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

[Dave]

Get your pack picked out and start walking in those Lowas. Figure out the fit on the pack and get your feet toughened up.
Don't put tons of weight in the pack, you can get a good feel for how it will carry with 25 lbs and I doubt you will hunt for a day with more than that. If you have trouble with the way the pack is riding then I would be willing to help you with adjustments.

[Still Hunter]

Lots of good advice here. I might have missed it but how are you guys setting up camp. Are you hunting out of a truck campsite and venturing out daily or are you packing all the way back in or planning on a mixture of the two with a base camp and then maybe day trips away from base camp. It helps to determine equipment recommendations knowing how you intend to camp and hunt. Also how many days do you intending to out there hunting.

[Jamesl]

After 5 or 6 years of chasing elk I have made a few adjustments to gear.

I changed over to the Katadyn Befree water filter from the Lifestraw. I still pack a lifestraw for a back up. I used the Katadyn last year. It is easier and faster to use.

Switched over from a Rancho Safari Catquiver III to a light frame pack that I can hunt with. I wanted to have a way to carry meat off the mountain with me at all times. The catquiver was useless for that. When I killed my bull last year, my heavy/bulky frame pack was at camp 2 miles from my bull.

Better sleeping bag. I finally got tired of freezing almost every night.

Quality game bags. The old school bags are worthless.

Being in shape is a must. Get your legs and core prepared for the hunt. Cardio, weightlifting, running, rowing, rucking and running stadium stairs has been my routine the past few years. I just starting pulling a weighted tire around. It is the closet exercise that feels like being in the mountains. Get serious about this part.

And a warning, Elk hunting is addictive. I would guess it is similar to crack or heroin. I would give up deer hunting in a heartbeat if I had to choose between the two.

[ArcoCazador]

After 5 or 6 years of chasing elk I have made a few adjustments to gear.

I changed over to the Katadyn Befree water filter from the Lifestraw. I still pack a lifestraw for a back up. I used the Katadyn last year. It is easier and faster to use.

Switched over from a Rancho Safari Catquiver III to a light frame pack that I can hunt with. I wanted to have a way to carry meat off the mountain with me at all times. The catquiver was useless for that. When I killed my bull last year, my heavy/bulky frame pack was at camp 2 miles from my bull.

Better sleeping bag. I finally got tired of freezing almost every night.

Quality game bags. The old school bags are worthless.

Being in shape is a must. Get your legs and core prepared for the hunt. Cardio, weightlifting, running, rowing, rucking and running stadium stairs has been my routine the past few years. I just starting pulling a weighted tire around. It is the closet exercise that feels like being in the mountains. Get serious about this part.

And a warning, Elk hunting is addictive. I would guess it is similar to crack or heroin. I would give up deer hunting in a heartbeat if I had to choose between the two.

Can you elaborate on the game bags ? I used some last year. I just grabbed whatever game bags I could find. I didnt focus on the quality of them. You recommend a brand ?

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[Texans42]

Can you elaborate on the game bags ? I used some last year. I just grabbed whatever game bags I could find. I didnt focus on the quality of them. You recommend a brand ?

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Synthetic like tag bags or even the knock off Black ovis ones.

I carry the bone out ones not full sized bone in. Saves you about 10 oz.

[Jamesl]

Can you elaborate on the game bags ? I used some last year. I just grabbed whatever game bags I could find. I didnt focus on the quality of them. You recommend a brand ?

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Going with the synthetic bags. The old school bags we used last year did not keep the flies out. We are going with the Black Ovis bags, from what I read they are similar to the TAG bags.

[NoFence]

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

Lots of good info here and some maybe not so good info.

DEFINITELY go with a GPS on your phone. It's the biggest screen you'll have, an order of magnitude cheaper, way easier to use, and one less thing to keep up with. Almost everyone is using phone GPS systems now. The most popular is probably onX. I use Backcountry Navigator.

And if you're gonna take a pistol don't take a little Shield. Your chance of needing it for a 2 legged or 4 legged animal are probably about the same. Might as well have something hefty if you're gonna bother to take one. I took a heavy gun last year and honestly didn't notice it at all other than when the cheap holster fell off my pack.

[Jamesl]

As far as a gun goes, I wouldn't want the extra weight, so I don't carry even though we see quite a few bears. I successfully reasoned with my elk partner to leave his gun with me while I started breaking down my elk on the side of a mountain in the dark. I did feel a little better having it with me while working on the elk while he made the 4 mile round trip to camp and back. But dang, pistols are sooo heavy on the mountain!

I also switched from a Havalon Piranta for an Outdoor Edge Razor Lite. The thin little Havalon blades would keep breaking. I only prefer replaceable blade knives over ones that need to be sharpened for elk hunting.

[Michael]

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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This worked perfectly - eliminated the squeak - but...my right big toe presses against the front of the boot. I've been running in the boots and it hasn't caused a problem, but I'm not going to risk a blister or ingrown nail that could ruin my hunt. New boots are on the list.

I catch up with other comments on the thread. Thanks for all the great feedback!

[JTeLarkin08]

In my opinion the most important two items when hunting OTC Public land in Colorado are.........

#1 Whiskey.. No matter if your celebrating a successful hunt or tipping back the bottle because your on day 8 and have yet to see an elk.. Getting whiskey drunk on the side of a mountain is always a good time.. (in my Colorado experience it will be because you havent seen anything in 8 days )

#2 a fishing pole.. Because when you havent seen a elk in 8 days fishing goes great with Whiskey..

[Michael]

In my opinion the most important two items when hunting OTC Public land in Colorado are.........

#1 Whiskey.. No matter if your celebrating a successful hunt or tipping back the bottle because your on day 8 and have yet to see an elk.. Getting whiskey drunk on the side of a mountain is always a good time.. (in my Colorado experience it will be because you havent seen anything in 8 days )

#2 a fishing pole.. Because when you havent seen a elk in 8 days fishing goes great with Whiskey..

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[Pedernal]

In my opinion the most important two items when hunting OTC Public land in Colorado are.........

#1 Whiskey.. No matter if your celebrating a successful hunt or tipping back the bottle because your on day 8 and have yet to see an elk.. Getting whiskey drunk on the side of a mountain is always a good time.. (in my Colorado experience it will be because you havent seen anything in 8 days )

#2 a fishing pole.. Because when you havent seen a elk in 8 days fishing goes great with Whiskey..

I like the way you think Sir

[Capstone]

Not sure if someone already mentioned it but check out Born and Raised Outdoors' Land of the Free Series on Youtube. Truly outstanding video series. 5 states in 50 days of OTC public land Elk hunting (bow) last season. They hit CO too. Lot of good equipment ideas there.

[SL1]

Its generally pretty warm during bow season in the mountains. They do get a freak storm every once in a while though, so be prepared if you're packing in to stay. A gps is helpful also. When I lived there I used cargo pants and long sleeve tee shirts mostly during bow season. Good comfortable running shoes or a light pair of boots on the feet with padded hiking socks. The waterproof stuff cooked my feet and wouldn't let moisture out when you sweat. Getting in shape is important. I never took more than a light pack with game bags and overnight stuff. Shoulder harness fanny pack works great. The elk you take you bag in quarters if you have to and make trips in and out. Through a quarter over your shoulder and start walking! Have fun and get out there...dont over think it. Oh and take a fishing pole!

[SL1]

Oh and hunt the aspen bowls!