATV's just running rampant in the areas they are allowed. Is it as bad as I'm making it out to be? Am I limiting myself by hunting in wilderness areas?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[ckleeves]

Atv's are only allowed on designated trails. In a lot of areas they have done lots of road/ trail closures in recent years so quite a few areas only have a few atv trails compared to what they once had. Other trails are open to motorcycle traffic up until Labor Day then foot and horse traffic only.

In recent years there is more people in wilderness areas then areas that have a few atv roads running through them lol.

 

[Shrek]

In Montana the last two years I only had one instance where an ATV was a problem and he was breaking the law and was a couple miles off road. Most of the NF the ATV's legally limited to roads and trails marked open to ATV's. I didn't have a problem avoiding them. I wouldn't limit myself to wilderness areas. From what little I've seen in the NF open to ATV's the areas closed or are hard to get to with an ATV are lightly hunted. It seems all the hard core backpack hunters are crowding into the wilderness areas and the ATVers are hunting close to the open roads leaving plenty unhunted.