Colorado Elk Hunt

[hopedale]

Ok, what do you need to do, if you want a Elk hunt in Colorado for the 2012-2013 hunting season?

And I'm talking a DIY hunt.

[elkbowhunter]

first you need to budget what you are wanting to spend....its all about the budget.

[Whirlwind]

What area also....

[RJK70]

GET IN SHAPE! I mean cardio shape

[txstrapassassin]

GET IN SHAPE! I mean cardio shape

yup, I've heard stories

[tpcollins]

Have you considered having an outfitter drop you off at a spike camp already setup in a good area or would you prefer to play pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded and hope you stumble across an elk?

I did a ton of research way back when and (4) of us camped "near" the spot I wanted to get to but we didn't see any elk. The following year we paid an outfitter to haul us and our equipment to a spot I had picked out that had a water hole for drinking, and where a DNR guy said there were good elk numbers from a recent scouting trip . While there we found a spike camp from an outfitter and said if we ever came back, it would be easier to use their tent and equipment - all we needed was our bows, food, clothing, and sleeping bag.

But two of had muzzleloaders, two had bows only - I called in a 5x5, my archery buddy missed, I took it with my ml. My smallest but favorite elk because I called it in myself. If you're really interested, send me a PM and I can point you where I went.

[unclefish]

If you don't have any points you will have to go OTC units unless you buy a landowner tag. Like the others said budget and area are the first choices you gotta make.

[a3dhunter]

My recommendations would be to find a wilderness area in an OTC unit, find a hard to get to trailhead that makes you go out of the way, plan on hiking at least 4 miles in and hunting.
You can buy your tag on the way up in the Trinidad Wal Mart, make sure you have your hunters safety card with you, and then go hunting.

[elkbowhunter]

If you have never hunted in the mountains and are just getting into ELK hunting you might consider a great guide....you dont want a good guide you need a GREAT guide. PM if you want to talk more. I hunted out my back door pretty much in Montana for over 25 years but do know a great guide. Later gator

[tommyp]

if you have never been and are not going with someone who has you should really consider a drop camp, if you are set on a DIY hunt. that will get you in the back country and they will supply some equipment, and some pointers, and assist with the pack out also.

[Mister Bubba's bulletman]

yup, I've heard stories

Here's my story. I still ain't caught my breath!.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUVM31Kg7X8"]Fat and out of shape in Colorado - YouTube[/ame]

It is beautiful up there.

[stinkbelly]

I assume this is a bow hunt since this is the bow hunting forum.


Basic gear are your bow gear, great sleeping bag, great tent, water purification system, clothes, food.

If you are sleeping at the truck it can be big heavy stuff. If you are packing in, you will need small light weight gear (tent, stove, sleeping bag, etc).

Most important gear is great boots and socks.

[elkbowhunter]

Here's my story. I still ain't caught my breath!.


Fat and out of shape in Colorado - YouTube

It is beautiful up there.

Thanks for posting this and being so honest. You were sucking wind pretty good there...you can sure see that hunting in the mountains is whole new ball game for sure. It separates the men from the boys. Great video.

[cbrown]

I would seriously consider a spike or drop camp from an outfitter. You would be looking at around $1200 for that but you have to take a lot of things into consideration. If you go into a primitive unti or area you can only take in what you and or your horse can carry, no wheeled vehicles. That means you have carry in all your hunting gear, food, clothes, tent, bedding and everything else. Plus if you do happend to kill an elk you are looking at 4-6 trips to pack out the meat, hide and or head plus then all of your equipment.

When I went two years ago I stayed at a guide camp but hunted on my own. I was on elk all but one day but only got one shot that resulted in a dead tree branch!

Good luck in whichever route you choose but make sure you give yourself the chance to enjoy the hunt. The mountains and LACK OF OXYGEN make this hunt hard enough.

[elkbowhunter]

I would seriously consider a spike or drop camp from an outfitter. You would be looking at around $1200 for that but you have to take a lot of things into consideration. If you go into a primitive unti or area you can only take in what you and or your horse can carry, no wheeled vehicles. That means you have carry in all your hunting gear, food, clothes, tent, bedding and everything else. Plus if you do happend to kill an elk you are looking at 4-6 trips to pack out the meat, hide and or head plus then all of your equipment.

When I went two years ago I stayed at a guide camp but hunted on my own. I was on elk all but one day but only got one shot that resulted in a dead tree branch!

Good luck in whichever route you choose but make sure you give yourself the chance to enjoy the hunt. The mountains and LACK OF OXYGEN make this hunt hard enough.

Keep in mind that if you are a first year ELK hunter you dont know squat about how things work. Going on your own is of course fun but who are you learning from? books are good but somethings you have to do to learn from a well seasoned elk hunter. I went with friends who were very successful every year. There is a reason why they kill ELK every year. I learned from the best. I would go with a guide the first year and learn. Take notes etc. If he is a highly successful guide you will learn highly successful techniques. And make dang sure the guide is a BOWHUNTER. Rifle guides hunt different than Bow Guides. Some do both and thats cool..Consider the fact that if you do get an ELK by yourself...packing it out in the mountains by yourself is a whole new ball game. I only used a guide one time in 30 years of bowhunting ELK...mainly cause the area I wanted to hunt was 11 miles in the backcountry and he had good horses. Just make sure you have solid references on the guide....there are good ones and there are horrible ones. have a great hunt!!