Planning First Elk Hunt

[SouthernHunter]

I am in the midst of planning my first elk hunt for a buddy and I. I have been researching and researching but still come back to the same dilemma. Should I go at it own my own backpacking, or should I use an outfitter for a drop camp service. My biggest concern is not knowing where to start. And when I say start, I literally mean start. Where will I be able to park? How do I determine trailheads on the maps? Will it be possible to get to a location I picked from a trailhead I found? Because I know that satellite images and topography maps cannot possibly do the terrain I am looking at any justice. Also, this trip will not happen until 2018 due to expanding the family for my hunting buddy. And we have already started training ourselves. I Have been mainly looking at Colorado due to the OTC tags, but we are willing to go anywhere that we would be able to draw tags. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Finch]

I'm in no way an expert but I was in your exact shoes a couple years back when I was planning my first DIY backpack elk hunt. Not trying to "plug" my thread but there's honestly some info in there that might help you. Looking back now, some of my questions seem silly but you gotta ask. I'll warn you though, it's a little long but I hope it helps.

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/elk/14408-planning-elk-hunt-colorado.html

 

[RM Montgomery]

archery or gun ?

 

[theleo91386]

First choose a state, then a region, then ask the knowledgeable folks here. There's places I'd say do a drop camp service others that I'd say try backpacking. With the info you've posted I feel very confident in saying, sure.

 

[cvsetter]

I'm interested to see where this goes.I'm in the exact same situation, and must of asked myself this same ? 100 times.I'm leaning to a DIY archery hunt but its abit overwhelming.

 

[SouthernHunter]

Thanks for the responses. Finch, I will read anything that will help in th elong run. Montgomery I was originally planning an archery hunt, but my hunting partner is insisting on a rifle hunt. Leo I'm am pretty set on Colorado, either San Juan NF in the southwest or white river NF in the northwest. I am still researching those areas. As I said in the original post, I am not opposed to changing states, I just have not researched other states as heavily yet.

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

I was in the same situation 2 years ago. I got some very general info from one or two people and picked a spot or two myself, then put boots on the ground and found elk. There out there, just walk till you find them. Don't start hunting until you find sign.

 

[brettkoenecke]

My best advice is to JUST GO. Seriously, just get out there and do it.
You're not going to have a perfect hunt, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

If you're from the south, maybe pick Colorado. No sense in driving past elk on your way to Idaho or Montana. And no sense in adding grizz to your list of things to think about . Start making a few different plans for Colorado, and as you start planning 3-4 different places, one will emerge from the others.

 

[Finch]

My best advice is to JUST GO. Seriously, just get out there and do it.
You're not going to have a perfect hunt, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

If you're from the south, maybe pick Colorado. No sense in driving past elk on your way to Idaho or Montana. And no sense in adding grizz to your list of things to think about . Start making a few different plans for Colorado, and as you start planning 3-4 different places, one will emerge from the others.

Piggybacking off of this post. Make sure to have a couple of backup plans if your primary spot doesn't work out for whatever reason. (weather, fire, no access, etc)

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

My best advice is to JUST GO. Seriously, just get out there and do it.
You're not going to have a perfect hunt, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

If you're from the south, maybe pick Colorado. No
sense in driving past elk on your way to Idaho or


Montana. And no sense in adding grizz to your list of things to think about . Start making a few different plans for Colorado, and as you start planning 3-4 different places, one will emerge from the others.

It does feel kind of stupid driving through Colorado and another full day to get to Montana and Idaho, but I've done it twice, but no less stupid than not carrying bear spray and I didn't do that either.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can be a big part of success. If you have a knack if putting stands in the right locations for whitetail, then you might want to consider the early archery seasons and arrive a few days before the opener. If you consistently kill turkey run n gun style, then later when the peak of bugling might be best. If you are a good stalk hunter, then pick open areas.

lots of other factors come into play during planning..that is half the fun. Plan and prepare well and success will follow.

 

[Transition Wild]

It sounds like you have some time prior to your planned trip so at least you have that going for you! Many people try to plan their first elk hunt 6 months in advance and it is very overwhelming. Since you are aren’t going until 2018, you should put in preference points for a few states and then try to draw a tag. If you don’t draw a tag, I highly recommend CO for a few reasons: There are really good numbers of elk on public land and it has an abundance of OTC units.

If you’re an archery guy, I would go during archery season because the weather is nicer and there are less hunters. I would also do a backpack hunt but thats just me. Outfitters can be a big help but it also comes down to money.

I would join rocky mountain elk foundation for $35 a year. This gets you a subscription to Bugle Magazine and more importantly, a 1 year free subscription to OnXmaps, which is invaluable for the western hunter, in my opinion.

OnXmaps shows you public/private land boundaries, trails, roads, topography, game management unit outlines and much more.

I would also download google earth and if you are hunting Colorado, download the Elk KMZ specie maps: Colorado Parks & Wildlife -
KMZ Maps These overlays will show you general summer ranges and reproduction areas where elk will be found.

Again, you have time on your side so start looking at gear and what you will need. Elk hunting is expensive so you will want to start adding gear now such as boots, backpack, clothing, etc. Do your research and find what is best for you.

I’m a rookie as well but I would be happy to offer up any advice I can.

 

[SouthernHunter]

Thanks for all the responses, very useful information. I am seriously itching for trying to go 2017 but hopefully adding to family will prevent that from happening. I have already made a gear list and gave it to my wife with instructions to only buy birthday/Christmas gifts from that list. I have another question that I pretty sure I know the answer to but will ask anyway. The Colorado NR tag is only good for one GMU? I found a spot on google earth I really like but it is split into two different units.

 

[BKhunter]

In the same boat going to be following the thread closely. Trying to head out to CO for archery but in 2017. I have mostly all the gear and looking to do a DIY back pack hunt. I have the same question.....Literally where to start. Hard to find trail heads on a map and also know access when your 3000 miles away. This is the main obstacle for me. That and also finding a hunting partner that wants to use a weeks vaca to sleep on a patch of dirt on the side of a mountain.

 

[SouthernHunter]

Well the gear purchasing has officially begun. My wife bought me a Cimarron tipi tent for my birthday. I am super pumped about it, as it just really reaffirmed that I will most likely go the route of backpacking in.

 

[AdamW]

I'm in no way an expert but I was in your exact shoes a couple years back when I was planning my first DIY backpack elk hunt. Not trying to "plug" my thread but there's honestly some info in there that might help you. Looking back now, some of my questions seem silly but you gotta ask. I'll warn you though, it's a little long but I hope it helps.

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/elk/14408-planning-elk-hunt-colorado.html

The thread that started it all for me. Lots of good info.

 

[Finch]

Thanks for all the responses, very useful information. I am seriously itching for trying to go 2017 but hopefully adding to family will prevent that from happening. I have already made a gear list and gave it to my wife with instructions to only buy birthday/Christmas gifts from that list. I have another question that I pretty sure I know the answer to but will ask anyway. The Colorado NR tag is only good for one GMU? I found a spot on google earth I really like but it is split into two different units.

The NR tag is good for all OTC units. Have you found a recent OTC map of all units? Also, I believe that since a map shows a unit to be OTC, that does not mean that the entire unit is huntable. There could be private land. That hunting atlas on CO'S website is pretty useful.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[SouthernHunter]

Finch, I have been looking at the units on CO website and using google earth to get more details images. I know the more I research, the harder it will be to wait until 2018.