Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

1st solo backcountry hunt!

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mattfly77

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Jan 9, 2016
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Hey all,
I'm planning on my 1st ever solo high country backpacking elk hunt and wanted to see if any of you solo veterans could lend any advice. I've been backpack hunting two other times, one of which was a backcountry hunt with a buddy last year in Colorado. I'm headed back by myself this year, something I've always wanted to do, and also because none of my hunting friends back home care to do anything like this. I'm pretty experienced in the camping arena, just not solo in the backcountry. I plan on buying a Garmin Inreach device for obvious reasons since I'll be solo. Will have other devices with OnxMaps on them too.

Will be camping anywhere from 8000-10,000 ft. Any advice on the whole solo aspect of it would be greatly appreciated! I know there will be bears in the areas I'll be so I'll be sure not to keep any food in the tents and have it all strung up in a tree a ways away.

Thanks for any input!
 
1) Be in the best shape you can get in
2) Pack smart, be efficient with your gear to minimize weight
3) Take something to read
4) Take a journal
5) Take good food
6) Take good whiskey
7) Take lots of pictures
8) Talk to yourself if you need to
 
Take a shorter trial run locally, just work out the bugs....

Good luck
 
Elk63 said:
Take a shorter trial run locally, just work out the bugs....

Good luck
Click to expand...

^^^ This ^^^

And try to make it as far as high and as heavy as you plan for fall. If possible, go to your unit and find a good place to setup a spike camp and spend a few days scouting for water and other sign.
 
JLS said:
1) Be in the best shape you can get in
2) Pack smart, be efficient with your gear to minimize weight
3) Take something to read
4) Take a journal
5) Take good food
6) Take good whiskey
7) Take lots of pictures
8) Talk to yourself if you need to
Click to expand...

haha, Some contradictory advice in here (whiskey = unnecessary [I would argue] weight), but it's all good.
My solo hunts are actually the only time I don't drink alcohol.
I find I don't have time to read. I'm either hunting or sleeping. I do take a few sheets to jot notes on, but a whole journal would be like the weight of an extra flask of whiskey.
Don't overlook the midday nap if you're not into animals. Sometimes midday hunting can be productive, but otherwise, find some shade and get some rest.
Figure out the power setting on your camera/phone so you can conserve your battery if it's not replaceable. I could go a week on my last phone if I put it in airplane mode and extreme power saving mode. Just got a new one today, so will be figuring that one out.

DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID! Last year I was moving too fast for no particular reason. I was careless and fell as I was stepping over a deadfall and dinged my bow pretty good on the rocky ground. Woulda thought that would have taught me a lesson, but within a quarter mile, I fell again and this time sprained my ankle. There's nothing worse than hearing your ankle go 'pop' when you're four miles in. I was lucky and it wasn't too bad, but I did lose a couple days of hunting and it definitely kept me from my usual level of mobility.

I go in for about 5 - 6 days at a time. At that point, I don't mind coming out for a food resupply mid-day and changing into new clothes after I have a shower from a sea to summit backpacking shower. Nothing like it to revitalize yourself. You might be in too far for that, but if you're only 5 miles or so in, I like it.
Take your time, enjoy the solitude, and have fun!
 
Pretty good advice here. I've been solo twice to CO for elk. The first time I went was solo.

Packing smart and as light as possible is the advice that stands out to me. Stay safe but pack light.
Take time to eat and drink.
Practice positive thinking, saying positive things to yourself.
Have a plan for getting one out.
Contact the warden and let them know you will be in there solo. Give them your itinerary.

One of the best feelings I've ever had was success on a solo hunt. Good luck
HD
 
If you get an animal down, go slow and pay attention with the knife work. Cutting yourself alone in the backcountry could be a bad deal.
 
Great info guys, really appreciate it! Yeah, I will be in maybe 5 miles, 6 at the most. I will be in Colorado, so I know black bears will be around. For the most part I know they don't want any part of humans but there's always that one, I'm sure. Any advice on dealing with them if they make it in to your camp site at night? I know to hang the food, don't keep any in your tent, etc.
 
I know black bears can be aggressive, and dangerous in some situations, it does happen. But I can tell you that the 5 I have seen in the last few years wanted nothing to do with me once they figured out what I was, and vacated the area quick.
 
mattfly77 said:
Great info guys, really appreciate it! Yeah, I will be in maybe 5 miles, 6 at the most. I will be in Colorado, so I know black bears will be around. For the most part I know they don't want any part of humans but there's always that one, I'm sure. Any advice on dealing with them if they make it in to your camp site at night? I know to hang the food, don't keep any in your tent, etc.
Click to expand...

Pick up a bear tag for your unit if they are available. That should pretty much guarantee you won't see one, or at least it usually works that way for me.
 
ishootdasmallones said:
I know black bears can be aggressive, and dangerous in some situations, it does happen. But I can tell you that the 5 I have seen in the last few years wanted nothing to do with me once they figured out what I was, and vacated the area quick.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I grew up in Arkansas and ran into 2 my whole life there while squirrel hunting....both ran away like a scalded dog. I was curious if they were like that out west too, and it sounds like it from your comment. I'll carry a can of bear spray just to be safe.....
 
haha, Some contradictory advice in here (whiskey = unnecessary [I would argue] weight), but it's all good.
Click to expand...

The whiskey, book, journal are certainly something one could consider unnecessary weight. I am out there to have fun, not go through a suffer fest. It's a fine balance between being minimalistic and comfortable vs. minimalistic and uncomfortable.

The first time you spend a couple of days in the tent during a deluge, you'll wish you had a book. :)

I find the good food and good whiskey go a long ways towards my mental state, which I personally think is the biggest hurdle on a solo hunt.

go slow and pay attention with the knife work
Click to expand...

Great advice. When you are by yourself, you will want to rush through this process. Be very methodical and if you find yourself doing something stupid, correct it.

Any advice on dealing with them if they make it in to your camp site at night? I know to hang the food, don't keep any in your tent, etc.
Click to expand...

I always carry bear spray. If one is in camp, he's getting the hot sauce. Hang your food and keep a clean camp and you should be fine. I do most of my hunts in griz country, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about bears.

Contact the warden and let them know you will be in there solo. Give them your itinerary.
Click to expand...

Also very good advice. I give my itinerary to my wife, and give her a time and date where if she hasn't heard from me, she should call to start the search in motion. I am meticulous about this, leaving the drainage names/local landmarks, trailhead, county, sheriff's office number, and game warden number. I never EVER change plans without updating her on this. I also give myself some wiggle room should I kill an animal on the last day, I can still get to cell phone coverage and send her a text before the drop dead time/date.
 
Whisky is a luxury but it can also act as a antiseptic in a pinch. If you do carry it, carry cask strength. I recommend Lagavulin.
 
We take a SPOT locator device with us. We send a premade email to our spouses every time we stop to eat that simply states that all is well, plus it gives them our current location. It gives them peace of mind, plus it can obviously be used for emergency situations. You may definitely want to take something along the lines of that for safety and peace of mind for those back at home.

*Just noticed that you will have an Inreach. So, disregard, but enjoy yourself and stay safe!
 
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Most of my hunting is solo, both because I enjoy it and because I often can't find partners with overlapping goals and timeframes.


Gear is pretty much the same, except that you want to go as light as possible, because you're not splitting the weight with other people. Also, a lighter pack makes you less prone to injury from stress or falling. So, go light.

I have found that when I go solo, I care more about taking photographs. When I'm with a friend, the shared memories are often enough. When I'm by myself, I have more of a need to archive my trip through photographs and a written "journal." So, take time to snap some photos, and record your experiences. You will be happy about it later.

I generally don't listen to music when I'm with friends. When I'm solo, I take earbuds that I can plug into my phone, so I can listen to music at night. I find that music helps me relax and get in a sleepy mood when I'm alone. Without someone else to talk to, I need about 15-20 minutes of music to relax and unwind.

Lower your risk threshold. Scrambling up steep rocky cliffs, or anywhere you might fall is more serious when you're solo. Same with swift river crossings.

Keep the InReach on you at all times.

Morale is important. I typically plan my hunts for a full week in the backcountry. After a few days, however, it gets harder each day to stay motivated, especially if you aren't seeing animal sign. You don't have a partner to support you. You can easily get into a mental place where you want to give up, and this intensifies if it's raining. Do things that boost morale. Good food is important. Bring some treats. I bring a 4 ounce Tenkara fly rod kit and do a bit of fishing when I start to run out of enthusiasm for hunting. I find that pulling a few trout out of a creek lifts my spirits and re-energizes me for hunting.
 
I'd seriously consider renting a sat phone. I know you've talked about an InReach but having a sat phone really steps things up a notch in case you need the help. I had one in my possession on a solo mountain goat hunt in CO when I accidentally started a rockslide in CO's famously rotten shale. Could've been really bad but resulted in only an ankle sprain. But I couldn't get back to the truck and the ankle swelled badly as I laid in my make-shift campsite. Sure was nice to be able to call for help and give my pops a call to go through my gear list and explain my predicament over the phone. I made a bunch of calls that long, uncomfortable night. That lifted the spirits! Also, if you get an animal down far from the trailhead you might need the help of someone with horses. Depending upon how far you are from your vehicle, packing out an elk solo can take days. Having a sat phone allows you to make prior arrangements with an outfitter and then simply give them a call if you get one on the ground. This drastically increases the amount of time you can continue hunting quality areas far from other hunting pressure. For the price of roughly $100/week, I think sat phones make a ton of sense especially if you're going solo.
 
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rmyoung1 said:
I'd seriously consider renting a sat phone. I know you've talked about an InReach but having a sat phone really steps things up a notch in case you need the help. I had one in my possession on a solo mountain goat hunt in CO when I accidentally started a rockslide in CO's famously rotten shale. Could've been really bad but resulted in only an ankle sprain. But I couldn't get back to the truck and the ankle swelled badly as I laid in my make-shift campsite. Sure was nice to be able to call for help and give my pops a call to go through my gear list and explain my predicament over the phone. I made a bunch of calls that long, uncomfortable night. That lifted the spirits! Also, if you get an animal down far from the trailhead you might need the help of someone with horses. Depending upon how far you are from your vehicle, packing out an elk solo can take days. Having a sat phone allows you to make prior arrangements with an outfitter and then simply give them a call if you get one on the ground. This drastically increases the amount of time you can continue hunting quality areas far from other hunting pressure. For the price of roughly $100/week, I think sat phones make a ton of sense especially if you're going solo.
Click to expand...

Wow, I had no idea you could rent them for only $100! I may very well do that....what types of places rent sat phones? I'll google it for sure....
 
mattfly77 said:
Yeah, I will be in maybe 5 miles, 6 at the most.
Click to expand...

I'm in pretty darn good shape and 4 trips is about the best I could do for a raghorn solo bull in relatively mild terrain.

Consider the following for packing an elk out 6 miles from your vehicle solo:

Trip 1: Two front shoulders, 6 miles.
Return to kill, 6 miles. Total 12 miles.
Trip 2: Hind quarter. Backstrap. 6 miles. Total 18 miles.
Return to kill, 6 miles, Total 24 miles.
Trip 3: Hind quarter, Backstrap. 6 miles. Total 30 miles.
Return to kill, 6 miles. Total 36 miles.
Trip 4: Antlers, other meat, camp. 6 miles. Total 42 miles, 24 loaded.
 
I've done one solo elk hunt, but a half dozen other western hunts and the mental aspect of staying focused hunting solo was very difficult. If you have a good partner you will encourage or push each other when the other person is getting down. When you are solo its all on you.

Take your time getting to the hunt and arrive at the trailhead during daylight, rested and hydrated. This type of hunting is hard enough before you add compounding factors on top of it. Saving half a day of hunting time on the front end of the trip doesn't matter if you are too tired to focus or end up going home early.

6 miles deep is too far solo unless you have a packer on speed dial, I almost shot an elk that far in solo last year and it would have been a chore even while being very fit and with a downhill pack out. I put 1 mile and 4 mile concentric circles coming out of trailheads when hunting solo to definite the difference between getting away from people and too far in to pack out.
 
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