advice for a Yankee on CO elk hunts

[mainecoon]

Actually a Red Sox fan, but same deal -- an east coast guy interested in hunting elk. I assume a guided hunt would be best if you don't know the territory. I'd like to hunt SW Colorado. Are there any guides/companies that are highly recommended?

 

[Art Eatman]

Free advice: Do some running up and down stadium steps. Get your legs and lungs in good shape. Remember: There ain't any air in the air, up there!

 

[Berger.Fan222]

Art is right. The mountains will thoroughly test your cardio. Being in good shape for Boston is bad shape for the mountains. Push the cardio pretty hard in preparation.

I've hunted SW CO a time or two (unguided), and it is a beautiful place. We enjoyed the mountains and the air and the scenery, but we did not kill any elk and only saw a few. I'm more of a DIY guy, so I enjoyed hiking in the mountains carrying a rifle. A guide will help get you up the learning curve more quickly.

Like many western states, CO has a complicated tag system, so acquiring a tag for an area that holds elk when you are hunting is a big part of the challenge that throwing money at a guide can't always help you solve. A guide can only put you on elk that are in the area you have a tag for if you have a tag for the right place at the right time.

Elk move to lower elevations when fronts push through and snow falls. This migration makes elk hunting much trickier than whitetail deer hunting where the deer pretty much stay within a few miles all year.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[ScrapMetalSlug]

-Get in the best shape of your life. There are plenty of elk on public land, no need for a guide unless you are set on only b&c bulls, or aren't in good enough shape to do without pack horses.

-Get blm and usgs maps of the areas you plan to hunt and scout on maps if unable to take some time to scout in person.

- read the colorado elk hunting university through and through here
http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/EHU.aspx

- don't plan on dragging your elk out of the woods like a deer back east. Be prepared to quarter and or debone in the field, and pack out your meat. Plenty of YouTube videos showing how to do this.

- enter in the lottery in April for the tags that you want. Either sex tags or cow tags will give you the best odds, but decide what and where you want to hunt. If you miss the draw, you can still get over the counter bull tags in 2nd and third season either way. First season tends to give the most favorable weather.

- have a good pair of binos, multiple layers of clothes. One big hunting coat won't work, the temp and weather changes too fast. Avoid all cotton, cotton kills.

- rifle, can probably use what you hunt deer with, anything 270 and up with quality loads will work.

- as far as which spots, most people are not going to give up that kind of information. You've got to put the time and research in.

- get excited, nothing else compares to a back country elk hunt

 

[steveno]

and when you get to where you are going to hunt get there a couple of days in advance so you can get use to the altitude. you can get altitude sickness at about 5,000 ft and it ain't any damn fun at all

 

[oneounceload]

You need to get to your area a day or two ahead of your hunt to get acclimated. I spent several years on the Western Slope, and hunting above 6000 feet for a flatlander can cause serious health issues if you are not in shape

 

[ScrapMetalSlug]

Steve and one ounce aren't exaggerating. You really need to train for it like any endurance athlete would. I know of no trick for the altitude, but the better shape you are in the more your body will handle it and the less it will affect you.

I have seen the altitude training masks, but they get mixed reviews on if they work or not. Fortunately I live above 6000 ft year round. Not alot altitude to get acclimated on the east coast unfortunately.

 

[oneounceload]

If you are hunting above, IIRC, 8000' you are very susceptible to altitude sickness which can be deadly if not handled properly

At higher elevations there is less barometric pressure and so less oxygen is dissolved in the air you breath. In Denver which is about 1 mile high there is 17% less oxygen in the air than at sea level. At 8000 feet the amount of available oxygen is 25% less than at sea level. All of the various types of altitude illnesses are basically caused by a lack of oxygen and your body's response to this stress.
Your body is an amazingly adaptable machine and will make the necessary adjustments it needs as you ascend to higher altitude. As you increase elevation your body's initial response is to breath faster. This works well to keep your oxygen level up initially but your body must make other adjustments because of the increased breathing rate. To keep your body in chemical balance your kidneys produce more urine. Over 4-7 days your body will adapt to the altitude by adjusting your breathing rate and kidney function. Over many days your body will increase the amount of red cells in your blood in an effort to carry more oxygen to your system. This does not occur soon enough to help you on a 10 day hunt for mountain goats in Colorado and plays no role in initial acclimation to altitude. All forms of mountain sickness can be prevented by gradual ascent. If you give your body time to make the necessary adjustments you will have no problems. A night spent in Denver before heading into elk camp at 7500 feet can prevent a lot of problems. If more time is available 2-3 days of gradually increasing your elevation will prevent mountain sickness. On the other hand if you are on a tight schedule as most of us are and quickly travel to base camp at 8000 feet you are much more likely to have problems. In fact, about 25% of unacclimated people will develop some symptoms of altitude sickness at 6000 feet. As elevation increases so does the risk of illness. Physical conditioning unfortunately does not prevent altitude sickness and it is very difficult to predict who will develop symptoms. If you have experienced mountain sickness before you are at increased risk. The altitude that you are sleeping at clearly plays a role. When you sleep your respiratory rate naturally decreases exacerbating the effects of low oxygen. Whenever possible sleep low and hunt high. As noted earlier a night spent at 5000 feet can really help your system adjust.

http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/bowdoc/altitude/

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Air in the air is overrated...but then, I live at 5,675' in CO. Art is right, though...get in shape before trying CO.

FH

 

[Robert]

SW Colorado, where? I lived in Pagosa Springs for a bit and still have family down there. I know at least one good guide and could probably point you to a few more.

Also, give this a read:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=661698

The right clothing and gear can make or break (kill you) your hunting trip. Nothing cotton. Not even a tee shirt to sleep in. Cotton will kill you in the mountains if it gets wet. Wool or modern blends are best with wool being my favorite though more expensive.

I am a tad over weight and have asthma so I have to pace my self hunting in the mountains. That being said, be is the best shape you can and be ready to walk, a lot.

 

[OYE]

The right clothing and gear can make or break (kill you) your hunting trip. Nothing cotton. Not even a tee shirt to sleep in. Cotton will kill you in the mountains if it gets wet.

Guess we've all forgotten about "Ventile" cotton these days with all the newfangled tex's and what not. The Ventile cotton immersion suits saved many a RAF pilot when they were dunked in the North Sea in WWII. And last time we checked it was still in use over there. And the Ventile cotton fire hoses certainly did an excellent job keeping jolly old London from burning to the ground during the Battle of Britain. Did we mention Ventile cotton clothing and equipment is still specified for British Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.

But we would have to agree that most cotton does kill.


We've always prefered the old adage " Stay dry, Stay alive" no matter what the attire.


Anyway a good supply of aspirin on a hunting trip in the high country is a must.
Don't leave home without it. And an accurate 5 day weather forcast updated daily ain't bad either.

Outfitters ? Might check with the state licensing board for Who's who in the area of the state you are interested in. Then you have your work cut out for you checking references etc.... OYE

 

[oneounceload]

Add to the clothing issue - make sure your boots are WELL broken-in, insulated; carry moleskin anyway and nice wool socks