Scouting Trip Tips

[jdwelch93]

I've been planning a DIY hunt to Colorado for a while now. I had finally pulled the trigger to try it this September, but due to baby #2 expecting to be born 9/6, I've had to push the hunt until 2024. I've never been out west but spent extensive time in the backcountry of the Appalachian Mountains. Part of the plan was a scouting trip this summer that I didn’t cancel. I have a 4-day trip planned mid-July to get eyes on the unit and hopefully dial in the hunting plan. I plan on spending 3 days backpacking, but I want to make sure I'm prepared for what to expect this time of the year. If anyone could provide insight, I'd be very thankful.

1. How accurate has water shown on OnX correlated to what's in the field? We will be around 10,000' elevation for most of the time. Do the "dotted" line streams usually have water or only the "solid" line creeks? (In the Appalachian Mountains water access is never an issue.)
2. Is there a website that provides remotely accurate weather for wilderness areas or peaks? Or is the best option to look at a nearby town? Mainly wondering about temperatures for mid-July at the higher elevations.
3. How bad are ticks and mosquitoes at higher elevations? I typically go floorless on the shelter but could bring the nest if they're really bad.
4. Any other major tips for western wilderness backcountry that I might need to know coming from the eastern US?
5. Plane tickets aren’t refundable, so I’m committed regardless.

 

[Speck1]

The dotted blue line streams do not have water where I hunt in Colorado. The solid lines usually do. I usually go up mid July as well. Temps are usually 50’s to 70’s at 10k feet. Never had any tick issues even though there are cows around my area. Some mosquitoes but not terrible. Be prepared for storms. They can get ugly in a hurry.

 

[jdwelch93]

The dotted blue line streams do not have water where I hunt in Colorado. The solid lines usually do. I usually go up mid July as well. Temps are usually 50’s to 70’s at 10k feet. Never had any tick issues even though there are cows around my area. Some mosquitoes but not terrible. Be prepared for storms. They can get ugly in a hurry.

Thanks for this info. I’m expecting some cows in this area too. Heck we might be talking about the same unit. I’ll be up there July 15-19.

 

[ID_Snow]

I've been planning a DIY hunt to Colorado for a while now. I had finally pulled the trigger to try it this September, but due to baby #2 expecting to be born 9/6, I've had to push the hunt until 2024. I've never been out west but spent extensive time in the backcountry of the Appalachian Mountains. Part of the plan was a scouting trip this summer that I didn’t cancel. I have a 4-day trip planned mid-July to get eyes on the unit and hopefully dial in the hunting plan. I plan on spending 3 days backpacking, but I want to make sure I'm prepared for what to expect this time of the year. If anyone could provide insight, I'd be very thankful.

1. How accurate has water shown on OnX correlated to what's in the field? We will be around 10,000' elevation for most of the time. Do the "dotted" line streams usually have water or only the "solid" line creeks? (In the Appalachian Mountains water access is never an issue.)
2. Is there a website that provides remotely accurate weather for wilderness areas or peaks? Or is the best option to look at a nearby town? Mainly wondering about temperatures for mid-July at the higher elevations.
3. How bad are ticks and mosquitoes at higher elevations? I typically go floorless on the shelter but could bring the nest if they're really bad.
4. Any other major tips for western wilderness backcountry that I might need to know coming from the eastern US?
5. Plane tickets aren’t refundable, so I’m committed regardless.

Re: bugs. Has everything to do with proximity to water, time since snowmelt, and breeze. Dry camp somewhere with a breeze somewhere that there hasn’t been snow for a month, and it should be fine. A mosquito headnet and wind-clothes are good insurance, and way lighter than a shelter floor.

 

[jdwelch93]

Good info. I'd much rather go floorless. I run the Seek Cimarron, so my buddy and I could split the shelter to save weight if we had to. Might be a game time decision.

 

[Indian Summer]

Dotted lines, no water. But maybe a seep or wet spot with a wallow. Get your weather from a Garmin Inreach. No ticks or mosquitoes.

Your time is limited. Pick out several high vantage points and set up there. Glass for animals but also pull out the topo and look closely and land features and learn the lay of the land from up there.

Learn your main access routes. Drop waypoints. But don’t attempt to hike all over the place to learn it. Just get the big picture for now.

 

[307]

I've been planning a DIY hunt to Colorado for a while now. I had finally pulled the trigger to try it this September, but due to baby #2 expecting to be born 9/6, I've had to push the hunt until 2024. I've never been out west but spent extensive time in the backcountry of the Appalachian Mountains. Part of the plan was a scouting trip this summer that I didn’t cancel. I have a 4-day trip planned mid-July to get eyes on the unit and hopefully dial in the hunting plan. I plan on spending 3 days backpacking, but I want to make sure I'm prepared for what to expect this time of the year. If anyone could provide insight, I'd be very thankful.

1. How accurate has water shown on OnX correlated to what's in the field? We will be around 10,000' elevation for most of the time. Do the "dotted" line streams usually have water or only the "solid" line creeks? (In the Appalachian Mountains water access is never an issue.)
2. Is there a website that provides remotely accurate weather for wilderness areas or peaks? Or is the best option to look at a nearby town? Mainly wondering about temperatures for mid-July at the higher elevations.
3. How bad are ticks and mosquitoes at higher elevations? I typically go floorless on the shelter but could bring the nest if they're really bad.
4. Any other major tips for western wilderness backcountry that I might need to know coming from the eastern US?
5. Plane tickets aren’t refundable, so I’m committed regardless.

There is snow and water everywhere this year. Finding water won’t likely be a problem. Avoiding snow will be. The mosquitos will be biblical this year due to the amount of water.

 

[Olympics777]

I’m in Idaho so take this for what it’s worth. Personally I get eaten alive by mosquitoes anywhere in the backcountry here regardless of how dry or wet it is, if it’s over 65 degrees they are out.

Personally I’ve left my house and it’s 70 degrees and I drive an hour up into the mountains and that night there’s a blizzard. It’s absolutely possible. Unlikely before the 15 of September here but I don’t know about Colorado, but it’s higher so I’d assume there’s a chance. I’d bring a puffy just in case though.

Here in Idaho finding water up high is difficult after the Fourth of July, this year will be later because of the snowpack. Usually I rely on a few springs I know of that are running year round. When I’m going to an area I haven’t been before I bring more water than I think I need until I figure out what the situation is.

Good luck

 

[jdwelch93]

All of this is exactly what I was looking for when I posted this thread. Thanks for the information guys.

 

[bozeman]

Four days and how many spots you got picked out? I’d start with ensuring access to where you plan on hunting. Maps and roads don’t always match. Just my .02

 

[CMS829]

Good thread. Sorry I don't have much to contribute but was impressed by your questions versus the usuals.

 

[cmahoney]

Coming from the east, you should be a mosquito pro. Do you have a thermacell?


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[jdwelch93]

Four days and how many spots you got picked out? I’d start with ensuring access to where you plan on hunting. Maps and roads don’t always match. Just my .02

Everything I can find on the internet other than blasting the exact trailhead in this thread seems to note fairly good access. I’ve got 3 to 4 areas/trails with various distances from a main road, but only one trail is my focus on this trip due to the time I’ve got.

 

[jdwelch93]

Coming from the east, you should be a mosquito pro. Do you have a thermacell?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thermacell just got added to the pack list. Thanks.

 

[bozeman]

Sunscreen and chapstick. Ask me how I know.

 

[Huntin_GI]

I would like to remind anyone wondering about Colorado water, this year is one of the wettest we have ever had and it isn't showing any sign of slowing down.

 

[trophyhill]

I would like to remind anyone wondering about Colorado water, this year is one of the wettest we have ever had and it isn't showing any sign of slowing down.

That answers my question and saved me a 15 hour drive to scout for water sources.

 

[Poser]

I was out and about in the San Juan high country this past weekend ( June 17) and it snowed 3-5 inches across the range overnight. The peaks are still snowed in, many roads still undrivable, some gates still closed, high lakes still frozen and most anything North facing is basically still winter. (See pics below).

Aside from that, with such a short window to scout (and while that is time well spent, there is limited ground you can cover in that timeframe), do not, repeat do not fall for the classic trap of summer scouting because you will see elk everywhere. They just now are moving back into the high country and are hitting green slopes anywhere and everywhere. What you see now won’t tell you much about the fall so don’t spend too much time looking at elk out lounging in the tundra vs. covering ground. They won’t be acting that way coke fall not will they necessarily be in the same areas.

 

[Gerbdog]

I'll second the bring sunscreen and chapstick. Lobstered myself this weekend out scouting a new area. Excellent scouting trip though! Finally stopped raining long enough to get a trip in.

 

[jdwelch93]

I was out and about in the San Juan high country this past weekend ( June 17) and it snowed 3-5 inches across the range overnight. The peaks are still snowed in, many roads still undrivable, some gates still closed, high lakes still frozen and most anything North facing is basically still winter. (See pics below).

Aside from that, with such a short window to scout (and while that is time well spent, there is limited ground you can cover in that timeframe), do not, repeat do not fall for the classic trap of summer scouting because you will see elk everywhere. They just now are moving back into the high country and are hitting green slopes anywhere and everywhere. What you see now won’t tell you much about the fall so don’t spend too much time looking at elk out lounging in the tundra vs. covering ground. They won’t be acting that way coke fall not will they necessarily be in the same areas.

Fingers crossed there will be a little less snow 4 weeks from now.

Duly noted on not expecting elk to be in the same area. I think my biggest take away will be establishing realistic expectations of how far I can pack in and actively hunt. I'll at least be familiar with the access and have put boots on the ground rather than just looking at maps on OnX.