Elk Hunt Colorado

[macobb]

I’m finally getting my first chance at elk in western Colorado this October. I’m looking for any and all advice for a newbie. I’m not looking for spots or areas but more along things that could make or break a trip. Plan is to spike camp and hunt from there. Any tips or gear ideas are appreciated. Budget is tight for this trip so I’m not trying to be cheap but can’t break the bank either. What’s one thing you absolutely have to have that most people over look?

 

[Rob5589]

Welcome! The elk section is littered with threads that will answer all your questions. Check out the gear section for budget gear suggestions. Good luck!

 

[macobb]

Part of the reason for this post. Lol I have to post 7 before I can contact anyone on gear.

 

[tjihrig]

Not sure what kind of terrain and what kind of hunt your doing but I can tell you things that have changed for me over the last 10 years. Clothing and amount of gear is probably the biggest. I started out slogging up hills in carhartts and muck boots with a pack full of things I didn’t need. I know the clothing is pricey but thin, light and warm gear that’s made for the mountains will let you move faster and more comfortable. As far as gear in my pack- knife, quater bags, lunch, flashlight and water. I started out with a pack that looked like I was summiting Everest. If your mostly day hunting I would go light. And carry OnX on you phone- that’s a must in my opinion. Hope my 2 cents gives you a better place to start. Best of luck and be warned, elk hunting is a sickness for which there is no cure.


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[Rob5589]

Part of the reason for this post. Lol I have to post 7 before I can contact anyone on gear.

No, a thread about budget gear.

Cheap Stuff that Works

Not everything should cost an arm and a leg. Post any inexpensive stuff you’d recommend that just flat works. I’ll start with a Mora 711. ~4.5 oz with sheath, easy to sharpen (and resharpen in field), and the textured rubberized grip is fantastic. Easy to grip and your hand doesn’t tire after...

www.rokslide.com

 

[macobb]

No, a thread about budget gear.

Cheap Stuff that Works

Not everything should cost an arm and a leg. Post any inexpensive stuff you’d recommend that just flat works. I’ll start with a Mora 711. ~4.5 oz with sheath, easy to sharpen (and resharpen in field), and the textured rubberized grip is fantastic. Easy to grip and your hand doesn’t tire after...

www.rokslide.com

I may be missing something but I tried to pm someone about a pack and it said I had to make 7 posts before I could do that. Am I looking at something wrong? Thanks for the help

 

[macobb]

Not sure what kind of terrain and what kind of hunt your doing but I can tell you things that have changed for me over the last 10 years. Clothing and amount of gear is probably the biggest. I started out slogging up hills in carhartts and muck boots with a pack full of things I didn’t need. I know the clothing is pricey but thin, light and warm gear that’s made for the mountains will let you move faster and more comfortable. As far as gear in my pack- knife, quater bags, lunch, flashlight and water. I started out with a pack that looked like I was summiting Everest. If your mostly day hunting I would go light. And carry OnX on you phone- that’s a must in my opinion. Hope my 2 cents gives you a better place to start. Best of luck and be warned, elk hunting is a sickness for which there is no cure.


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from what we have planned out so far we’re hunting the Colorado western edge. 6-9000 ft I think. It’s October first rifle season. Plan is to spike camp and hunt from there a couple days and if we need to move and do the same thing from a new area. idk if that helps

 

[tjihrig]

Man, I’ve hunted first rifle in a tshirt, and I’ve been in blizzards. It’s a tough season to nail down for weather. Some other things I would mention are good boots with a heel. A lot of hunting boots don’t have a heel and you’ll bust you ass coming down hill. I also use trekking poles religiously now. They’re like 4wd for me. You can get a cheep pair on amazon. If you have to pack and elk out they’re a life saver


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[macobb]

I plan on using my Irish Setter vaprtrek’s. I find them to be pretty solid but like I said I’m knew to this.

 

[tjihrig]

I would just leave camp as light as you can would be my advise. The terrain is never as easy as it looks on google earth. Watch the wind. Wind, wind, wind is the key with elk. Go with your gut on gear your comfortable with and by the end of the hunt you’ll have a list of what you’ll change for next year. I still tweek my gear every year.


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[btplass]

Congratulations on getting into western hunting. Im relatively new to it as well. I've played my hunts over and over in my head. It's a great pastime/ addiction.

Gear can get very expensive, but there are many ways to have great gear on a budget. Merino base layers are a must in my opinion.

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[raptor16]

I may be missing something but I tried to pm someone about a pack and it said I had to make 7 posts before I could do that. Am I looking at something wrong? Thanks for the help

He's trying to tell you to just read the posts that other people have made to learn about what gear is solid and what gear isn't and pros and cons to different items, brands, costs, designs, etc...

Are you wanting to ask specific questions about a type of pack or are you trying to buy a pack?

 

[raptor16]

And welcome to the forum.

 

[cohunter14]

Not to totally change the direction of the thread, but one suggestion for you would be to reconsider doing a spike camp for your first elk hunt. You are heading to an area you've never hunted and are basically putting all of your eggs in one basket. The first rifle season is only five days long. So if you spike in and give yourself a couple days to hunt that area, by the time you pack up camp and head back out to a new spot, you are wasting another day. I would highly consider truck camping for your first season so you can be mobile. If you find a good spot to spike into, then maybe keep that option open or save it for next year. Just my two cents.

 

[fmyth]

#1 thing a first time elk hunter should have: realistic expectations

Unless you have considerable experience backpack camping in the mountains in late fall early winter you may want to consider truck camping and hike in a mile or less in a different direction each day until you find elk.

 

[CJohnson]

#1 thing a first time elk hunter should have: realistic expectations

Unless you have considerable experience backpack camping in the mountains in late fall early winter you may want to consider truck camping and hike in a mile or less in a different direction each day until you find elk.

^^^This is some solid advice that I'd wish I had before riding horses 7 miles into a wilderness area and setting up a wall tent in what we thought was a great area.

 

[Raypo]

OTC? What unit? I‘m assuming rifle since it is October. Private or Public? If it public, I would find some water there was a long way from any road system. Sit on the water for the entire time. Resist the urge of walking, resist the urge in calling, and just sit.

 

[WI in the west]

another vote for the truck camp and being moble hitting tons of spots. your rolling the dice in either picking a bad spot and wasting half your hunt. and youll have less to worry about gear wise since you can have all the nice comfort things at the truck so you get a good night sleep. and factor in packing an elk out will kick your ass. if your alone and planning on packing it out your not gonna wanna be much more the a couple to a few miles. good luck! its a blast.

 

[Phaseolus]

I assume you’ve drawn your tag for first season? First season is not OTC.

 

[macobb]

There’s four of us going. Units 30-32 and 21-22. Two have drawn tags and they went last year and we have a friend joining us that lives out there so there’s 5 total to pack in/out. I’m more or less going to learn and get some meat out of it. They were in elk last year and have a decent idea of the layout. I’m more or less trying to figure out how to get gear that will work on a budget. I have a good zero bag. I have badlands and first lite clothing already. I have a newly broke in pair of vaprtreks that I feel will be good boots for what we’re going into. I have a jet boil and plan on picking up some mountain house type meals and maybe break off to catch some trout in the evenings. I have binos, flashlights, knives covered. The way we hunt is more or less the plan they came up with after finding different areas through scouting the past month and what they found last year. My main items that I was wanting to focus on is tent, pack, way to filter water, and any gear tips I’m missing. Idk if this is enough helpful info. I’m very green to all this. I appreciate all the help.