Planning an elk trip

[BigJakeL]

I am planning an elk hunting trip for next year! Just wondering if anyone has any things to keep in mind while planning on of these trips? Thanks!

[mrklean]

ha make sure you draw a license i have talked to a few guys that were all excited to go almost had it planned 9 months ahead of time and didnt draw. Where are you thinking of giong?

[CodyDawg]

i have planned a couple lately that went great. what specifically are you looking for? i dont know where to start.

[BigJakeL]

I am applying for licenses in Colorado and Montana. We haven't decided if it would be worth our time to buy everything and go on a DIY trip or to pay for a drop camp. I use to live in Colorado so I have a pretty good idea of the lay of the land. However, I have never done a trip into the mountains to hunt. We plan on going back to whichever state we draw in and hunting for a long time in the future. The tags are also guaranteed by the outfitter if we so choose to go with the drop camp. However, we pay an extra 400 for the tag. And with hunting shot chances are not guaranteed. So question

#1- Is the 1800 dollars for a drop camp per person worth it? Or should we just buy the equipment for this trip and have it for future trips?

#2-Suggestions on equipment? If we were to buy everything for our own camp and rent or borrow horses to carry up. We are planning on putting in for the muzzle loader season Sept 11-19 and Rifle 1st season Oct 16-20

[DHost21]

Ive done it myself in montana for 5 years now and it is really fun the whole adventure i dont think can be captured in a drop camp. If you read up and know enough on how to hunt them you can be very successful on your own and save money. Saying that it isnt a bad idea if youre not so sure or would like some tips on the foot and to see how to hunt them to go to a camp for a year. As for equipment make sure you have good layers. I prefer UA it wicks away moisture very well cause you will sweat with the walking but then if you stop for any period of time you will get cold and the last couple times out ive had UA and its been a lot more comfortable. I dont know if you are going bow? or gun? but its always good to have a call of some sort. The primos cow call is really good its a push button call so its very easy just to stop them if they are walking or things like that. If you are going with the bow during the rut you will definitely need a bugel call. Good boots are very very important for all the walking something light enough and comfortable to cover ground but also warm enough to keep you warm when you stop. One other thing i think is very important is a good backpack or fanny pack. One that will hold everything you have and wont strain your shoulders! Thats the worst walking up and down mountains with sore shoulders it makes everything just that much harder so get one that isnt too heavy and pack it the right way and make sure you have it tight up on your back instead of sagging down adding more weight. I like the ones that have a strap from shoulder to shoulder to keep it tight and even the strap that goes around the waist to keep it from bouncing. Anything you come up with for this trip is gonna be blast elk hunting is a pretty cool thing!

[CodyDawg]

If you are planning on doing it for a long time, I would not go the drop camp route. a drop camp is just that, you get dropped and picked up, so there will be little in the way of advice given. If yo have camped before, you know how that works. If you have hunted before, you know how that works. You will have to learn some lessons (like forgetting nasal spray) the hard way a couple of times before you have it all down.

Some gear recommendations:

I used to use Under Armour, but switched to Smartwool. Just as good of wicking and doesnt feel as cold. it also provides some warmth. For boots, spend the money and get good ones. I use Schnees Beartooth and they worked awesome. Lesser boots do not cut it in the mountains. Really think about how you will deal with the meat. Bring chapstick and nasal spray. For food, bring premade easy to make meals. You are gonna be exhausted and you dont want to put a lot of work into dinner...but you will want good meals. Sleeping gear is important, you want a good nites sleep. a good bag and cushion setup are vital. a propane boot dryer can save the day.

looks like you already picked an area. google earth is your friend.

i could go on. what specifically?

why does this window not work right ? I am typing too low and cant see what I am typing.

[Cheetah]

Tons to write about, but it would take forever to type it all.

I wrote up a big post of my 2010 Montana hunt this past fall if you want to check that out, some photos of our camp and where we hunted.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2374412/

Lots of guys swear by the information that Elknut teaches in his dvd, google for it.

[Ziesmer]

If you are rifle hunting or archery hunting Colorado tags are over the counter for most areas. A few areas are draw and will take a lot of points. I lived in Colorado for 10 years and just moved to MN last year and have been elk hunting every year I lived there. There are numerous National Forest areas to hunt in Colorado that the tags are over the counter. If you are really hard core there are wilderness areas that you have to hike into. The others can easily be accessed by truck or ATV. It really depends on what method you are going to use. I would never pay a guide to hunt Colorado unless it was complete private land trophy hunt. The drop in camps will bring you into the National Forest and drop you off. The next day you will see me ride by on my ATV and you will be mad that you paid all that money for something you can easily do yourself! An ATV is a must for National Forest hunts in Colorado. If you choose Colorado let me know and I can recommend some great areas to hunt.

[Ziesmer]

Sorry...Just saw that you are putting in for the muzzle loader season. That season is draw. In Colorado, they changed it last year to a specific area draw. Before that it was a statewide draw. Most areas in Colorado for muzzleloader will take 2 preference points to draw a bull tag. A cow tag can ususally be drew with zero. Again that really depends on the area. They have a link on the Colorado DOW web site that shows how many PP you need to draw for an area. What area specifically are you looking at? Is the drop camp National Forest or Wilderness area? If it is National Forest, in my opinion you are wasting your money. You can use atvs and do not need horses. If it is a drop camp in a wilderness area, then the horses are a must and it might be worth it. If the outfitter said he can guarantee you a tag, he is selling you a landowners voucher for that area. They are good for private property or public land. Be careful, they can get spendy!

[BLACKJACK]

Start working out now and keep working out!!! Those mountains will kick your butt!!

[BigJakeL]

Thanks for all the information guys! My buddy and I have to go over all of this and make a decision!

[BigJakeL]

Got it down to not going to do a drop camp going to DIY it and scratch the horses going to try to find decent area in CO to use ATV's this will save on dealing with a horse while up in the mountain.

[not_nuf_time]

Pick up the latest Outdoor News, it has a big spread on multiple things you need for an adventure roughing it elk hunt.

[buglefever]

We go DIY in SW CO in an area that allows limited ATV use. We go Beyond the use boundry and go in on foot. I prefer to avoid ATVs and our area lets us do that. I've hunted the same valley for 8 years with what I consider great success. While my kill success isn't what most would think as great, my quality of experience (not seeing/hearing atvs all over or seeing any other hunters) is what makes it great. I've also seen some great bulls there, even though it's an OTC unit and supposedly "there aren't any big bulls in CO". The more you learn an area, the better it seems to get. I will check back and offer any more advice if want it. My computer is acting up so I better post this before it freezes. Last thing I'll throw in is use of a bike. I use a bike to roll in camp, not to ride around.

[TODDY]

Not sure if you are talking $400 more for a guaranteed tag in Montana or Colorado, but Montana just did away with their guaranteed tags. It's all draw for NR now.

TODDY

[Esox_Magnum]

Have done DIY hunts in Colorado since 1983, we hunt the SW part 1st rifle and do well. Pick a good areaand learn it, may take a couple years to get things in your favor. Last trip out we had our 4 tags filled by 10am 3rd day. All 4 shot in the same area. After a few years of hunting the area we found their escape routs from the wildrness area to the private ground, sit and wait. All shot a mile or less from camp. Have done it as primitive as camping out of the truck to a full blown camp with tent, quads, generators ect. Big investment with a good wall tent and gear but if you plan on doing it for years to come well worth it.

[not_nuf_time]

Sorry bout that, the article was in the latest issue of Outdoor Life, not Outdoor News, I get to many mags.

[BigJakeL]

Wow, lots of research is needed to go elk hunting!

[fletcher]

1 get in shape

2 get in shape

3 hydrate and study up on altitude sickness it can ruin a trip

4 practice long range shooting with your bhs

[I Love teeth]

Start working out now and keep working out!!! Those mountains will kick your butt!!

+1

[leechlake]

I'd suggest trying to learn as much about elk hunting as you can. I don't know if you've done it before, if you haven't you can try to learn some things watching videos or asking on here.

Some days the bulls bugle and you can figure out a strategy to get on the bull knowing where they are from the bugling. Some days they don't or it's windy and your best strategy is to get up somewhere hi and glass to locate them and then move in on them. If you're hunting the first few days you can be aggressive after that they may wise up a bit from some hunting pressure.

If you stand still in camo an elk will walk right by you, it's amazing and unnerving. Practice calling both bugling and cow calls.

[Esox_Magnum]

Best advice on altitude is get there 4-5 days early and get aclimated, leave the booze at home it only adds to the sickness. Anytime I go out west I leave the Saturday before season and get camp set up on Sunday and have all week to cruise around and scout on the quad, once season opens I have my spots I sit knowing the pressure around me will run them past. I walk a mile from campand sit on a log and wait, last trip to Colorado we had our 4 by 10am the 3rd morning all 4 shot in the same general area, 3 off the exact same spot. We came to this tactic by hunting the earea for a couple years and some great advice from a couple guys I happen to know that lived/hunted the area that were locals. If theres pressure in the area you choose find their escape routes and let them come to you. In the area we hunt our group has about a 60% sucess rate, almost tripple the sate wide average.