I've been thinking on this and it's been in the planning for a couple years. Myself and 4 buddies will be elk hunting in Colorado this fall. We'll be in unit 81 more than likely, possibly 80. I'm confident with my bow setup, bought some good boots and have them broke in, I'm in the best shape of my life and still working hard so that's covered. We all hunt so we have clothes, hunting/camping gear covered. I also put in for a mule deer tag for the second year in a row, so we'll see if I draw.
With that said what advice would you guys offer to a first time elk hunter? Even stuff that you think goes without saying could probably help, because this will be new for all of us. I'm kinda torn on buying a new pack...some of them are crazy expensive but everybody talks like they're really important so I may pick up a new one. Here are a few things I'd really appreciate suggestions on:
Food!! I read an article about pre cooking meals and freezing them, then putting them in vacuum sealed bags and just dropping them in boiling water to warm them up. That sounds good, and I'm also looking at Mountain House freeze dried meals, etc.
We plan to camp somewhere and hunt from a base camp, but we haven't narrowed it down to a specific camping area/trail head as of now. I'm not asking for any secret spots or anything, but if any of you guys know a good place, possibly a park to camp in near 81 where we could drive a short distance and then hike in that would be awesome. We aren't afraid to walk.
And broadheads...I know this gets beat to death (sorry). My bow is right at 50lbs at my DL (29) and my arrows are around 480 grains. I shoot 145 gr heads. I really like a 3 blade, Woodsmans or VPA's in particular, but maybe a 2 blade would give me better penetration. I'm open to suggestions.
Sleeping pad...I have a good bag, and we have a canvass wall tent. But I'd like to sleep somewhat well at least so suggestions on a good sleeping pad would be appreciated too. And just any tips or advice in general for a first time elk hunter!! Thanks in advance.
Enjoy yourself. You have most of the bases covered, I think. Not a bad idea to get out there a day or two before your hunt or take it easy the first day or two to get used to the elevation.
I advise camping lower rather than higher. Won't be as affected by elevation as much, and you'll be able to hunt the thermals better, i.e. hunt up in the morning when the wind is coming down and vice versa in the evening.
If your current pack works, no need to get another. Given you'll have four guys, I assume that if anyone gets an animal, everyone else will help pack it out. That might be a rule you set up in advance.
I like a 2-inch thick thermal rest mattress. If you have a wall tent, use a cot to get yourself off the ground. A bit more comfortable, but I've never found it difficult sleeping on the ground either with a good pad.
Woodsman's will work fine with your set up for elk and deer.
Might consider assigning evening meals to the various members in your group. Each person responsible for one, maybe two meals for the group. Other than that, freeze dried meals are quick and easy. Granola bars and gorp work for mid-day calories.
Good luck.
Mountain House freeze dried meals are the way to go in my book! Take a good water purifier pump along too!
Have fun!
BowMike (Mike Tibbits)
Is this going to be an annual trip for years to come? Are you going to spike camp much? How good is your current pack? If so I might pop for a good pack, if not go and see how yours does and see if you even like the experience. I love it, but It ain't for everybody. As far as a pad goes I prefer a cot at base camp. If I pack in I get the lightest most comfortable pad I can afford. Nothing worse than being cold and uncomfortable when you need to be refueling. I have actually switched to a hammock/quilt system for this year. It was expensive but I cut a lot of pack weight. As far as where to go? Look for the most remote road less areas in the area you are looking to hunt. Colorado has been over ridden with ATV's. I pack in Mountain House meals and bring frozen meals for base camp. FYI it wont be very (vacuum) sealed when you get to elevation.
Hope this helps a little
John
Thanks for the tips so far. I'd like to make it an annual trip I think, depending on how this one goes. And since we'll have a base camp a cot makes more sense than a sleeping pad, so that's an easy decision. I didn't even think of that. And to clarify on the pack situation, what I am actually trying to decide is whether to buy a freight hauler frame and strap my pack to it, or to just buy a new do it all type pack. I'll have to do one or the other.
If your pack does not have or accept a water bladder, get one that does. Drink lots of water every day, you can get dehydrated real easy hiking up and down the mountains out west.
We cooked all of our meals at home, froze them then vacuum packed each meal. We loaded them in a 150 qt cooler and packed it with ice then wrapped the seal with plastic wrap and duct taped it closed. This worked really well for our 14 day hunt except for 1 thing. We had a huge block of ice frozen together with all of our meals inside lol. We had to chip our food out the first week with a hatchet so bring an ice pick if you go that route.
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You wont get any more penetration out of a two blade than a Wensel Woodsman !!
There are two speeds to elk hunting, really fast - covering lots of ground to find them. And really slow, so you don't bust them out of there. Knowing when to change gears is the key. I usually fail. Have fun!!!! Also learn about altitude sickness. It takes the human body 4 days to start producing more red blood cells to help carry more oxygen in the blood, it takes 28 days to totally acclimate.
Ryan, there's been some good info given so far. I'll add some things that others have passed on to me and a few things I've picked up through experience.
* First, and I think most important in your case, five is a big number of hunters to satisfy when expectations are high. I would suggest that before feelings are bruised and friendships suffer, that you guys have a serious talk about the fact that this isn't deer or hog hunting, mistakes are going to be made and you're there to learn and have fun first. I guarantee that someone in the group will end up feeling slighted over minor matters if details aren't ironed out beforehand.
* You say you'll be operating out of a base camp. Assuming you mean near the vehicles, then you can take as much as you need to be comfortable, and I would suggest doing that. Camp comfort, conveniences and good sleep will help you hunt harder and ease some of the potential stress from point #1.
* I have taken two different packs in the past, but settled on the "do-it-all" pack. I can carry everything I need for 2 weeks of packing in, setting up a spike camp and cinching the pack down for use as a daypack. Since you're going to have more room at a base camp, finding a cheaper used freight hauler may be the way to go if you like your existing pack as a daypack. Don't obsess on what may be the perfect combo - that will vary by hunting situation and you will learn a lot your first time out about what your needs and preferences are.
* Other gear: unless you're a gear junkie, don't worry about having the latest, greatest, lightest, coolest anything. Elk don't care about your camo. Water doesn't care how it's purified, fires don't care how they're started. You get the idea.
* Navigation: I don't have a GPS. I've used topo maps, a compass and many hours studying topos and aerial photos of my hunt areas. I've only gotten turned around once and had to spend one night on the ground.....kinda exhilarating! I am thinking about getting one of the apps for my phone this year and downloading the maps of my area to use offline, but I have more research to do on that. My partner has a GPS, so that'll help me make it back to camp.
* FIND FRESH ELK SIGN BEFORE YOU HUNT! One thing I've learned is that with a limited number of days to chase them, it is best to find them first. They can, and often do cover a lot of acreage in their daily comings and goings. Way more than whitetails, generally. My first couple of elk hunts I spent far too much time hunting right away. I've since learned to find them first and then strategize about how to get within shooting distance.
* Other than talking, noise doesn't seem to scare elk off until you're in shooting range and they can't locate another elk. I've had several elk, both cows and bulls, close the gap on me just from hearing me walk on game trails or through the timber. So you do need to keep your eyes up. I mostly hunt dark timber and I'll walk a ways, stop and watch for a minute then glass a bit. If I don't see or hear anything Ill pick my next stopping point and move pretty quickly to it. You'll be shocked when you see how fast elk move through blowdowns and on steep slopes. They are used to hearing the sounds associated with faster movement and it doesn't seem to alarm them.
* Calling: I've had various degrees of success calling with cow sounds and bugles, but am not confident enough to give much advice on it. There is a bunch of info out there to be found and I would suggest you learn some basic stuff and practice. The best results I've had is 1) simply mimicking what sounds I hear them make and 2) making as weak a sounding bugle as I can when a bull bugles near me. They seem to want to come kick the little guy's butt. I know a lot of guys that are after bigger bulls have other tricks up their sleeves, but I haven't put the work into that yet and I'd be happy with any elk that isn't a small calf.
* Time: hunt as many days as possible. We're allowing for up to 11 days this year. I won't plan for less than 10 again. You can easily spend 2 or 3 days trying to find elk and if you have to relocate you're already down to just 2 or 3 more days if you just have a week total. Since we have to travel so far to get to them, I want to maximize my time in the mountains. My longest trip was 18 days and was spectacular.
* Be prepared to hurt. Be prepared to hunt tired. Be prepared to push yourself past previous levels of physical comfort. Mostly, be prepared to be mentally tough enough to endure those things. I've had 3 elk hunts where I was wet most of the time. I no longer believe in waterproof boots and have just accepted that I will be hunting with wet feet.
* When you find where some elk are bedded, don't blow them out of there by going into their bedding areas or letting your scent reach them. They will find another drainage to go to ASAP - and it won't be the next one over. Pay attention to the thermals and find a likely ambush spot where you think they may be moving to next.
* Trout: If you're going to be near any small streams, consider taking a little fishing set-up with you. I take a length of fly fishing tippet equal to my arrows, with a bead head nymph tied to it. During the middle of the day when the elk are bedded, I'll pull out a nock, place the thicker end of the tippet inside my arrow, replace the nock and I now have a small "cane pole". I'll sneak behind a rock or tree and jig the nymph into a dark pool. I usually catch 3 or 4 little cutthroats this way. I'll start a little fire, gut the fish but leave the heads on and then hang them over the fire with a green twig. In just a few minutes I'll have a tasty shore lunch that helps break the monotony of bars, jerky or granola. I usually take off my boots, let my feet air out and maybe take a little siesta as well. This really gives me a little boost and makes the afternoon hunt much better.
* Take a stumping arrow or two. You'll be amazed at how different the mountains feel when shooting. Our flatland perspective needs an adjustment. Plus, it's just fun to shoot - another midday break from hunting hard.
* As others above said, HAVE FUN!
* Deer hunting from a tree stand may never be the same. It isn't for me. After my first elk hunt all I wanted to do was go back to the mountains. It is so addicting that it is dangerous!
I'm sure I've got a lot of other stuff to share, but this post is long enough. You're gonna have a blast and not gonna want to come back to Texas.
Awesome Darren!! I appreciate the info. I've got a GPS that I'll bring just in case. I'll mark the camp as a waypoint for sure as soon as we get there. I've been watching videos on calling but haven't bought a call yet. I bought some good boots several months ago and I've been wearing them so they're broke in good. I did buy a good wool jacket, but other than that I'm just planning to wear my normal hunting clothes. I'm excited though, just the planning is fun!!
I lived in Colorado for 30 years and spent a night or two with a pack on my back in the high country. I think what Orion and GLP mentioned about getting there a little early and adjusting to the altitude is very important! All the planning and equipment are for not if you can't hunt because you are too sick.
I've heard lots of people say that about getting acclimated. We're hoping to have enough time to just set up camp and sort of take it easy the first day and a half or so. I've also heard that Tums or Rolaids will help with altitude sickness if you have a mild case. Anybody know if that's right or not? Also, Darren tell the story about getting turned around and spending the night out!! Sounds like a good learning experience!!
Bring plenty of lip balm and way more water than you think you'll need if you're base camping. I've heard of the Tums thing, too, but never tried it. Also some guys get a Dramamine (sp?) script from the Dr to help. I lived in CO for 3 years and spent as much time as I could in the mountains, only dealt with altitude sickness once. Not enough water I think...
I believe the med I used was Diamox. Altitude sickness can end a hunt in a hurry. If possible, get acclimated before really getting after them.
If you're in a base camp, use a cot with a pad or blanket under your sleeping bag for insulation. You may be off of the cold ground, but there'll be cold air under that cot, as well. Been there.
Never leave camp without your rain gear. (at least a rain jacket) The jacket not only works for any downpours you'll encounter, but doubles as a wind blocking barrier should you need one.
Grab a cot, don't need to break the bank but coupled with a pad will give you a good nights sleep.
Stay hydrated....excellent suggestion above. Something about higher elevation that sucks the moisture out of you.
If your not in Elk sign move.....don't hunt an are because it looks good. Cover as much country as you can until you find sign. Hike in the dark as much as your comfortable with and use your ears.
Your bow and arrow combination is fine, we were all pushing arrows through Elk at that weight with 3 blades before we found out you couldn't.
Relax, keep your expectations low and hunt hard. Enjoy
Thanks for all the advice!! I went ahead and ordered a pack. I went with a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 28. Not super expensive but will be a lot better than what I currently have and will work as a day pack and hopefully I'll get to pack some meat out in it too!!
Sounds like you are on the right track! One other thing is keep a positive happy aditude! And that goes for all in camp! Nothing will hurt a great hunt more than a bad disposition, and it only takes one. Keeping a positive attitude when you are really tired takes work. Dwight Schuh said a hunt is never as great as you dreamed it, it is never as bad as you think it is during it, but is somewhere in between. A positive cheerful aditude is the most important thing to take!! And have FUN!!!! Greg
I wouldn't buy a new pack for a single hunt.
As for broadheads, if what you have is working already it should be adequate for elk as well. If your just wanting a 2-blade for the comfort of potential increased penetration, I would recommend a Grizzly single bevel.
For foods, they will depend on if your backpacking daily or working from a basecamp with not more than a day hike at most. Freeze dried options are the lightest and only require boiling water. Dehydrated options are usually better tasting and more filling (I really liked the Enertia Trail Foods brands but they went under) and there's a lot of dehydrated stuff at typical grocery stores like instant Mac & Cheese but packaging can be pretty bulky from grocery stores. If you never really need to pack the food in/out, I'd say get a cooler and live like a king with meat and potatoes at every meal.
For sleeping in a canvas wall tent, ditch a ground sleeping pad and invest in a quality cot. They are more supportive and breathe better. You can tape some reflectix insulation rolls to the bottom side to trap heat if its too cold underneath you and not have the troubles of all the rustling. If you plan to backpack in for overnighters from base camp, I've had good luck with ThermaRest self inflating sleeping pads. They weren't more supportive than cheaper options but they seemed to insulate from the cold ground really well. They have lost their patent since I was into backpacking and I have no clue how the off-brands do in comparison but they may be worth researching/looking into for infrequent use. Some off brand stuff like the Ozark Trails versions of Yeti cups or non-Yeti brand coolers with similar designs really do offer comparable performance for a fraction of the pricetag.
For elk, your likely to spend a good bit of time glassing and calling. I'd want to make sure I had at least one backup call in your party just in case and I would want to make sure you have some glass that doesn't cause too much eye strain and fatigue for a full day of usage. Whitetail hunters don't really spend the time behind glass to always benefit from the higher end stuff but elk hunters tend to use theirs much more. What you already have may well be fine; just go out back and watch birds all day long to test if it works for your eyes. If you find yourself with burning, fatigued eyes or headaches it may be worth investing in some new glass for the trip and enjoying the higher quality during all other hunting applications.
I ended up getting a pack and it came today. I bought a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 28. It's light and will work great as a daypack, but the pop up frame will allow you to pack meat out as well. This is my first nice pack, and it's amazing how much more comfortable 30lbs feels in it as opposed to my other pack. The load lifters and hip belt are awesome. I'll get lots of miles in wearing it with 30-40 lbs over the summer.
I'll be hunting with my Primal Tech longbow and I think I've settled on just shooting my regular deer set up with Woodsman heads. I'm practicing shooting 1 arrow at a time from different distances and angles out to 30 yards. I can't wait until the hunt actually starts but I'm having a blast just getting ready!! I still need to buy a few little things. Some sort of lightweight water purification (looking at the LifeStraw) and some meat bags, and a couple other odds and ends will come up I'm sure. Other than that I think I'm ready!!
Great topic ryan, thanks for bringing it up. So two years ago I did exactly what you are doing, ill give you my thoughts for what its worth. Great advice by the way guys. So i was in SW Colorado the past two years and don't think I could tell you how amazing it really was for me... best thing ive ever done each year.
PACK...Glad you bought a pack you didn't need to but I did and the new ones are super. Like someone said if it doesn't have a bladder with a hose in it put one in it. any pack could be modified to carry this. staying hydrated is huge and this makes is so much more convenient. I started each day with a huge bladder of water and drank it all dat the weight was worth it to me and this let me keep the filter at camp. Your going to carry more gear out west than at home at least I did. That being said don't carry a bunch of stuff you don't need weight goes up fast... a hatchet is nice but do you need it? you get the idea. I did many bag dumps I'm talking dump all the shit out and reevaluate what I was humping around looking for the lightest daily load. that being said there are things you may never use I think you should carry every day. 1) Game bags. its easy to take a good wonder off the beaten path. if its hot you want to break that elk down and get it to cooling asap not wonder back to camp first. 2) ground tarp. I used a thick 5x5 piece of plastic to put elk pieces on as you take that big animal apart this was very useful. Ive seen guys use a space blanket and its lighter. 3) good head lamp. for after dark hands free climbing or taking an elk apart. 4) a real navigation compass reguardless or what your primary navigation device is. 5) plastic bag for small game meat or fish cought while hunting.
FOOD* Every morning I left camp or the truck I had eaten breakfast and had a full bladder of water and food for the entire day that didn't need cooking. Maybe I will not hunt all day but if I want to I can. a Ziploc bag of stuff I liked high in calories, a via instant coffee for afternoon. food can be heavy so you need to be careful. most days I came back really hungry and thirsty but I covered a lot of ground in good shape having enough callories. having these bags made up ahead of time was awesome. grab one each morning and go.
meals back at base camp. some times it was nice to take a hunt off and cook for the crew, make bread in a cast iron pot, big meal. other times I came back so tired all I wanted to do is slam water eat and get more sleep, the early morning comes fast... I bring food for both quick meals and slower lazy cooking.
GPS* go with a system that will work for you. Know how to use it! Its big country. For what its worth i love ONX maps on my cell phone. and I always had a real, good navigation compass in my pack. I truely appreciated being able to go anywhere i wanted then turn on something and know exactly where i was on a topo map... worth $30 a year.
Mule deer/bear tag. My first year i drew a mule deer tag and was excited about it but saw only some does but there were black bear every where. $$ spends quickly so now i would hate to be without a bear tag but dont get a deer tag. You never know but if you can get the scoop on the area your going it might serve you well.
Fishing pole I agree bring one cutthroat were a welcome addition to the menu but read there are limits and rules sometimes artifical bait only.
Shoot one* We can all dream of a big bull but i would recomend shooting the first mature legal aninal you have a chance to. You may not get another chance and you learn so much getting one back to camp and its so nice having all that meat I would hope you let the arrow fly on the first one that you can. It could be warm so have a plan to get that maet frozen. research a processer if you have to thats fine they will cut it all grind what you want. I would have rather done all that my self but with no freezer how do you?
Camera* everyone is different with this but its so nice to capture the memories you will make on this trip. consider it. I also kept a daily journal... loved it!
Calling* practice before you go! My first year I felt like I was hunting ghosts... I heard them could not see one to save my life. Finally I did lol and I started to get it... still never called one in. My seckond year I called in 5... Learning the area and getting help learning to call better helps.
Boots* Bring an extra pair. I'm normally not big on doubles of stuff but often from morning dew boots get soaked it was nice to give a pair the day off to dry. have both sets of boots be the best you can afford. Great ankle support is a must to me. remember you are often in steep country nagigating blow downs rock hopping through streams with a back with some weight in it and maybe packing out a elk that is a lot of weight. comfortable camp shoes are nice. after all day it was so nice to get those socks off and let some air to the feet. rubber Crocks are light and handy and if its cold you could still wear them with socks on flip flops not so much.
This is long I know and I dont mean to come acrost as an expert or overly opinionated. I'm excited for your adventure and just wanted to share what worked for me as I just went through it. I was honestly scared to leave home on my first trip. its a huge undertaking but was hands down my best hunting adventure two years in a row. There are great youtube videos on meal prep and beg dumps for gear ideas but nothing with learn you like doing it :) Best of luck to you Sir! share your story when you get back, would love to read it!
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Great stuff!! Thank you!!
"Also, Darren tell the story about getting turned around and spending the night out!! Sounds like a good learning experience!!"
Well Ryan, it WAS a great learning experience. I was hunting with two other guys and we had decided on a plan of hunting two different drainages that ran parallel to one another. We set a time to meet back at our departure point and had scoured over our maps detailing what our rough plan was. Our meeting point was a very distinct looking area near the top of a main ridge and we marked a dead limb with flagging tape. After all plans were made and discussed, we set out.
I reached the furthest point of my drainage approximately at the halfway mark of time agreed upon, made a wide arc to return on other side of the drainage and headed back. About 45 mins before meetup time, the weather changed. The sun was covered up by thick clouds, it started to spit intermittent rain and the wind became strong enough to cause worry about trees falling. I still wasn't terribly concerned because we had a good plan, and our camp was about only about 2.75 miles away and our trail off the main ridge was relatively easy to navigate.
I made it back to our meeting point (I thought) with about 5 minutes to spare, but there was no flagging tape. No biggie. I assumed the wind had ripped it off the limb and it had blown away. So I waited. After about 15 minute I got a little concerned, so I started walking in the direction my buddies had gone. It was then I got high enough on the ridge that I could see to the West and what weather was headed my way. I was now getting very concerned. I pulled out my phone and hand 1 bar of signal. I first tried calling one of my friends who had also brought his phone, but it went straight to voicemail. I then called one of my sons in Pittsburgh so he could look at the weather radar. His news was not encouraging and he suggested I start back to camp alone. At this point, I didn't think that was a good option, so I began yelling out for my friends. But the wind was so violent that my voice wasn't going anywhere. I did think I heard someone yelling at one point, but could not tell from what direction.
I circled back to (what I thought was) our meeting point at least a half dozen times. It was almost dark and and I finally thought I must be in the wrong place, so I made a vain attempt to locate the correct one. Finally, about 30 minutes after it became too dark to see, I thought I would get on the main trail and head to camp. I marked the ground with a big arrow made of rocks and headed down the mountain. Thirty minutes later I found an arrow made of rocks - I had gone in a circle without hitting the main trail! I realized that I needed to slow down, check my compass every few yards and methodically make my way along the top of the main ridge. I figured I would have to hit the trail at some point because there were some features that really stood out and I could use them to guide me.
After another hour I had still not found the trail and realized the safest thing to do was hole up for the night. I began searching for a spot that had a good blowdown for a little protection, but was not in close proximity to other standing beetle-killed trees. It took me awhile. During my search I saw a rabbit in the light of my headlamp. I figured if I was going to spend the night on the ground, I'd make myself a warm meal of fresh meat. I nocked the arrow, got to full draw and settled in for the shot. Then I realized, 1) if I hit it and didn't kill it I'd be in for a tracking job; 2) if I killed it I'd have to clean it in the dark with limited water for cleanup; 3) I could cut myself in the dark while cold and wet creating other problems; and 4) the blood and guts may attract a hungry bear which wasn't my idea of fun in the middle of the night. So I let my bow down, letting discretion be the better part of valor for possibly the first time in my life.
I finally found a suitable spot to make a suitable pseudo-camp for the night. I always have emergency provisions on me when I hunt in the mountains so I started "making camp". First, I cleared a big enough area next to the downwind side of the log to lay down. I then placed a yard and leaf garbage bag on the ground for a moisture barrier and placed a few rocks on the edges to hold it in place. I gathered up enough tinder and firewood to provide me with some warmth and a little comfort. I took stock of my food (2 energy bars, a baggie with granola, some jerky) and water (about 1 quart). I then got the fire going and sat on the log, ate about half the food, had some water and reflected upon what had happened over the last few hours and my decision making processes.
I turned on my phone (no signal to call or text anyone) and it was around 9:30, so I thought I should try to get some sleep. I built the fire up, gathered more wood for when I knew I would wake up cold and surprisingly drifted off relatively soon. Through the night I woke up 5 or 6 times and stoked the fire. I did not get much rest.
Eventually, it got to be that time of morning when the sky begins lightening up. It was still dark, but I knew each passing minute would allow me to begin seeing things. I got up and spent several minutes trying to stretch away the aches caused by the cold, hard ground. I made sure that all embers were extinguished and the entire fire area was covered in duff-free dirt and rocks. Took a leak on it it and poured half the rest of my water on it to make sure it couldn't reignite. By then I could see well enough to move out, so I checked the compass and headed toward where I though I would intersect the trail. It took me about 30 minutes or so, but I found it fairly easily.
I made it back to camp mid-morning and found my very worried and pissed-off friends in a not-so-jolly mood. I explained what happened and eventually they forgave me, but I cost them a morning of hunting and MUCH worry. i felt horrible.
What I did wrong: Too eager to hunt and didn't make sure of meeting place location. Should of found main trail while I still had enough light to do so - spent too much time staying in wrong area. Didn't have a verbalized plan with group in case of even like this. Didn't have med kit with me. There were 3 of us hunting "together" so I thought I could lighten my load. While I didn't need anything in kit, I could have. Also, it contains a mylar blanket and that would have been nice to reflect my body heat back to me through the night. And last mistake was even contemplating shooting the rabbit. I wasn't going to starve.
What I did right: Prayed a lot - I don't try to "make deals" with God, I simply asked for His protection and if he could keep the rain from getting too bad, I'd surely appreciate it. I never panicked. Even though I got upset with myself at first, I forced all negative thoughts from my head. I didn't try to forge ahead too long after dark - the blowdowns are dangerous in the light of day and many times more so at night. With the exception of my med kit, I had a serviceable, emergency, survival kit with me. I spent time reviewing decisions and planning my next move. It forced me to treat this experience as a test and I planned to pass it with flying colors.
Other stuff: A GPS would have all but assured this not happening but lack of technology didn't cause this, hubris and lack of proper preparation did. I spent mid-day in camp and a couple other bowhunters came down off the ridge past us. After sharing hunting experiences, it turns out they had found my little "camping" spot in the morning. I was shocked and assumed I must've been just off the trail. But they told me I was a long way from it and complimented me on the spot I chose in the dark. Of course I asked them about the fire pit as that is always a worry. They said it was completely cold - major relief. A day or two later we headed to another areas a few miles away and as we were breaking camp an older guy rode into the area on a horse to meet up with some friends of his. We shared the elk intel we hd for the immediate area and the discussion finally got around to my impromptu night on the ground. He said that he figured he'd had about a half dozen of those nights over the years and not to be ashamed of it. That took a little bit of the ting out.
That's about it. Sorry for the novella, but you asked! :bigsmyl:
Thanks for sharing Darren!! You did a great job keeping it together. I have a GPS. I don't trust it 100%, because here in some of the thick nasty stuff I hunt, especially at night, it won't always find the satellites. In more open country it does great though. I'll be sure to mark camp as a waypoint first thing and try to allow myself plenty of time to get back to a familiar area before dark. I'll have a compass and map as well. I always carry a survival blanket and a firestarter and some tinder. I'll make it a point to put together some sort of first aid kit too, better safe than sorry. I got turned around here one time and was getting ready to settle in for a long night and didn't have ANYTHING other than a pocketknife and a rifle. Pre cell phone days and I wasn't looking forward to it at all. Luckily I popped out at the edge of a field and could see my truck in the distance before it came to that though!! I can see how walking out in the dark could be a recipe for disaster so you definitely made the right decision to ride it out!! I think we are going to hunt in pairs for the most part, but we will have a plan together too in the event somebody doesn't make it back in time.
I second the advice of shooting the first legal animal, get a few under your belt then you can be picky. I am lucky enough to have good elk hunting about 40 minutes from my house, and have taken a number of decent bulls. The best advice I can give you is when the shot appears visualize a horzontal line through the middle of the elk, and shoot the bottom half. Elk are impressive and big, it is really easy to shoot high.
Well my plans have changed somewhat. I drew a mule deer tag!! I plan on making Colorado trips a regular thing, so this is what I'm thinking. I can buy an OTC archery elk tag every year, but may not be able to draw a mule deer tag for several more years. Everybody I have talked to says this is a good unit for mule deer. So now my elk hunt has turned into a mule deer hunt!! I'm halfway considering taking a tree stand and trying to find a good area with lots of deer sign and hunting them like whitetails? Any opinions fellas? I've never hunted mule deer either!!
My advice—get in the best physical shape of your life. Like when you were 18. Seriously. It will open a lot more country for you and make the hunt more enjoyable in every respect.
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I wouldn't bring a stand, get up high and glass. Big bowls up high with, feed, water and escape cover, take your time and dont push a stalk it its not a high %
Rokslide.com
Answers a lot of questions. Been once, going back in September. As mentioned, tree stand deer hunting will never be the same. The mountains move you.
Diamox is the ticket, as mentioned. Start 3-4 days ahead. It gets your system working towards acclimation and can save the trip. I've used it in high altitude situations and never had a prob....'cept bein' short of breath. Don't get into oxygen debt, it can scare you till you get to recover. It takes time. Have a ball man, I'll live the hunt thru your stories.
I am going to assume that you have done all your homework and have studied the gear, equipment, scouting, etc. I have never hunted elk nor have I hunted in the Rocky Mountains. However, I would remind you to review the first aid kit and survival stuff that will actually be on your person when afield. Not the extensive kit that is in camp, but what will be on hand if problems arise while on the hunt. Be safe and post lots of pictures.
Mule deer and whitetail have some similar behaviors but also some different ones. I recommend you get a reference on mule deer and do some reading. Sorry I don't have a suggested source but if you look around you should find something.
Here's a couple key differences.
Where whitetails tend to travel low ground, gullys and thick creekbeds, mulies travel ridges. If they cross a gully, they will descend and ascend at an angle.
Whitetails tend to bed in thick stuff. Mulies like to bed on a high spot with a breeze and good field of view.
Mulies will go to water every day but it's usually not at a major waterway or large body of water but rather an out of the way spot.
Good bucks are where you find them. They could be anywhere. High above timberline or low in the brush.
A good midday tactic is to get high on a ridge especially on with mature Aspen growth and hunt it down very very very slowly. Watch for shiny antlers of bedded bucks. If you go slow enough you can often see their antlers move as they move their heads.
Quote from: Sam McMichael on June 10, 2018, 11:42:58 AM
I am going to assume that you have done all your homework and have studied the gear, equipment, scouting, etc. I have never hunted elk nor have I hunted in the Rocky Mountains. However, I would remind you to review the first aid kit and survival stuff that will actually be on your person when afield. Not the extensive kit that is in camp, but what will be on hand if problems arise while on the hunt. Be safe and post lots of pictures.
I'm doing a ton of online research, google earth, etc. Unfortunately I won't be able to do any boots on the ground scouting. I feel pretty confident with my setup and my gear. One of the guys in our group has hunted the area a couple times so that's a plus, he does have some knowledge there.
As far as survival stuff goes, I always carry a pocketknife and a lighter in my pocket. I'll have a multi tool and a good magnesium fire starter in my pack. I have a Sawyer Mini to filter water and an emergency blanket along with a GPS and compass. I'll make sure to keep some food in my pack as well. As far as first aid stuff goes, I'm actually looking into putting a kit together now. You can buy a ready made kit but from the looks of them I can put my own together and come out a little cheaper.
Quote from: monterey on June 10, 2018, 04:04:31 PM
Mule deer and whitetail have some similar behaviors but also some different ones. I recommend you get a reference on mule deer and do some reading. Sorry I don't have a suggested source but if you look around you should find something.
Here's a couple key differences.
Where whitetails tend to travel low ground, gullys and thick creekbeds, mulies travel ridges. If they cross a gully, they will descend and ascend at an angle.
Whitetails tend to bed in thick stuff. Mulies like to bed on a high spot with a breeze and good field of view.
Mulies will go to water every day but it's usually not at a major waterway or large body of water but rather an out of the way spot.
Good bucks are where you find them. They could be anywhere. High above timberline or low in the brush.
A good midday tactic is to get high on a ridge especially on with mature Aspen growth and hunt it down very very very slowly. Watch for shiny antlers of bedded bucks. If you go slow enough you can often see their antlers move as they move their heads.
Good stuff!! Thank you. I'm sure I'll learn a lot this first year, and probably learn most of it from making mistakes!! But hopefully I'll get lucky. I limit my tree stand shots to animals here to 15 yards and prefer 12. I've been practicing a lot at 25 for this hunt though and the absolute longest shot I will take is 20 yards, so getting that close is gonna be a challenge. Hopefully I can make it work.
I live in Indiana but have hunted with a rifle quite a lot on public land in Colorado so I won't give any bowhunting specific advice. Get in shape. Have some kind of waterproof mat for your feet when you take off our boots as your tent floor whether plastic or ground could have mud, water, snow, ice. Get in shape. Bring a few mousetraps, mice appear like magic when you open that first food container. Get in shape. I keep all my stuff in plastic tubs that fit under my cot, makes it water and mouse proof. Get in shape. Ask DNR if you need bear precautions. Get in shape. Mule deer are built differently than whitetails, esp those dog sized deer you have in east Texas :smiley stooges: Make a cardboard cutout of an av sized mulie so you have a mental picture. Get in shape. Mule deer often have this habit of stopping to look back at you if not too startled so be prepared for this. Get in shape. If you get one down, dress it out right away. Meat spoils fast even if air temps cool and dry. Don't think you can gut it that evening when there is snow on the ground and it 15 degrees and come back at dawn to finish. We quarter our elk as it is easier to attach to a pack but you do carry bone weight. if you take it to a game processor, some won't take boned out meat. Get in shape. I have found hiking with about 20-30 lbs of weight in my pack on the steepest hills I can get to in Indiana as the best way to get in mountain hunting shape. Running and biking did not use the leg and back muscles the same way. Hiking poles do indeed help, esp if you have some game in your pack. Get in shape. You probably won't see big groups of deer unless does/fawns. Lastly, get in shape.
Ha thank you!! I'm definitely working hard to be in good shape. Doing lots of walking with my pack. It's pretty flat here but I do mix in some walks on the treadmill with the incline set high. Also now that school is out I'm gonna start hitting the football field and walking the bleachers.
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Early season you'll definitely see big groups of bucks. If your hunting with a buddy don't overlook bumping deer to each other. Like one guy circle and sit an escape route, while the other guy stalks him in his bed.
Ryan if y'all will be sleeping in base camp get a good comfy cot to sleep on. Getting off the ground will help tremendously in how well you sleep. I ordered a Coleman Deluxe for base camp mountain house meals for spike camp, precooked frozen meals for base camp. Have fun, elk is icing on the Trip
An elk is waaay larger than a deer. You should be able to shoot beyond 20 yards easily. Aim small, yes, but you don't need to be able to hit dimes.
Darren has great advice and many good comments. Great thread. Texas is way lower than Colorado and your physical conditioning will make your trip more enjoyable. Drink even if not thirsty. I live at 5200 feet and hunt at 9000, it take me a day to acclimate.
I out those cheap Wally World photocell lights around my camp-easier to see and light when you get there
Several mention carrying some fishing equipment. An 8-12 ft Tenkara rod and a matchbox of flies weights almost nothing and will fit in a daypack. https://www.tenkararodco.com
I have one from Tenkara Rod Co but there are cheaper ones out their
Well I'm back!! I didn't kill anything, but this was by far the most fun hunt I've ever been on. I wish I had started going sooner, but if I'm able and the Good Lord is willing I'll be back next year and for years to come!!
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You ain't gettin off that easy you know. :campfire:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :campfire:
Beautiful country man! I know you had a good time