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Originally Posted by Alamosa
Originally Posted by wyoelk
We will be in the Bells during late September. Should we rent a condo in Aspen and start up the hill each day at 2 a.m. or carry our stuff up to 12-13k and live with the goats? Asking for a friend.

If you can get to there, and if you are hunting bulls, hunt the South slope of Hayden Pk at about timberline.


The white ones. I have no desire to hunt Colorado elk.

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I often go into the west of you in the Selway side of the Bitteroot crest. There an early elk Sept season I walk into. When I was a kid that place was crawling with moose and elk but not anymore. Still I go because of roadless location and if you dive off trails into canyons you can really go where people aren't and there's amazing fishing.

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Originally Posted by KC

Jeffrey:

Since you have never gone on a hunt on-you-own (a guided/outfitted hunt doesn't count), here are some tips from someone who has been an avid camper, backpacked and backpack hunter for seventy years.

1. Don't go on your first backpack trip and make it an elk hunt. That could be dangerous.

...



Good God, he a f-ing Marine! He doesn't need advice on how dangerous a backpacking trip is. Lol. Seriously -- lol.

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Originally Posted by wyoelk
We will be in the Bells during late September. Should we rent a condo in Aspen and start up the hill each day at 2 a.m. or carry our stuff up to 12-13k and live with the goats? Asking for a friend.

Depends on how early you set the alarm clock.

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Originally Posted by Plumdog
Originally Posted by wyoelk
We will be in the Bells during late September. Should we rent a condo in Aspen and start up the hill each day at 2 a.m. or carry our stuff up to 12-13k and live with the goats? Asking for a friend.

Depends on how early you set the alarm clock.


Can't walk in until after 6:30. That's when the latte shops open. The one on Main St. has croissants that are simply to die for.



A wise man is frequently humbled.

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Originally Posted by Brad
If you're rifle hunting elk here in Montana, you're October 24 - November 29. With the exception of a couple wilderness areas, there is no "early" rifle season like in Colorado and other states.


I was talking about the archery seasons in September. Down here we also have an early muzzleloader season in September. Just something for the OP to think about if he likes hunting out of a backpack, and a good reason to try archery.

Any time in the mountains chasing elk is exceptional, September just happens to be my favorite. Aspens turning, elk bugling, fish in the creeks still hungry, and so on and so forth.



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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
Originally Posted by saddlesore
Originally Posted by Jeffrey
When y’all say stove, are y’all talking about the little butane jobs that you use to heat up food or water in a little pot? Thanks everyone!


No.A wood burning stove capable of heating the tent.I heartily suggest you get a little bit more experience before you undertake a hunt that you are proposing.


Thanks, Saddlesore . I appreciate the sage advice.

I’m aware of the wall tents and wood burning stoves and know that’s one way to do it. I have tent camped here in Texas in freezing weather. Am I ignorant in thinking that a good cold weather sleeping bag and quality tent to keep us out of the rain or snow would be sufficient?

The goal isn’t to set up a camp for the entire hunt. We will likely be spending most nights in a house. The purpose of any nights in the field would be to stay on top of the elk and have an early crack at them when the sun comes up.





If you were in the Marines, you'd know what type of surplus sleeping bag and cover to pick up at a Army Navy Surplus Store... Done a lot of winter camping in my days, and pretty much always used surplus military stuff...I had a 1947 made Army Sleeping Bag and cover I used from aged 14 until it fell apart and I junked it in my early 40s. Got it from my dad's mobility bag in 1966 ( Air Force Dependent). Its hard to commercially find Sleeping Bags as good as military winter bags...got several now, that are Arctic Bags, I think I picked up for like $75. I've gotten hot in them and used them like a blanket at zero degrees...

a set of Mickey Mouse Boots wouldn't be a bad thing to look out for also.

By the way, I was trained for field duty in Arctic Environments in the Army, for being assigned to both attached to a combat grunt unit, and also in setting up and Running a MASH unit in Arctic Environments also...( so more than just an Air Force Dependent) and dad was a Marine for 10 years, and after becoming a pilot in his later Marine Career, he transferred to the Air Force and did another 16 years as a Pilot there, then 22 years with the State Dept.
.Wouldn't know it nowadays tho, he's 90 and living in an Assisted Living since Mom died back in 2019.

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Originally Posted by MarineHawk
Originally Posted by KC

Jeffrey:

Since you have never gone on a hunt on-you-own (a guided/outfitted hunt doesn't count), here are some tips from someone who has been an avid camper, backpacked and backpack hunter for seventy years.

1. Don't go on your first backpack trip and make it an elk hunt. That could be dangerous.

...



Good God, he a f-ing Marine! He doesn't need advice on how dangerous a backpacking trip is. Lol. Seriously -- lol.


For what its worth, Casey ( K C ) was also a Marine... just saying...


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I’m very familiar with the military sleeping system. I was hoping to find something that wasn’t as bulky. There are a lot of options out there and I am doing my research.

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Originally Posted by Llama_Bob
Originally Posted by Jeffrey
[quote=Joezone]For the colder weather make sure you have insulated boots or packs that are up to the challenge.


We all have good boots and packs. We will have to invest in a good tent and sleeping bags.

....

I think there's a few different vendors for the GI stuff, but the one I'm familiar with was clearly a Wiggy's. They're a good example of a piece of gear that is heavier and larger than you'd like but which will save you if conditions are much worse than expected. They are legitimately warm when wet, which is not true of almost any other commercial bag.


My experience is modest compared to many of you, but I tend to over research my hunting gear. As far as I can see, the Wiggy's sleeping bags, Lamilite socks, boots ponchos, parkas, et al. are just plain worth whatever one pays, and are far better than highly-rated alternatives that I've had for years. They work awfully well for me, even in heavy snow and slush.

Jerry doesn't seem to advertise except for his very crusty comments on his website and the many personal testimonials from customers there. He does personally answer his mail and told me what works best (including products from other sources!)

Norm


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International lawyer, lately for 25 years in Japan, now working on trusts in the US, the 3rd greatest tax haven. NRA Life Member for over 50 years, NRA Endowment (2014), Patron (2016).
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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
I’m very familiar with the military sleeping system. I was hoping to find something that wasn’t as bulky. There are a lot of options out there and I am doing my research.

You know you could outfit yourself with high altitude expedition gear that will pretty much maintain your temperature using your body heat. Wearing one of those feels like what a space suit must feel like. Your top layers are nearly identical to a down bag and a tent in and of themselves, and then pack in a bag and small tent besides. I spent 17 days on Denali wearing that and the biggest physiological concern is making water by melting snow, but ... would you really want to hunt wearing that or in conditions that require that?
I'm all for for spike camps. They have worked great for me and I've filled elk and sheep tags that way.
If you plan it well you should have a really nice hunt. I'd advise making the weather forecast a part of that planning. Keep researching and gathering info and you will probably have a great hunt.

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How do you guys go about procuring or making water while you are out? I have used the sanitation/filter straws in the past and would have no problem pulling water from a creek and doing that. But how about boiling water or melting snow? What kinds of camp wares (pots, kettles, etc..) do you use? I would think a campfire percolator would work well, but I’m wondering if there are less bulky alternatives that are better suited to backpacking that I’m not aware of.

Of course the filter idea would be my first choice, but that’s assuming we are near running water that doesn’t need to be melted or thawed.

As far as cooking food goes, we will be keeping that part simple with MREs.

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Melting snow takes a lot of fuel and fuel's heavy. If you can filter from a creek, you'll be better off. As far as boiling water to sterilize it, ignore the Boy Scout manual. They're wrong. You don't have to boil water 5 or 10 min to kill the germs. There are no harmful bugs that can survive above 160F. Milk is pasteurized at 160. If you get it to 170 or 180, you're totally safe. If you're unsure about when it reaches 180, you can go up to boiling but anything beyond that is a waste of time and fuel. If you want to be sure, you can carry one of these folding thermometers. They're pretty cheap and work well.

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I’m thinking we’ll try using campfires for any heating needs. I suppose it would be a good idea to have one of the little backpacking stoves and some fuel for it in case we get rain or have trouble finding dry fuel. My experience from our trip last fall was that there was plenty of dead wood lying around.

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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
How do you guys go about procuring or making water while you are out? I have used the sanitation/filter straws in the past and would have no problem pulling water from a creek and doing that. But how about boiling water or melting snow? What kinds of camp wares (pots, kettles, etc..) do you use? I would think a campfire percolator would work well, but I’m wondering if there are less bulky alternatives that are better suited to backpacking that I’m not aware of.

Of course the filter idea would be my first choice, but that’s assuming we are near running water that doesn’t need to be melted or thawed.

As far as cooking food goes, we will be keeping that part simple with MREs.


Filtration is a huge PITA and in my experience it's easy to get contamination. Boiling is a bigger PITA. Generally my primary plan is filtration/grit removal through cotton t-shirt material followed by iodine tabs with boiling as a backup. Yes, iodine makes the water taste funny. Throw some tang or koolaid mix in it for straight drinking. For cooking you'll never notice the taste although starches can turn bluish. I like that the iodine water is aggressively sterilizing, and can be used to for example sterilize the threads of a water bottle.

If you are concerned about cryptosporidium you have to go boiling or filter. In my experience it is not a big problem if you avoid obviously contaminated water sources. But your mileage may vary.


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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
How do you guys go about procuring or making water while you are out?


Having backpacked in Montana for nearly 30 years, I have never once treated water in the mountains… one of the benefits of living here.


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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
How do you guys go about procuring or making water while you are out? I have used the sanitation/filter straws in the past and would have no problem pulling water from a creek and doing that. But how about boiling water or melting snow? What kinds of camp wares (pots, kettles, etc..) do you use? I would think a campfire percolator would work well, but I’m wondering if there are less bulky alternatives that are better suited to backpacking that I’m not aware of.

Of course the filter idea would be my first choice, but that’s assuming we are near running water that doesn’t need to be melted or thawed.

As far as cooking food goes, we will be keeping that part simple with MREs.


In real cold weather any filter tube will probably freeze up on you. Canteens can freeze up as the day goes on too. Winter camping has it's extra issues.


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Originally Posted by Brad
Originally Posted by Jeffrey
How do you guys go about procuring or making water while you are out?


Having backpacked in Montana for nearly 30 years, I have never once treated water in the mountains… one of the benefits of living here.
That was always the case in Idaho, too, until maybe 20 or 30 years ago. Then giardia started showing up in high mountain creeks and springs. It was apparently carried by rodents, if anyone really knows for sure. MT has it, too, lots of it. You just haven't drank from the right creek yet. Getting it when you're 5 miles back in the mountains is something you really won't want to do twice. It's not in every creek or spring but how do you tell whether its in THIS creek? You're playing intestinal roulette.


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All good things to think about! After a little research on this topic I do think I will invest in a good titanium backpacking pot. Thanks, gents!

Next question!

Is it fair to say that bears could still be active as late as early-mid November? I want to say yes but have been told they should be hybernating by then. With that thought in mind and considering that bears have been known to come to kill sites, would it be a bad idea to set up camp in the vicinity of an elk that we have killed, assuming the pack out process will take more than a day?

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In Colorado I have had black bears on gut piles in late October. I would not set up real close, but don't think you would have any problems unless you had some good smelling food close by.Grizzly country might be different though


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