First time OTC Colorado Elk hunt advise?

[Onski316]

Thinking of trying an OTC Colorado elk bow hunt this fall. Very, very green to the whole thing. Didn't even know it was possible till a few weeks ago and now I'd like to give it a shot. Any suggestions? I watched a YouTube series on it that was pretty helpful but does anyone have any pro tips to help with the learning curve? Thinking about backpacking camping, doing a 4-5 day hunt. I have an ATV, can I use that to pack gear in or is it even worth taking? What should I be looking for as far as units are concerned? They used and recommended GoHunt app. I don't mind paying the $150 a year if it really is helpful. Suggestion for boots?

[7sdad]

Get in the best shape you've ever been in and that still wont be good enough. No cotton cloths and don't worry about camo, Get your boots now and wear them every day, leave the ATV at home.

[WItoTX]

Get on hunttalk forum and search there. It's 100% western hunting. Good luck, once you start, you will wish you had a month of vacation to stay out there!

[Onski316]

Thanks guys. I'm in pretty descent shape. I race cross-country dirt bikes and am only 43 years young. Hopefully I won't die but I've never done it at elevation either. lol.
I'll look at that forum too and poke around. Thank you.

[diamond10x]

Literature is your best friend. A lot of great literature out there by very successful and accomplished hunters (Eastman, Houston, Jacobsen, Meitin). Once you've read and researched til you can't take it, read and research more.

Something a lot of people overlook in their research is animal ecology. Unless you know what the animals habits and behavior are, all the research of units and gear aren't going to do you all that much good.

[BassMaster13]

Thanks guys. I'm in pretty descent shape. I race cross-country dirt bikes and am only 43 years young. Hopefully I won't die but I've never done it at elevation either. lol.
I'll look at that forum too and poke around. Thank you.

There's in shape and mountain shape. Trust me I learned the hard way.
I would run 3-5 miles/ day getting ready for my first elk hunt. Yes my cardio was great but I never pack trained or incline trained. After that first uphill mile from the truck I was toast, and hunting sucked because I trained incorrectly.
Get on a tread mill and put it on the steepest incline and walk till your calves burn and do that everyday.

If you don't have a pack, get a pack and start hiking with it especially if you plan on putting 4-5 days on your back. I do it twice a week, 25lbs 1 day, and 45lbs the other.

Don't wait till your hunt to put 60lb on your back for the first time, you need to know how to properly load your pack. Trust me there's right ways and wrong ways.

Listen to the Hunt Backcountry podcast, they cover pretty much every thing from gear, exercise, hunting tactics, medical advice, and other topics you should at least be aware of.

I wouldn't buy gohunt for Colorado OTC. For a beginner and novice like myself I'd recommend "ELK 101". It's a yearly subscription but it's geared just for Elk and covers calling, e scouting, and pretty much all the basics.


Colorado is pretty strict on offroad vehicles, might be better off bringing the mountain bike.

[WItoTX]

As far as units go. Gohunt is an awesome tool for this. I still pay for it ever since my first hunt. The $150 or whatever it is goes a long ways in research. They just released their beta version of an onx type mapping tool for iOS, and android will be released in the coming weeks. Also good deals on gear and you get points that really add up when buying all your first year gear.

Also, I bought the elk ecology book. It was around $800, but it's awesome because it helps you understand what they are eating and when, breeding habits, weather effects, all that stuff.

They are hard to find, but if you find the latest edition (I think 2003), it really goes a long ways. I don't see any for sale at the moment.

[Onski316]

Thanks for the training tips and software/book ideas. That's stuff I never really thought about. I guess I assumed the 3-5 mile run would be ok. Never thought about training for incline or backpack.

[Zen Archery]

Mendle boots are a win for me. Got 3 trips out of them but I also wore them year round.
Elk Hunting University is defiantly worth the cost.
Local CPW Office is really informative. They really wanna help.
No matter how much rework you do physically you will not be prepared unless you reduce your oxygen intake while working out.
Have ALL YOUR GEAR 1 MONTH BEFORE TRIP and hike around with it to learn how it shifts around while moving. Practice falling and getting up in gear. Hiking sticks are a must.

[jnd1959]

Pack training on uneven ground (not paved). Builds your core up so you have an easier time balancing. Gohunt will tell you which units are otc archery and give you a synopsis of the unit. It will be crowded and you won't likely get away from it. Accept it for what it is and have fun. Start building points next year so you can draw a better unit in the future. Pack your blaze orange as muzzleloader season is right in the middle of bow season. Make a plan on how your gonna get your elk out. I'm 62 so if I'm lucky enough to shoot another one I'll hire a pack out or use llamas. Keep going back each year, you'll get better and when you finally draw the good unit you'll be ready. Don't plan on the top units. You won't draw one before your 120th birthday. Take a few short backpacking trips to iron the kinks out of your system. Try your backpack and boots on in person. You can skimp on these but you'll wish you hadn't. I've climbed and hunted a few spots in CO so when you've narrowed it down pm me. And, consider a base camp the first year especially if your not used to backpacking. Look at this as a multi year endeavor rather than one n done.

[Onski316]

Thanks for the gear tips Zen. And I appreciate the insight jnd1959.
I'm not far from the LBJ Grasslands so I was planning to do some full gear hiking/overnight camping trips there to test gear out while bow stalking hogs. I really appreciate all the help guys. First year out I definitely just want to enjoy the experience hiking and camping in the mountains with my bow. If I even hear a bugle my trip will be complete. I'm not really even expecting to see anything first time out but here's to being hopeful.
I thought about a base camp first year but I also thought backpack camping I would be able to cover and explore more ground for following years. Then once I find some good stomping grounds, start base camping the following years.

[bowhunterhelm]

I went about 20 years ago. When I pulled into the entrance to the public land area it looked like spring break! People everywhere, it was crowded. Get in shape and hike in as far as you can. The majority of people were hunting within a mile of the entrance. We went in about 3 miles on foot and I got really lucky and shot a nice 5x5. The problem was getting it out! No fun. I hunted King Mountain SRMA west of Denver. Good luck!

[jnd1959]

There's some trails on lbj. They're not well marked. Horse trails are though and thery're good exercise as they tend to be soft in a lot of places. I've trained out there as well but it is relatively flat. When I was climbing, I trained mostly at dinosaur valley sp. You can get in about 11 miles on one circuit there with some elevation change and there are enough uneven trails to help build your core. I start in the spring with 5 to 10 on my back and work up to 50. I think it is important to string successive days together with weight. It will give you an idea of your recovery. It's just my guestimate but 12 miles here translates to about 4 or 5 in the mountains. This year I'm starting with 3d, shooting 30 to 60 targets. I'll add
more weight and then start heavier hiking In the summer.

[Army of Dad]

I’d suggest planning on bringing the ATV. Lots of folks use them and without one you may well behind the curve. Just remember that you can’t use it in a designated wilderness area, but you can use it to get there. You will need good boots and a pack. As others have said, break in your boots by using them frequently and train with weight on your pack.

Plan to have a light day or two when you get there to help you acclimate to the altitude. Drink lots of water and if possible sleep at lower elevations, especially early in your trip.

Can you do elk calls?


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[Zen Archery]

I’ve hunted 3 OTC units in Colorado. Only bugle I’ve heard are other elk hunters ������!
Only legit bulls I’ve heard in Colorado are premium tag units, Washington State, and I swear one of my neighbors must have a high fence or is practicing when I’m hog hunting.