1st Elk hunt - Unit 54 CO
09-29-2009, 03:33 AM
#21
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 24
I have the Meindl Perfekt hunters and love them. I had no opportunity to break them in before a brief backpacking trip in 2006 and figured I would just suffer through with whatever pain ensued, but there was no break-in needed. No kidding. Very unusual. I say this as someone who just did about 35 miles of break-in (2 miles and 3 miles at a stretch -- more would have led to blisters, likely) on a new pair of backpacking boots. Good boots. I haven't noticed that they keep my feet any warmer than uninsulated backpacking boots (they have about 400 grams of thinsulate, supposedly), but I guess I can live with that.
Sure, the .257 Weatherby Magnum is not the cartridge of choice for Elk, as you have acknowledged, but it will take Elk. Good advice I've read from others applies to your use of your .257 -- shoot until the Elk drops to the ground, don't watch to see what is going to happen before reloading and shooting again.
Sure, the .257 Weatherby Magnum is not the cartridge of choice for Elk, as you have acknowledged, but it will take Elk. Good advice I've read from others applies to your use of your .257 -- shoot until the Elk drops to the ground, don't watch to see what is going to happen before reloading and shooting again.
As far as the .257 Weatherby.......I'll be slinging lead as safely and as frequently as possible!
Your enthusiam is contagious and I almost wish I could tag along with your group, it just sounds like it will be a lot of fun. I really like the week of scouting and FISHING! Two weeks of straight outdoors a long ways from home sounds like a blast.
Reading your posts I think you'll be in plenty good shape. You can never be in too good of shape but you will need to acclimate yourself to the higher elevation and this is very critical and has nothing to do with how good of shape you're in. Just make sure you spend at least 24 hours at 7000 to 8000 ft doing very little before heading up beyond that. Don't get to your cabin and start doing your workout in anticipation. Again give your body 24 hours to acclimate below 8,000. Altitude sickness will ruin your whole 2 weeks so make sure you heed this advice.
Enjoy your trip and make sure you let us know how it goes!
Reading your posts I think you'll be in plenty good shape. You can never be in too good of shape but you will need to acclimate yourself to the higher elevation and this is very critical and has nothing to do with how good of shape you're in. Just make sure you spend at least 24 hours at 7000 to 8000 ft doing very little before heading up beyond that. Don't get to your cabin and start doing your workout in anticipation. Again give your body 24 hours to acclimate below 8,000. Altitude sickness will ruin your whole 2 weeks so make sure you heed this advice.
Enjoy your trip and make sure you let us know how it goes!
Our cabin and the surrounding low-lying areas are right around 9,000 feet. Sometime during the first week we will definitely be climbing Carbon Peak which tops out around 12,000 ft. Once we get those first couple days under our belt I think we can take it up a notch!
Last edited by asines; 09-29-2009 at 03:39 AM.
09-29-2009, 05:51 AM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,927
Make sure you have good maps and a compass and know how to use them. Use both the maps and GPS when taking readings and keep track of where you are. If the GPS goes out suddenly (dropped, or dead battery) then you'll have a good idea of where you are and how to get where you want to go. If you wait until it dies to look at the map you may not be able to figure out where you are for certain.
Have fun.
Have fun.
09-29-2009, 06:50 AM
#23
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 24
Make sure you have good maps and a compass and know how to use them. Use both the maps and GPS when taking readings and keep track of where you are. If the GPS goes out suddenly (dropped, or dead battery) then you'll have a good idea of where you are and how to get where you want to go. If you wait until it dies to look at the map you may not be able to figure out where you are for certain.
Have fun.
Have fun.
09-29-2009, 09:04 AM
#24
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cedar Valley Utah
Posts: 977
My whole approach is that sure, I can probably go out there without much cardiovascular preparation, take my time, and have a good time. But I plan on hunting HARD. Obviously knowing your body's limits and taking heed is a wise thing to do......but if I can increase my success chances by being in a little better shape, then I plan on doing that. I'm hovering around the 250 mark right now, but I can still run a sub 9:00 mile. It isn't blistering my any means (nor is it worthy of any kind of bragging), but for those of you who know what it's like to carry around that kind of weight, that's not bad.
Our cabin and the surrounding low-lying areas are right around 9,000 feet. Sometime during the first week we will definitely be climbing Carbon Peak which tops out around 12,000 ft. Once we get those first couple days under our belt I think we can take it up a notch!
09-29-2009, 11:12 AM
#25
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 24
I think you understand what I'm saying but I couldn't tell by your post for sure. Again to properly acclimate you must get your red blood cell count up. This has nothing to do with your fitness level. To do it properly you should spend 24 hrs with little excertion at 7,000 to 8,000 ft. (I guess you'll be at 9,000 ft) You should also avoid alcohol in the first 24 hrs. I've just seen a lot of people get sick and ruin their hunt. Symptoms of altitude sickness include lightheadness, headaches, fatigue, naseau, insomnia, among others. You'll probably be fine but just trying to help.
10-02-2009, 06:22 AM
#28
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 8
Living in Colorado, I must say you have already received lots of topnotch advice.
Only thing I can add (or may have missed) is make sure you dress in layers. In October it can be in the 30's at night and either peak in the 50's or go as high as the mid 60's. Lot's of people have had a miserable day out here because they think a cold night / morning means a cold day.
The thinner air allows for a large temperature swing. Also the sun is much stronger at higher elevations. The inside of a car will get as warm on a 60 degree day as a car at low elevations on an 80 degree day. So have a pack you can put your peeled layers into.
All the advice on water is crucial, as is the advice on acclimating to the altitude. Cardio conditioning is important as it makes O2 usage more efficient (probably know this from your working out). I would highly recommend switching between steady as you go cardio with interval cardio training. The interval will push you to an anaerobic limit, which will get you there faster.
And yes, several days to acclimate will help raise your red blood cell count.
Good luck and enjoy your hunt. Crested Butte is a beautiful area.
And if you get your elk early on, fall fly fishing can be fantastic out here, but the temperatures keep many people away.
Only thing I can add (or may have missed) is make sure you dress in layers. In October it can be in the 30's at night and either peak in the 50's or go as high as the mid 60's. Lot's of people have had a miserable day out here because they think a cold night / morning means a cold day.
The thinner air allows for a large temperature swing. Also the sun is much stronger at higher elevations. The inside of a car will get as warm on a 60 degree day as a car at low elevations on an 80 degree day. So have a pack you can put your peeled layers into.
All the advice on water is crucial, as is the advice on acclimating to the altitude. Cardio conditioning is important as it makes O2 usage more efficient (probably know this from your working out). I would highly recommend switching between steady as you go cardio with interval cardio training. The interval will push you to an anaerobic limit, which will get you there faster.
And yes, several days to acclimate will help raise your red blood cell count.
Good luck and enjoy your hunt. Crested Butte is a beautiful area.
And if you get your elk early on, fall fly fishing can be fantastic out here, but the temperatures keep many people away.
10-02-2009, 07:04 AM
#29
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
With reference to conditioning, mountains, acclimitization . . . if you've been to the high mountains before, you know what that's all about. If you haven't been to the high mountains, you have already been advised about what can happen but realize that for most people that doesn't happen -- most people don't experience anything more severe than a mild headache and many don't experience any such symptoms. Of course, the thin air will have an impact, there is no getting around that. Don't be afraid to move at the pace that suits you. Some people go super slow but never stop. I like to move faster and then have to stop periodically to catch my breath. It probably doesn't make too much difference one way or the other. The biggest advantage, as far as I'm concerned, about conditioning isn't that it saves you the problem of getting out of breath -- I wouldn't count on that effect -- but that it builds your stamina so you can keep at it all day long and for a week at a time. Without proper conditioning, many people "crash." They just reach the point where they throw in the towel and they can't keep going. It sounds like your conditioning efforts will prevent this from happening. Good luck on your hunt.
Since this is your first elk hunt, keep in mind that it probably won't be your last elk hunt. Be mindful that you will make mistakes -- probably -- which you will learn from and benefit from on your next elk hunt. It would be strange if elk hunting were the one human enterprise for which accumulated experience did not carry any advantages.
Since this is your first elk hunt, keep in mind that it probably won't be your last elk hunt. Be mindful that you will make mistakes -- probably -- which you will learn from and benefit from on your next elk hunt. It would be strange if elk hunting were the one human enterprise for which accumulated experience did not carry any advantages.
10-05-2009, 06:26 AM
#30
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 24
Living in Colorado, I must say you have already received lots of topnotch advice.
Only thing I can add (or may have missed) is make sure you dress in layers. In October it can be in the 30's at night and either peak in the 50's or go as high as the mid 60's. Lot's of people have had a miserable day out here because they think a cold night / morning means a cold day.
The thinner air allows for a large temperature swing. Also the sun is much stronger at higher elevations. The inside of a car will get as warm on a 60 degree day as a car at low elevations on an 80 degree day. So have a pack you can put your peeled layers into.
All the advice on water is crucial, as is the advice on acclimating to the altitude. Cardio conditioning is important as it makes O2 usage more efficient (probably know this from your working out). I would highly recommend switching between steady as you go cardio with interval cardio training. The interval will push you to an anaerobic limit, which will get you there faster.
And yes, several days to acclimate will help raise your red blood cell count.
Good luck and enjoy your hunt. Crested Butte is a beautiful area.
And if you get your elk early on, fall fly fishing can be fantastic out here, but the temperatures keep many people away.
Only thing I can add (or may have missed) is make sure you dress in layers. In October it can be in the 30's at night and either peak in the 50's or go as high as the mid 60's. Lot's of people have had a miserable day out here because they think a cold night / morning means a cold day.
The thinner air allows for a large temperature swing. Also the sun is much stronger at higher elevations. The inside of a car will get as warm on a 60 degree day as a car at low elevations on an 80 degree day. So have a pack you can put your peeled layers into.
All the advice on water is crucial, as is the advice on acclimating to the altitude. Cardio conditioning is important as it makes O2 usage more efficient (probably know this from your working out). I would highly recommend switching between steady as you go cardio with interval cardio training. The interval will push you to an anaerobic limit, which will get you there faster.
And yes, several days to acclimate will help raise your red blood cell count.
Good luck and enjoy your hunt. Crested Butte is a beautiful area.
And if you get your elk early on, fall fly fishing can be fantastic out here, but the temperatures keep many people away.
I've implemented more HIIT (high intensity interval training) type cardio as my trip has come closer. The initial low intensity, long duration cardio was primarily for some fat loss. I'm feeling pretty confident right now about my conditioning. All I have to do it seems is to take my time, keep pounding down the water, and keep something in my stomach. I think it'll work out pretty good.
With reference to conditioning, mountains, acclimitization . . . if you've been to the high mountains before, you know what that's all about. If you haven't been to the high mountains, you have already been advised about what can happen but realize that for most people that doesn't happen -- most people don't experience anything more severe than a mild headache and many don't experience any such symptoms. Of course, the thin air will have an impact, there is no getting around that. Don't be afraid to move at the pace that suits you. Some people go super slow but never stop. I like to move faster and then have to stop periodically to catch my breath. It probably doesn't make too much difference one way or the other. The biggest advantage, as far as I'm concerned, about conditioning isn't that it saves you the problem of getting out of breath -- I wouldn't count on that effect -- but that it builds your stamina so you can keep at it all day long and for a week at a time. Without proper conditioning, many people "crash." They just reach the point where they throw in the towel and they can't keep going. It sounds like your conditioning efforts will prevent this from happening. Good luck on your hunt.
Since this is your first elk hunt, keep in mind that it probably won't be your last elk hunt. Be mindful that you will make mistakes -- probably -- which you will learn from and benefit from on your next elk hunt. It would be strange if elk hunting were the one human enterprise for which accumulated experience did not carry any advantages.
Since this is your first elk hunt, keep in mind that it probably won't be your last elk hunt. Be mindful that you will make mistakes -- probably -- which you will learn from and benefit from on your next elk hunt. It would be strange if elk hunting were the one human enterprise for which accumulated experience did not carry any advantages.