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

Hell, I've never been west of Baton Rouge save for one flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas and a drive to Los Angeles from there, and then back.

But I want to go elk hunting.

Trying to talk a buddy or two into doing a public land OTC hunt with me this year, Colorado. Seems closest we'll get being in Alabama.

Talk me into it or out of it.

Oh hell yes. Just camping for week during the Fall in the Rockies is a great experience.

Decide whether you want to hike into a camp site or camp at the truck, and then go buy gear accordingly.

Get GoHunt and research a unit to go to. Call the local wildlife officer to confirm a couple places to park. Use OnX Maps to ensure you know any public/private boundaries and to help identify specific spots to hunt. Buy good boots and wear them a lot before hand.

Even if you just toss stuff in the truck, park along a national forest with your camp at the truck and then spend your days hiking out a couple miles you’ll have a great time, learn a lot, and really be able to refine your effort for the following year(s).

What is GoHunt?

And yeah, me and my buddies are late 20's, initial plan anyway is to park and then pack in a ways and camp 3-5 miles from the truck. Have no idea on what unit yet but I do want to do a national forest.

Sounds like fun. Biggest problem I have seen with out of State hunters is them not being in shape and/or used to the altitude. The air is pretty thin at 9,000 ft. The more time you can spend at altitude the better. If you are not opposed to bowhunting then there are lots more opportunities. Good luck with your hunt.

https://www.gohunt.com/

It will provide info on units. Draw odds, success rates, numbers of hunters (licenses), public land, etc. However, since your not trying to draw a tag, you can probably get most of what you need through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. Pick units with over the counter (OTC) licenses for the season you want to hunt.

http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/BigGame.aspx

This mapping tool is pretty useful too.

https://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/index.html?app=HuntingAtlas

Elk are delicious. And big.





That’s my dad in 2015.

This is me from last year.




I say go.





P

And if you can hunt where the elk can be taken out whole, that’s even better! Well, it will seem that way when packing out.

Guarantee I won't let a 5x5 walk ha. But it would be at least two of us, hopefully packing one out wouldn't kill us dead. Looking hard at San Juan National Forest.

If you are in excellent shape, go this year. If not, take a year or two to plan. I highly recommend an antelope hunt for your first Western hunt.

hunt uphill from truck or camp. if you pack one out debone it first those quarters are heavy but you must keep whatever parts fish and game require for ID

you shooting a bow or rifle?
you have hunting experience?
isn't new mexico closer? I don't know if they have OTC

It's been a while since I posted this article. I suppose that it's time for a repeat.

It use to have some photos but not with the new system.

ELK HUNTING IN COLORADO

If you expect to start do-it-yourself elk hunting in Colorado, Wyoming or any other western state and go home with a 6x6 bull on your first hunt, and that's the only thing that will make it worth the effort, then don't bother, because those expectations probably won’t be realized. I love the high mountains, especially alpine ecosystems at or above timberline; hiking, camping, backpacking, sightseeing, climbing and occasionally wetting a line. I live in elk country and in the late 1970’s, I started hunting elk because it was an excuse to go to the mountains after the climbing season was over. For the first few years all I managed to do was carry a rifle while hiking and camping. Eventually I figured out a few basic hunting skills, I picked a hunting area and hunted it year after year until I knew it like my back yard, and that's when I started being successful at bringing home meat and antlers. In Colorado only 25% of elk hunters are successful and that includes hunters who have killed cow elk. I've often heard it said that 25% of the hunters kill 75% of the elk because the experienced elk hunters are most successful at killing animals.

However, if you expect to enjoy yourself camping, hunting, hiking, and viewing eye-popping wilderness beauty while learning to hunt elk, and you expect to do it several times, then get ready for adventure. Everyone who hunts elk with the right attitude will be successful if they enjoy themselves and Mother Nature. Be content, hunt hard and realize that you are alive and in the mountains.

For over twenty-five years, I got an elk almost every year. Sometimes I got both a cow and a bull. My hunting buddies rarely got an elk and one guy asked me why. I replied that there are no secrets to hunting elk. You already know what you have to do to be successful. But most people won't or can't do what it takes to be successful.

You have to hunt every day of the entire season. You should arrive at camp no later than the day before opening day and don't leave until the day after the last day of the season. You can't expect to be successful if you hunt on just the weekend or if you hunt for just part of the season.

You have to hunt all day. The most productive times to hunt are just after dawn and just before sunset. So if you want to hunt during those times you have to do most of your hiking to and from the truck or camp, in the dark. Stay in the field for the entire day. Don't go back to camp for lunch. The first hour after sunrise is worth all of the rest of them right up to the last half hour before the sun sets, which is worth all the rest of them combined.

You have to learn to think like an elk. Pretend that you are an elk and you know that hunters are trying to kill you. Imagine where you would go and what you would do to stay alive. Then go there and do that. That's how you find elk. Hiding in the local bar doesn’t count.

You have to hunt the places that others won't or can't. Get away from the roads and hunt in the mean nasty hollows, where it's hard to get into and hard to get out of. Hunt where the elk are. 75% of the elk live in 25% of the available suitable habitat. You need to find out where that 25% area is and spend your time there. It’s valuable when learning to hunt elk to go with the attitude that killing a cow would be great. The big bulls will come in time, after you’ve educated yourself. Once you've committed to do all that, you can employ the following strategies.

ELK HUNTING STRATEGIES

#1: BE SAFE WITH YOUR RIFLE: Assume that any firearm is loaded unless the breech is open and you can see that it's empty. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction and never point your rifle at anything unless you intend to shoot it. Don't rely on the safety. Carry your rifle with the chamber empty and the safety on. Don't chamber a round until you spot a target. Never shoot at a target unless you are sure what it is, sure you can hit it and sure of what's behind it.

#2: BE PROFICIENT WITH YOUR RIFLE: Always make a clean, quick, humane kill. In order to do this you must be proficient with your rifle. No matter how good you have been in the past, you need to practice several times each summer to ensure that you are current. Don't just sight in your rifle. You must practice to ensure that your rhythm is smooth and habitual and you can hit what you aim at. Practice at 200 yards and 300 yards so that you can determine in the field, if you should take that shot. Also, get off the bench and practice in the prone position resting your rifle on a daypack and also in the sitting position. There never seems to be a bench rest in the field just where you want it.

#3: BE IN GOOD SHAPE: Altitude sickness is a real concern in the mountains. You need to be in good cardio/pulmonary condition to deal with it. Drink lots of liquids, take Aspirin and Tums in order to minimize the effects of dehydration and Acute Mountain Sickness. It's really endurance breathing that you need to develop before you arrive at high elevation. Bicycling, climbing stairs, swimming and high altitude hiking are excellent exercises for this purpose.

Also, everyone must do their share and you can't do that if you can't hike the hills, and haul out your share of the game, collect firewood, carry water, setup & break down camp, etc. If you are in bad physical condition, then you will be miserable and you will not enjoy the adventure.

Elk hunting requires a lot of walking through potentially rough terrain. It’s not like hunting whitetails where you can pattern an animal then wait for him to walk by. You have to find the elk and it usually takes a lot of hiking to do that. Then hope that they stay put long enough that you can figure out how to get to one.

#4: SCOUT, SCOUT, SCOUT: You need to know your hunting area like your back yard. Don’t expect to travel to Colorado and be successful the first year. Pick an area and hunt that same area year after year. That’s how to get to know your hunting grounds. Take camping/hiking trips and backpack trips into your hunting area in the summer. Know where their winter range is, where their summer range is and where the migration routes are that connect the two. Know where the game trails are concentrated crossing saddles on ridges, where the bedding areas are to be found, where the water holes are located, where the hideouts are, where there are gentle terraces on north-facing slopes.

Buy US Forest Service maps, USGS maps, county maps and BLM maps of your area. These maps contain different information. Copy this information onto the USGS maps. You can only reasonably hunt the area on one USGS 7.5' map. But as luck would have it, the best hunting area is usually where several maps come together. Tape the maps together. Memorize your map. Update it with field data from your scouting trips. You now have a map containing information in a way that no one else has. In the off-season, I spend time on Google Earth and I like to switch back and forth between that site and a USGS map site. All this helps me get a better feel for the country.

#5: HUNT WHERE THE ELK ARE: Seventy-five percent (75%) of the elk live in twenty-five percent (25%) of the available habitat. You can waste a lot of time hunting unproductively in an area where there is always some thin sign but never enough sign to indicate the presence of a large herd. Sure there’s the off chance that by pure dumb luck you might encounter a lonesome elk and every year someone gets lucky and fills their tag that way. But your best probability of success will be in the vicinity of the large herds. You scouting goal is to discover where that 25% hotbed is located. When you find that area it’s hard to miss. It will stink with elk musk and urine, there will be heavily used game trails in every direction, the grass will be cropped short, there will be lots fresh elk droppings and you can hear elk scurrying away just beyond in the trees. You have to be mobile and flexible. If you can't find elk where you are hunting, then move to another location.

#6: USE HUNTING PRESSURE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: I hunt an area on opening morning where there is good vehicle access and lots of other hunters. I hunt in the places where I think the animals will run to avoid the opening day hunters. Most hunters will stay within a mile or so of a road. A few others will horse pack in six or eight miles or more. So it's good to get back in 3 or 4 miles before the sun comes up and hunt the in-between areas.

By mid-October, the rut will be over and elk will be responding to hunting pressure more than anything else. They hide in sanctuaries, usually very remote wilderness or on private property. Learn where the sanctuaries are located and which routes they will use when they begin to filter out of the sanctuaries and back onto huntable land. Then setup an ambush on the exit routes. I have a friend whose strategy is to go in half a mile further than anyone else. He’s very successful at bringing home meat and antlers so there must be something to it.

#7: HUNT THE RIGHT ELEVATION FOR THE MIGRATION: Elk accomplish an annual migration, spending the summer at higher elevation and spending the winter in some sheltered place, usually at lower elevation. In mid-summer I can hike into several high basins that will always hold elk casually lounging in the tundra. But by Colorado's 1st and 2nd rifle season, most elk will have moved into subalpine and montaine regions. They can travel a long way for water. Look for them to start moving down their migration routes during the 3rd and 4th seasons.

Elk will wait as long as they can before being forced to migrate by bad weather. They will go back up if it warms. So if weather in the 3rd season is warm and dry, then look for them up high. Mule deer will migrate sooner and faster than elk. One day of really bad weather and deep snow, will result in lots of deer in the sage where the day before there wasn't an animal to be found. Deer usually stay down once they have migrated. In the late seasons elk can often be found in rancher’s pastures.

When the weather is warm, there will always be a few elk spread out throughout their entire range. So the population density (elk/square mile) is less dense and your chance of bumping into an elk is low. I hunt Colorado’s 3rd rifle season (early November) and hope for heavy snow and bad weather to drive them out of the high country. They will concentrate in the foothills, at the bottom of the snow line. Since they are concentrated, the population density is higher and your chance of seeing an elk is improved.

I'll say it again. You have to be mobile and flexible. If you can't find elk where you are hunting, then move to another location.

#8: HUNT BEDDING AREAS AT DAWN: Elk like to bed down in isolated, gently sloping groves of mixed aspen/evergreens with lots of grass and forbs for food. They can travel a long way for water. Isolated means someplace where it’s difficult for people to access. Find several places like this when you go scouting. Hike in the dark to arrive at an overlook before the sun comes up and wait to see what comes out of the grove.

#9: HUNT THE RIDGES AT MID-DAY: Setup overlooking a saddle on a ridge where game trails are concentrated and wait to see what walks by. This takes lots of patience and works best if you have somebody still hunting through the dark timber to get the animals moving.

#10: HUNT THE WATERHOLES IN THE AFTERNOON: Find some isolated water source, maybe the highest place where a creek first starts coming out of the ground. Setup concealed from view, with a good field of fire a couple hundred yards away, at least 3 hours before sunset, and wait to see what comes to drink. This works best in dry locations like Utah’s LaSalle Mountains or Arizona’s Mogollon Rim but I have also had good luck watching springs on warm Colorado afternoons. Wait until the very last shooting light is gone before going back to camp and be prepared to walk back to camp in the dark. I have field dressed several animals in the dark using a flashlight.

#11: HUNT THE HIDEOUTS LATE IN THE SEASON: Elk know that someone is trying to kill them as soon as the first shot is fired. So they run and hide in the most inaccessible terrain around. Find some cozy little pocket surrounded by the meanest, nastiest country around; a place where it looks like there's no way that an elk could get in there; a place where you would hate to get an animal down because you would hate to have to haul him out. That's where the elk will be and that's where you should be (and where I will be) late in the season.

I like to hunt the dark timber. I walk quietly and slowly looking for something that's out of place. I spend more time standing, listening and watching than walking. It’s easier to walk quietly if you walk on a game trail and that also improves your chances of bumping into game. Every time you come over a small rise, or around a corner, or to the edge of a glade, do it slowly and quietly and be ready with your rifle because an elk might be standing just around the corner. Get a cheap cow elk call and carry it on a string around your neck. Also get a recording of what the call should sound like and practice. When you see and animal, let out a squeak and that animal may think that you are another elk. I have called in bulls with just a couple of squeaks. It may be more productive to sit and wait for the animals but you will live more in one day of stalking through the dark timber than in a week of sitting and waiting. When hunting in thick cover look for horizontal lines. Most everything except game animals grows straight up.

Sometimes it's very difficult to be quiet. Walking on dry aspen leaves is like walking on potato chips and walking on hard crusty snow is also noisy. In those situations you can't be quiet, so walk quickly to get to a spot that you already know from your scouting will be good, find a comfortable position then sit there and don't move. It will take only fifteen or twenty minutes for things to be like you never walked there.

#12: BE PERSISTANT: You can't catch fish unless you have your bait in the water and you can't find an elk unless you are in the field looking for them. They're not going to walk up and surrender themselves to you. You have to find them. That's why they call it hunting and not killing. Many hunters give up after a couple of unsuccessful days and go home. Be prepared to stay the entire length of the season and to endure whatever fatigue and weather, you may encounter. Hunt an area for several days and if you don't find anything promising, then try a different strategy or different area, but don't give up.

#13: BE PATIENT: Human beings are noisy, stinky creatures. Our dominant sense is our vision. The elk's best senses are their smell and hearing. Their vision is motion sensitive and they can't see colors. Many young hunters spend lots of time hiking and covering a lot of ground and wonder why they never see any animals. You should spend most of your time sitting quietly and watching. You should hike slowly and quietly and most of your hiking should be in the dark.

FAQ

RIFLE CALIBER: I hunt elk with a 30-06 and 180 grain Nosler Partitions with Spitzer points, hand-loaded to perform like a .300 magnum (61 grains RL22 – 2,870 fps). It might seem simpler to just use a .300 magnum but I already have the '06 and the hand-load has a trajectory that is close enough to factory loads Federal Premium 30-06, 150 grain Sierra Game King BTSP that I can switch loads without adjusting my scope.

I think the middle calibers, anything from as small as .270 to as big as .338 magnum, are best suited for hunting elk. I recommend a minimum of 150 grain premium controlled expansion bullets. A 30-30 will kill an elk but its’ range is limited to about 200 yards. It’s my opinion that anything bigger than a .338mag is more gun than necessary and I don’t enjoy the recoil of those big calibers. A well placed shot from just about any legal caliber will kill an elk but nothing will work right with bad bullet placement, so one needs to use a caliber with which they are comfortable and proficient and take the time to get it right the first time.

On the other hand, I know a twenty-something, hundred and thirty pound, young lady who has killed six elk with a 25-06 and 115 grain Nosler Partitions. So much for my middle caliber theory.

We’ve always been able to get very accurate rifles if we were willing to pay the price. But for many of us those custom rifles and high-end production firearms were out of our budget range. However, modern computerized manufacturing methods have enabled manufacturers to make extremely accurate firearms at an affordable price. So now any new rifle that I buy is one that is guaranteed by the manufacturer to shoot MOA out of the box. The Weatherby "Vanguard Series 2" and the Thompson Center Arms "Venture" are rifles that are guaranteed by the manufacturer to shoot MOA out of the box and both can be found on the retail market for about $500. They're not pretty but they are accurate, reliable and durable enough to last a lifetime with proper maintenance.

Don't forget that your optics are as important as the rifle and caliber. It’s my opinion that the Leupold VX-3 is probably the best value scope on the market. You can spend a lot more on a scope but you can't get a better scope at any price. You can spend less but you will get less.

CLOTHING: You don’t need the most expensive, uber-cool camo clothing to hunt elk. In fact in Colorado you have to wear 500 sq. in. of orange (hat & vest minimum). You do need full body covering appropriate for the weather; long trousers, long sleeve shirt, ball cap, light gloves, warm sox and hiking boots with good ankle support and lug soles. In the late seasons I also wear long underwear, an insulated vest, and gaiters. I use a good waterproof-breathable parka (one that actually works the way it’s supposed to) so I can hike back to camp in the rain without getting thoroughly soaked from the inside out. Most of my clothing is wool/synthetic blends or nylon/Gortex blends. Try to avoid cotton when the weather is cold and wet.

BINOCULARS: I do very little spot and stalk hunting for elk. It’s mostly at distances less than 300 yards. When hunting in the dark timber it’s usually much closer than that and I try to look through intermediate foliage by adjusting the focus and looking for and ear or a butt or leg. This doesn’t require great glass and a pair of 8x35 is OK in that situation and just about any manufacturer will do. I own a pair of old Bushnell 8x35 binos that I like because they are not very heavy. I carry them with a chest harness to make sure that they are available to use when I need them. When I spot-and-stalk hunt for Coues deer I use a pair of Oculus 15x56 binoculars with a tripod.

WILDERNESS NAVIGATION: You need to be able to hike three or four miles into the wilderness and get back to camp in the dark, in the fog or in a raging blizzard. Learn how to read the terrain on a USGS map and know how to use a compass. Finding your way back to camp in the dark can be tricky if you have followed your nose looking for game. I augment my map and compass with a GPS. I set my truck or camp as a way-point in the GPS and never have to worry about finding my way back. A GPS unit is not a substitute for a map and compass.

BE PREPARED FOR WILDERNESS SURVIVAL: I have spent a few unplanned nights out in the woods either because I wasn't comfortable trying to get back to camp or because I had found a good spot and I wanted to be there when the sun came up the next morning. I always carry a fire starter kit that includes matches, butane lighter, candles or fire sticks, and a few pages from an old phone book. You need to know how to get a campfire started using a similar kit and native materials. I always carry some extras in my daypack; a Gotex/Nylon parka, a lightweight puffer jacket, a warm knitted hat, a pair of ski gloves and an extra pair of sox. I carry half of a foam pad so I can sit down in the snow without getting my butt wet and I carry a lightweight tarp. Make a bivouac bag by folding the tarp over like a taco, put the foam pad inside the tarp and tie the tarp together so that it doesn’t flop open in the wind. Put on your all your extra clothes, take off your boots and put on your extra sox then put your feet inside your daypack. You may not be comfortable, but you probably won’t get frostbite or hypothermia.

PREDATORS: Very few people get the privilege of seeing a predator. There's a 99% chance that you won't see a bear and if you do it will be running away. Cats are even more secretive. The best place to see a predator is in your back yard where they may be raiding trash cans or stealing dog food. The only situation where a bear might bother you is if you leave stinky food out for the bears to smell. Then they might trash your camp trying to find that food. This is especially true in places like US Forest Service campgrounds where ignorant tourists keep untidy camps and thus habituate the bears to the idea that they can find food there. If you are lucky enough to see a predator don't worry because you should be carrying a hunting rifle. Anything more than that is extra weight and bulk that you don't need to bother with. I have been on more wilderness backpack trips than I can count since 1958, probably over 300, and the predators that I have seen I can count on one hand and I have never been threatened. One time a young hunter wrote me and mentioned that a couple of guys had said that they had been stalked by cougars in the area where he intended to hunt and he asked me what I would do in that situation. I responded that I would buy a cougar license.

CAMPING: There’s a problem with sleeping in a motel or lodge because it’s not located in prime elk habitat and you have to spend time in the morning and evening traveling between where you are staying and where you are hunting. So you either have to spend less time hunting or less time sleeping. You need to camp so you can sleep near where you hunt. Lots of people use campers and/or trailers for car camping. You can make it as complicated as you want, but all you really need for car camping is a tent, sleeping bag, mattress pad, camp stove & cook kit, and a few packs of freeze-dried food. It’s really not any more complicated than that. You don’t really even need the tent or cook gear. I’ve spent several nights sleeping in the back of an SUV or pickup with a topper, and eating no-cook snacks. Every year for a couple of decades I setup a big base camp using tents. These days I may setup a base camp at the trailhead but I do most of my hunting out of backpack camps. The cheaper your gear is, the tougher you have to be. If you are going to use tents, be sure to protect them from the wind. Try to “hunt uphill”. That means set your camp low and hike uphill to do your hunting. Therefore, when you kill an elk you can drag it downhill instead of hauling it uphill. Don’t try to learn to camp on your first elk hunt. That’s a recipe for disaster. A guided hunt is not the way to learn to camp because they do everything and since you do nothing, you don’t learn anything. Start camping near your home, then take what you’ve learned into the hills.

WEATHER: The weather is entirely unpredictable in the Rockies. On a recent two-night backpack trip onto Pikes Peak, it snowed once, rained twice, and was mild for the rest of the time, and that was in September. In October and November you need to be prepared for two feet of snow or high temps in the 60s. You can have both situations on the same hunt and I’m not exaggerating.

PACKING OUT YOUR KILL: If you go into the hunt with the mindset that getting it out is gonna' suck, you'll never be disappointed. Before you go elk hunting you need to think about and prepare yourself to pack out an elk on your back. Don’t expect the elk to drop dead at a convenient location and don’t kill an elk and then think “What do I do now?” You need to be able to dress out a 700# animal in the field, skin it and if you have to carry it very far, de-bone it, then get it back to your vehicle. When I’m hunting, I’m using an ultra-light backpack with a capacity of about 4,000 cu.in., which is mostly empty. When I kill an elk, I carry out the first load of loose meat in that pack and then I switch to a bigger pack (about 6,400 cu.in.) capable of carrying 100#. I carry out the big quarters in that pack. Then I switch back to the smaller pack to go back in and get my camp.

MEAT CARE: If it's warm, you will have to be concerned with preventing your meat from spoiling. Skin and quarter the animal immediately, bag it and hang it in the shade. Cover it with a tarp to keep the birds away but make sure that there’s still good air circulation. Do not put it in plastic bags. That’s a sure recipe for spoiled meat. I have seen people place their meat in a side braid of the river or a creek so that the cold water kept the meat cool. I’ve also used Game Saver citric acid spray. You mix the powder with water in a spray bottle and it works great. I ordered it over the Internet from Indian Valley Meat Co., in Indian Valley, AK. http://www.indianvalleymeats.com/about.htm

VEHICLES IN THE MOUNTAINS: You need a 4x4 vehicle. Just about any stock 4x4 pickup will do and most stock 4x4 SUVs will also work. You need some ground clearance and aggressive tires, but you don’t need a lift kit. We can get deep snow and sloppy slippery roads during any of the rifle seasons. So you need to carry tire chains for all four wheels and KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. Remember that you have to stay on established roads in a National Forest. It’s generally legal to drive off road on BLM land. As good stewards of the land, we do our best to minimize impact. In designated wilderness areas nothing with a wheel or motor is allowed. A lot of people will drive to the end of a dirt road at or near a wilderness area boundary, camp there, and hike in from there.

There are a few U.S. Forest Service trails where it is legal to drive an ATV. You need a Forest Service vehicle use map (free) to identify those trails. Other than those few trails, ATVs have the same limitations as full size vehicles. It’s illegal to drive an ATV off road in a National Forest.

PICKING A HUNTING AREA: Picking an area to hunt is the easiest and the most difficult part of hunting. There are literally millions of acres of public land located in National Forests and on BLM land. So it’s easy to find a place where it's legal to hunt. But finding "the right place" to hunt is more difficult.

Most Western hunters are not going to tell you where their honey holes are located. You're going to have to find your own spot. But there's lots of info available and if you do your home work, you might be able to find a good place to start. If you want to hunt in Colorado, here's how to locate an area.

Get a copy of a road map of Colorado that indicates which land is public. Compare that to the map of game management units in the Colorado Big Game Hunting brochure. Look for units with lots of public land.

Next, look on the CO P&W big game web page for the recap of preference points required to get a license in limited draw units.
http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics.aspx
There are more licenses offered than there are applicants in those units that require zero points. Those are places where game populations are at or above management objectives. Look for units which require zero points and have lots of public land.

Then, go to the interactive game management unit maps. http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/index.aspx?keyword=gmu&value=54 . There you can find winter ranges, calving areas and summer ranges in each GMU. Finally get a copy of the USGS map(s) for the area and memorize it. With all that info, you ought to be able to pick an area where there are lots of elk and lots of public land. And then you should be able to determine where they are in summer, where their winter range is located, the most likely routes that they use to get from one area to the other, and therefore where they are most likely to be during hunting season.

If you want to put in for the computer draw, here's a link that gives draw expectations. http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics.aspx

I’m not familiar with the resources available in other western states, but I would wager that there’s similar info available in all of them.

THE DRAWING SYSTEM IN COLORADO: Learning how the drawing process works is an important part of learning how to hunt elk in Colorado. The state is divided into game management units (GMU). Each year the game managers determine a quota for each species in each GMU and from that determine how many licenses of each species they will issue in order to manage each population. It's a very complicated system. Here's a simplified (maybe over-simplified) summary.

Over-the-counter bull elk tags can be purchased at sporting goods stores, some department stores, gun shops, Parks & Wildlife offices, etc. The number of those licenses is unlimited and they are valid in about half of the GMUs west of I-25. Low probability of success on OTC bull tags but each year a few tags are filled that way. Sometimes it just takes luck.

Cow elk tags are issued only through the draw (there are some exceptions but let's keep it simple for this introductory narrative). There are many GMUs where there are more cow tags offered than there are applicants. The extra tags are called leftover tags and they are offered first-come first-serve at Parks & Wildlife offices in early August. You have a much better chance of bagging a cow elk than you do of tagging out on a bull. A lot of people will hunt for cow elk in a unit where they eventually hope to hunt for bulls and in the process they learn the unit and are ready for the day that they get a bull tag. It probably makes most sense for a nonresident to apply for an either-sex tag.

If you apply for the draw and if you don't get what you applied for you get a preference point. You can also apply for a preference point. Each time that you are unsuccessful you get another point. People with the most points are awarded licenses before people with fewer points.

There are several GMUs where the OTC bull tags are not valid and bull tags are issued through the draw. You can draw a bull tag in some of those units with only a few preference points and some have pretty good success for representative bulls. These units are where a lot of elk hunters get their bulls.

There are a hand full of premium units that are managed to produce trophy bulls and there are only a few tags issued each year. Success rates are very high and quality is very high. In those units it now takes a couple of decades worth of points to draw a license and the number of points required increases slowly. It will eventually get to the point where it takes so many points that those units will be de-facto once-in-a-lifetime units.

You can apply for up to four choices on the application. Each year I apply for a preference point as my first choice. Second and subsequent choices do not use up your points. My second choice is a cow tag in a unit that has historically had leftover cow tags so I'm pretty sure I'll get that tag and it's also in a unit where OTC bull tags are valid. So each year I get another preference point and I go into the field with a cow tag and a bull tag. I shoot the first cow that I see and spend the rest of the season looking for a bull. I now have 20 preference points for elk. I've shot 32 elk since 1978, although only eight of them have been bulls and they are all big five point (5x5) or small six point (6x6) bulls.

Pronghorn and deer tags are issued only through the draw and the system is similar to that for elk.

Colorado issues very few licenses for moose, rocky mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goats and desert bighorns. You have to apply for three years just to get into the draw and start collecting points. One should consider any license for any of those species as a once-in-a-lifetime tag although if you were to start applying for and gathering points when young it's conceivable that you could hunt those species two or three times in a lifetime.

Internet is the easiest way to apply. Here's the home page for CO Parks & Wildlife.
http://cpw.state.co.us/

There are so many options that there is no easy answer for just how and what you should apply for. There is a lot of info on the CO P&W web site and you need to spend mucho, mucho hours studying all that's available. Concentrate on big game statistics.
http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics.aspx

When you're ready to apply, start here.
http://cpw.state.co.us/BuyApply/pages/hunting.aspx
In Colorado there is no separate big game hunting license. Your elk tag is your hunting license. They will send your license/tag in the mail.

You must have completed a hunter education course if you were born after January 1, 1949. You also need to buy a $10 habitat stamp. If you don't draw any tag, everything but a small application fee is refunded.

HIND SIGHT: I started writing this article a long time ago. I have updated it over the years, and things have changed since I started writing. Now I don’t care too much about killing an elk myself, but I try hard to help my hunting companions connect. I’ve learned to appreciate the sunrises more and more.

The biggest obstacle to overcome is thinking that you can't do it on your own...trust me, you can. Just get out there and do it. I hope this helps. Good luck. Have a safe and enjoyable hunt

Great info KC!

Thanks I will read all of that a few times!

I plan on going 2nd rifle. Still undecided on this year or next. At this point it looks like I’m going to wait. I’ve wanted to elk hunt for years, but could never force myself to drop the coin for a guided hunt. Then out of nowhere today the idea of trekking deep into public land and camping with a buddy on the (comparatively) cheap came across my mind and I’m in love with the idea.

I have never hunted elk, but I have been an avid whitetail hunter for 15+ years. I typically walk and stalk miles during whitetail season here in Alabama; by no means am I a “drive the ATV to the shooting house” hunter. Obviously Western hunting is a whole new world, but I’m not a city slicker going out there either.

I think everything KC said is true and applicable in most cases. Have realistic expectations. I have hunted elk in Washington, Montana, and Colorado for 30 years minus a couple of misses for military deployments. I have killed 2 dump truck loads of elk with everything from a .308 Winchester to a .300 Weatherby and have yet to take a trophy bull. Best antlers I have taken are a couple of raggedy 5x5s even though my son and other hunting buddies have taken a couple of nice 6x6 Bulls within spitting distance of me on the same hunts. I’m not shooting the first elk I see nor holding out until the last day either. I try to get a cow tag and a bull tag, shoot first legal cow and chase bulls the rest of the season. Pick your units and apply for a deer tag. Great consolation prize! Best of luck and Roll Tide! Bama ‘81

Whitetail hunting and elk hunting are at opposite ends of hunting types

That’s true. My bestest elk and mule deer hunting buddy is in Alabama and we hunt Colorado mulies and elk every year. He has some impressive whitetail trophies as well as mulie and elk racks. Different hunting style for sure, but playing the wind, in early / out late, rifle skills, perseverance, and patience are very much common denominators. We bust it on every hunt like it might be our last since both of us are in our 60’s. Happy Trails

Keep n mind a spike bull is still bigger than any deer you’ll ever kill.

Any bull is a trophy to me.





P

10-4. ANY elk is a trophy animal. I think once upon a time I was about 60/40 on Bulls including spikes to cows. Now about the reverse, more cows than bulls. Proud of every one of them, too!

Get those back legs apart and cooled pronto! Bull elk bed downwind of what they want to keep track of.

Go now. Go in your twenties, before you get too serious about your job or a woman. Pretty soon, there will be lots of competing pressures for your time and, especially when a good woman and kids come along, you'll have more things you want to do than you'll have time to do them. Go now.

Come to the wrong place for the veto, buddy😉
Have fun!

Assuming you have the time this Fall, just go. Don’t wait until next year. You have the time to be reasonably prepared for this season. You won’t be fully prepared either way so you might as well start the learning curve sooner rather than later. The doubts and uncertainties won’t be any less a year from now. The only way to move beyond that is to go and gain some experience.
Elk hunting is really only as hard as you make it. You’re years of whitetail hunting will serve you well. You already know how to hunt and take care of a downed animal. That and camping are the skills you need. There is one thing, well a few actually, that stand out with elk hunting. One is the vastness of the area. That is very different than hunting out east. It is daunting to look over miles of rugged terrain and wonder where amongst that vast expanse the elk may be. A few trips, and getting to know an area will ease that feeling. The second, and one that has not gone away for me, is the ‘holy [bleep]’ moment when standing next to a downed elk, miles from the truck, knife in hand. Just start cutting and bagging... eventually you’ll have 225-250lbs of boned out meat back at the truck and immense sense of satisfaction.
There are others here with much more experience than I at elk hunting and they can offer great advice. I got back into elk hunting later in life and clearly recall having many questions and doubts. What I can say is that no amount of planning or thinking about it will completely answer all the questions in your mind. The only cure for the doubts is to go. You’ll figure it out.
So, with that, have you picked a unit, identified some areas you’d like to cover and a few places to park the truck?

I've picked a unit, based on some stats I found on HuntScore and some other resources, as well as geographical proximity. South Central Colorado on the New Mexico border, southern part of San Juan National Forest. About a 24 hour drive. That will be fun as well, figure me and a buddy will drive in shifts. I'm sure we'll sleep plenty given once the sun goes down and we've eaten and made camp we'll be out. in the next couple of weeks I'll hone in on parking areas. The idea is to find an area where we can hike and be atleast 5 miles from a road. Maybe not camp that far out, but be able to hunt that far.

As an easterner who walked up on a raghorn 5x5 bull, all I can say is they are BIG. Based on the average Alabama whitetail size, that's about the back leg of an elk in weight.

They are MONSTERS when you first walk up on one. be ready to know how to deal with that! It ain't coming out like an eastern whitetail. Mine, I was lucky enough in Idaho to drop it 20 yards from where we could get the truck, it still to two of us, an ATV and a winch to get it into the trailer.

[quote=WAMWe bust it on every hunt like it might be our last since both of us are in our 60’s. Happy Trails [/quote]

No reason to quit.I'll be 75 this August and I'm still hunting. I drew a ML cow tag for this September

Good luck Vince. I got a bull tag. I can only hope I'm still at it at 75.

Don't think you have to walk in 5 miles from the road. I've killed elk very close to an interstate in an area that people drove by. My mistake was carrying the head and horns out. I popped out in the middle of a line of cars held back for road construction. Next year there were boot prints all over the mountain and it was never any good again. Don't let anyone know!

i needed to read this today fellas. I'll be 37 next week with a wife and a 3 year old and 1.5 year old. No time like the present. Don't have the vac for this season but I'm shooting for next year. Probably have to go it alone, no buddies wanna do it. Had a few offers from guys in Idaho and NM that if I draw a tag, they would help anyway they can. Gonna do some research and apply for next season. An animal would just be a bonus.

This, more than you know. Deer have a tiny home range compared to elk. In my very limited experience, a successful elk hunter needs to be ready to cover a LOT more ground than a deer hunter. A deer hunter can often find deer by moving to the other end of a particular valley but the elk hunter might have to move 2-3 valleys to find elk.

Look for elk, but more importantly, look for elk sign. Keep moving if you don't see it.

Physical preparation is critical. Get a pack frame and start carrying heavy loads on it. If that frame isn't comfortable, get another one. Keep trying until you find one that is comfortable. Also, start running. Elk live at much higher altitude than you do, and improving your cardiovascular capacity will be a massive ace in the hole when the time comes. Humping the hills is still gonna suck, but your risk of altitude sickness drops off somewhat if you're in superb physical condition. Take a look at some of the threads in the Backpack Hunting forum here--those guys are serious about being in shape.

Finally, I grew up in Oklahoma but I spent a lot of time in the mountains when I was in the Army. Probably the most important thing to bear in mind is that the mountains don't care about you. You'll be a long way from help. It may sound like overkill, but learn mountain first aid and take the gear you need to handle typical mountain problems (shock, altitude sickness, hypothermia, broken legs/ankles) plus the gear you need to communicate with someone who might have to come rescue you. Sometimes things go really bad in the hills. You and your buddy need to be able to keep each other alive until help gets there.


Okie John

Good advice Okie. I would add that if you're seeing elk sign but no elk, keep moving. They move around d a lot.

Don't wait. Go now. You might be dead or paralyzed by next year.

We have them around us up in Central Texas. Way bigger than anything else. Bulls are horse size.

Remember, killing elk is easy.

It’s the pack out that will kill you.



I killed this bull last November in the draw behind the ridge in the background. I still hurt.





P

No way anyone could kill THAT with a puny 7mm-08 ...

( Let the fun begin !! )

Tom

I've taken at least 15-20. Most when I was younger, Last one was 2007. I've taken most with a muzzle loader. Some with a Ruger M77r .30-06. Have not been since. Son was my hunting partner. He died in 2009. Have not been since.

Get out and go ! You'll never regret it.

Well, no wonder. The horns are poking ya in the back of the head.

This one argued with the Mighty-08 too, but not for long.








P

As has been stated before, elk do not behave like deer. I'm a fairly new elk hunter myself, and I learned the hard way not to hunt elk like I had hunted deer all my life. My vote is to go this year. A bad week in the woods is better than the very best days at work. 😛

Yep. I was thinking of turning in my tag this year because I might not be up to hunting like I want to, due to a surgery I'm still recovering from.

Then I came to my senses and said **** that. If nothing else I'll get in some good fishing on small streams, and hear some bugles at night by the campfire, tumbler in hand...

I'm the same Smoke.I had my right shoulder replaced in December, 6 months out now and it still isn't close to 100%,but I'm going hunting.

Which would still be a great week by any standard!

I'm gonna start calling you "Timex," because you're still ticking. God knows, you've taken some lickings. Thing is I have no doubt you'll get your elk this year. Some guys have all the luck.

PS for the OP, there's nothing like elk hunting in the Rockies.

No reason to quit.I'll be 75 this August and I'm still hunting. I drew a ML cow tag for this September[/quote]

Right!
As long as I'm able to get there and throw a log on the fire and pour a wee dram at night, I'll be there. I watched an elk camp we were by for years in WA dwindle from about 12 down to 3. I think the last year they were there the youngest feller was pushing 80. Quitting is not an option for us old Rangers. Happy Trails

Depends where you're whitetail hunting...I've had a lot of perfectly good whitetail hunts ruined by bumping into elk and killing one while hunting in Montana.

There are no Elk here in Idaho,
Only potatoes :))

What gun you using for 'taters? Salad shooter?

I can’t believe these whole animals I am seeing !
That’s such good fortune for those hunters.
Haven’t had one whole one in about 19 years
Great job

Spud gun
Google it
Good ole hillbilly fun for sure

Don't need to. Made "em, along with tennis ball cannon, hand ball guns, and egg launchers.

I’m o-fer on whole bulls. Dad, brother, nephew.
But not me.



P

I say go for it. Every elk hunt you learn something. Much harder physically than deer hunting but since they are so big, travel in groups and leave a ton of sign the elk hunt for a good deer hunter is doable. The secret is you have to be where the elk are. Hunt hard all day and you will eventually catch up to some.

Chris,

Glad you've picked a unit and have decided to go.

Not sure which season you're going, but I will guaran-dam-tee that if they're bugling still during your hunt it'll get in your bones. Deep in your bones. You'll want to go every year, family, work, bills, notwithstanding. When late summer/fall starts to roll in, you'll start wondering why you passed up applying for that hunt. You'll promise to never do that, even if the wife wants to leave you. Or work wants to fire you.

I regret not having put in for tags this year due to some medical issues. I've at least got two deer tags this year to use, one in an area where I can almost be assured of seeing elk.

Good luck on your hunt. Eat well, hydrate, and try to sleep some and enjoy the woods. They're gonna be WAY different than back home.

Geno

Welp found out this morning that currently most of southern San Juan NF is under fire restrictions, no shooting, no campfires, etc. Not sure how long the restrictions will last. To get out of the fire restrictions I'd need to go a couple more hours north, or actually shave an hour or two off and go further East but those units have poor reviews across the board.

It's not uncommon that fire restrictions disappear by the end of August, once "monsoon season" kicks in.

I'll keep it as primary but also prepare a solid plan B not currently under fire restriction.

It's always good to have more than one spot you're familiar with anyway. On any given year, a particular spot might be crowded with hunters who just decided to try a new spot that year. And then next year, back to normal.

I killed a big 5x5 one year in an area that had just been declared clear from a fire. He had black ash all over his horns from raking burned trees.
My brother killed a spike the same day. The bull was lying in a big pile of black ash. I heard later that ash keeps the ticks down.




P

Do any of your buddies have any experience elk hunting or packing an elk out???

That's exactly what I was thinking. Typically, the first time you shoot an elk, you'll walk up on it and think, "damn I just shot a horse, now how am I going to get this damn thing back to the truck or camp!!!!!!!"... Be prepared for that, is all I can say...

And you only packed the head out.. Damn....

We had to eat him where he lay.





P

[bleep] yeah!.....

That was staged, you ain't even sweating.

Nope, but everyone that does also at one point didn't.

That's right. All you need is a good pack and good legs. Plan on hanging the balance of the meat in a tree while you're packing out the first load, and if you have to pack any distance, plan on boning out the meat in the field. A small plastic sheet or a couple of trash bags come in handy to lay the meat on while you're cutting.

There's nothing better than packing out meat!!!!

Yes, there is Smoke...Having someone else pack out the meat for you. Dad, used to love having me as his meat Uhaul. 😁😎

Yep I figured a few strong trash bags and maybe a drop cloth will be essential in the pack. My Amazon wish list looks...expensive ha.

I think what we are going to do is 2 of us go but only one of us buy an elk tag, and the other buy a deer tag. We'll take one rifle, and one sidearm. For the trek in, one person carry the rifle/ammo, the other has the tent and sidearm. Leaves us with equal space/weight remaining for carrying things each person will need, food, sleeping bag, etc. We'll be preparing for the weather the week before we leave to go out. I'm hoping 2nd rifle season will be somewhat mild. Highs in the 60's and lows in the 30's would be nice...but probably won't happen ha.

We are going to do our best to get there for opening morning, but still not sure if we'll both be able to miss that much work. Worst case we'll be hunting by the afternoon of the 2nd day, and be able to stay through the end. We are both just excited about camping, and elk or deer would be gravy.

Well, it comes down to personal preference. I'm getting to the age where one of these years I won't be able to pack out a heavy load. Not looking forward to that, it's all part of the experience. Nothing like a folding chair and a cold beer back at the truck at the end of a long day, once the meat's on ice.

Good attitude. It took me a bunch of seasons to figure it out and kill an elk. But looking back, those hunts were as memorable as the ones when we got one on the ground. I never tell anyone I'm going elk hunting, I tell them I'm going hiking in the mountains with a rifle.

I can understand wanting to save on non-resident tag costs the first time out, but just be advised, if you both get a chance at elk you'll be kicking yourselves!

I can also understand wanting to trim weight down as much as possible but if you have decently lightweight backpacking gear including a good pack you'll see that you both could have carried in rifles.

As far as highs in the 60s and lows in the 30s, that's more like mid-September weather. 2nd rifle can be mild, or........make sure you have good chains for your tires.

Take two rifles and leave the sidearm at home. Split the tent components, if need be.

I’ll echo what Smokepole said.

For planning, be prepared for lows in the low teens. During 1st rifle it’s typically in the 20s at 10k’, but I’ve seen 15 Deg many times. I’ve seen highs in the 50s, maybe low 60s, during 1st rifle, but that’s the exception. Find a weather reporting station at close to 10k’ in the area you intend to hunt. That will be more relevant than any towns at lower elevation. Archery season is easy to prepare for and the later seasons are easy, 1st and 2nd rifle can vary dramatically!

Taken the day before 1st rifle.

Hell thats awesome, we don't see snow down here. Vehicle will be able, not to worry there. Just hope we have some sunshine for the initial hike in and setting up camp.

On the deer license, are they generally available OTC when the elk tags go on sale? Finding conflicting information. A somewhat decent mule buck would be awesome, never hunted them.

This



Became this



Which became this




We were only five miles or so from the trailhead so we left the femurs in. I like the structure it gives a pack.




P

There are no OTC Mule Deer licenses.

ChrisAU, the one issue with your tag plan is that deer licenses in CO are draw only and that is complete for this year. Chances of getting a deer tag in a good elk unit might be slim this year off the leftover list. I would bring 2 rifles and ditch the handgun. That’s a long way to travel with no backup rifle. Leaving one in your vehicle or camp not a good idea. The weather can be sunburn or icicles. Even at 7,000 feet I have experienced temps from 12 to 80 during 2nd rifle season and near zero in 3rd and 4th seasons. Bring non-scented SPF 50+ sunblock. I have had the worst sunburn in CO during an elk hunt in 2008 and dang near froze to death in 2009. Be prepared for any 4 season weather.... all in one week. Good luck!

Didn’t cross my mind that you could buy elk licenses OTC but not deer. Seems backwards to me ha.

Pharmseller sure cheats the magpies and coyotes 😂

To save some cash and expand your opportunities, may I suggest one buy a OTC bull tag and the other a leftover cow tag. Many units have available cow tags after the draw. Buy those online after August 7 after you pick your unit(s). There are returned deer licenses but that can be hit or miss. Some cow tags disappear rather quickly and some are available all the way until opening day, just depends on the unit and quotas. Happy Trails

So here is a newb question, lets say I put in for next years drawing and get a 1st rifle elk tag but then a 2nd rifle deer tag (doesn't appear there are first rifle deer tags?),

Could I:

1) Decline one or the other and they go into the leftover pot?

2) If I can't refuse it, can I sell it?

And then, Would you:

1) Give up the 2nd rifle deer tag and hunt just 1st rifle elk

or

2) Give up the 1st rifle elk tag, and buy an OTC 2nd rifle elk tag to go with your 2nd rifle deer tag

let's say you just put in for both in the same season, to start with, and not go thru the freaking worry?

Just because you live on a deer trail don't mean you no nothing.

Unless you have some prime spots to hunt, 1st rifle is only a 5 day season with not much wiggle room for bad weather, etc. There are some deer tags in some units but mostly doe tags on private land. In NW Colorado the best deer hunting seems to be in 2nd and 3rd season unless you can get a late Ranching for Wildlife Hunt arranged. There are tons of different areas to hunt and adventures to be had! This year I’m hunting mule deer 2nd season with my regular crew and OTC bull elk 3rd season with the landowner where we usually hunt. Last year I hunted with my landowner buddy during 4th Rifle Season. We were into bulls every day but I could not connect but he did! We dressed and hauled out the bull in a blizzard with temps in the low teens. Great day it was!!!! Happy Trails

Don’t wait, go this year, and you’ll be planning next years adventure the day that you're driving home.
Just be prepared for any kind of weather when planning the camp.
Also, get a good synthetic sleeping bag.

I always apply for my elk and deer tags for the same week and unit so I can combine my hunting. As a resident my tags are cheap (when I draw). I can only take one week off work for hunting usually, so that is my best option. That way I can shoot whichever animal I find first. 😬 So personally I wouldn't suggest splitting up your elk hunt week from a deer hunt unless you can spend more time here.

Right, we have been talking and right now if anyone draws a 1st rifle elk tag next year we will all go on that hunt (even if all but 1 of us are campers/guides lol), and if none of us draw then we'll buy OTC 2nd rifle and hopefully one of us will have drawn a 2nd rifle mule tag.

As for this year, I want to go. I've started doing a TON of research. I've ordered maps for about 8-10 GMU's, me and my buddies will get together soon to pick our top 3 to have plans A, B, and C. I really want to get out there this year to do some trial and error and get my feet wet, having a hard time talking my buddies into it on "short notice". Getting close to breaking a couple of them ha.

First, go this year. Some how, some way, go this year.

Second, get OnX maps for your phone.

Third, you dont need to go back in 5 miles. 5 miles in the mountains is not the same as 5 miles in Alabama. You will be amazed at how far even 1 mile is in the mountains.
I would target a spike camp 2-3 miles maximum from the vehicle. A lot of people have talked about how big they are....believe them. Typically it is 4 trips for the meat and another for the head if you shoot a bull you want to mount. One thing to really keep in mind is the distance from the truck you can hunt is 100% limited by how long it takes to get the meat out and cooled. If it is hot, rough terrain, first time....you might only be able to hunt 1-2 miles from the truck. My first bull was a 3.75 mile pack one way. It looked short on the map. It wasnt. 5 of us got back to the trailhead at 2:30 am.

Next, start hiking with a 30 lb pack for training. This if for your daypack. Then start using bags of softener salt. Plural as in two 50 pound bags. this is for the packing meat part. you will find out rather quickly if your meat hauler is adjusted properly.

Next, look up Randy Newberg, Hunter on Youtube. Listen to his podcasts. (He posts here as Big Fin). He really knows his stuff.

Use Camofire.com for some great deals on equipment purchases.

Lastly, realize if you do this there is a 99.99% chance you will be hooked for life. Once you have experienced it you will need to do it every year. Elk hunting is tough, but there is nothing better. Be prepared to be uncomfortable for the whole time. You will be too hot, too cold, too tired, too hungry, too exhausted, too sore, etc. But again, it is worth it X10.

Oh, forgot one thing. Scrap the sidearm, there are no grizzlies in southern CO. Bring 2 rifles. If you can't carry in a rifle, you better rethink the whole elk hunting plan. That sounds a little harsh, but I am serious and trying to be honest with you. To backcountry hunt elk, it is physically demanding and carrying a rifle doesn't even register on the list of what is hard.

A few years ago we were hunting in a wilderness area, no road, wheeled vehicles aren’t permitted, no bikes or game carts, that sort of thing.

My brother killed a decent bull .3 of a mile from the trailhead, as he was walking toward the truck after making his hunt. One of the easiest packs I’ve been on.





P

Thanks for the advice! Will definitely read this many times and share with the others.

If you have a Foodsaver-type vacuum packer, put a few 5’x8’ tarps through it, one to a bag. They suck down to almost nothing but they’re invaluable for keeping meat clean. See my pic above.





P

Tags in CO are non transferable. But you can return them but now there is a fee involved.

KC -

Always appreciate it when I read that article. Thanks for posting it again. Lots of good info for newbies.

I'm not about to read all 5 pages here, fairly sure it's the same guys offering the same advice......

Elk hunting is really simple IMHO, you just simply start......The sooner the better......Like this year if at all possible...

Why wait, for what? You can study all the maps you want, read all the web forums....

It's all about getting familiar with the area. 'Boots on the ground' is the cliche....

You're first year will likely be nothing more than a learning experience, so get that one out of the way has soon as possible.

The only thought I'll offer here is, 2nd rifle on public land in CO is a low odds deal, first rifle would be my pick.

Bow hunting is a blast, but getting within 35 yards ain't easy.

And I've never understood the "big difference" between Deer and Elk hunting, if your good at one you'll be good at the other.

Enough talk, just do it....