First time colorado archery elk, backpack in or camp at the truck??

[etasker]

If it were my first Colorado elk trip, I would stay mobile and truck camp. Leave the camping gear in the truck and save yourself the weight while hiking around all day. You will be surprised how much a little weight makes a big difference while hiking at altitude. Be prepared to hike a lot in the dark, and have good boots. Good luck out there!


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[Smallie]

I went to Colorado for the first time last year and we did a little of both. We hiked in almost 4 miles the first day and spike camped and didn’t see any fresh sign so we hiked back out after a couple days and then truck camped different BLM areas the rest of the trip. Truck camping allowed for covering a lot more ground. In the future I would say I would truck camp with the ability to camp for several days if we got into elk.

 

[cnelk]

Think of it like a wagon wheel.
Your truck camp is the hub, each day you hunt out in the direction of the spokes.

Locate your hub where you can spoke out in many directions.
If no elk located, move hub. Repeat.

I know my areas, I dont move my camp, my wagon wheel is pretty big
Its not uncommon for me to put on 700-800 miles in my typical 10 day archery elk hunt.

 

[renagde]

Think of it like a wagon wheel.
Your truck camp is the hub, each day you hunt out in the direction of the spokes.

Locate your hub where you can spoke out in many directions.
If no elk located, move hub. Repeat.

I know my areas, I dont move my camp, my wagon wheel is pretty big
Its not uncommon for me to put on 700-800 miles in my typical 10 day archery elk hunt.

You're walking 70-80 miles a day or driving?

 

[cnelk]

^^^ Driving. When some spots are 20-30 miles away, it adds up

 

[5MilesBack]

Yep, I have some spots that are 40-45 miles away from my base camp. I usually take my spike setup on those instead of getting up even earlier and driving to them in the morning.

 

[rodney482]

100% backpack hunt. Hate hiking miles in and out in the dark just so can sleep in a camper.

 

[Dos Perros]

One thing I think first time archery elk hunters don't understand...

No matter which you choose, backpacking in or sleeping at the truck, you're going to be waking up very early, 430 or so, and you're going to be going to bed late, maybe even 11pm. You're not going to get much regular night time sleep. You're going to be moving a lot in the dark. You need to prepare yourself for that grind and keep at it for the duration of the hunt.

 

[HondoArcher]

I agree that archery is a grind because there are so many daylight hours. Regardless of your choice to truck or spike camp look for places that inhibit other hunters like river crossings, walking around the private land boundary, or steep grade that flattens out. The elk will be where they feel safe so look for those places. If you hike a trail 5 miles in from a trailhead you will be surprised at how many hunters thought they could get away from the crowds with distance but the trail was an invite, not a barrier.

You need to be willing to hike back to your camp in the dark because the first and last 30 minutes of the day is golden. Also, you need to be prepared to get the meat out. Solo backpacking in 5 miles is a challenge when you get a bull down and it is hot. Look on YouTube for elk hunting videos where people get bulls down and how they keep them cool while they are packing out quarters. I think Elk101 has some.

BackPack - You need a pack you can use to haul you spike camp in, hunt in, and haul elk out with. Do your research and look for used packs here on Rokslide or eBay. Look for guys that want the new models and want to dump their old ones. Besides selecting a bow setup this is probably the next hardest thing to buy but it can have a tremendous effect on your hunt. You will also need a way to filter water. Get a Sawyer MINI Water Filtration System.

learn to use a diaphragm elk call. If you are away from the crowds you can use calls to improve your odds and help stop the bull when they get close. Lots of YouTube videos on this. Watch the Born and Raised Outdoors Land of the Free series. Soft bugles and cow calls when there are lots of hunters around.

Get onX or BaseMap mapping software for your phone and a way to charge your phone if you stay multiple nights away from the truck. This is a game-changer. Use it to plan out where you want to go and find your way back.

Lastly get in shape. This is hard for everyone but it pays big.

Enjoy yourself. There is some beautiful country out here. Take some time to enjoy it.

Here is a short video from last year you might enjoy: