Elk Hunters! Some questions

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A buddy and I are planning an elk hunting trip to Colorado this fall. It will just be the two of us. We thought of inviting other guys, but truth be told, we get along so well with just the two of us, we hunt the same way (hard and aggressively), and our personalities match very well, so we decided to make the first trip, with just us. We're both young (23 and 26), and hopefully, what we lack in elk hunting knowledge and know-how will be partly made up for with enthusiasm, and the willingness to hunt hard.

Seeing as this is our first time with this stuff, we are pretty clueless about what we need. As far as I can tell, we just need a Colorado hunting license, and a bull elk tag, which we don't have to draw, correct? What else will we need for this besides the obvious stuff like tent, sleeping bags, packs, camp stove (some places in Colorado don’t allow campfires right?). We’ll need to take food in. How much and what kind of food do you guys pack in? We kind of figured something along the lines of MRE’s. At least stuff that was high in carbs and fairly light.

We plan on hiking in. We thought about renting horses, but we just cannot afford that right now. I’ll barely be able to swing the tag fees, and the gas to get there. So we figured we would hike as far as possible and hunt from there for 5-7 days. We are keeping our expectations very very low about this hunt. Hopefully, this will be the first of many, and we figure that if by some chance we get one bull (which we realize will not be huge like you see in the videos) then we will have done very very well. In fact, our expectation is that we will come home without any meat, but that will not keep us from hunting very hard.

As far as hunting itself goes, we figured to hunt them like big turkey’s, with a sense of smell. We would hunt together and if by some chance we get a bull to bugle, then we would set the shooter out front of the caller and try to do it that way.

Now, IF (big IF) we get one, we realize it will be a lot of hard work, but we’re young and dumb, and we wanna do this, so we’re going to try. But if we do get lucky and get one, we figured we would have to start packing it down to where we would have coolers, pretty much as soon as possible. We realize we could have hot temps, but it could also drop below freezing.

So go ahead and burst my bubble. Tell me how stupid we are. But also tell me what you have taken with you, how you’ve done it, what kind of gear to take. What kind of food, etc. etc. etc. Any and everything a first timer should know, let me know. We have talked about this for years, but this year, it is going to happen.

Thanks a lot

Bake
 
Sounds like you guys are going to have a blast.First do you know what area of Colorado your going to hunt,southwest,central,etc,and which season,I think they have 3 or 4 different ones.When you decide which one I would call the ranger for that area and ask him some questions and his opinions on areas that might suit you guys.Next make sure you have a good freighter style back pack.And if you dont already,plan on boning out your elk on the spot.You dont even have to gut him if you dont want to.There's lots of sweat saving things you can do.Plan for bad weather,then if its nice its a bonus.I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice about many things from the guys on this board.Good luck and have a great hunt.take care,daveyboy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Guys,

I'd love to help, but give me some more details! Where & when for starters. Also you mentioned a hunting tag along with a bull tag. Colorado has no such concept. You simply need a bull tag. However, if you wish to shoot any small game (grouse) while your here you would then need a small game tag which may have been what you meant. Get some details in here and I can fill you in.
 
We haven't decided what area yet. We've thought about Gunnison, and about NW CO near Craig. My buddy was talking about SW CO also, but I don't know anything about that. We realize we will see other hunters. But we would like to pick a place with a good elk population, with as few hunters as possible.

We will be bowhunting, but again, we don't know what time to go. We're not sure if we should plan on being there to hunt right when the season opens, or if we should hunt a little after the season opens. We don't know if the elk will be hard in the rut right when it opens. These are the types of things we are having trouble with.

WE're still kind of researching an area to go to. We're talking to people that have been to different areas, and trying to learn something from them. I know people that have bowhunted NW CO near Craig, and people that have bowhunted Gunnison, and he knows some people that have hunted Gunnison and SW CO. We are definately still in research phase here.

Thanks for the comments

BAke
 
You ought to take a look into the Pagosa Springs area. Their is a huge natioanl forest there and I beleive the third rifle season has over the counter bull tags. Try going in around Devil Mountain. While I was there last year one of the largest in memory was taken there which was a huge 8X7. I would reccomend getting there a couple of days early and scouting so you can maximize your hunt. PS. Start doing lots of cardio. You'll thank me.
 
You are going in the right direction.You can and will get all kinds of advice.You need to be there a couple days ahead of opening day to scout but also to rest up.If you hunt the first season the weather is usually warmer sometimes to warm with more hunters to deal with.the later seasons have a lot less hunters but you stand more of a chance of a bigger snow.Every one would like to shoot a bull but I'd buy one bull tag and send in for one cow tag.I've hunted Colo. 10 or12 times and did or could of shot a cow 7 or 8 times. Bluetrapper
 
First of all. It just amazes me to see foot hunters 6-7 miles back in hunting Elk. So I'm going to play devils advocate here for you.

Elk are big animals. It will take several trips to pack out all the meat. And I suspect you'll want the Horns and Cape to boot. Plan one more trip for them. Round trips of 14 miles carrying 80-100lb packs one direction at elevations in excess of 8000 feet are not for the weak. With both of you packing, it will require at least two round trips.

I've frequently been stopped by foot hunters asking me to go retrieve an elk they shot 7 miles back in with my horses. They think I should stop my hunting and spend the day getting their elk out. I'm a friendly guy. But there are limits. Elk season are short. I've only got a few days to find my elk. My horses get tired also. I'm not going to make a special trip to help you out. Don't think poorly of me. It cost about $1,000 per horse to keep a horse for year. Feed, Vet bills, Farrier. Add to that the cost of a horse trailer, fuel to drive to my hunt, cost of tack and equipment. It's expensive.

All too often I get approached by somebody who shot bull and hauled out the head. They are exhausted! They want an easy way to retrieve the meat. They are looking for somebody to go get it for them. When they can't find a solution, they either waste the meat or drive an ATV into an area that is closed. Neither is an acceptable solution.

I don't know where you are from or what shape you are in. Elk inhabit high country. Especially during the bow season. Expect to find them in the 8000 plus foot elevation. Don't be surprised to find them at 10,000 feet. That equates to REALLY hard work for a flatlander who is used to breathing at sea level. Temps can be very warm during the Bowhunt. Meat will spoil very fast.

I don't want to discourage you from coming. But rather make sure you are prepared.

1st. Know how to bone out an elk. Have the right tools to do the job. Have packs that can carry that kind of weight.

2nd. Don't try to find horses AFTER you shoot an elk. May I suggest that you find a rancher or guide who "Hires out" their horses to retrieve game before you go. There are a number of them in Colorado. That for fee will ride in and pack out your elk. It doesn't cost you anything unless you use them. Do the research to find them before you go and know how to contact them if you are successful. Then you won't be disappointed thinking people like me are stingy for not sharing our horses.

3rd. Get in shape! There are not many things that will physically challenge you like hunting and packing out an elk.

4th Have fun and good luck
 
I don't know anything about hunting Colorado, so I can't give you advice on areas or best times to hunt, but I can tell you a little bit about getting an elk out.

I killed a bull elk two years ago about 5 miles back in a wilderness area of northern NM. I was hunting with a good family friend and we had no horses, so it was up to us to get it out with sweat and muscle. First of all bull elk, no matter how big their rack or how old they are, are big critters. Obviously you know this. What amazes me is how much larger they seem to get once you have them down and have to start quartering and caping and all that. You have to right attitude by already realizing that it is going to take a hell of a lot of man power to get one out. The area I killed one in had been scouted by us on several occassions, and we had snuck into the area the evening before the season started and stashed a big pack full of stuff to make getting an elk out easier: battery powered reciprocating saws, several freshly sharpened knives, hatchet, rope, bungee cords, plastic baggies, stuff like that. We also brought up two high quality pack frames and stashed them. Now the area we hunted had zero other hunters in it, so we didn't have to worry about any of this being stolen, I don't know if this will be possible for you. We put it in a hiding place roughly directly between where we were each hunting, and then the next morning we were able to hike up only carrying daypacks and weapons. Also it was October and cold, so we didn't have to worry about meat spoiling. I killed my bull just after shooting light started on opening morning, and it took half the day to skin, quarter, and roll the cape and head up. We hung the hind quarters and spent the next half of the day taking the front quarters (the lightest) out, which pretty much consisted of strapping them to a frame pack, helping each other hoist it, and then moving about 200 hundred yards before resting on fallen logs. I was 17 at the time and in good shape, so it was difficult but not impossible. It just took time. We went back the next morning and got the hindquarters out before lunch and my buddy shot one that evening, giving us the opportunity to repeat all that.
If you do decide to pack it out, make sure you have a high quality frame with a lot of support and cushioning. I literally had bruises across my chest from the pack straps, so bringing old towels or something to pad that may not be a bad idea (the hind quarters weighed around 130 each when I took them to the processing plant). It was really a good time, made me appreciate every bite of that elk. I am going to do it again next fall with a bow. Hope this helps a bit, and good luck.
BWB
 
Painted Horse worded it very well.

I also hunt horseback mostly in bow season here in MT. I've done my share of hiking too. Check the game retreval guides out for the area that you pick out.
If you never hunted in mountains, its gonna be a eye openning trip for you. It is a blast but never have I worked so hard in my life, for fun!

A good pack frame is a must. You have to pack light, but have gear for any weather- and I mean any weather! Last fall at 9000 ft it went from sunny and 75 to a fall bizzard and 9 above in a 12 hour span.

Meat spoils fast on big animals when left of the carcuss very long(6 to 8 hours at 50 degrees with hide on).

What I've done in the past is hunt from a trail head. Spot and scout the area. This first trip for you guys will be mostly that.

Get in shape. I bow hunt like crazy cause during most of rifle season I'm weaning calfs and moving cattle. I start pedaling a bike dang near everywhere I go about mid July.

If you guys are planning now, try to plan a weekend getaway before the hunt, to check things out. I do that for all my hunts.

With this said and about a 1000 other thingsI should have typed, Good luck.

Hope this helps a little.
 
Get out there and do it! My hunting buddy and I did the same thing in the mountains of western Washington every year for quite a spell now. I killed my Bull in 99' and my buddy in 2000. You can do it. We are twice your age! Preparation mentally and physically are the two most important things you can start doing right now. Alot of good advise out there. If you can get horses to pack out great, all the better. We back packed in five to six miles one way and were able to be in elk every day. Light weight food, but enough of it......you will be playing hard, you need to eat. Not "If", but when you get that bull down, get to work. Get the meat off, bagged and to the coolest place you can find as soon as possiable. You will be surprized how cool a shaded creek bed can be and how long you can keep meat......I know, I've done it. Next read everything you can on hunting elk and caring for the elk once it is down.......Lastly...Do It!!!....and enjoy the hunt of a lifetime!
 
Last fall, I spent every weekend from Labor day till end of October in the mountains. I got snowed on EVERY weekend last fall. Usually at least 8" of snow or more each weekend. This pictures is September 1st in the Uinta Wilderness of Utah.

Firepit.jpg


And this is the 1st week of October
camp1.jpg


So lets talk equipment for you guys.

You need camping gear. Two choices here. First you can camp at the truck and hike in each day. But your post implies that you want to go in 5-7 miles and base camp there. Since you are packing in, your tent won't be a big comfortable wall tent. Bring a three season tent that you can pack in. It should be able to stand up to wet weather or even a foot of snow. And remember, after you haul out the elk meat, you still have to go back and haul out your camp.

I frequently see temps in the teens during weekends in September at the elevations where I hunt elk. Bring sleeping bags that will keep you warm at 15-20degrees. Sleeping pads for under your sleeping bag also.

Layers of clothing. Somthing to wear in the morning when you get up and it's 20degrees and something to wear at noon when it's 70 degrees. And bring wet weather gear. Good chance you'll need it.

Since you are planning to hike a lot. Good boots, good socks and lots of Moleskin.

Packing in, you just can't carry enough water for 5-7 days. You will need a water purifier. I carry one in my day pack so I can refill my water bottle during the day.

A small first aid kit. Chances are somebody will cut a finger cleaning your first elk or some other minor cut.

I don't cut much bone when I bone out an elk. So I don't worry about the battery operated saws. They are nice, but way too heavy. A small fiskers foldable hand saw ( HomeDepot $15.00) will cut any bone you have to cut. For me that is usually cutting the horns off the top of the skull. The small folding saw will easily cut the ribs off the carcass. I do take more than one knife and I do carry a small stone to resharpen my knives.

I take in several large cotten bags. I cut the meat off the bones and place it in the bags. I can then hang the bags in a tree to cool while I start hauling out what every I can carry. It keeps the flies and yellow jackets off the meat, gets it up off the ground and allows it to cool faster. Most meat bags you can buy in sporting goods stores are designed to just "Cover" the meat are are too light to really carry the weight and manhandle the meat. Get you wives or girl friends to sew you a few bags from a heavier fabric. Make them big enough to hold an entire quater.

It is much easier to even out the weight in your packs if you are dealing with chunks of meat than it is to try and haul out a intack quarter. You are on foot, you don't need to haul out the spine, femur bones or front shoulder blades. Just take the meat.

Bow hunting you are going to be setting up a stand and calling elk into you. That being the case scent control is important. I'm not yet sold on the scent lock type of clothing. But I don't forsee a large smoky campfire in your future if you want to call elk into bow range. Also many of the mountains have camp fire bans in Aug or early September because of the fire danger. Plan on preparing meals with out a wood campfire.

Hope that gets you started. I'll think of some more later.
 
Thanks a lot painted horse, that was exactly the type of info. I was looking for. We may be stupid, but we are going to try this. I will definately look into finding numbers for people that will pack elk out. That is a very good idea that I hadn't even thought about.

As for packing out the meat, I was thinking along the same lines as you, and cutting the meat into smaller, more manageable chunks. If nothing else, small chunks are easier to cool and keep cool. I had figured that if we had a night to kill before we started packing out, that we would start to cut the meat up.

Thanks again

Bake
 
If you have a night to kill.....

You missed the point here! I do it at the kill. It only takes another 30 minutes to totally bone out the elk vs just gutting. In fact I don't even gut them anymore.

I just split the hide right up their backbone. Lay it right & left like a table cloth. The meat is all on the outside of the skelaton. Except for the small tenderloin strips. You can reach in and cut them out from each side after you get the backstrap cut away from the spine.

Follow the natural seams in the meat and cut them off the bones. i.e. you will have one big chunk for each quarter.(which you will cut into steaks & roast when you get home on a clean table) One pile of meat from the brisket and flank meat ( which I make into burger, Stew meat or stir fry meat.) The Backstrap which I cut into thick steaks and butterfly before I freeze them.

Divide it up into 4 bags. With no bone or hide they will be about 50lbs each and you are out of there. If you quarter a nice bull and haul out the bones in the quaters, it will be 350lbs +/-. Why, you still end up with 200 lbs of meat in the freezer, why carry out the bones.

On my kills, the heart & lungs are usually bloodshot and ruined. I've never been a fan of liver meat ever since my mother used to try and make me eat it. So I don't even look for it. So I don't even look through the gut pile or even see a reason to pull it out from inside the rib cage. Unless I'm looking for the bullet. I use Barnes TSX bullets and they are usually a pass through.

On occassion, we have cut the ribs off for spare ribs. There is not a lot of meat on them after striping the flank steak and brisket off, so if I leave the rib cage, I don't feel like I left very much meat behind.

You can do this whole process in an hour vs spending 20 minutes just gutting the animal. I cut no bones (except the ribs if I take them) vs having to split the pelvis and breastbone if you gut an animal. I don't risk cutting into the urinary track or poop-chute and contaminating meat. I put the meat straight into those white cotton bags as I cut it. So it stays much cleaner than dragging a whole carcass through the woods.

If it's a trophy, take another 1/2 hour and skin up the back of the neck and over the head. Once you are past the horns, peel it inside out like a banana. Take your saw and cut straight down behind the horns and then a second cut straight back through the middle of the eye sockets. The horns will lift out with a small "V" section of skull. Roll the hide up for you buddy to carry and grab the horns. I just laugh when I see hunters struggling to carrying out an entire head with the hide attached.

It cost $80 to get an elk hide tanned with out hair. If you are into leather craft, it makes a nice piece of leather to make gloves or chaps out of.
 
Well I kind of missed your point, but not much. When my buddy and I butcher deer, we debone the hindquarters by making a cut through the meat (trying to get on the edges of the muscle groups) along the bone, then cut around the bone until we have one big chunk of hindquarter, with no bone. We then usually put this into a cooler or something until we get the time to actually separate the muscle groups, and then cut and package.

Were we to get an elk, I had figured on doing it much the same way, and like you said, deboning everything on the spot, but still having large chunks of meat. Then when we got into camp, separating the muscle groups before we packed out.

We were kind of on the same page. I too see no reason in carrying a bone anywhere unless it's the antlers. I had figured on doing all of that at the carcass. AS for the antlers and cape, we'll go prepared, just in case we do get a trophy, but neither of us are thinking that we're going to get a monster. Along these lines, do you know of any webpage that shows how to split the ears when preparing a cape? I've seen it done on several bears when I was in Canada, but I didn't really pay attention, it's the only part of the cape preparation that I don't fully understand how to do.

Thanks again

Bake
 
Cut the ears off at the skull (leaving them attached to the cape) and let the taxidermist do the fine work.

I have a friend who hunts with us occassionally and he is a part time taxidermist. He brings up a set of knives (kinda like and exacto knife set) It has 7 or 8 interchangeable blades. He'll putter with the head, lips, eyelids and other delicate skiining while we butcher the animal and load the horses.
 
One thing you want to do is get a copy of the big game regulations for CO. Study them very carefully, as this state has lots of little details that can trip you up. I think you can find them on the state wildlife website listed above.

For instance, evidence of sex must be still attached to the carcass in CO. Just boning out meat won't legally do it in this state. So be prepared to hump out one large part with the scrotum attached, at the least (antlers/head don't count, believe it or not).

Do the research on this sort of thing, it could save you some really big trouble.

Most of the other advice is excellent. I would redouble the part about getting into great physical shape. The problem with bow season is that it's early and therefore generally warm, and the elk will be high (maybe 10,000 - 11,000 feet up). Up around timberline where the trees stop. Simply walking on level ground at this altitude can make even a fit young person gasp for air. If you're climbing with a pack, it's step-step-stop-gasp-gasp-gasp-gasp and repeat ad nauseum. Not only do really heavy aerobic exercise, work your legs hard in the gym with weights for strength increase. Leg presses, parallel squats, that kind of thing. Between climbing with your packs and trying to control yourself carrying down heavy loads of elk meat in steep, rocky, rugged country, your leg muscles, knees, and ankles will take a severe beating.

Order through the U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Colorado state map showing land ownership in different colors. This will show you where the accessible public lands are. You will be interested in the National Forest (green areas) or BLM (yellow areas). Please note that any state lands (blue areas) that are not actually either state wildlife (hunting) areas or state trust hunting land (open to the public for hunting) are under the direct control of whoever is leasing it (local ranchers) and cannot be accessed without their permission. You can then get either 'section' BLM maps of the specific area you want to hunt, or 7.5 minute U.S. Geological Survey 'quad' maps. The state map is great to ponder at length (I have one up on my bedroom wall).

I hear great things about both the Craig and Gunnison areas for hunting success, but while I have driven through them I have never hunted them. There is mostly private land around Craig, with some national forest (Routt Nat'l Forest, Elkhead Mountains) about 25 miles to the northeast of it and lots of patchy checkerboard BLM about 30 miles northwest of Craig that trends into solid BLM. Not sure what the land there looks like, but the Elkheads are lovely. About 30 miles south of Craig is the Flattops Wilderness area, a very high grassy flat plateau with steep thickly wooded sides. The land down low around these areas will be totally open, and up high, thick pine and aspen groves.

Gunnison area will be pretty thick and rugged to the north towards Crested Butte, with lots of hunters. Northeast of Gunnison is the West Elk wilderness. Never been there (seen it from way off to the south), but it is high steep rugged country that should match your masochistic desire to foot-pack into it. To the south of Gunnison across Rt. 50, open bare grass and sage flats and hills (BLM land) trending uphill eventually to thicker brushier hills and eventually full forest on high national forest land.

You have to pick an area, find out what game unit it is, and figure out if that area has over-the-counter bull tags. Some areas are draw only, and most cow tags will be draw. The area west of the road between Rifle and Meeker in the northwest part of the state (north of I-70, west of Glenwood Springs and well north of Grand Junction) may in some units have excess cow tags that can be had without a lottery draw. Not sure what units they are, look on the state website noted above. This is mostly BLM open country. East of that is the Flattops area, much higher thicker forest.

Another area worth looking at is in south-central CO along the continental divide southeast of Gunnison. Find the highway 114 which departs southwards of Rt. 50 a few miles east of Gunnison. It runs south through BLM, then turns southeast and rises into national forest over the continental divide at North Pass. Then it descends along a long valley into the tiny village of Sagauche (pronounced Sawatch). On either side of North Pass and across it on the divide, there's plenty of high forest with lots of little dirt access roads, especially on the east side of the pass. You can drive in as far as you can and start hoofing it. If you go southwest along the divide, you can head to the La Garita wilderness. If you go northeast along the divide, you'll head towards Sargents Mesa and Marshall Pass. Either way the scenery is stunning. If you drop down lower than the divide crest, you get into more mixed open/forested country, trending down to more desert-like areas at the valley bottom. Better for rifle than bow. Get the state map and peruse it, then try to get out here for a few days of scouting whatever location you pick.

The Pagosa Springs area is beautiful, but after hunting there the last nine seasons, I can't wait to try somewhere else. Too thick and too few critters, I've seen only one buck in nine years (got him) and two shootable bulls neither of which I could even shoulder the rifle on. Most years we don't see but a couple of does and a cow or two between 4-5 guys in camp. We're going to have a pow-wow shortly to determine where to go next, and I'm going to push for the Saguache/North Pass area.

Figure your packs will weigh 65-75 pounds, get really good ones like mentioned previously. MRE's are not light, you might want to carry plenty of pasta (ramen noodles) and freeze-dried stuff, oatmeal, etc. The water purifier pump is absolutely necessary, but be aware that there is actually very little water available in the state, so you'll want to find a creek/stream on the way in and follow it upwards and camp not too far from it. In fact make that part of your hike-in plan if you can find one on a map. Get a couple of collapsible soft plastic water containers that can hang from a tree with a spigot, and take care they don't freeze on you (at night pull them down and store them spigot-upwards after draining out the spigot tube, so if it freezes it won't split the plastic).

Some kind of camp stove will be necessary since fires are frequently banned as noted earlier. A small but powerful backpacking stove using liquid white gas should do the trick. Figure at least a gallon of fuel for two guys for a week (propane stoves mean carrying the steel propane bottles; too heavy..other fuels mostly do not possess the BTU's per weight of Coleman fuel, and may be more expensive). Better to carry fuel out than run out while still in the woods. I see that you can get white gas in a half-gallon can too in some places these days, one gallon can and one half-gallon can should be more than enough. As a traveling companion of mine once said while vacationing with me out here in a cold October, "if you have a gallon of Coleman fuel, you're not going to freeze to death".

As mentioned previously, weather can change in an hour or two from warm/sunny (the sun is VERY hot here and can burn you to a crisp) to cloudy/windy/cold/rain/snow. Experiencing three different seasons in a day is not unusual here, especially in the mountains - they make their own weather, and delight in trying to kill you with it.

Since being caught out in a sudden rain/snow storm is a likelihood, something to keep in mind is that wearing cotton can kill you. Your sweat (or rain) soaks it and when wet, it not only loses almost all its insulating qualities, it will suck the heat out of you faster than you will believe. Invest in synthetic 'wicking' long underwear sets of the light to medium weight thickness (Patagonia Capilene, REI, Eastern Mountain Sports Bergeline, or old-fashioned polypropylene). Scrounge up a wool shirt and a wool sweater or pile/fleece pullover. A fleece, down or synthetic-fill vest is useful too. On warm days you can wear cotton but if the weather starts to turn bad get the hell back to camp RIGHT EFFING NOW! unless you are carrying a full change of warm/damp-resistant clothes or storm clothes in your day pack and can change quickly. You can get T-shirts of this synthetic material too, I highly reccomend them.

I usually wear light synthetic long johns under cotton pants in cool weather, but wear either wool or synthetic (Micro-tech) pants in the cold. Upper layer is a zipper-vent turtleneck of lightweight synthetic in cool to warmer weather, or if it's really warm, the synthetic T-shirt. The main thing is that the layer next to your skin stay dry (and therefore warm), which is what the wicking synthetic accomplishes. The next layer out from that should be something that can absorb the sweat moisture wicked out from the underwear and still stay warm - hence the wool shirt and fleece, which works great. If you wear any down filled stuff, don't ever let it get wet.

Bowhunting you will hit chilly mornings, probably mostly warmish to hot days, and chilly late afternoons/evenings. Be aware that when the sun gets low it can get downright COLD, RIGHT NOW. That also goes for when the clouds roll in and the wind picks up.

The sun makes it feel about 10-15 degrees warmer than it actually is, and can fool you badly. Say it's 45 degrees, bright sun, little wind, feels like 55-60, you're stripped down to a T-shirt or something, then around 3 PM the clouds roll in, wind kicks up, no sun (or it's late enough to be low), all of a sudden it's 35 degrees with a wind chill factor pushing 15-20, and hypothermia is right around the corner, especially if you're wearing a cotton T-shirt and cotton flannel shirt all damp with sweat from climbing a hill in the sun. Get proper clothes and WATCH THE WEATHER!!

I highly reccomend hunting together as a pair and not splitting up. If you are in rugged, rumply, thick country you can get lost easier than you can imagine (voice of experience here!). Since you'll be hunting strange country after packing in a ways, there'll be no roads, power lines, etc. to help you find your way back to camp or car. Have good maps, a compass (know how to use them!) and a GPS if you can beg, borrow, or steal one. Program in the location of your car, and the location of your camp. When you finally pick the spot you want to go, try to find not only the best access road to drive in and park, but try to pick an unmistakeable route to hike in by and hike back out by, so you can easily find your car again - say along a particular ridge or valley. Be very very careful about your navigation; don't assume that if you just go wandering into the wilderness, that you'll be able to find your way right back to the car easily! Unless you're using marked foot trails (something to NOT count on!) you'll have to really watch your land navigation. I could tell you some interesting stories about some misadventures I've had while going in no more than a mile or so.

Boy I wrote a lot. I well remember my first two-week drive-out vacation to CO, back in July '79 with my best friend. We hunted 'yotes for a week then went backpacking in the mountains in a couple of different places. Didn't know what we were doing at all, had marginal to terrible clothes and equipment, got caught by hailstorms in the mountains, hiked up in cotton T-shirts on sunny days in July and froze anyway, made a snowman out of the 8-foot high snowdrifts behind our timberline camp at about 10,500 feet (remember this is mid-July!) but overall had a wonderful time. Heck, I wish I was going along with ya, except for all that aerobic preparation...heheheh.

PREPARE CAREFULLY, ACT WISELY, AND HAVE A BLAST!!!

Oh by the way, if you've never been out here before, you'll be hooked and ruined for life...
 
North of craig is good elk contry I live in steamboat and hunt elk up on black mountain (north of craig)it's routt Nat forest.
the flat tops are a good bet to, more hike to areas less roads if you want to hike in I'd go with the flattops. I have a ton of info on hunting in northwest colorado, if you want more info i'll give you my number
 
I grew up in Fort Collins and have hunted the Poudre Canyon for the past 20+ years. Recently we have noticed a large jump in the numbers of elk in the upper canyon (unit 8). Every year we see in excess of 300 elk and never any other hunters. I'm not sure if the CWD has scared people off, but for the last 5-6 years, there hasn't been anybody else around. We always get our animals, but I'm concerned that the area is getting close to the carrying capacity. On the opposite spectrum, the deer population has disappeared. I've seen 1 buck (harvested) and several does in the last 2 years.

This may have been mentioned before, but a cow tag is about $150 less than a bull, and I believe unit 8 is an undersubscribed area (everybody gets a tag).
 
Weekend Warrior,

Also check the CO regs for drawing requirements. In recent years many areas for archery have became drawing areas. Areas around both Craig and Meeker are draw only for the season. Also as you know archery season here goes a whole month long. I hunt the whole season, but have had the fortune of taking elk early the last 3 years. The best time to hit the rut is definitely the last 2 weeks. Weather plays a role in this. You can bugle elk earlier in the season how ever the earlier people start calling the faster they become call shy. The second to last week is also muzzle loader season. Be sure and pack some orange. 2 times I have had a loader pointing a gun in direction it is pretty unnerving. Elk will flinch more from movement then color. For the week of mzzel loader I suggest wearing some form of orange.

Also, I strongly suggest you camp at you truck. I have packed into areas before and for some reason there were no elk around. I much prefer to hunt a variety of differnt areas then be stuck to just one or 2 canyons. Elk are extremelly mobil and will move great distances especially if pushed. Do yourselfs a favor camp from the truck. You will sleep better, have just as much fun. In all honesty I hunt my house and get into animals all the time. If you decide on hunting Craig area let me know as it is my back yard. Just do not expect me to tell the area where both my wife and I have pulled out 300+ bulls the last 2 years.

Good luck.

Let us know where you end up at.
 
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