I'm Going Elk Hunting in CO - Help Me With Gear Recommendations! (Video)

[Michael]

Just some comments to consider, this comes from trying to figure it all out in the field. In regards to the GPS vs phone. My phone had little to no signal back where we were hunting most of the time. I used the GPS to primarily mark specific locations like wallows, benches, heavily used trails, stand locations etc. The phone was really a great camera/video recorder. I thoroughly used google earth extensively to familiarize my hunting area before going. You can go into tools in Google Earth and adjust the terrain option to be much higher and it helps realize the differences in the topography of an area. You can also scroll back in dates on google earth as the photos over the years are taken at different times of the year. Late September photos and early October can really help define the aspen areas with the color change and then the bare Aspens after the loss of the leaves in an area. October and November photos do an excellent job of identifying where the Dark timber is as the Aspens are all bare. The elk like to bed in the dark timber. The also like to hang out and eat in the Aspens. Find Dark timber on northern slopes with water drainage's nearby and Aspens nearby and you have already increased your chances of seeing elk. Every trip is a learning experience. Hunting pressure pushes the elk onto private land pretty quickly. Again, wish you a awesome experience and hope you tag a good bull.

Awesome info! I've been studying Google Earth, but switching dates is a great idea! Thanks!


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[HDWRENCH]

I hunt public in Co every year . I think many of you are over thinking it .. WAY too much gear . Its about being light weight and being able to cover a **** ton of ground . Also look into finding a rancher that will pack out the meat on horse back as in most areas you cannot take the quad off road .. You have limited time with bears. And trust me they are on the kill very fast .

I came from 5500 feet so the lack of O2 is not an issue for me . GPS that you know how to work & use , extra batterys the timber can look all the same and easy to get turned around . I cannot stress knowing the GPS . Mark you way trail ( bread crumb setting) many times you can get blocked trying to go back as the crow flies .. Been there done it .

IMG_0927 by GMR Performance, on Flickr


Just over 10,500 feet here . Feeling good and have a great time .

IMG_0919 by GMR Performance, on Flickr


My set up and there I am just over 3 miles off the road . Light weight baby light weight
IMG_0964 by GMR Performance, on Flickr

[HDWRENCH]

I have three packs that one worked out but lacked support and is not making the trip this year . Bought a new bandlands to be able to put my bow on it ..

Side arm is a must . Up to you what you want I carry a G with extended mags in 40 cal with barnes X bullets . 16 rounds should get the job done and one extra mag as well .. i cam face to face with a 350+ lbs Sow last year and its a scary deal..

good luck you will love it .. Drones are a great tool as well , and legal to use , you cannot push game with them but you can pop one up to get a birds eye view for scouting . I did not use one but a guy in camp had one and I saw things that you cannot see from the ground . Not game per say just how the natural funnels are .

[Michael]

I have three packs that one worked out but lacked support and is not making the trip this year . Bought a new bandlands to be able to put my bow on it ..

Side arm is a must . Up to you what you want I carry a G with extended mags in 40 cal with barnes X bullets . 16 rounds should get the job done and one extra mag as well .. i cam face to face with a 350+ lbs Sow last year and its a scary deal..

good luck you will love it .. Drones are a great tool as well , and legal to use , you cannot push game with them but you can pop one up to get a birds eye view for scouting . I did not use one but a guy in camp had one and I saw things that you cannot see from the ground . Not game per say just how the natural funnels are .

I took my DJI Spark for my scouting trip, but my understanding is that it's not legal to use while hunting.
[quote]DENVER, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement and Public Safety Assistant Director Heather Dugan says CPW is seeing more cases of Colorado hunters illegally using drones.

“The bottom line is, if it’s related to a hunt in any way, you can’t do it,” Dugan said. “For scouting, locating, anything. If they fly before they take an animal, they’re illegal. If they use the drone to locate an animal they may have shot and wounded, they’re illegal.”

Dugan stressed that the use of a drone for hunting is not only a violation of CPW Commission Regulations (see below), but also a violation of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

Even for non-hunters, drone use on CPW land is restricted. It is not legal to take off or land a drone in any of CPW’s more than 350 state wildlife areas. Drone use in state parks is limited to those parks with a designated area for model aircraft use. Even then, drone operators should be aware that it is illegal to harass wildlife.

Dugan said, “The harassment definition is that it causes any change in the behavior of the wildlife. So if the animal runs, if it changes direction, if it stops eating, that's harassment. Any change in the animal is considered harassment and it’s illegal.

DENVER, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement and Public Safety Assistant Director Heather Dugan says CPW is seeing more cases of Colorado hunters illegally using drones.

“The bottom line is, if it’s related to a hunt in any way, you can’t do it,” Dugan said. “For scouting, locating, anything. If they fly before they take an animal, they’re illegal. If they use the drone to locate an animal they may have shot and wounded, they’re illegal.”

Dugan stressed that the use of a drone for hunting is not only a violation of CPW Commission Regulations (see below), but also a violation of the Federal Airborne Hunting Act.

Even for non-hunters, drone use on CPW land is restricted. It is not legal to take off or land a drone in any of CPW’s more than 350 state wildlife areas. Drone use in state parks is limited to those parks with a designated area for model aircraft use. Even then, drone operators should be aware that it is illegal to harass wildlife.

Dugan said, “The harassment definition is that it causes any change in the behavior of the wildlife. So if the animal runs, if it changes direction, if it stops eating, that's harassment. Any change in the animal is considered harassment and it’s illegal.

http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=6315

If the "harassment" definition stands up in court, then pretty much any drone activity could be determined illegal at any time.

[HDWRENCH]

I knew there was some issues with it " scouting vs hunting" we got there before season started by 1 day so I guess that may have been kinda legal then ?? as I said I do not own one .


But good to know .. Did you bear hunt by the way as last year the baiting thing took on a new twist.. Baiting is not legal however they added in hunting over any dead animal is now not legal .. Hence gut pile or quarter elk parts etc .. I saw a small black running through the woods with about half a deer carcass .. I gave him a wide berth .. headed off in the other direction .. I could hear him crushing the bones .. makes the hair stand up on your neck for sure

[Texans42]

I knew there was some issues with it " scouting vs hunting" we got there before season started by 1 day so I guess that may have been kinda legal then ?? as I said I do not own one .


But good to know .. Did you bear hunt by the way as last year the baiting thing took on a new twist.. Baiting is not legal however they added in hunting over any dead animal is now not legal .. Hence gut pile or quarter elk parts etc .. I saw a small black running through the woods with about half a deer carcass .. I gave him a wide berth .. headed off in the other direction .. I could hear him crushing the bones .. makes the hair stand up on your neck for sure

Such crap. DOW basically begs you to get a bear tag, due to over population issues. No telling how much they spend on problem bear management

[HDWRENCH]

Hunt big game over bait, whether or not the person hunting personally
placed the bait. Bait means to put, expose, distribute or scatter salt,
minerals, grain, animal parts or other food as an attraction for big game.
Salt or mineral blocks used for normal agricultural purposes are not considered
bait. Scent sticks that smell like food are illegal for bears.

[Michael]

I knew there was some issues with it " scouting vs hunting" we got there before season started by 1 day so I guess that may have been kinda legal then ?? as I said I do not own one .


But good to know .. Did you bear hunt by the way as last year the baiting thing took on a new twist.. Baiting is not legal however they added in hunting over any dead animal is now not legal .. Hence gut pile or quarter elk parts etc .. I saw a small black running through the woods with about half a deer carcass .. I gave him a wide berth .. headed off in the other direction .. I could hear him crushing the bones .. makes the hair stand up on your neck for sure

This is my first trip and I didn't draw a bear tag. My hunting partner did, though, so we'll probably put a little effort in if we see sign or a bear.

[HDWRENCH]

bear draw for this coming year has not happened yet .its online you know right away if you got it .

[Texans42]

bear draw for this coming year has not happened yet .its online you know right away if you got it .

Almost every OTC archery elk unit is OTC for archery bear with Caps

[HDWRENCH]

Aug first online is how I do it . archery bear anyways OTC caps and that date is not exact but its in that time frame .

[TWarren]

I will disagree with a sidearm being a requirement. Every bear I've ever seen in Colorado was tripping over itself to escape, cubs included.

If you are so close to a sow she feels defense is the only option, she will have you on the ground before you can pull your sidearm.

Awareness is the best defense.

I have three packs that one worked out but lacked support and is not making the trip this year . Bought a new bandlands to be able to put my bow on it ..

Side arm is a must . Up to you what you want I carry a G with extended mags in 40 cal with barnes X bullets . 16 rounds should get the job done and one extra mag as well .. i cam face to face with a 350+ lbs Sow last year and its a scary deal..

good luck you will love it .. Drones are a great tool as well , and legal to use , you cannot push game with them but you can pop one up to get a birds eye view for scouting . I did not use one but a guy in camp had one and I saw things that you cannot see from the ground . Not game per say just how the natural funnels are .

[Michael]

Almost every OTC archery elk unit is OTC for archery bear with Caps

What is "with caps?" (I have several on my dash! )

[Texans42]

What is "with caps?" (I have several on my dash! )

Aug 9th over the counter with caps opens. Basically first come first serve and they hardly ever sell out in most units. Over 90 units for archery and they are OTC archery and NOT available through draw.


CAPS is Dow language

[ladrones]

http://mtntactical.com/knowledge/robs-backcountry-hunt-scoutingbackpacking-kit/