Alsatian

KB-42: A few other important points. You and your husband will have to complete a hunter safety course to elk hunt. You need this hunter safety certificate BEFORE you apply for your elk license. In Colorado you will both need to apply TIMELY for an elk hunting license in the annual license drawing that takes place in very early April. Thus, you need to have figured out your plans by early March 2018. On your application, each of your applications should indicate that they are "PARTY" applications and they cross-identify each other. The on-line application web site provides details on how this is done. I recommend you read all those instructions carefully. This means you plan to hunt as a party. In this case, either you both draw or you both fail to draw. There isn't any possibility that one of you would draw and the other would fail to draw. You will need to carry your hunters education card with you while hunting. In Colorado you will also need to purchase a Habitat Stamp -- something like $10 -- and carry that with you while hunting. You need to carry your elk hunting permit with you.


Of course, it could be that one of you wants to hunt and the other just wants to tag along for the experience. Then, of course, only one of you needs to apply. The outfitter will charge to take one of you as an observer instead of a full-up hunter, as the non-hunter is still consuming resources.


If you are going with an outfitter, you should expect your outfitter to tell you important things like what a legal elk is. Presumably you would have a guide and the guide will scare up an elk for you and tell you shoot or don't shoot. By the way the first rifle season in Colorado is an "either sex" elk hunt. You can shoot either a bull or a cow. If you aren't seeking to have an elk head mounted, there is no dishonour in taking a cow. I think cow elk meat tastes better than bull elk meat. There are more cows than bulls, so to some extent finding and shooting a cow may be easier.


The non-resident Colorado elk hunting permit costs in the neighbourhood of $660. It may be closer to $50 for Colorado residents. An outfitted guided elk hunt may run about $5000 for one hunter and twice that for two hunters. If one of the individuals is not a hunter but an observer, there may be a modest discount for the observer -- maybe a charge of $4000 for the observer. These are all "ball park" kind of numbers to give you a general feel for what the bill will run you. If you kill an elk, the outfitter will cut up the elk and pack it down to the trailhead where your car is located, but you will have to process the elk meat from there on -- either process it yourself or pay a local meat processor to do this for you. If you live out of state, you may have to pay for them to ship the meat to you, which can be expensive. You could possibly transport the meat back home and have it processed where you live. You would have to do things to keep the meat unspoiled during the drive home. If you fly, I'm not sure that is an option: in that case probably have to pay a local processor to both package the meat and ship it to you.


I hope this provides some helpful information.


Elk hunting is a vigorous sport. You and your future groom should trim your weight and workout in the gym. To some extent the outfitter will buffer you from some physical hardships but it will still be physically challenging I would think. And don't forget all of this fun takes place at about 11,000 feet of elevation where the air is thin. Focus on aerobic exercise, leg strength, and core strength. Endurance is useful to keep going. Walking is not to be disdained as a good exercise. Walk 2-3 miles every day with a 25 LBS pack on your back. Work up to both the distance and the pack load. Do this in ADDITION to aerobic and strength exercises.