First time Colorado elk hunt

[Ian McCririe]

Training did already start. I have been climbing stairs with fifty pounds in my pack and I try to climb 25 to 50 floors, as time allows. I am going to try and work up to one hundred pounds by the end summer, as I’m sure fifty will feel like one hundred at altitude. There are some good hills in the un-glaciated part of Wisconsin that I plan to hike during the summer as they more closely match the terrain that I backpacked in Colorado before (although it’s only a 500 foot rise in elevation). I am thinking that I will get one of the altitude masks mentioned in previous posts as well. Hopefully this will put me in decent shape by the hunting season. Does anyone have some other ideas to add into the training? We are also going to try and get to Colorado as many days before season as we can pull off, probably between 3 and 5 days ahead of season, to acclimate and scout. I do not plan to call, it has been my experience (with turkey and waterfowl) that bad calling is far worse than no calling at all, especially on public land, and I don’t think I will be a good caller by October. I had given some thought to one of the squeeze cow calls but I don’t know if they are any good. Thanks for the responses.
-Ian

 

[HighDesertSage]

No offense man, but I think you are asking for trouble packing into 54 in October without a way to dry out. It gets very cold up there. I am pretty sure they had significant snow in there for 1st rifle. There are better elk units in CO that don't require a backpack hunt. Also what happens when you shoot one back there on opening morning. I can do a bull in 6 trips, you might be in better shape than me though.That means that it will take two trips out for the three of you. Two trips at 6 to 7 miles in can turn to 3 days easily, and you only have a 5 day season. If you hunt hard and smart you don't need to pack in. My buddy killed a 340" bull on one of CO's most heavily hunted units with quad trails everywhere. Start hiking 1-2 hours before first light, and stay out all day.

 

[kmf]

There is some good advice here but do not let anyone talk you out of it. You do not need a drop camp and you do not need help packing elk out. As long as temps cool off at night as they usually do, packing out is not an issue for you. Be smart and safe and you will have a good hunt and learn alot.

 

[kmf]

Altitude mask is not necessary or very safe unless you know what you are doing.

 

[kmf]

And I would go buy a bow and take up archery immediately too and hunt both archery and rifle seasons out west. At your age you have many years ahead and that will double your opportunity. As far as excercise, the best thing for my wife and I was to start running, drop weight, and build some muscle. Run every 5k or 10k race around home in a camo shirt for motivation. Just make sure to get out west this fall and every year after. After your first hunt you will figure it out.I sound like a know it all but it is -20 below here and I have nothing else to do.

 

[DAVIDKERR]

what you will soon realize is if you get an elk down the hunting is over.i shot a cow in co nw of steamboat second season last year.i had my 2 sons(age 25 aprox)im 53& my cousin (60)and i was very glad my son missed his elk when i shot mine. we were car camping and it about killed us to get that cow only 2-3 miles back to camp(road)(4 men in good shape). i dont know where you live but i suggest going into the dnr office and talking to them. i did that twice and they were very helpful. im a nonresident also.if you are set on 54 get into the draw and try 4 cow tags but i would get @least a bull tag also. try first season draw. it looks like they have to many cows there. i said once 1 is down the hunting is over.good luck

 

[DAVIDKERR]

also dont quarter the elk.cut it up in field and carry out in meat bags incl evidence of sex.co dnr has a video and i think oya has info on that also

 

[npaden]

I'll also be a vote against the altitude mask training idea. Get in the best shape of your life, but the altitude mask really doesn't do anything to help. If you have unlimited funds and want to try it, you can sleep in a low altitude simulated tent over your bed at night, but those are very pricey.

I wouldn't be doing stairs with 100lbs in my pack, that would be pretty extreme and probably not that good for your knees. Maybe just go faster with 50lbs.

I personally just run a lot and keep my upper body and strength up by doing chores around the house and fun stuff like that.

What you need to prepare yourself for is the grind of hunting every day all day. No matter how much you prepare you won't be sprinting up those mountains, just prepare yourself and your body to be broken down everyday and build itself back up then you can be out there on day 3 when everyone else wants to stick around camp or sleep in.

I do this by running pretty much every day. My current running streak is at 34 days and 224.4 miles for an average of 6.6 miles per day. Last year my longest streak ended up being 123 days and 971 miles for an average of 7.9 miles per day.

That works for me, but there are a lot of different options if you have something else that works for you.

These guys all have good advice and this isn't something that should be taken lightly, but it can be done, you just need to try to be prepared for it. Hauling an elk out on your back is work, and the closer you are to the road the better from that perspective. My personal rule of thumb is that if I'm more than 3 miles from the nearest road I try to have someone with horses lined up to be available to pack me out if needed. I've done that one time and it was worth every penny.

Good luck!