Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting I've never been elk hunting.

I've been watching this thread. I'm planning my 1st elk hunt this fall as well. And while I've never hunted elk, I did get a mule deer tag several years back and my wife and I have made several road trips throughout the west and all of them involved at least driving through Colorado. I've criss crossed most of the western half of the state and the area around unit 75 is some of the most scenic. I live in NW GA and I can promise you that you'll be awestruck by the bigness of the country in CO after coming from LA (lower Alabama) as we call it here.

One important thing that I didn't see mentioned was preparing for the altitude. Going from sea level to 7000' or more is going to be a shock to your system for a day or 3. The better shape you're in before you get there the faster you'll acclimate. I've never gotten sick, but the 1st day or so I've always been dragging and had no energy. In 2010 my BIL and I drove 28 hours straight taking turns sleeping. We met 4 others who came out several days early. We got into camp about 3 PM on opening day, rested and started hunting the next day and it was about all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. I got where I was going, but it took a lot longer than normal. By the 2nd day I was back to my old self and had no problems. We were at about 7000' I'd try to arrive a day or 2 early, or at least don't try anything too strenuous the 1st day or 2 until you acclimate.

The city where I live is about 500' above sea level, but I live on a ridge at about 1000'. I live a dead end road and a great place for me to walk to get in shape From the top of my hill to the bottom and back is a 1.5 mile round trip with 500' lost and gained each lap. There are also lots of hiking trails in the N GA mountains where I can get up to 3000-4000. ' And in TN I often hike in places a bit over 6000'. Being able to do that really helps me be prepared. I know 3000' isn't 7000'+, but it is closer than sea level.

There aren't any hills to speak of in LA, so I'd advise finding a stadium if possible where you can run/walk up and down the bleachers. If not that some tall building where you can use the steps. That is the closest thing I can think of to help simulate the conditions you'll be in.

Weather: I've been snowed on in Colorado in June. We've had to alter or plans while snow was removed from higher elevations twice before we could get where we were going. In 2010 we hunted 2nd season and ran into snow westbound at the Eisenhower tunnel for just a few miles. We got about 6-8" the 2nd night in camp, but clear weather the other days. We made the mistake of breaking camp in the afternoon and crossed the high mountain passes on I-70 after dark on the way home. We wanted to get east of Denver before getting a hotel. I ended up driving about 70 miles through snow and the outside temperature was in the teens. We get a significant snow here about every other year or so, so I'm not totally unfamiliar with driving in snow. But that was a lot deeper snow, and for a lot more miles than I've ever driven. Never had any problems, didn't need the chains, but I had them. I wouldn't make that drive, in those conditions at night again though.