Well it's set. I'm going on a DIY, backpacking, elk hunting trip in September. I'll be going to Colorado. I'll be going solo. I'm going to unit 71 for 15 days (if needed). I'm going to be "boots on the ground" from September 10th through the 24th. This is my first elk hunt but not my first solo adventure. My hunt prep started a month ago. Any advice from some of you seasoned guys would be greatly appreciated. Any trailhead advice or other info for unit 71 is also appreciated. THANKS!!
I can't offer any advice but I can tell you I am jealous! Hunt hard shoot straight and enjoy every second of it.
I'm with J-dog, can't offer anything but congratulations. That's a dream hunt for many guys, myself included.
I went on my first last year. Had a great time. I didn't hit that unit, but learned a lot about hunting there. PM me if you have questions. Biggest thing is getting in shape and having a plan for when or if you kill one to get the meat out.
Rolla, Missouri elevation 1,122 ft and Elevation of Lizard Head Wilderness area / unit 71 is between 10,250 and 12,000+ ft (from the internet).
Unit 71 looks like Gorgeous Country.
I live at 3200 ft and hike often to 5,6 and 7,000 ft. I have noticed the difference at 8,000 and 10,000 ft the few times i have been at that elevation.
Do what you can to get physically ready. That is alot of difference in elevation, something to think about.
It looks like beautiful country and the trip should be fun. You'll have a few more red blood cells at the end of it. Get Ready, Keep moving.
Congrats on the decision. Good luck and take lots of pictures to share!
Don't wait for something bigger if you get a shot offered, whatever is legal! Can't stress that enough especially hunting by yourself! We try to draw a unit that doesn't have antler minimums for that reason. Every year if I was using a gunbow, I could probably shoot an elk every year, to get a trad bow opportunity happens maybe once a season for me. The meat is incredible and is worth finishing early, plus by yourself a cow elk is enough to pack out especially for a flatlander! Get in as good of shape as you can! There are some excellent podcasts hosted by Brian Call AKA grittybowmen. Pick and choose from them, not all are applicable. Feel free to PM me particular questions, I'm really good at hunting elk but just not real good at killing them. If you are passing through Denver, make sure to time it around two things, Rush Hour, avoid that and rmsgear's hours 10-6 Mon-Thur and 10-7 Friday and Saturday, don't miss stopping there!
I hunted afew days in 74 last November. Lots of up and down. I was right up against the peaks that separate 74 and 71. The ground turned slick as snot with just a few inches of wet snow.
Tell us a story and show some pics when you get home.
<--- Jealous
It's been said already but congratulations! That is my ultimate dream hunt right there! Good luck, and if you haven't already done so, start hiking with heavy gear to get your endurance up to par
Please don't take this as a negative, but if this is your first hunt at that altitude, I'd seriously think about doing this with at least one other hunter. Lots of difference in Alabama and Colorado. There is NO amount of exercise that can prepare you to solo pack an elk out above 10,000' when you live at less than 1,500'.
LOTS of exercise helps, but only being at that altitude for months will really get you acclimated.
You'll love it! My best advice is that if you're hunting solo, please have a plan for help getting meat out. It's way too easy to get too far back and kill an elk, and I wouldn't want to get one out by myself further than about 3 miles under ideal conditions.
Best of luck to you! Have to say I am jealous!
QuoteOriginally posted by tradhunterRN:
It's been said already but congratulations! That is my ultimate dream hunt right there! Good luck, and if you haven't already done so, start hiking with heavy gear to get your endurance up to par
But don't start out heavy, gradually increase, try to get a couple hikes in the ozarks if you can swing it.
Carl...If you're interested I can give you the number to 2 different packers in that unit. If you are lucky enough to kill an elk they'll pack it out for $300 - $350. It will open up many more places for you to hunt solo and still be able to get one out. It might sound expensive reading it on your computer but by about the 3rd load out on your back it starts sounding a lot cheaper!
QuoteOriginally posted by DarkTimber:
Carl...If you're interested I can give you the number to 2 different packers in that unit. If you are lucky enough to kill an elk they'll pack it out for $300 - $350. It will open up many more places for you to hunt solo and still be able to get one out. It might sound expensive reading it on your computer but by about the 3rd load out on your back it starts sounding a lot cheaper!
That's real cheap when compared to this!
That's the miles I put packing my elk out last season.....
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f205/BasinHunter/235152FC-3CC0-4C9C-B9DF-94D20ACE5345.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/BasinHunter/media/235152FC-3CC0-4C9C-B9DF-94D20ACE5345.jpg.html)
Wow, that's a lot of packing Basinboy!
DarkTimber, :laughing: You're so right!
I've never used a packer. An important consideration is weather and timing. If the weather is warm and your packer can't come immediately, then you have a problem.
One healthy hunter can probably pack the meat out before your packer gets to the kill site. A lot depends on distance, but only you know what you can do.
Great advice from Old Goat.
I will add, learn how to use a good cow call. Try to avoid the squeak toys if possible. They all sound the same... every squeeze...
You can get many different sounds out of a good diaphragm and some practice.
They should be bugling their heads off at that time.
Have a blast!
j
QuoteOriginally posted by jleidy:
Great advice from Old Goat.
I will add, learn how to use a good cow call. Try to avoid the squeak toys if possible. They all sound the same... every squeeze...
You can get many different sounds out of a good diaphragm and some practice.
They should be bugling their heads off at that time.
Have a blast!
j
I've actually had pretty good luck more than once with a Wayne Carlton squeeze call, I about got run over by a herd my first season and that was in a hard hunted OTC unit, I wasn't confident yet with a diaphragm then, now I still use it to add an extra sound along with a diaphragm and open reed call and to use when I'm stopping to eat and have a mouth full of food or when I have a chew in. The good thing about the Wayne Carlton model is that you don't have to hold it in your hand like you do the Hootchie Mama, you can leave it in your pocket and operate it with a single finger! But I don't suggest relying on one of them alone!!!! Open reeds are a little easier to use if you can't do the diaphragm and it isn't a bad idea to have a couple on a necklace rig to sound like more than one elk. If you can use a diaphragm for turkey, you should pick up elk calling pretty fast.
Congratulations! You'll have a great time. I live in NW Colorado at alltitude. I ALWAYS hire a packer. I'm in my late 40's with plenty of energy to pack one out, but you saw BasinBoy's GPS track. $350 is way cheap compared to a hospital trip! LOL Besides, after you kill one you'll want to relax and enjoy the view while the packer puts it in your truck! Be prepared to quarter and hang immediately after kill. Look long and hard at the gutless method. I haven't gutted an elk in years, and I plan to keep it that way! LOL
Holler if you have any other questions. You are getting solid advice so far!!
Have multiple areas picked out to hunt. You don't want to pack into a basin and spend 10+ days in an area where there are no elk.
went when i was 34, was in great shape was running 3 to5 miles a day, but the elevation about killed me. that beging said it effects everyone differently. be prepared to drop down in elevation and stay hydrated.
It is sure nice to have several friends helping pack an elk out , I'm doing DIY Colorado again this year and hope I put some friends to work again....
,,,,Sam,,,,
Thanks for all of the input guys! I'm training hard! I'm hard core (or just plain crazy as my wife always says). I do have experience with altitude just not elk hunting. Even though I'm from Missouri the west has always agreed with me for some reason. Everyone is different I guess. I'll keep you guys posted with my progress!
I sent you a PM Dark Timber.
Have a plan to get it out. Know what your capabilities are with packing and don't stray from it. At times, I carry two quarters to cut down on the distance. Overall I hiked 42 miles and got half the elk out before snow pushed me off the mountain. Horses got the other half off.
Have a map and a compass and learn how to use them well. GPS can break or run out of batteries.
Plan for the worst.
Don't camp near the peak, when a storm rolls in your in the storm and lighting is very close!
Just don't overdue it the first day. Let your body acclimate to the elevation that first day. Also do a lot of scouting now by using GooglEarth or other map programs. Enjoy the hunt.
8-leg lover, I too plan on going to 71 this year as I was there last year as well. Tentively the plan is to be there for all of early archery. Arriving August 25th and Leaving about the 10th of September. I hope were not planning on leaving when the getting gets good but with ML Muley coming in I'm afraid the extra pressure will be a problem. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
The ML tag numbers are pretty small usually. Usually not an issue, I just put a really big blaze orange bandana on the back of or our packs during a ML season, if they are in front of me I can see them, if they are behind me they can see me.