First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

I will be leaving tomorrow to go on my first elk hunt. I'll be in Colorado GMU 75, first rifle season, October 14-18. I've been planning and studying this do-it-yourself hunt for something over two years now. If I don't get washed off the mountain or stuck in a mud hole -- there have been substantial rains in this area over the last week -- it will be a lot of fun and I will learn a lot about elk hunting that I don't know today, even if I don't get a shot off. Good luck to everyone going elk hunting.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

You might check the National Weather Service for a clickable map of weather forecasts. I use it many times a week.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
This part of the country soaks up water very fast. Snow melts in a day or less. Past rain would probablyshow little evidence by the time you get there.
Good luck!

Let us know how it turns out.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Alsatian,
Wish you the best of luck.
May the elk be plentyful and your powder stay dry(or you scope fog free).
Have fun and always watch the wind.
BBJ

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Good luck Bud, keep us posted on how you did.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Alsatian,

Good luck and let me know how you fair. I'm leaving Friday morning.

AZBear

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Regretably I did not shoot or see elk. This was my first elk hunt and no doubt the lack of success is my own fault. I'll provide some few details here. Those who want more details, PM me with an email address and I'll send you a longer description of my hunt that I have written up and some pictures.

I hunted in Colorado GMU 75. My Plan A was to backpack into the Weminuche Wilderness at about 11,800' and hunt there, whereby I could exclude hunters not willing to get into this place. Unfortunately there was a fair amount of snow on the ground when I packed in, which impeded my movement. Opening day it began snowing at 4 AM and continued all day, leading me to packup and withdraw from fear of getting stuck up there. I had hunted opening morning overlooking a gully about 75 yards wide and 300 yards long which had some fresh elk tracks along the far side.

I did not have a Plan B. I more or less floundered the remainder of the first rifle season. I drove up the road, found a "likely spot," climbed up the ridge into the dark timber, found fresh elk tracks, followed the elk tracks for awhile, found no elk, walked back to my truck and either drove on or back to the hotel at the end of the day.

I found myself making some mental errors which I then corrected, but they worked against me for most of the trip. For example, I worked half-heartedly because I was telling myself I wasn't going to see any elk. Self-fulfilling prophecy. I left off following up a fresh elk trail one evening 1.5 hours before the end of legal shooting light because I didn't want to walk out in the dark, I didn't want to care for meat in the dark, I didn't want to carry the elk so far. These were all BS reasons because I was prepared and able to work and walk out in the dark and had both the physical conditioning and equipment to do the pack-out of the meat. Once I articulated these thoughts to myself I was able to fight and contend against them.

I felt the lack of good elk hunting tactics. Maybe I can try to get some clarity on this topic in the future here.

I enjoyed the trip and learned some painful lessons. I hope to return and try my hand again, doing better next time.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Al,

Perhaps there is more to be gained in elk hunting in knowing what NOT to do than there is in knowing what to do. You can learn a whole lot by going elk hunting and not getting one.... next year.... been there, done that.

Now you've got the mental picture of what you are up against, now it is just a matter of fine tuning.

EKM

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

EKM: Thanks for the solace. I focused on physical conditioning, acquiring good gear, and practicing shooting. I benefited from the conditioning. My clothing performed well: warm and reasonably comfortable under tough conditions of snow and melting snow drops falling on me from trees, rapidly changing weather (it was heavy snow blowing maybe 30 MPH Tuesday morning and 10 minutes later the sun broke out and beat down brightly and then 10 minutes later the sun was hidden again and in two hours driving wet snow returned), clothes drying out quickly overnight. I didn't get to shoot, but I felt comfortable with the shots I would have had in the set-ups I established. My view is next hunt I do these three things right again . . . and add to this new things that I do better next time. I need to scout more ground. I'll be on the lookout for any inner voices that deter me from keeping fully engaged in the hunt. I won't put any creedence in weather forcasts -- either forcasts that lead me to believe I can't get out and hunt or forcasts that lead me to believe that it is going to be a super day, I'll just go out and adapt myself to what weather visits that day. I guess the elk are out there notwithstanding the weather on any given day. I'll keep my plans flexible and have more alternative plans up my sleeve. I'll learn more about elk hunting tactics. I felt I was in a good area and did see lots of indications of elk at the places I was at. I heard plenty of shooting. The issues I have are things that I feel can be addressed directly and not beyond my control.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Did you have a good time? Did you make any lasting memorie?

If you can answer yes to either of those then it was a success. You'll do better next time, promise.;)

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

ShatoDavis: Yes, I had a good time some of the time but not all of the time, and yes I made some lasting memories. I remember feeling a couple of times extremely privileged to be out in the mountains seeing what I was seeing that few other people get a chance to see. These were times when the weather was particularly frolicksome and peeved, when it was blowing and snowing heavily it was really beautiful up there. Or at least this was a view of the mountains I had never had before during any of my summer time visits to the mountain. While watching a small park early Tuesday morning with heavy snow coming down alternating with fog and strong winds coming in I turned around to look back through the timber behind me and thought it really looked beautiful. I saw a lot of cool stuff.

Also, it occurs to me while I was floundering and doing a dubious job of hunting, this time I spent hiking about the mountains while carrying a rifle I was essentially scouting for future trips. I found places of interest -- beds, rubs, small hidden parks, ridges with good views of elk travel routes -- that I may be able to exploit in future hunts. I marked these places in my GPSand copied the coordinate readouts into a journal I keep.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Al.....
the experiences teach us all lessons.
Expectations of having a good time in the mountains means I always have success!!!!

As per the weather, I too am from Texas but been going to Colorado in summer and winter since i was a wee one.
As I tell some of my camp mates, you have to distinguish between warnings of snow/ice. In a normal weather pattern, at altitude, you get what we always called "mountain showers", much like on the coast, and it could rain for 5 minutes or 5 hours.....and during the colder months that means snow/ice. But it will be limited in duration and this early in the year it will melt before too long. Now a cold front with huge accumulations is another story. We had a couple of fairly new guys with us....at least new to Colorado in general. I field dressed my bull Saturday evening in the worst sleet thunderstorm I have experienced. Lightning flashing and thunder that shook my gizzard!!! I could hear my daddy's voice saying "what the he!! are you doing out in a storm like this"? But there was a head to cape off and meat to get!!! Sunday morning the sun was shining. That afternoon the same thing started again and the new guys headed back to camp, afraid to get caught out again in that mess. By the time they got to camp it had cleared off again. Lesson learned. I told them that only when they saw me headed off the mountain in my pickup was it time to panic!!! Point is, once you get some experience......weather, area, conditions.....under your belt, you will be amazed at how well you will do. You just need to hang in there and learn the area your are in. This was our fourth year in the area we hunt and I am still finding places I didn't know were there!

You also need to find a like-minded hunting buddy!!!!

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Alsatian,

Welcome back from Colorado...I was wondering about you and how you were doing while I was on Missionary Ridge and enduring the same weather you were. I like you didn't get my Elk but that wasn't because I didn't see them they were just really spooky and hard to out smart.

I saw 11 elk total one nice 5x5 not very big, two spikes and the rest cows. I'm not sure where you were at and if it did rain on you or just snowed.I spent several days hunting in the rain and freezing rain but that's Elk hunting in unit 75 from my past experiences.

I must agree with you that listening to the weather service was a big pain in the back side since they couldn't forecast their way out of a game bag. Finally just had to hunt and make the best of it and be ready to adapt. The thunder and lightning was my biggest concern and we had to retreat numerous times due to lighting "danger close" and no where to seek good safe cover.One thing is you missed all the rain you were having back home...didn't your area get 3-4 inches of rain while youwere gone?

Did you see many hunters while you hunting? My brother and I were talking about how it seemed there were fewer hunter out and about compared to the last couple of years. We did swing through the camp ground above Lemon Lake and it didn't seem to have as many campers there this time either.

We did hear lots of shooting and talked to a few hunter that did get their elk. Second season appeared to have started off better that we had it and my brother had a cow tag for second season so he was going to stay and give it another try.I haven't heard from him yet and I'll need to give him a call and see how the second season was.

AZBear

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Alsatian,
Sorry to here you didn't score, but am sure you will have memories you will never forget.
I have a question for you if you don't mind.
I get PM's all the time from first timers wanting to go Elk hunting on their own and ask for advise, I try and steer them to a guide or outfitter. Most balk and want to do it on there own.
My question is, How much do you think you had invested in the trip.
Time off work, tags, travel and so forth.
I have seen your posts here on site and figure you to be an experianced hunter and outdoorsman.
Thanks for any info. Keep trying. I live with Elk all around and don't score every year even with weeks of hunting.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Sorry for the rough trip. Still nice to get away from phones, work, andwhatever. Two of us hiked in first season with 80 pound packs to the Causway Lake in Unit 12. Roughly 4 miles in. Great county. Should of brought something to hunt grouse. Pea shooter would have had three of them.Didn't see another hunter. Visited mid Sept -sounded during the night like the place to be. Very little animals as usual. Saw one cow after hours on the way back to camp. Walked 5-6 miles a day. Partner runs 100mile races- so Icouldn't slack much. Weather existed. Spent opening afternoon in tentas we couldn't afford to get wet with limited clothing. As my fourth hunting trip - losingdirection a bit on what to do. Major passion as I grew up with a father that hunted elk-born in CO. Went everyyearuntilparents didn't groove. Now I have three little girls, 6K hunt not practical. Probably spent $1000 per hunt -Bob's question although I use vacation from work. We dehydrate our own food and that would include $175 worth of new stuff. Always seem to need that! I suppose it is a matter of playing the odds. Pick mushrooms in the spring, spear walleye diving arkansasin the summer, get skunked on elk in the fall and hunt deer/ducks/and pheasants in the winter.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Bob, to somewhat answer your question, from another view (on costs).

I'm going on my first elk hunt in 2 weeks, with a buddy/coworker, near Redstone CO, and while we aren't using an official guide service, we are hunting with his dad and brother who live out there. His dad has hunted the same exact area for over 20 years, so it will be almost like a guided trip, maybe even better in some ways, I'm hoping. We're using packhorses and hiking several miles from the road (I'm really looking forward to the thin air [:'(])

We're flying out from West Virginia (actually flying from Charlotte NC). Roundtrip airfare is around $350 (we used one of those discount online services), our either-sex tag for out-of-state was $499, and I'll have about $150 in food and snacks. Figure in other consumables like ammo, etc., and I think I will have around $1200 or so in the trip, upwards of $1500. My investment this first tripwas more, because I bought some gear that I didn't have, and also a new 7mm mag rifle, but if I get to go again, it should be around $1200 or so, just to give you an idea :)

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Sounds like one heck of a good time to be had. Don't for get the pics.
What I was trying to see was this.
Take the average Whitetail hunting Joe from Back East who wants to come out West for the first time to hunt Elk.
With the time and money put into essentials such as all the gear needed to camp( stove tent sleeping bags lanterns, maybe horses to get back in and improve the harvest oddsand so on), then with the airfare for at least another trip to scout, Your time off of work and then to have a average chance at scoring onan Elk.
You have a little advantage here as you can fly in( camp stuff is not needed) You know someone from the area giving you a greater chance at success( no additional trip for scouting needed).
Looks like you saved a great deal here by having someone there with the goods and knowledge.
I am trying to base this on my own experiance as when I hunted for Moose.
Thought about Alaska, Drop Camp or do it myself completely.
After I ran the numbers on all that was needed as well as figuring in my success factor, I went with a guided hunt in BC.
My cost was right around 5K, had I just went for the Moose with the guide.( I opted for more tags and a remote Fly in).
I was also able to drive to the location saving airfare for me and meat.
My cost would have been roughly the same or a little morehad I done a DIY hunt in Alaska.
I don't know by going with a guide I had a better chance of success and didn't have to deal with all the camping stuff and such.
This is why I was asking the question, to see what others had invested and if it would be a better deal for the first timer to just go ahead and go with a service.
There is a whole bunch of other factors I have left out that would sway one to go with a guided trip verses a DIY and to get the best odds on harvest.
Thanks
for the input.;)

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

We just got back from a do it yourself trip 2300 mile each way drive first season in Co and it was a first for all 3 of us. We hunted from 8.5 to 10.5 altitudeand did pretty well overall. One thing is apparent to me find one and you find them all. We are deer hunters and figured it would be like whitetails but alas it wasn't. We found some during scouting and then went into the 3rd day of the season before we saw any others. We quartered and packed 3 out all on the same day. Don't know if it was a fluke but we busted up 2 herds of 20 and 10 animals. It happened fast and luckily we all got to go home with an animal. 2 mature cows and a decent 5X5. We are all hooked and plan to do it again next year. In all probability we won't do as well but the trip and hunt is what we focus on and even an empty game cooler would be worth the trip to God's Country.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

AZBear: I parked my truck at over 10,000' on the later days of the hunt, after I pulled out of the Weminuche Wilderness on day #1. I saw only snow when I hunted. It was raining down in Durango where I stayed in hotels. I was sitting under one tree watching a park hoping elk would show (I have gotten feedback that this is a low probability tactic -- must be a thousand similar parks in this area, what is the chance on any given evening the elk will visit this one?) one evening and lightning struck a couple of times in the general vicinity. My tree was not the tallest in the general area so I didn't get too excited. Admittedly this was not a totally safe position. I do get nervous above treeline with bare rocks around when a thunderstorm rolls in -- in this circumstance I bug out and move quickly to lower ground. As I mentioned earlier I saw pretty heavy snowfall opening day in the Weminuche Wilderness at about 11,700' -- and there was lightning up there associated with the snow storm. That was a first for me: lightning in a snow storm!!!

I live about 35 miles north of Dallas, Texas. They may have had some snow while I was gone, but not several inches as you suggested. Maybe this was in another area of Texas.

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

Montana Bob: I think I get your drift. One issue is that if the wife sees me writing a check for $4,500 to an outfitter for a guided hunt that is likely to raise some eyebrows. A gradual out-trickle of money over an extended period of time for equipment purchases and a scouting trip out to the hunting area may stay off the radar screen.

After my first trip the idea of hooking up with an outfitter/guide sounds pretty attractive. The one area where I felt most unprepared was the area of hunting tactics: how does the seasoned, experienced elk hunter play the hand that I am dealt? I didn't have a clue and I made many mistakes. I am carefully identifying these mistakes and scrutinizing them and myself with painful detail, with hopes of learning from these mistakes.

In my case I had much of the gear I needed already because I have backpacking gear. I can't point to anything I purchased that I would have been able to avoid buying if I went with an outfitter. I made a scouting trip to my hunting area as an overnight backpacking trip with my son during the course of a family vacation to Durango in mid-July this year. I did buy a sleeping bag rated for -20 degrees for this trip that I don't need for backpacking (note: this bag felt a little cold to me despite sleeping in a tent, on a thermal pad, in weather that seemed to bottom out at about 20 degrees ABOVE zero -- so much for temperature ratings of sleeping bags).

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

we hunt elk in gmu unit 11 in colorado after hunting up there in the early seasons we decided to try 4 and late season and found it to be mutch more sucess;)

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

and alsatian why did you choose gmu 75 ????? did you pick it yourself or hear something good about it

RE: First elk hunt . . . Saturday
 

A career in elk hunting, is a career in frustration! If it were easy you would be elk killin instead of elk hunting. People who have never hunted elk will never understand an unsuccessful year of harvest isn't neccissarily unsuccessful overall.:eek: