DIY Colorado Archery Elk

[tjfslaughter]

For your first Elk hunt I would look at seeing if you can get dropped in via horseback, or semi guided, or private land.  My buddy Tyler owns this outfit https://www.westernhuntco.com/ and more pics here https://www.westernhuntco.com/

 

He used to work for a company that does research on units and "sells" you advice.  He is no longer with them but he might be able to give you advice in Colorado or Idaho.  He offers unguided hunts on private land as well.

[tommymo]

Did my first solo DIY archery Elk hunt in Idaho, last September. Let me just say, someone from the East (sea level) will never be in the shape needed to really kill the mountains, you can't really compare the elevation gain anywhere near here, so do the best you can to prepare. I spent many a weekend hiking various mountains in Northern NJ and near by NY with a 50 lb. pack, stair climber 3x a week, squats/dead lifts and in the end of the day the first day hiking up 800 vertical feet my lungs were on FIRE!!!! and I was only at 9000 ft!!!! It took me about a day to get used to the elevation and after that I really had not issues, the name of the game is slow and steady, one foot in front of the other.

It took me 2 years to prepare for this hunt, most of the time spent was on researching and acquiring gear. Here is what I think is the most important!!!!!!

Sleeping Bag - I got a nice ultra light REI bag that was supposed to be rated for 20 degrees, that was a bunch of BS. 3rd week of September this year in Idaho was unseasonably cold, snow/sleet/rain was the name of the game and nights dipped into the low 20's and teens. I froze my ass off, I literally wore all of my cloths and that was not enough. The good thing about REI is you can return your crap, since then I bought a 20 degree Kifaru Slick bag.

Trekking Poles save your knees, you can get cheep ones, I ended up with Leki carbon poles, I LOVE THIS PIECE OF GEAR.

Boots - I have Salomon GTX I found them on sale for 50% off, they worked great, what ever you go with boots will either break or make your trip

Pack - Its on you the entire trip, I have a Kifaru and its sick. What a pleasure to wear.

Delorme InReach - Little to no cell service, I was able to get a bar or 2 once I was up on some peaks, other then that no service, this little device provided my wife and family with a piece of mind to track and communicate with the outside world

First Aid Kit - I went crazy this year I will be trimming it down.

Water Filter - Sawyer Squeeze had no problems.

 

If you have any questions PM me we can chat  if you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Farmingdales Finest]

On 5/9/2018 at 7:17 PM, rocky said:

When I elk hunt out West I go out a week early for 2 reasons. The first one is to scout, and the other one is to get into elk hunting shape. Usually by the time my hunt is over I am finally in my best elk hunting shape. 

I won't be able to take enough time off of work to go a week early unfortunately. We will be driving from here to there.  According to Google Maps it's about a 30 hr. drive so we plan on leaving two days before the opener and come home labor day.  So about 4 days driving and 5-6 days scouting/hunting.   

[tjfslaughter]

I won't be able to take enough time off of work to go a week early unfortunately. We will be driving from here to there.  According to Google Maps it's about a 30 hr. drive so we plan on leaving two days before the opener and come home labor day.  So about 4 days driving and 5-6 days scouting/hunting.   

I wish you had more time than that. I would not go on an archery hunt on public land unless I had 10-12 days of hunt time. You will have a good time but it will go very fast especially if you hit any weather. For rifle Elk I hunt a minimum of 7 days and usually 10.


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[Farmingdales Finest]

2 hours ago, tommymo said:

Did my first solo DIY archery Elk hunt in Idaho, last September. Let me just say, someone from the East (sea level) will never be in the shape needed to really kill the mountains, you can't really compare the elevation gain anywhere near here, so do the best you can to prepare. I spent many a weekend hiking various mountains in Northern NJ and near by NY with a 50 lb. pack, stair climber 3x a week, squats/dead lifts and in the end of the day the first day hiking up 800 vertical feet my lungs were on FIRE!!!! and I was only at 9000 ft!!!! It took me about a day to get used to the elevation and after that I really had not issues, the name of the game is slow and steady, one foot in front of the other.

It took me 2 years to prepare for this hunt, most of the time spent was on researching and acquiring gear. Here is what I think is the most important!!!!!!

Sleeping Bag - I got a nice ultra light REI bag that was supposed to be rated for 20 degrees, that was a bunch of BS. 3rd week of September this year in Idaho was unseasonably cold, snow/sleet/rain was the name of the game and nights dipped into the low 20's and teens. I froze my ass off, I literally wore all of my cloths and that was not enough. The good thing about REI is you can return your crap, since then I bought a 20 degree Kifaru Slick bag.

Trekking Poles save your knees, you can get cheep ones, I ended up with Leki carbon poles, I LOVE THIS PIECE OF GEAR.

 

2 hours ago, tommymo said:

Boots - I have Salomon GTX I found them on sale for 50% off, they worked great, what ever you go with boots will either break or make your trip

Pack - Its on you the entire trip, I have a Kifaru and its sick. What a pleasure to wear.

Delorme InReach - Little to no cell service, I was able to get a bar or 2 once I was up on some peaks, other then that no service, this little device provided my wife and family with a piece of mind to track and communicate with the outside world

First Aid Kit - I went crazy this year I will be trimming it down.

Water Filter - Sawyer Squeeze had no problems.

If you have any questions PM me we can chat  if you like.

2 hours ago, tommymo said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I originally thought this was going to be a trip that I had 3 years to prepare for but last week my wife suggested we do it this year. The reason being after my son graduates there is no guarantee that he doesn't have a job by the time elk season comes around and then I am not getting any younger! 

We are both much bigger than average.  I am 6'2" and 278 Lbs down from 296 over the Holiday's after ballooning up from a construction accident that left me in PT for 4 months where I couldn't lift a gallon of milk with my bow arm and barely walk the dog around the block  this time last year. So I went from 250-296. I am shooting to be 240 and hopefully lighter by the hunt. Then my son is just a big boy at 6'5" 260 and not really fat. After a lot of research I found the Big Agnes Encampment 15 and it is much larger than most bags but at a weight penalty. Not much I can do about that though.

I bought some Eddie Bauer Trekking poles when I ordered some of their Guide pants.   These are the most comfortable pants I have ever worn and I may be done with camo pants for life.

A kifaru pack is just not in the budget but I bought for myself the Mystery Ranch Glacier for myself from Moosejaw.com for $250 on sale.  MR is the company Aron Snyder recommends to people that find out Kifarus don't fit them properly. It's rated for 90 lbs and it makes 50 lbs feel like its not much more than 25 lbs.

Based upon what I have read I want an Inreach for my wife's peace of mind if for nothing else but I have no idea what the difference is between the two models ro what would be better for us? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! I have never needed a GPS here in Nj so it will be something I need to get very soon to learn how to use.

I ahve a first aid kit and the same water filter already.  

[tjfslaughter]

Have you considered a drop camp http://www.co-outfitters.com/diy-drop-camps/ something like this?

[tjfslaughter]

http://www.peaktocreekoutfitters.com/Deluxe-Drop-Camp/index.php

[Farmingdales Finest]

38 minutes ago, tjfslaughter said:

Have you considered a drop camp http://www.co-outfitters.com/diy-drop-camps/ something like this?

I had not thought of a drop camp.  I have always been a DIY kind of guy so it never crossed my mind. 

I understand in theory our success rate should be higher because they would be taking us in to an area  that should be better scouted than I may be able to via aerial photo's because they actually are in the area and can scout it but I kind of like the challenge and if successful I am sure the sense of accomplishment would be much greater.  The biggest upside I see is having a mule carry my stuff in and out and if we do  get an elk then it saves a ton of humping it out but I am not sure that is worth an extra $4000 out of my pocket.  I also don't have a party of four which it sounds like they really want.  

Have you done this?  I am not closed off to it I think I just need to be better educated to the advantages of a drop camp. 

[DV1]

On 5/9/2018 at 9:25 PM, Farmingdales Finest said:

DV,

How many pounds were you packing?  Everything I have read has said 1.5-2 pounds of food per day. We will be hunting for 6 days so there is 10-12 pounds alone?  I suspect I won't need to pack any more water than my water bottles but if I fill my water bladder that's another 6 pounds roughly. My bow with arrows is about 7 pounds.  

Clearly I am a newbie with this but based upon the various podcasts I have watched on Youtube and what I have read my estimate of weight seems to be right in the middle for that amount of time.  I would like to set up a spike camp away from the truck and trail to maximize our hunting time and reduce the amount of miles we have to hike each day.  I figured we would walk into an area based upon the topo maps and google earth and once we find elk sign we would camp near there but I am not averse to setting up at my truck and hiking in and out each day. Frankly that may be the best thing too because I have a bunch of car camping stuff from when my kids were in scouts. 

 

If you read my post again, I said it was too much weight...unless you are planning on packing in a spike camp.  If you are carrying in a spike camp, it might actually be too light. I thought you were saying you were going to camp at the truck and hiking in to hunt every day, therefore 45 pounds is way too much for a day pack, even if you carry everything for an emergency stay over night. Don't underestimate the amount of water you will need. The altitude alone will dehydrate you faster than normal.

And as mentioned before, no hiking here, or work in the gym, is going to prepare you for hunting at altitudes of 9 or 10 thousand feet. If you were a family member, at your current weight, with the previous injuries you mentioned, I would not advise you to go this year, in fact, I would be more concerned than usual. Your age has a bit to do with it too, young guys who are overweight can handle the strain better than older guys...older than 45 or so. I would be afraid that you would get out there, not ready to hunt the Rockies, push too hard because it's a once in a lifetime hunt, and something bad would happen. So, as I would advise any friend or family member, take your time, plan it out well, get in much better shape, if you're over 50, see your doctor and tell him what you are planning on doing, then, go in 2019 and enjoy it much more. That is how I would advise my friends and family. 

 

[tjfslaughter]

Just now, Farmingdales Finest said:

 

Have you done this?  I am not closed off to it I think I just need to be better educated to the advantages of a drop camp. 

Yes,  I do think that if you called them you could get it to work for around $1,500 a hunter.  The advantages are you will be much farther than the truck based hunters, and walkers.  When you look at the equipment these guys are providing as well it might be worth it.  I would recommend giving them a couple of them a call. 

 

Currently I hunt guided in Wyoming for 2 reasons.  1. The area my guide takes me, non-residents are not allowed without a guide.  This greatly reduces pressure.  2.  You really cannot get back there without horses (you could walk but your meat would likely spoil by the time you got it out).  

[Farmingdales Finest]

37 minutes ago, DV1 said:

If you read my post again, I said it was too much weight...unless you are planning on packing in a spike camp.  If you are carrying in a spike camp, it might actually be too light. I thought you were saying you were going to camp at the truck and hiking in to hunt every day, therefore 45 pounds is way too much for a day pack, even if you carry everything for an emergency stay over night. Don't underestimate the amount of water you will need. The altitude alone will dehydrate you faster than normal.

And as mentioned before, no hiking here, or work in the gym, is going to prepare you for hunting at altitudes of 9 or 10 thousand feet. If you were a family member, at your current weight, with the previous injuries you mentioned, I would not advise you to go this year, in fact, I would be more concerned than usual. Your age has a bit to do with it too, young guys who are overweight can handle the strain better than older guys...older than 45 or so. I would be afraid that you would get out there, not ready to hunt the Rockies, push too hard because it's a once in a lifetime hunt, and something bad would happen. So, as I would advise any friend or family member, take your time, plan it out well, get in much better shape, if you're over 50, see your doctor and tell him what you are planning on doing, then, go in 2019 and enjoy it much more. That is how I would advise my friends and family. 

 

I missed the part about the spike camp sorry. 

I have already spoken to my cardiologist and he is on-board with it.  Even at this weight I am able to ride my mountain bike with a heart rate as high as 180 bpm.  If I go over as measured by my Polar heart rate monitor that I wear when I am working out hard I have to stop for about 10-15 minutes to get the rate down but can basically go unimpeded at 180 bpm which would be considered peak for a 51 year old.  I had a Widow Maker heart attack at 43 just 6 months after I won the Pan Ams for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I had 100% blockage of the LAD artery and the cardiologist that put my stent in told me I probably had at least a 90% blockage when I won the tournament.  I not only survived I had no damage to the heart. I am not on any heart medications and the only medication I take is 10 mg of Crestor which is an extremely low dose to help control cholesterol.  It's genetic with the cholesterol I was only slightly elevated at the time of the heart attack with a level of 218. 

I appreciate your concern about my age and weight but I have learned to work within my body and not push so hard for me that I or my cardiologist is that worried about it. That being said I will be taking a Garmin Inreach for the emergency beacon just in case as well as will be looking up where the nearest hospital is from where we hunt. 

 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Farmingdales Finest

[Farmingdales Finest]

36 minutes ago, tjfslaughter said:

Yes,  I do think that if you called them you could get it to work for around $1,500 a hunter.  The advantages are you will be much farther than the truck based hunters, and walkers.  When you look at the equipment these guys are providing as well it might be worth it.  I would recommend giving them a couple of them a call. 

 

Currently I hunt guided in Wyoming for 2 reasons.  1. The area my guide takes me, non-residents are not allowed without a guide.  This greatly reduces pressure.  2.  You really cannot get back there without horses (you could walk but your meat would likely spoil by the time you got it out).  

Thanks for the info and have you used the two services that you linked?

[tjfslaughter]

Just now, Farmingdales Finest said:

Thanks for the info and have you used the two services that you linked?

No I have not used them.  BUT I would at least call them and see what you are getting for the $.  I do know a guy that runs drop camps in Idaho that I have hunted with, he also has private land access in Idaho as well.  

 

[tommymo]

https://www.cabelas.com/product/DeLorme-InReach-Explorer-Satellite-Communicator-with-Navigation/1926518.uts?productVariantId=4039506&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=04052766&rid=20&ds_rl=1252079&gclid=CjwKCAjw_tTXBRBsEiwArqXyMpzU9tJtYy8lUkBfFX_bVHl6qQAA0ztfROuBiL1TB48OxPrYwdzSxhoCZwQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Something I learned, and I am far from an expert.

I spent 9 days spiked in the back country with my initial Spike Camp at 3 miles and I branched out from there everyday. I saw some Elk, had a chance at a great bull but the Elk Gods spared him, 2 more steps and he would of been in a clear 50 yard lane. My total pack with 9 days of food and 4 liters of water was just under 60lbs, my day pack is hovering just under 20lbs., my dry setup is at 38 lbs. I loved the idea of being away from the trail head and off the main trails running and gunning around the mountains, I quickly learned how important water is and how hard it is to find at times, and when you do find it, it tends to be 1000ft below you .... : ( So be prepared for the worst.

I ran into a group of guys at the trail head, they had 3 wall tents next to a creek with the works. When I was making my way up the mountain they were already 5 for 7 on 3 bulls and 2 cows and were there for 10 days, with another 10 left. What I gathered from them was they were living the life, sleeping on cots, eating well, never worried about water, never cold when they slept, and had the flexibility to drive all over the unit and find ELK!!!!  When I got back to my truck after 9 days, the guys in the wall tents were gone, but was told by another group of guys that were camped in the same area that they limited out with 2 more bulls and  left 4 days ago, meanwhile some one in there group shot a cow the night before right behind there camp at the trail head!!!!!!

Needless to say when I go back I think my plan is going to be to hunt multiple spots with in 3 miles from the road and be back at camp every night, as others have said, you dont need to be out in the middle of no where to kill an Elk, plenty are killed from truck camps every year. When you back pack in you really put all your chips into that spot which you have never been to and have no idea what to expect, needless to say which every you choose ELK are where you find them!!!!

Also, you have no idea how big Western hunting is, I recall looking at maps at home saying I will go here, then there, then over there, dip down here ,climb up there......that plan quickly went out the door the moment you realize that it takes you hours to make your way down and back up, try not loose to much elevation once you make it, its hard to recover it back LOL.