Overview of my Elk Hunt

[twitchstick]

Good luck on your hunt. Get in shape and have some fun,take a few pic's for us.

[fnshtr]

Went on my first backpack elk hunt this past September... it gets in your blood. I'm already planning for 2011. I had been on a couple drop camp hunts, but going light is a blast!

Have fun (that's a given) and be safe.

Good luck.

[Bowwild]

Yep, that tutorial was fantastic!

In 1977 I spent my first month on the job after college "counting trees" in the San Juans.  I was based at a place called "Continental Reservoir".  Spent a few weekends in Creed, Colorado.  I saw elk almost every day.  In fact, the beasts interfered with my work as they would bite my yellow plastic surveyor's tape off at the knot. I needed that flagging to quickly get back to my transect each day. I had to start bending down trees and tying it higher.  Of course I'm sure a lot may have changed regarding the elk herd during the ensuing 33 years?

There's some pretty nasty country in them thar hills!  I spent most of my time a timberline walking through talus slopes.

[ScottinPA]

I, too, have been looking into this.  I told myself that if I don't draw for WY this year I'll drive to CO and do a solo hunt.  What kind of pack and footwear to doing?  Been looking hard at Mystery Ranch.  Leaning towards the Crew Cab.  Also getting a pair of Kenetrek Hardscrabbles soon so they're broken in by mid-summer.

[neargeezer]

ScottinPA - You might take a look at the new ultralight packs at Kifaru.

 http://www.kifaru.net/KU.html

I like the idea of starting light before adding gear. More room for food. Good luck.

[Pepper]

Have a great hunt, enjoy it all, scenery, companionship, the majesty of it all.
Good fortune to you and your companion.

[Owlgrowler]

I drew a tag for unit 76 back in September '96, helped an outfitter for a couple weeks and hunted for a week or so, beautiful country. Around the middle of the month hurricanes came in from the Pacific and the Atlantic at the same time and converged right on top of us, dumping close to 2 feet of snow, it was crazy!! About a dozen mules and horses broke the rope they were tied to and were heading for home when we caught up with them up on the divide trail in the middle of this blizzard. It was a good time    

[mnbearbaiter]

This hunt will be taking place in Unit 70, probably enter in from the south trailhead(Navajo Lake trail), although in having a bit of trouble gettin the maps i want! I have area in my GPS already, have located website that caters to my needs, and allows me to customize my maps! I then have also found the standby USFS map and the National Geographic map as well! What maps to most of you use when hunting out west?

[SpencerL]

I just want to know where "That great thread" is about Mule Deer.

[beendare]

I've been doing these hunts for right about 25yrs and if you search the Bowsite you will get some good info- lots of bivy and spike out guys there

[steadman]

I would suggest finding a pack outfitter in case you get an elk down along ways from the trailhead. You get an elk down 10 miles in, those trips with meat on your back will be long. Also remember that altitude is the biggest problem for the low elevation guys. Good luck and have fun!

[mnbearbaiter]

Oh yeah, im very familiar with the altitude being a problem for us "Flatlanders"! Im goin to be in the best shape possible before i get there(training 5 days/wk already), we also plan on taking our time getting in to help with acclimation, weve both hunted higher up than we are here in MN, and never really had a huge problem, especially after a couple days! As far as bowsite.com goes, there are tons of good info there for the type of hunt we are doin, but most are alot shorter than the 12 days we will be goin for!

[mnbearbaiter]

I have various ?'s left to ask, but if i were to ask just one it would be...Whats the "Best" time to hunt southwest CO for elk? As of right now, we plan on goin in somewhere around Sep5-7, due to a friend of ours who hunted that general area around opener, and didnt hear a bugle until the 10th day of his hunt! Is it better early or later in sept?

[Guru]

Scott, Check out the new packs(and other ultralight products) soon to be availible from KUIU....world class materials, design, and technology.

I think you'll be impressed with what you see and read!

[IdahoCurt]

From the 10th on is when the rut gets going here,I'd image its the same in Colorado.

[mnbearbaiter]

Yeah, id imagine it would be about the same! Thats good then, wed be there a little before it heats up and during i guess!

[Autumnarcher]

I've been spending a lot of time researching gear for backcountry elk hunting. The elk page on bowsite has a ton of good info on all sorts of gear. Shelters, stoves, packs etc. Do a search for bivy gear, pack reviews etc and you'll have tons of reading. There are a good number of guys who post there regularly that do a lot of that type of hunting and are very helpful in answering gear questions.

[shortynes]

Not sure, but lining your game bags with plastic might not be the best way to go, I would think you need to keep it open to the air to prevent bacteria growth, just a thought.

[Brad Davis]

aahhh!! still keeping an eye on this thread.  

[mnbearbaiter]

I have most of the major gear so far, stove, shelter, clothing, pack, etc.! The plastic actually wouldnt be a lining, but more of a covering for the bags if we put them into a water source to cool them a bit! They are a tough, thicker material that would resist puncturing well, and they fold down nicely for transport too!