Public Land CO Elk advice

[TheArtRed]

Hey guys. In the fall of 2015 I'll be going on my first elk hunt, so I am looking for advice on things to prepare for between now and then. Here's what I have so far.
1. Get in wicked good shape. Lean and strong. Lots of cardio and leg stuff.
2. Get comfy with long range (60-80 yards) shots

I still have a lot of backpacking gear, so I'm set for that. What else should I be looking into?
Beginner Calls?
Basic Techniques?
Recommended areas?

Any help would be great. I'm a bit of a nerd, so I'm hungry for info.

 

[amp713]

Subsribe to something like eastmans magazines and follow their MRS section or join a site like hunterstrailhead.com that gives you alot of draw odds and things like that....

 

[ssliger]

Definitely learn to call, will you be able to scout the area. Get some books on Elk Hunting (Mike Eastmans book has a lot of info). Elk101.com has a great dvd called University of Elk Hunting.

 

[bbrown]

Look up Elknut - has everything you need to get started.
http://stores.elknut.com/

 

[brettb]

Are you going to be hunting with bow or gun in hand? If you have an idea of which unit or units you would like to hunt do research for those specific areas on animal numbers,season patterns and something overlooked is early fall to late fall migrations. and over all dont be afraid to ask questions.theres no such thing as a dumb question in my book.

 

[bounds]

My first elk hunt was in Colorado too. Backpacked in 5-6 miles and camped at 10,500 feet. I'm from Texas and was 23 at the time. I had never been on a hunt out west after growing up hunting whitetails. I was in really good shape which is incredibly important, but when then animals are at 11,000+, usually 12,000+ it really makes the chase tough.

I say all that to say the first thing I would have done differently is camp as high as possible. This will be tougher on your first day, but you will be really thankful to not be making a 2,000 foot climb everyday. We saw most of our elk at well over 12,000 feet and even watched a herd go over a ridge that was over 13,000.

As you said, get in wicked good shape. But, prepare yourself mentally for the doubts that will creep into your mind when you're there. It will be really tough physically, no matter how good of shape you get in and staying positive and optimistic up there is the key to pushing yourself on that hunt.

 

[JoshTX]

I'll throw in my $.02 but there are ton of people on here with far more experience than I, so take it for what it's worth.

First time I went after Wapiti, it was with a guy I served with. He's the ultra-marathon type so obviously he was in good shape. So was I ( or I thought). When the bull was down and we started ferrying the load, after about mile 5 I commented that I felt I could have been in better shape. His response was "there is being in good shape, and then there is being in elk shape, which are you?". That was 10 years and 9 Elk ago and those words still ring in my head.

The Colorado DOW is a tremendous resource and will give you all of the reading you want. Forums like this, K forums, Elknut & Elk 101 are also good resources for information. Be advised if you start asking specifics about unit's, herd locations, etc..the only thing you will hear are crickets chirping. Understandably, folks don't like to give up honey holes.

The other thing that comes to mind is high angle shooting. I don't know if you are using a bow or rifle, but if you are flatlander, I assure you, you will be surprised at what the steep angles will do to your shot. It doesn't matter how far your practice shots are or how many arrows a day you shoot, there simply is no replacement for practicing high angle. If your neighbors won't throw a tantrum, climb on to your roof and shoot at that target that's 40-50 yards away and see what happens. Whole different ballgame.

Other than that, read, absorb, ask questions and get into the best shape you can. Good luck to you!

 

[BigDog00]

1) My recommendation, as everyone else's has been, would be to get in good shape....then push yourself to get in even better shape (strength training, cardio, core, etc). I believe everyone who has commented has already mentioned it, so obviously thats probably the most important part.

2) You dont have to be great at calling, but you should be very aware at what the elk are trying to tell you. I think its much more important to understand their language than to actually be able to blow a call.

3) I've learned through experience that its better to be more aggressive than less. I would rather blow a stalk then sit there waiting for the elk to do something...which probably wont be in your favor.

4) Have you gear dialed. I'm not sure where your coming from but it would suck to have gear issues while in the field. If you can, bring backup equipment to be left at your truck or camp.

5) I suffer from altitude sickness. It really really really blows. I would say its comparable to the worst hangover you can possibly imagine. It hits me between 11,000-12,000ft, but from what I understand its different for everyone. Throughout the years I thought I could just tough my way through it, but you simply cant. Figure out if your prone to it and prepare accordingly.

6) Have fun and enjoy your time in the mountains. Hunting elk during the rut is probably one of the coolest things you'll ever experience.

7) Refer back to #1 and get in even better shape than you think you need to be in.

 

[KMT]

Like many said earlier, get in much better shape than you think you need to be in. It will be tough to hunt every day at 10,000 feet for a week and even tougher to haul one out if you get lucky.

If you can, hunt with someone who has successfully hunted elk before. The above mentioned reference materials are great but are no substitute for experience. Elk hunting is not like whitetail hunting, just like trout fishing is not like bass fishing. If you can afford it, use a reputable guide.

There are plenty of elk on public land.

If you're bow hunting, you shouldn't have to make a 60-80 yard shot. Under 50 yards would be more common, and it wouldn't be uncommon to have shots at 40 or less.

 

[TheArtRed]

Wonderful advice guys. I worked out west summers during college, so I know the abuse that 10k feet can do.
I think I'm going to do 6 months of conditioning to work on cardio and core stuff,
and then I'll hit the weights, with leg days being of particular importance.
The elk101 sight is great. Thanks for pointing me towards it.

Is there any particular units that I should avoid?

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

Like many said earlier, get in much better shape than you think you need to be in. It will be tough to hunt every day at 10,000 feet for a week and even tougher to haul one out if you get lucky.

If you can, hunt with someone who has successfully hunted elk before. The above mentioned reference materials are great but are no substitute for experience. Elk hunting is not like whitetail hunting, just like trout fishing is not like bass fishing. If you can afford it, use a reputable guide.

There are plenty of elk on public land.

If you're bow hunting, you shouldn't have to make a 60-80 yard shot. Under 50 yards would be more common, and it wouldn't be uncommon to have shots at 40 or less.

I completely agree with this statement. I am so tired of hearing guys say they can throw softball size groups at 80 yards and think they can go flinging arrows at elk. Elk are huge animals. Sure we can all make those shots shooting at our bag targets in our back yard, BUT... There's alot of things that can go wrong at those distances with a live animal in mountain conditions. Magazines and TV just don't do elk justice until you have actually walked up on one you don't completely understand just how big they are.