First Time DIYer

[Firehole Hunter]

I just got back from my first ever DIY elk hunt in Colorado 1st Rifle. Me and a buddy went elk hunting for the first time last year with four others on a "guided hunt" into the Flat Tops and were severely disappointed. I reasoned that I could do just as good in that I have been outfitting a deer camp in WV for numerous years. I went and bought 2 wall tents and all of the other gear necessary to be successful. Needless to say I found out after a total of 12-16 inches of snow over a week I need a few more things. Could not believe the amount of snow that I experienced during the 1st rifle season. On one morning it snowed almost 6-8 inches. Well opening day arrived and we took our positions and had a 5x4 and a cow down by 9:00 a.m. I had seen over 20 elk that morning all on public land. It was awesome day to say the least. Tried to arrange for an outfitter to haul out the meat and after promising he would and giving me a quote, he backed out 24 hours later. I am 56 years old and my partner was 61. We huffed and puffed two elk out back to camp and swore that I will never hunt again without a horse, mule, goats, lamas, etc. in camp. I have taken a break from butchering to write this and realizing that I cannot wait until next year with all of the improvements to my camp.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Congrats on getting your elk on your own despite the rough weather.

 

[rayporter]

I cringe every time some one asks for a packer to pack out meat. they do get busy and have other commitments.

but good on you guys for success and grit.

 

[Ross]

Congrats on your hunt and indeed at middle age and any age getting elk back to our camps is typically not easy

 

[davsco]

wow, way to go!!! i wish i had to experience the pain of getting an elk out of the woods, but sadly that didn't happen on my first elk hunt, first rifle nw colo. hoping for next year!

 

[ElkNut1]

Congrats on your hunt! Age is just a number! (grin) Glad it all turned out OK!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[67bronco]

going on my first one in dec. Cant wait

 

[Firehole Hunter]

To All:

Thanks for the compliments. I truly felt extremely blessed with the way things turned out. We had several camping sites and numerous hunting locations selected depending on the conditions that affected where we were able to set up camp. We ended up setting up camp at the easiest location because of the nasty conditions that existed. I had wall tents, an ATV plus a 4x4 truck tricked out with nasty tires and serious chains. Never really needed any of the off-road capabilities of my vehicles. Killed the Elk about a mile from camp. Would like to say that I had a very hard hike out from some nasty hell-hole but the truth was that the grade was moderate. The only challenge was walking with all that weight on a slippery surface as the snow started to melt during the day. In fact we waited til about 9pm to bring out half of the meat until the ground re-froze rather than walking on a slippery and muddy trails. My 61 year old mate blew-out a knee a few years ago when whitetail hunting on some ice and didn't want a repeat scenario. Again truly blessed!

 

[OFFHNTN]

Congrats! Any pictures?!

 

[Firehole Hunter]

Finally got around to figuring this Tapatalk out.

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[theleo91386]

Congrats on the bull!

Don't get illusions of packing elk ever being easy. All the ones I've ever killed have made it to the back of a mule, but that more often than not is just the beginning of the "interesting" part of the story. Each way has its own advantages and disadvantages, but anyway you look at it they're a big animal with a lot of meat.

 

[mmcneil]

Congratulations on a successful hunt. Packing them out is definitely some work. Glad to see another hunter from Georgia tagging out.

 

[OFFHNTN]

Nice work!

 

[KHNC]

Nice! looking to duplicate this in Montana in just over a week!

 

[Firehole Hunter]

Thanks. Not the biggest or best but he sure does taste great. I made sure I went to an area where the chance for success was high but the average age of bulls taken was going to be young. I went with an outfitter last year that was not very good and hardly saw anything. A few cows at over 2500 yards. This year I took a different approach and was very satisfied. The question I got is now do I go back to the same area or start exploring different areas to find a bigger bull? Although, I saw 3 bulls they were all very young and I got one of them. Next year I plan on bringing more hunters with me and a horse or mule to pack things out. I am kinda the outfitter for the group and they all will follow my lead.

 

[Hawkeye5964]

I will be hunting with my son in the same unit this year (4th rifle Colorado) that he hard killed a nice 6x6 last year. Like many areas, it has a low success rate, but I believe the better we get to know the area, the more opportunities we will have. Last year was the first time either of us had hunted that unit. Congratulations on your hunt.

 

[Rmauch20]

Sounds like a awesome trip!

 

[Chiro22]

Great work!!

 

[Wiscohunter]

Awesome story and congratulations on a great hunt. Your experience gives this wannabe western hunter some hope too!

 

[njdoxie]

If I had one elk under my belt, I would not leave an area where I saw multiple bulls, I’m assuming they were all legal, especially if you’re bringing others with you. The grass isn’t always greener, and you’ll find that early on, just getting a legal bull can be tough, you beat significant odds your first year on your own, well done.


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