SO my brother and I have been invited to hunt CO zones 3, 4, 5, and 301 (rifle hunts...)

We have a place to stay, but neither of us has hunted out west before.

I have hunted Namibia once and had an awesome free-range experience (took a Hartmann's zebra, gemsbok bull, kudu bull, ostrich, and springbok ram), and we've both hunted whitetails back east quite a bit.

I'm good on equipment - I'm hoping some experienced members can chime in with tips for the hunt itself, especially in the zones I referenced. Both of us are in for the experience first; taking an elk would be amazing but we're working on a budget so a guide is out of the question..

Any tips for a first time team?

That's a real good area. Lot's of game up there. Way too much private land though. All I saw were on private posted lands.

Come out a few days early and drop in and visit the Chamber of Commerce in Craig. They're all hunters with local contacts and advice. Hang around the local café/s and meet a few locals too. A big thing you'll discover is the altitude change. You NEED a few days to get acclimated to it before going on the hard hikes in the hills. Whole lot of difference between sea level and 8000'. Pay attention to this! We have quite a few hunters get into trouble with it and a few die even just about every season. Go real easy the first few days. Be prepared to walk several miles each time you go out. Have a back pack with: food, first aid, water, fire starter, 20' or so twine each, and something to keep warm and dry in if you get lost or stuck out over night.

Gas station W of town I saw quite a few locals. Couple in town too, I never went to one in town. CofC were real helpful folks, lot's of advice and info.

One major thing you NEED to know the difference between elk and moose, there's moose in the area and seems like several are shot every year by folks that don't know the difference. Damned costly if you do it.

This is another of the areas the depth of snow has a lot to do with how much game is around. You need to get a county map to start with. OR print one off the web so you'll have the back roads and trails, camping areas and such.

What season did you draw? Only elk, or muley's too? Quite a lot of deer in the area, some dandy bucks but, again what I saw were on the other side of fence's. There's a lot of hunters go to that area too, so be prepared for that.

A "good friend" thought he needed my hunting maps worse than I do so they're gone along with 6 guns. IF I had it I'd give you some road directions to an area I hunted the last few days and saw quite a few tracks in the snow. One was a rabbit chase by a mtn lion! Confirmed by a warden.

Dress warm as it CAN get mighty cold up there later in the year. Chains for your rig too. IF 4x4, all fours, tow chain or three. Never know and much cheaper than a wrecker. Most hunters are happy to help another out if stuck or slide off the road if they can and have what's needed.

Get some practice in at 300-500yds in case you need to make a longer shot than you're used to. Know your gun and where it shoots from up close to 500 and you'll be fine. Just hold on hair, don't hold over. I zero 5" to 5 1/2" high myself. That's on about 275 and I'm good to 500 easy. But, I've done a lot of shooting the hunting rifles on prairie dogs over the years.

Best of luck to you folks,

George

I highly recommend two things.
1. Get an OnXmaps chip for GPS or phone to help sort out whose land you are on, Public(Natl Forest, BLM,State) Private. It's very important to know where you are. Other people can tell you are on land that is private etc. and not being truthful this sorts it out. It will also show the landowners name. Bone up on the law before you cross a corner. It's tricky or not legal.
2. Go to Elk101.com and enroll in Elk University online and study it hard. $100.00 Elk hunting is not the same as Whitetail hunting. I wish Corey had this 18 yrs ago when I started Elk hunting. You can do a lot before you ever leave home.
It covers it all.
Good Luck!

Great advice so far.

Check if your truck can take chains in the front. Some can, some can't. If it can't get cable chains for the front. They work pretty well. If you put regular chains on a truck that can't, you will eat the inner fenders, steering linkage, and possibly brake lines.

Google earth is invaluable for finding your starting places. Look at where the access points are and find places in between. Look for spots 1/2 mile or so in that you can glass from. Glass, glass, glass for an hour or more. Move, repeat. I like to find 3 spots to glass from in 3-4 different areas then rotate through them. Rarely do I not find animals at some point. Hit each glassing spot a couple of times at different times of the day. Animals move a lot, and I have seen nothing at a place, then seen lots of game the next time through.

You can hike them up, but you stand a good chance spooking them out of the country that way, too.

Lastly, decide how far you want to pack an elk and hunt inside of that. 2-3 miles or even further is doable, but a long (happy) day. I've packed elk for others that didn't plan ahead. I'm nice, others will be pissed you connected and they didn't, and leave you to sort it out on your own. See if packers are available in the area. It is worth the money IMO.

Jeremy

1 get in as good a climbing/hiking shape as you ca. Stairs and bleachers will be you friend once you get there.
2. have a plan for getting the dead elk out. Backpacking elk is a killer, horses are WAY better.
3. get in shape.
4. depending on altitude you WILL be short of breath for several days, it gets better. And the better shape you are in the faster you will acclimate.
5. get in shape.

All great advice, keep it coming!

Get in the best shape that you possibly can before you leave.

The west punishes easterners that dont.

PM in route.

It is necessary to cover a lot of ground to be successful elk hunting. A little bit of noise from walking is much more permissible when elk hunting than when hunting whitetails.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
It is necessary to cover a lot of ground to be successful elk hunting. A little bit of noise from walking is much more permissible when elk hunting than when hunting whitetails.

That's really good info, I wouldn't have thought of that

That is partially true. Depends on how much country you can glass. If you can only see 1/4 mile, you are going to have to walk a lot more than if you can see 1/2 mile.

Regardless, you are going to have to walk a lot. Figure 2-5 miles per hunt (one hunt is morning, one is afternoon). Get high, stay high, glass them up, and plan the stalk. Best chance is to put them to bed in the morning, come back and wait for them to come back out. If they aren't pressured, they will come back to the same meadows they were in before. Just don't go in after them. You will most likely spook them out of the area if you dive into the timber.

Jeremy

All of this is good applicable advice but if you want it All covered from AtoZ go to Elk101.com.
It covers getting in shape with routines to how to quarter and pack-out. It costs between 75.00 to 100.00 depending on promotion. It is good for a year. IMO, as these fellows have mentioned, if you are not in shape AND if you are not confident to get back in the woods a mile or more before daylight and after sunset you are going to be critically limited.
If you do it right, you have a lot of work to do. Incidentally, I have no interest in Elk University except that as I mentioned in previous post that I wish it was out there 18 yrs ago when I started.

You have gotten some good advise.

Let me say it again: GET IN THE BEST SHAPE YOU CAN !!!!!

The altitude and steepness of the terrain will be the #1 factor in limiting your success. If you live in the flatlands find some stairs and start humping. (I have used my local high school football stadium before)
I would shoot for an hour of continuous up and down. When you get comfortable with that start wearing a pack and adding a little weight every week. Keep in mind one hindquarter of a bull will weigh 65-75 pounds.

Elk are not deer! If pushed they will leave the area. Good looking sign is not enough. It needs to be really fresh. Preferably with elk standing in the tracks. Keep moving until you find some. If I were to glass an area morning and evening and not see any elk. Im going to be headed to the next spot on the map.

The elk section of "BowSite" is a great place to learn about dealing with the crowds and other problems of public land hunting.

Think About Colorado's Anti-Gun/Anti-Hunting government and reconsider!
I hunted several areas of Colorado, backpacking and guided hunts back when Colorado wasn't so much like California.
Based on current political environment in Colorado, I would chose Wyoming, or Utah, or New Mexico, or some other place that is not toxic to hunters and gun owners.

I assume you have an elk hunting license. Most units require an elk hunting license be obtained that is applied for back in April. By saying "invited to hunt" does this mean hunting on private land owned by your host? Does this mean hunting with a group of others who are veteran elk hunters? What season is your license good for?

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Nisbet:
Think About Colorado's Anti-Gun/Anti-Hunting government and reconsider!
I hunted several areas of Colorado, backpacking and guided hunts back when Colorado wasn't so much like California.
Based on current political environment in Colorado, I would chose Wyoming, or Utah, or New Mexico, or some other place that is not toxic to hunters and gun owners.

Really Bob?, what is Colorado doing that bothers you so much? We aren't quite California yet....
Our idiot Governor did institute a magazine ban greater than 15 rounds but I highly doubt that is going to spoil your hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
Get in the best shape that you possibly can before you leave.

The west punishes easterners that dont.

PM in route.

Ted has first hand experience with this, listen to him.

I might add practice shooting from field positions a lot.

When shooting Elk take follow up shots if at all possible, Elk are not bullet proof but they are tougher than whitetailed deer and sometimes will take a couple very well placed shots before they fall down. Do not shoot and stand there admiring your shot, keep shooting until their hooves are in the air.

Get a pack frame for each person in the party, you will not drag an elk out of the woods, a Bull is 4-5 trips with a packframe.

Use your binos a lot and as soon as you have them spotted make a plan and get going, public land elk are under pressure and will not just stand around. You will need to find a way to head them off, you will not catch up to them while following them, when they appear to be walking and grazing they are covering ground at more than twice your best hiking speed.

Any legal Bull is a good Bull on public land. Especially if you have never hunted them before.

When the weather is at it's worst elk hunting can be at its best, do not waste a day sitting out the weather.

Start training now, put rocks in your back pack and carry them to the top of the steepest hill you know of, repeat until you don't even breathe hard and then keep doing it.

Altitude can be an issue for some.

Look up info on acclimation to altitude.
Good shape at home may be different with a lot less oxygen available.

Altitude sikness can and does strike those who are "in shape"

I get the symptoms every year that I travel west to spend time with my friends in Colorado.

Last year I used Diomox with great results.

It's not an OTC drug but worth the script cost for my applications.
I will continue to use it in the future.....if I live to see the day that the mountains might call me back.

quote:

Originally posted by loki:
I assume you have an elk hunting license. Most units require an elk hunting license be obtained that is applied for back in April. By saying "invited to hunt" does this mean hunting on private land owned by your host? Does this mean hunting with a group of others who are veteran elk hunters? What season is your license good for?

We'll be using OTC tags on private land in areas 3, 4, 5, and 301 (that's what I meant by invited, sorry for the confusion)

We'll be alone, that's the chief reason I'm asking for advice here

As a below sea level flatlander who goes to Colorado nearly every year to bicycle, my input might resonate with you. I am in pretty good bicycling shape here in New Orleans where I am now. I suck wind at 9000+ feet of elevation. I really have to pace myself there. Don't get in a hurry and tax your lungs. Steady is the answer. I don't know how much time you have spent out there, but I can tell you the party is OVER when an elk goes down. Each time I am in the wilds of Colorado and see a big game animal, I imagine putting one down where it stands then having to get it out. In the best case scenario it is a daunting task. More likely though, it will be hellish. Have a plan my friend.

Good onya for making it happen. I have long dreamed of it but have never invested the time into planning to make it happen.

The elk here are really high if the temps aren't pretty cold. They go to lower elevation when the cold gets too severe up high. I can't add to what others have posted. Sometimes you see elk and sometimes a guy is lucky to see a fresh print. Elk run in groups, well usually, and I have a friend that saw a herd of elk a few years ago that he thought numbered over a thousand, but that is extremely rare. Good luck

If you are hunting on private land, make sure you know exactly where and how the owner wants you to hunt the property. Also get the lay of the land and know the boundaries, so you don't end up on his neighbors land.. You don't hunt as aggressive on private land because if you do elk may leave that area and go elsewhere. If possible, talk to the land owners because they are likely know what is going on with the wildlife on there. Hunt early morning and late evening hard. Don't hunt much mid-day and leave heavy timber alone as that is your holding areas. Play the wind and if the wind is bad, don't push it. Elk will leave and won't come back.

Keep in mind that when you jump elk and spook them, they head for the next zip code. You won't see those elk again.

Read the CO Parks and Wildlife brochure online to know the rules, such as clothing colors, i.e. private land does not require flouro orange or pink, but if you get on public land the colors Are Required. Know Hunter Ed requirements, including having the card with you. If you use an ATV, the gun(s) must be cased and fully unloaded. Your areas have a 4 point antler requirement - see the pictures in the brochure.
Again: read the brochure!

Know the gun laws including loaning guns.

Good binoculars are a must. I also pack a small spotting scope.

Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by Mike1:
Read the CO Parks and Wildlife brochure online to know the rules, such as clothing colors, i.e. private land does not require flouro orange or pink, but if you get on public land the colors Are Required. Know Hunter Ed requirements, including having the card with you. If you use an ATV, the gun(s) must be cased and fully unloaded. Your areas have a 4 point antler requirement - see the pictures in the brochure.
Again: read the brochure!

Know the gun laws including loaning guns.

Good binoculars are a must. I also pack a small spotting scope.

Good luck!

Mike1 you need to re read the part about required Orange. Only hunters hunting private land "through the Ranching for Wildlife Program" are exempt from Orange or new pink while hunting Big Game, so that means you must wear it, public and private.
There are about 30 some odd ranches in the Wildlife for Ranching program, one of the benefits besides no Orange that these ranches enjoy is they get to set their own season dates as well and sell their hunts.

If you shoot one where it has to packed out on foot, then if possible shoot it uphill from the vehicle.


Unlike many states, that is 4 four points PER SIDE too.
Seems like the regs have a diagram . . .

Awesome advice, thanks guys

I know I said gear wasn't an issue, but it occurs to me that I'll need some kind of new pack. My inventory has a pretty big gap between a small daypack or a 6,000+ cubic inch internal frame....

Would a pack frame (like eberlestocks Mainframe or the mystery ranch divide) be a good idea in case we end up having to pack meat out on foot? Is there something better to have? I'll try and network with some horsemen when we get out there but I want to be prepared for anything.

I did not see which season you are planning to hunt. I am considering the 3rd season in this same area, and pray for early heavy snow. I did a cow hunt there 10ish years ago in this area and am considering doing an OTC bull tag.

The most important thing to remember is you have am elk tag in your pocket and in beautiful elk country--that's a good feeling right there. When one kills it turns into work pretty quick.

$650 is beginning to reach what my wife thinks is the upper limit of what I should pay for a license that will more than likely remain unfilled.

Here is some post hunt advice:

If you shoot a 6x7 the first morning and a 6x6 the first afternoon of your second hunt, don't assume that elk hunting is easy. Like the stock market, reversion to the mean is going to happen sooner or later.

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:


Unlike many states, that is 4 four points PER SIDE too.
Seems like the regs have a diagram . . .

This also is not correct, please read the hunting regulations.

Colorado's 4 point rule: Must have four points or more on one antler, OR a brow tine of at least 5 inches long.
An antler point is a projection of antler at least 1 inch long which is longer than the width of its base.

There are also other valuable bits of information to be gleaned from the actual regulations, so far you have been given 2 pieces of bad advice about the regulations so I recommend being familiar with the reg's first hand.

As far as packframes go I've been using a Cabela's Alasken for about 15 years, it hauls meat every year and I'm still using it.
Good luck on your hunt.

As Snellstrom said.....the Alaskan Guide pack frame is the best value for a meat hauler out there.

Mine is also an Alaskan Guide frame

This pic was taken by Snellstrom back in 2015 about 3 miles as the crow flies from the truck



This is my grandaughter back in 2011 helping me get ready for a trip out west

Thanks for the heads up on the Alaskan frame, maybe I can check one out in person.

Re: the refs, I have them in hand and I'm studying furiously!

Nice picture Ted!
I see you are also sporting the latest in upscale trekking poles, Aspen brand custom fitted and biodegradable....
Can't wait until we do that again!

You took some great pictures that week

Everytime I see a human with a pack, it get the chilldroms!! Lord, thank you for me being born a cowboy and for the love of a horse!

DIY hunts are common among the horseman hunters of the USA..and with that transportation and the right folks, its as good as any guided hunt, at least has been in my case over many years.

Hunters, learn to ride, get a horse. If your a doctor, Lawyer, city dweller, business man or someone who is short of time and busy as hell year in and year out, or in less than perfect physical condition, best to get a guide.

That's good advice Ray, however we've killed some Elk in places I wouldn't take a horse or mule.
When the blow downs would be scratching their bellies or worse and boulders and steep unstable ground I wouldn't recommend a horse. We packed my brothers cow out a few years ago and it had a section that was more of a rock climb / bouldering than a pack trip.
A lot of Elk we've killed could be retrieved with horses but horse hunts are different and sometimes you spend so much time dicking with the horse you forget why you are there.
Don't get me wrong horses can be useful but sometimes they are a hammer when what you need is a screwdriver.

Snell,

I remember your brothers pack out.

Guys....let me tell you, that pack out was nothing but loose rocks, giant boulders and was narly as steap as it gets.

Geaybird talked to a guy later that week that had witnessed our pack out from afar. He said in all of his years of hunting he had never seen anyone pack anything out of that canyon.

I'm probably telling that a bit wrong. Hopfuly graybird can chime in and tell that story.

This picture doesnt do justice as to how steep and rocky that hillside is

I think the funniest part about that hunt was after Rick shot that cow, Taylor and I went bouncing around the boulders to kill another one. About 30 secs later I came back around to Rick and he was still on his rifle. I asked him if he killed her. His response, "I don't know, she's still rolling!" Thank goodness for that tree top she finally landed in, or she would have made it all the way to the bottom of that canyon in Ted'S picture.