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

[txtrophy85]

Waterproof boots are a must. Leg gaiters also a must.

If I tried to wear my snake boots my feet would fall off In the first few miles

I normally wear my snake boots out in West Texas. Do a fair amount of walking. Last year wore my Irish setters and really did some walking....I’ll never wear my snake boots there again

[Michael]

Gaiters for sure !! Very important. I use an older model of these.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-GORE-TEX-Ultimate-Gaiter/750453.uts

If you are packing in or even camping at the trail head I would sleep in my hammock with a tarp. Getting off the ground is much more comfortable.

If you want to go more comfortable and camping at the trail head....go wall tent, cots and wood stove. Very comfortable and good rest is of paramount importance.

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My best advice......don't over think the gear deal. I am sure you already have what you need (maybe except for few items) for a great hunt. I know its fun and exciting to get new stuff, but you could leave tomorrow with your current gear and do just fine.

My other best advice....don't over do it on the first day or even the second day. If you over do it you will find out what I am talking about and it will ruin a good portion if not all of your hunt. I have seen guys (including myself) in their excitement hike 10 miles the first day and be messed up for the next 2-3 days. No matter how you train here it will not be sufficient in the mountains. You will realize this in the first 30 minutes of your first hike when you think you brain is going to explode. Take it nice and slow....especially the first few days.

I don't have any videos, but I have a lot of pictures and info from experience in the mountains that I will be glad to post as this thread progresses.

Have fun and best of luck on your hunt !!!

Thanks! Hopefully my hammock/tarp will be usable there. If not, I'll set up tarp with sleeping pad on the ground.

Have you played with a phoneskope Micheal? It wont be something you "need" for that hunt, but us subscribers will appreciate the video you will be able to capture through the spotting scope. If you have the room in the pack for the spotter, it may be worth the weight for the video and pictures alone. I can bring my set up this weekend if you want to play with it.

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Good point. We skoped with Adam's setup on the mule deer hunt. I didn't think about it for video...but I will be shooting video!

You have enough to worry about this weekend! [emoji12]


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[Burnadell]

Waterproof boots are a must. Leg gaiters also a must.

If I tried to wear my snake boots my feet would fall off In the first few miles

I normally wear my snake boots out in West Texas. Do a fair amount of walking. Last year wore my Irish setters and really did some walking....I’ll never wear my snake boots there again

Certainly, Chippewas would not be a good candidate, but the soft sided LaCrosse or Danners or Redhead that break in easy would keep the feet dry when crossing the ever-present streams.

[hopedale]

To start.....its a trip to Colorado not a Trip to the moon. Most first timers take the advice of folks who have never been there and WAY overpack and over gear.

The HUNTING EQUIPMENT NEEDED IS BASIC

the specialty stuff has to do with camping.

I have a Cabelas Alaskan Frame Pack and fill it with the gear I need for a weeks hunt: Clothes, 1 man sleeping bag, 1 man tent, freeze dried food, GPS, paracord, knives, hatchet, iodine water tablets, etc.

I have a basic day pack I use while actually hunting, the frame is too much to carry day in/day out.

Most places you hunt you will make camp close to a truck.....on some of the units we hunt we can use ATV's which we pull trailers behind them and carry dry boxes/ice chests with additional food and camp kitchen stuff and a canvas tent/bigger tents for a more comfortable base camp. Our space allows for 1 gun/1 bow depending on what season your in.

I use Irish Setter 400 gram Vapor boots...right at 2 lbs a piece. you don't want heavy, insulated boots. I'm really big on saving weight....that will fatigue you more than anything. I carry a pack with binos/rangefinder, knives, food, water and my weapon and that's it. Everything else, leave at camp. Clothing, just basic academy realtree clothing but I do spend money on northface and underarmour base layers. Early season I use thin stuff. Don't want to wear stuff that is too warm and heavy. Wool socks are a must....cotton socks are good for starting fires and that's about it.

September hunts are generally mild but you can get rain....bring a rain suit, although I've never needed one. make sure its light weight if your gonna carry it in your pack. Frog Toggs make a decent one that weighs almost nothing.


the only thing I would recommend as a must have is a GPS. not one on your phone a GPS with replaceable batteries to keep from getting lost.


Have fun, good luck. on the first couple trips don't set your expectations too high, enjoy the mountains and get a feel for western hunting.


another cool accessory but not 100% necessary is a Jet boil. makes cooking 100x's easier.

ill leave in the morning and hunt all day. a mid day lunch/nap out on the mountain is a great treat.



One last thing if I haven't mentioned it enough already.....CUT DOWN ON WEIGHT.

Leave the spotting scopes at home. too much weight and not enough opportunities to use them. elk are always moving and the odds of you spotting one at a distance you couldn't see with bino's and getting over to it are extremely slim. A spotting scope is a great tool in a lot of areas....Colorado high country isn't one of them. A lot of areas you won't be able to see more than 100 yards in any direction anyway. Big Binoculars are another thing to leave at home. a basic 10x42 pair is plenty. if you absolutely must pack a pistol, carry a small one like a M&P shield. A heavy handgun is gonna wear you down. you don't need monster knifes or a huge bone saw....I carry a lightweight knife kit and folding saw. Honestly, you probably own all the gear already necessary to get you 90% of the way there....just a few items, like a jet boil and GPS, are all most need to complete their trip.

Colorado Hunting is amazingly simple and one of the most over-talked about and over-complicated topics around the hunting world.


One last thing....bring a zippo lighter and some firestarters. makes that campfire much, much easier to get going

What do you do for food and such with jetboil?

[Pkripper]

Where are you hunting? Where are you sleeping?

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[Chris Martin]

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

I’ll touch on electronics if anyone cares to read.

I’m 2 years into dropping the rhino gps and haven’t looked back. I’ve had a lot better experience using my phone with onx, just make sure to download the off grid maps ahead of time. Worked in co, nm, ut and az without any hiccups.

I really like the new onx member web based map desktop section that communicates with your phone. No more having to transfer kml files back and fourth to and from google earth. I also have it on my iPad, and it’s great to throw on the center console for easier navigation viewing while driving into new territory and also to help make a plan with your hunting partner.

I carry a dark energy power bank to keep my phone full for a week or more in airplane mode.

My go to lightweight camera for ldp’s or scenery is the Sony RX-lll. Nothing fancy but takes great pics and pretty good video for its size. I have 2 spare batteries and it can charge from the power bank easily if needed, but have never had to.

The other must have for me now is the inreach, definitely has saved my marriage and it’s great to be able to communicate between your hunting party if they also have them. It saved James and I no telling how much hunting time when his truck broke down 2 years ago, and I was able to reach my friend to come get us as he wasn’t hunting too far away. I’ve had the cheaper yellow one, but my buddy had the one with gps screen built in and it was working pretty slick last year. Battery life is incredible and I hardly have to charge it during a week long trip, but it takes the same charger that my camera does if needed and can get it charged through powerbank as well. It bluetooth’s to my iPhone for easy texting. I go out there to unplug, but sometimes I have to handle a little business, and it’s good to get weather and hunting reports from other friends in and out of the field.

Phone skope is awesome, I have the adapter for my spotter as well as binos. However it doesn’t get much action in timber elk country. Mule deer is a whole different story though.

For lights, I carry 2 Princeton tech headlamps. One in my cargo pant pocket, and one in my pack with the batteries removed in case of accidental turn on. 2 small stream light flashlight single aaa’s. One in bino pouch with spare battery and spare rangefinder battery and one in pant pocket. The other light I really enjoy is the eno Christmas led lights in the backpacking section at academy. Great for tent/tarp or skinning quartering. All of these lights run off AAA.

That pretty much keeps all my electronics under 2 lbs, which has been great compared to lugging gps, camcorders and dslr’s around and fighting batteries like years past. Still looking for a lightweight and tough camcorder that has good battery life that exports well to iMovie.

That being said, I’m sure you plan to film a whole lot more than I do nowadays!

I’ve always got some sort of squeak that develops on boots over time. This stuff works pretty good on most of my boots, but there’s one that they sell at Cabelas that comes in a brown tub that works best for me. Supposedly made for firefighters. I also change out my laces every season.




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[Texans42]

What do you do for food and such with jetboil?

Mountain house,paleo 2 go, hawkvitals and Heather’s choice

New company coming out eathumble that’s suppose to be good.

I highly advise trying before you go. Heather’s only has one I like.

My meals are multiple companies, example I like cold breakfasts from backcountry fuel, paleo 2go and mountain house.

[Texans42]

On the footwear subject.... Gore-Tex for sure. Also, don't just walk and hike in your boots before you go. Try to find a place where you can do a lot of side hill hiking to make sure your boots are comfortable in that situation as well. Take a trip to a state park in rough country (Palo Duro, Big Bend, etc.) if you have time, and give your gear a test drive.

Disagree on goretex. I’ve been running non membrane boots for all my sept Southern CO and winter NM hunts last 4 years. My feet stay drier and cooler over all.

With today’s DWR’s and oil you can make a boot pretty darn waterproof all while being 10x more breathable. Now if I’m hunting northern Idaho, I’ll wear membrane. The West in general isn’t that wet and gaiters fix morning dew on pants and boots.

Now Later in the season I’ll switch to membrane and insulated boots.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

The squeak in your boot is probably the insole moving when you walk. Try replacing it with one of those gel insoles.

[huntingfanatic]

In regards to footwear I would include a polypropylene liner sock inside my merino wool sock. This will drastically cut down on any chance of a blister developing.

[kingranch]

To start.....its a trip to Colorado not a Trip to the moon. Most first timers take the advice of folks who have never been there and WAY overpack and over gear.

The HUNTING EQUIPMENT NEEDED IS BASIC

the specialty stuff has to do with camping.

I have a Cabelas Alaskan Frame Pack and fill it with the gear I need for a weeks hunt: Clothes, 1 man sleeping bag, 1 man tent, freeze dried food, GPS, paracord, knives, hatchet, iodine water tablets, etc.

I have a basic day pack I use while actually hunting, the frame is too much to carry day in/day out.

Most places you hunt you will make camp close to a truck.....on some of the units we hunt we can use ATV's which we pull trailers behind them and carry dry boxes/ice chests with additional food and camp kitchen stuff and a canvas tent/bigger tents for a more comfortable base camp. Our space allows for 1 gun/1 bow depending on what season your in.

I use Irish Setter 400 gram Vapor boots...right at 2 lbs a piece. you don't want heavy, insulated boots. I'm really big on saving weight....that will fatigue you more than anything. I carry a pack with binos/rangefinder, knives, food, water and my weapon and that's it. Everything else, leave at camp. Clothing, just basic academy realtree clothing but I do spend money on northface and underarmour base layers. Early season I use thin stuff. Don't want to wear stuff that is too warm and heavy. Wool socks are a must....cotton socks are good for starting fires and that's about it.

September hunts are generally mild but you can get rain....bring a rain suit, although I've never needed one. make sure its light weight if your gonna carry it in your pack. Frog Toggs make a decent one that weighs almost nothing.


the only thing I would recommend as a must have is a GPS. not one on your phone a GPS with replaceable batteries to keep from getting lost.


Have fun, good luck. on the first couple trips don't set your expectations too high, enjoy the mountains and get a feel for western hunting.


another cool accessory but not 100% necessary is a Jet boil. makes cooking 100x's easier.

ill leave in the morning and hunt all day. a mid day lunch/nap out on the mountain is a great treat.



One last thing if I haven't mentioned it enough already.....CUT DOWN ON WEIGHT.

Leave the spotting scopes at home. too much weight and not enough opportunities to use them. elk are always moving and the odds of you spotting one at a distance you couldn't see with bino's and getting over to it are extremely slim. A spotting scope is a great tool in a lot of areas....Colorado high country isn't one of them. A lot of areas you won't be able to see more than 100 yards in any direction anyway. Big Binoculars are another thing to leave at home. a basic 10x42 pair is plenty. if you absolutely must pack a pistol, carry a small one like a M&P shield. A heavy handgun is gonna wear you down. you don't need monster knifes or a huge bone saw....I carry a lightweight knife kit and folding saw. Honestly, you probably own all the gear already necessary to get you 90% of the way there....just a few items, like a jet boil and GPS, are all most need to complete their trip.

Colorado Hunting is amazingly simple and one of the most over-talked about and over-complicated topics around the hunting world.


One last thing....bring a zippo lighter and some firestarters. makes that campfire much, much easier to get going

This right here- pack light as u won't use most of the junk u take
And eat beanie weenies and trail mix for 7 days it works and will keep u in budget

[txtrophy85]

Food wise I plan on 1-2 mountain houses a day plus snacks.

Normally for breakfast I’ll eat light, granola bar and a apple/banana if I’m in a base camp or just protein bar if I’m roughing it.

Mid day snack I’ll eat a ramen noodle pack or a mountain house. Afternoon snack jerky and trail mix/Vienna sausages

Dinner depending on how whooped I am I may or may not eat another mountain house. I actually enjoy the taste of them ( up there, eaten at sea level at the house they taste like azz)

Surprisingly....I don’t eat that much when I’m up there.

I carry two 16 oz bottles of water with me a day...one for drinking and one for the jet boil

[Michael]

I’ll touch on electronics if anyone cares to read.

I’m 2 years into dropping the rhino gps and haven’t looked back. I’ve had a lot better experience using my phone with onx, just make sure to download the off grid maps ahead of time. Worked in co, nm, ut and az without any hiccups.

I really like the new onx member web based map desktop section that communicates with your phone. No more having to transfer kml files back and fourth to and from google earth. I also have it on my iPad, and it’s great to throw on the center console for easier navigation viewing while driving into new territory and also to help make a plan with your hunting partner.

I carry a dark energy power bank to keep my phone full for a week or more in airplane mode.

My go to lightweight camera for ldp’s or scenery is the Sony RX-lll. Nothing fancy but takes great pics and pretty good video for its size. I have 2 spare batteries and it can charge from the power bank easily if needed, but have never had to.

The other must have for me now is the inreach, definitely has saved my marriage and it’s great to be able to communicate between your hunting party if they also have them. It saved James and I no telling how much hunting time when his truck broke down 2 years ago, and I was able to reach my friend to come get us as he wasn’t hunting too far away. I’ve had the cheaper yellow one, but my buddy had the one with gps screen built in and it was working pretty slick last year. Battery life is incredible and I hardly have to charge it during a week long trip, but it takes the same charger that my camera does if needed and can get it charged through powerbank as well. It bluetooth’s to my iPhone for easy texting. I go out there to unplug, but sometimes I have to handle a little business, and it’s good to get weather and hunting reports from other friends in and out of the field.

Phone skope is awesome, I have the adapter for my spotter as well as binos. However it doesn’t get much action in timber elk country. Mule deer is a whole different story though.

For lights, I carry 2 Princeton tech headlamps. One in my cargo pant pocket, and one in my pack with the batteries removed in case of accidental turn on. 2 small stream light flashlight single aaa’s. One in bino pouch with spare battery and spare rangefinder battery and one in pant pocket. The other light I really enjoy is the eno Christmas led lights in the backpacking section at academy. Great for tent/tarp or skinning quartering. All of these lights run off AAA.

That pretty much keeps all my electronics under 2 lbs, which has been great compared to lugging gps, camcorders and dslr’s around and fighting batteries like years past. Still looking for a lightweight and tough camcorder that has good battery life that exports well to iMovie.

That being said, I’m sure you plan to film a whole lot more than I do nowadays!

I’ve always got some sort of squeak that develops on boots over time. This stuff works pretty good on most of my boots, but there’s one that they sell at Cabelas that comes in a brown tub that works best for me. Supposedly made for firefighters. I also change out my laces every season.




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Thanks Chris! I'm still trying to decide what camera I'll take, but I'll definitely be attempting to video!

Thanks for all the GREAT comments!

[Davoh]

If you are packing in or even camping at the trail head I would sleep in my hammock with a tarp. Getting off the ground is much more comfortable.

If you want to go more comfortable and camping at the trail head....go wall tent, cots and wood stove. Very comfortable and good rest is of paramount importance.

Hammocks are amazing for camping. I sleep better in a hammock than I do in my bed. Your feet will also feel better, because your feet will be slightly elevated.

However, hammocks require some tinkering. Underquilts and top quilts will keep you warm down to temperatures well below what you'll want to get out and go hunting in. But you have to test and tinker and adjust them frequently. Look up a book called the ultimate hang, also this youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/shugemery << that guy has a TON of good information on hammocking.

[lunatic'hunter]

Gotta take care of your wheels. Went to Colorado back in 2014. I found a pair of slightly used Kennetrek Mountain boots at a darn good price, on Rokslide.com The previous owner had mink oiled them which made them waterproof walking in snow. Most comfortable boots I have ever slipped on. Now remember, if the word Mountain is in the description it will cost more.

I would say start with boots. Buy early and break them in. Nothing else matters if your feet hurt or you have blisters and can't hunt.

Then concentrate on layers of comfortable and quiet clothing.

Then you're pack and miscellaneous gear.

And of course fine-tune your archery equipment.