Diy elk hunt

[dromsky]

Be prepared/equipped for weather from-7 to 70, all in the same day, and have a backup plan if the elk are not there. We went to CO this year for my 1st time, 3rd rifle season. Historically speaking should have been a foot of snow on the ground around 9000'. It was 70 when we arrived and no snow anywhere, elk were still in summer mode at 11-12000'. We needed to move 20 miles to get at them and we were not ready.
Elk hills are steep, think light packs, gear and guns. Hydrate, then hydrate some more.
As mentioned be ready to de-bone an elk on the spot, its about your only option without horses. Get a mile off the road and you will lose most of the competition otherwise its a zoo in the well known areas during otc season.
Take pictures, remember to have fun.

 

[Fin-addictions]

I would add something totally different and more centered on technique.

One thing I've noticed for most people hunting elk for the first time is how they aren't very aggressive. Elk are very gregarious, and they almost always move together, and if they aren't coming towards you, waiting to see what happens, more often than not, is a missed opportunity. With elk, more than any animal I've hunted, YOU have to make it happen. When you see, hear or smell them (they smell like a barnyard, and in timber I smell them often before I see them), move on them. Be aggressive and go for it. It's the hunters who move who get them consistently.

This is even more important when hunting in the rut, especially if there are a decent number of bulls around. If a good bull has a bunch of cows, the satellites aren't going to move a long ways away to find a different cow. But if you move close to them and then cow call, you'll often pull satellites immediately.

I had this happen a couple years ago on a bow hunt. I'd killed my bull already by pushing right in the middle of bugling bulls, and had several come in immediately when I started cow calling. I shot a very nice 6x6 at 7 yards.

The very next day I took a friend to the same area to help him fill his tag. We'd start calling and he'd hear them bugle a ways away, and he wanted to set up and keep calling. I kept urging him to move forward, get in on them, and then call, but he kept saying they'd come to us. We'd call for a bit and nothing happened. I couldn't get him to move in closer because he was worried we'd blow them out. The thing is you can fail in two ways. You can hang back and never get a shot, or you could move in on them and blow them out and not get a shot, but at least your trying.

Again, it's the aggressive hunters that MAKE things happen.

Also, I'm not talking like aggressive to other hunters either. I'm just saying if you see or hear animals, don't hang back waiting for something to happen. MAKE something happen!!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I would add something totally different and more centered on technique.

One thing I've noticed for most people hunting elk for the first time is how they aren't very aggressive. Elk are very gregarious, and they almost always move together, and if they aren't coming towards you, waiting to see what happens, more often than not, is a missed opportunity. With elk, more than any animal I've hunted, YOU have to make it happen. When you see, hear or smell them (they smell like a barnyard, and in timber I smell them often before I see them), move on them. Be aggressive and go for it. It's the hunters who move who get them consistently.

This is even more important when hunting in the rut, especially if there are a decent number of bulls around. If a good bull has a bunch of cows, the satellites aren't going to move a long ways away to find a different cow. But if you move close to them and then cow call, you'll often pull satellites immediately.

I had this happen a couple years ago on a bow hunt. I'd killed my bull already by pushing right in the middle of bugling bulls, and had several come in immediately when I started cow calling. I shot a very nice 6x6 at 7 yards.

The very next day I took a friend to the same area to help him fill his tag. We'd start calling and he'd hear them bugle a ways away, and he wanted to set up and keep calling. I kept urging him to move forward, get in on them, and then call, but he kept saying they'd come to us. We'd call for a bit and nothing happened. I couldn't get him to move in closer because he was worried we'd blow them out. The thing is you can fail in two ways. You can hang back and never get a shot, or you could move in on them and blow them out and not get a shot, but at least your trying.

Again, it's the aggressive hunters that MAKE things happen.

Also, I'm not talking like aggressive to other hunters either. I'm just saying if you see or hear animals, don't hang back waiting for something to happen. MAKE something happen!!

I agree with that philosophy 100% as long as you can keep the wind in your favor!!! Almost every one we take in bow or rifle season is when we move on them and not very often when we just sit there and cross our fingers, especially during the September rut hunt with archery equipment.

 

[brandon327]

When setting up camp for a elk hunt, is the area designated as a camping area or do you set up where you please? Is it accessible by truck? I have been reading elk hunting regulations for coloroda but haven't come across anything that answers that yet. I am trying to be prepared.

 

[cohunter14]

You can camp wherever you would like in most national forest, provided you are not driving all over the place off of a road. In most hunting areas, you will be able to find good camping spots on flat ground that have been used in the past. What makes those stand out the most is the game poles hanging in the trees.

 

[CogburnR]

In national forest there are distributed camping areas along many roads. You should get a motor vehicle use maps from USDA Forest Service - Caring for the land and serving people.. Basically there is camping within 100 yards of the road if there are dots along it on the map.

If you are off the road and not using a vehicle(no atvs) you should be able to camp in most areas.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

BLM is sort of the same way. Just use common sense and you'll be fine!

 

[cohunter14]

BLM is sort of the same way. Just use common sense and you'll be fine!

Yep, sorry I forgot to mention that