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Post by firstwd on Oct 3, 2023 20:05:05 GMT -5
My hunting buddy and I have finally decided that the sands of time have flowed enough and we are going to Colorado next September for an archery OTC, either sex elk hunt. We plan to go public ground but are currently looking into semi-guided hunts.
I have questions.
Are there any equipment must haves or don't bothers?
Are there any flatlander must do or must don't?
What 2 week period should we target in September?
What do I need to be looking for in a pack?
Are snake boots something I should consider?
Any advice is appreciated.
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Post by greghopper on Oct 3, 2023 21:06:43 GMT -5
Good luck and don’t forget us here …..
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Post by scrub-buster on Oct 3, 2023 21:12:38 GMT -5
My hunting buddy and I have finally decided that the sands of time have flowed enough and we are going to Colorado next September for an archery OTC, either sex elk hunt. We plan to go public ground but are currently looking into semi-guided hunts. I have questions. Are there any equipment must haves or don't bothers? Are there any flatlander must do or must don't? What 2 week period should we target in September? What do I need to be looking for in a pack? Are snake boots something I should consider? Any advice is appreciated. Disclaimer: I'm no elk hunting expert. I have been to Colorado twice chasing elk. Both trips we had warm weather and I took way too much cold gear. Get good comfortable boots. A high quality pack is nice to have. I have an eberlestock team elk pack. It's super comfortable. We went the 2 weeks before muzzle loader season. The day we left, an army of hunters was rolling in. We never saw any snakes. One thing that I would recommend for base camp is a good shower set up. I had a tent and a battery powered shower pump. We would heat up water and put in a bucket. There's nothing better than a steaming hot shower on a cool evening in the mountains. I used portable solar panels to charge power blocks for my phone. Get a good tent. My first trip I used a big dome tent. The wind at night would flap the sides in and out. The cot got pretty uncomfortable after a few nights. My second trip I got a Kodiak Canvas tent. It was a huge upgrade. I had a tall queen air mattress and slept great the entire time. I think that was the best sleep I've ever got. I talked to my doctor and he gave me a prescription to help with the altitude. Our first base camp was 11,400 feet. When you first get to high elevation, take it easy and don't over do it. Drink lots of water. You might look into bear tags. Our second hunt we switched gears and went after bear. My friend got one from the ground with an osage selfbow. We had a base camp and gear for spike camps but we never did that. Deer jerky and granola are good snacks for all day hunts. Get in shape! Put in a lot of miles with a weighted pack. I did a 10k road race with a 45 lb pack and made the top 10 for walkers.
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Post by esshup on Oct 3, 2023 21:35:42 GMT -5
Can you still buy OTC elk tags there?
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Post by HuntMeister on Oct 4, 2023 6:58:09 GMT -5
Many answers you seek will be determined by where and how you will be hunting. My experiences are DIY on public land. Condition, condition and condition some more. IME, Elk on public land will be up as high in elevation as possible and Elk hunting can be very physically demanding as Elk are nomads not home bodies like our deer are. Stay hydrated and stay away from alcohol. Get to elevation a few days before you actually start hunting to get acclimated to the elevation. Trust me, elevation sickness is no fun. I have not researched CO in a few years now, but archery season was generally OTC tags. If I was doing archery, I would try to be there later in the season to try and hit the rut, generally mid-late September. They used to have a ML season tucked in before the rifle seasons started. Colorado DOW website has many resources to help plan your hunt and good folks to talk with. Depends on where you go whether snakes will be an issue. Chat with the local biologist for this and other animal related topics. Where / how you are hunting will determine pack needs. If you are DIY, a freighter style pack frame with a shelf will be needed to packout your meat. IMO, some must haves are sunglasses, water purification means, first aid kit, GPS and good maps, a good quality pair of boots that will provide support. I could go on. Most important, enjoy the experience and don't set your expectations too high for a kill as they will humble you.
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Post by esshup on Oct 4, 2023 7:28:04 GMT -5
Equipment: Great glass. Spotting scope, binoculars, rangefinder. You will be looking for elk up to over a mile away, so make sure the spotting scope is of good quality. Find a flat spot here and look at something a mile away through it. If it isn't clear, it won't be good enough. If backpacking in, think ounce savings wherever you can. I bought a carbon fiber tripod for my spotting scope.
Temp swings in the mountains can be huge. We hunted the Greys River area for Mule Deer the first week in Sept a few years ago. We would have below freezing temps at night and daytime temps in the low 90's. The elk were bugling and in the dark timber 1/2 hr after sunrise, so a person elk hunting had to be up above them before that. A great headlamp with long battery life or a way to recharge the batteries would be good.
I can't stress enough the conditioning you will need to be in, and plan on drinking at least 4 liters of water a day. My buddy didn't and the first night he had leg cramps all night and couldn't sleep. Altitude = longer cooking time. He thought he could boil water like at home for coffee, I took instant and just had to warm the water.
If I was going out there now I'd plan on getting there 2-3 days in advance just to get used to the altitude.
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Post by firstwd on Oct 4, 2023 19:41:08 GMT -5
OTC tags are still a thing. Alcohol isn't an issue, been sober for 16 years. My son lives out there currently and he's doing the snake research for me. I'm in a shape, but not the right one. I have 11 months to remove my cranial lump from my rectal region and fix that,my heart doctor will be thrilled. My camp gear selection can rival a local sporting goods store. Boots, socks, and a pack are my biggest needs. I plan to hit Cabela's so I can put my hands on stuff instead of trying to judge stuff online.
What about calls? I was thinking maybe a cow call, but thinking a bad bugle is worse than no bugle.
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Post by HuntMeister on Oct 4, 2023 20:00:48 GMT -5
I would take both calls, the later in the season you get the less effective the bugle works as everyone for many days has bugled at them, some really well and some not so well LOL.
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Post by esshup on Oct 4, 2023 21:35:30 GMT -5
I have a pair of Danner boots, I forget exactly what model but they are great. I got them in the early Spring, wore them as much as I could to break them in before going out there. Get leather, not fabric boots. If you are ever in cactus country, the leather will protect your feet better than fabric. Goretex is my friend, it has kept my feet dry when my buddies feet were wet.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Oct 5, 2023 12:32:14 GMT -5
Snakes shouldn’t be a problem at the elevations you’re likely to be hunting.
I haven’t hunted elk OTC in Colorado, but I’ve hunted deer and bear during OTC archery. Hunting pressure can be intense. Late September will be peak rut, early September will be fewer hunters.
I’ve seen elk in Colorado in September from 7k’ all the way to 12k’. You don’t necessarily have to go super high.
I make due with an old Jansport pack. It’s not the best, but gets the job done.
Definitely bring good boots and decent binoculars. I have a spotting scope, but rarely ever use it. It all depends on the ground cover of the area you’re hunting.
Download OnX map and layers before you get there. Bring a small power bank for phone charging.
Plastic sheet and cloth game bags for in-field break-down.
If you have the time, a summer trip out there to get familiar with the area, find wallows, etc. will knock a few days off the learning curve when you arrive to hunt.
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Post by firstwd on Oct 5, 2023 16:30:20 GMT -5
Snakes shouldn’t be a problem at the elevations you’re likely to be hunting. I haven’t hunted elk OTC in Colorado, but I’ve hunted deer and bear during OTC archery. Hunting pressure can be intense. Late September will be peak rut, early September will be fewer hunters. I’ve seen elk in Colorado in September from 7k’ all the way to 12k’. You don’t necessarily have to go super high. I make due with an old Jansport pack. It’s not the best, but gets the job done. Definitely bring good boots and decent binoculars. I have a spotting scope, but rarely ever use it. It all depends on the ground cover of the area you’re hunting. Download OnX map and layers before you get there. Bring a small power bank for phone charging. Plastic sheet and cloth game bags for in-field break-down. If you have the time, a summer trip out there to get familiar with the area, find wallows, etc. will knock a few days off the learning curve when you arrive to hunt. Not sure if I can make it out there over the summer, but my son lives in Golden and has been doing long hikes a taking pictures this whole year. I'm hoping he can do a bunch of the leg work for me. I was thinking about sending him a handheld GPS unit and have him mark waypoints.
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Post by esshup on Oct 5, 2023 20:31:09 GMT -5
Snakes shouldn’t be a problem at the elevations you’re likely to be hunting. I haven’t hunted elk OTC in Colorado, but I’ve hunted deer and bear during OTC archery. Hunting pressure can be intense. Late September will be peak rut, early September will be fewer hunters. I’ve seen elk in Colorado in September from 7k’ all the way to 12k’. You don’t necessarily have to go super high. I make due with an old Jansport pack. It’s not the best, but gets the job done. Definitely bring good boots and decent binoculars. I have a spotting scope, but rarely ever use it. It all depends on the ground cover of the area you’re hunting. Download OnX map and layers before you get there. Bring a small power bank for phone charging. Plastic sheet and cloth game bags for in-field break-down. If you have the time, a summer trip out there to get familiar with the area, find wallows, etc. will knock a few days off the learning curve when you arrive to hunt. Not sure if I can make it out there over the summer, but my son lives in Golden and has been doing long hikes a taking pictures this whole year. I'm hoping he can do a bunch of the leg work for me. I was thinking about sending him a handheld GPS unit and have him mark waypoints. Having someone out there to do pre-scouting will help immensely! I have a Eberlestock Just one backpack and it worked great. The rifle fits in the scabbard so when not actively hunting it leaves both hands free and it has a 2 or 3 liter bladder to hold liquid for the day.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Oct 5, 2023 20:57:18 GMT -5
Snakes shouldn’t be a problem at the elevations you’re likely to be hunting. I haven’t hunted elk OTC in Colorado, but I’ve hunted deer and bear during OTC archery. Hunting pressure can be intense. Late September will be peak rut, early September will be fewer hunters. I’ve seen elk in Colorado in September from 7k’ all the way to 12k’. You don’t necessarily have to go super high. I make due with an old Jansport pack. It’s not the best, but gets the job done. Definitely bring good boots and decent binoculars. I have a spotting scope, but rarely ever use it. It all depends on the ground cover of the area you’re hunting. Download OnX map and layers before you get there. Bring a small power bank for phone charging. Plastic sheet and cloth game bags for in-field break-down. If you have the time, a summer trip out there to get familiar with the area, find wallows, etc. will knock a few days off the learning curve when you arrive to hunt. Not sure if I can make it out there over the summer, but my son lives in Golden and has been doing long hikes a taking pictures this whole year. I'm hoping he can do a bunch of the leg work for me. I was thinking about sending him a handheld GPS unit and have him mark waypoints. Forget the GPS unit and just go with the OnX app. Far superior, once you get the hang of it.
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Post by firstwd on Oct 7, 2023 20:35:06 GMT -5
Not sure if I can make it out there over the summer, but my son lives in Golden and has been doing long hikes a taking pictures this whole year. I'm hoping he can do a bunch of the leg work for me. I was thinking about sending him a handheld GPS unit and have him mark waypoints. Forget the GPS unit and just go with the OnX app. Far superior, once you get the hang of it. How would that work with his phone and me needing the information. Is it shareable? I've never even looked at it before.
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Post by scrub-buster on Oct 7, 2023 22:24:43 GMT -5
I believe you can share saved coordinates. We used onX both times and it worked great.
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Post by esshup on Oct 7, 2023 22:54:06 GMT -5
Coordinates, shows property lines, public land areas, etc., etc. I have it on my phone.
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Post by firstwd on Oct 8, 2023 6:45:45 GMT -5
I shall look into it.
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Post by hornzilla on Oct 8, 2023 18:46:20 GMT -5
My hunting buddy and I have finally decided that the sands of time have flowed enough and we are going to Colorado next September for an archery OTC, either sex elk hunt. We plan to go public ground but are currently looking into semi-guided hunts. I have questions. Are there any equipment must haves or don't bothers? Are there any flatlander must do or must don't? What 2 week period should we target in September? What do I need to be looking for in a pack? Are snake boots something I should consider? Any advice is appreciated. Snake will not be a problem. Don't except to kill a elk to have a good time. Buy a good tent. Any weather can happen. Get in shape. When you are. Get in better shape. Get a decent pack. Decent doesn't mean spending the family farm. Boots need to be broken in before hand. A compass or better yet a GPS. A means to start fire. Times two and a way to get wet weather fire going. Plenty of food. You will burn calories in the hills. Archery time. Last two weeks if September would be my choice And most importantly. Enjoy the mountains. I love it out there.
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Post by steiny on Oct 11, 2023 14:51:54 GMT -5
You've gotten some pretty decent advice. I've been elk hunting in Colorado, Utah and Idaho several times, have killed three bulls.
Get in shape - Walk a bunch to prep for the trip. Get out there early to acclimate to altitude for a few days before getting too strenuous. Drink about twice as much water out there as you normally would around here. Stay away from alcohol until you get acclimated a few days. Go with a couple buddies. You'll want the extra help packing if somebody is successful. Buy high dollar, first rate mountain hunting boots such as Meindl, Schnees, Kenetrek, etc. Stuff like Rockys or the rubber boots you wear around here will fall apart and cripple you. Have good binos and spend more time using them than marching around the countryside. Give yourself adequate time. A full week including the drive on each end cuts it pretty short, 1-1/2 - 2 weeks will up your odds considerably. Just finding some elk to start with can be difficult. Elk have more difficulty staying cool than they do staying warm. You'll often find them spending most of their time in the steepest, heavily timbered, north facing slopes. Get really good maps (or ONX) of the area that show the public / private clearly. Lay off the bugling and calling if you don't know what you're doing. You can get away with making some noise (elk are noisy) but you can't let them wind you. Have a comfortable camp, you could get weathered in for a couple days. Have a plan for taking care of the meat if you are successful; game bags, coolers, tools to break it down, ability to get some ice, etc.
Don't be disappointed if unsuccessful, it's still a fun hunt and great place to hang out. Take some fishing gear in case you run across a likely looking stream or reservoir. Take lots of pictures.
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