Elk Hunting Colorado......Learn me please

[RedTx]

So next year Im going with a group of guys ive known for a while. One has hunted like me forever. Out of the other two one has hunted birds and the other not really at all.

Anyways we are suppose to ride horses in that we are getting from a outfitter. They show us a spot and then we are on our own for a week. I know how to hunt but what I need in the mountains in Colorado isn't what I need to goto a deer stand.

So long and short of it. What do I need to bring? What kind of setup do I need. What hunting tools do yall recommend. Just a ballpark of gear I should bring. Ive got a good idea but figured I would ask some guys that have already done it. I believe he told me we are going to be hunting unit 86. Anyways thanks in advance for any help or advice you could lend me.

[HTDUCK]

Need some more details Sammy.
Y'all staying in a camp the outfitter sets up or have to bring in your own tents ?
Bow, muzzle loader or rifle ?

[muley4x4]

So next year Im going with a group of guys ive known for a while. One has hunted like me forever. Out of the other two one has hunted birds and the other not really at all.

Anyways we are suppose to ride horses in that we are getting from a outfitter. They show us a spot and then we are on our own for a week. I know how to hunt but what I need in the mountains in Colorado isn't what I need to goto a deer stand.

So long and short of it. What do I need to bring? What kind of setup do I need. What hunting tools do yall recommend. Just a ballpark of gear I should bring. Ive got a good idea but figured I would ask some guys that have already done it. I believe he told me we are going to be hunting unit 86. Anyways thanks in advance for any help or advice you could lend me.

There are a lot of different scenarios in your question. I believe that someone on here will and can provide you a camp list of things they bring with them. If no one has been elk hunting it will probably be an education of sorts.

Do you all feel comfortable on horseback?

Start getting in shape now if you aren't already. The air is rare up there. It is going to burn.

[RedTx]

Need some more details Sammy.
Y'all staying in a camp the outfitter sets up or have to bring in your own tents ?
Bow, muzzle loader or rifle ?

We are bringing our own tents. Bow hunting. From what i understand we ride the horses in, they take them back with them and then we are on our own.

Look it would be great if i got something but in all honesty I'm just ready to go on a hunting trip and get the heck out of dodge. I know it sounds cliche but i just want to go and experience it if i get a elk along the way great but if not I'm not going to be terribly upset. With that being said i would like to kill something lol.

Comfortable on horseback. ...lol. ..probably not. I've rode horses a hand full of times.

[gingib]

teach you not learn you

[RedTx]

teach you not learn you

Lol yes i know i was trying to be funny.

[txmuleyman]

What unit are you planning on?

[HTDUCK]

Well if I were you I'd start getting in shape.
Course you're quite a bit younger than I am to start with.
86 is west of Pueblo.


GMU 86
Location:
Portions of Fremont, Custer and Chaffee counties bounded on N by US 50; on
E by Colo. Hwy. 69; on S by the Huerfano-Custer County line; and on W by the Sangre de
Cristo Divide and US 285.
Elevation:
14,064 feet on Humbolt Peak to 5,667 feet near Texas Creek.
Terrain:
Flat to gently rolling valley bottom climbing quickly to steep, rough mountains.
Vegetation:
Grassland to Grass to pine to spruce, firs and aspens to alpine meadows.
Weather:
Variable, but first snow or freeze can occur mid-Sept.
Land Status:
Approximately 70 percent public.
Hunter Access:
Fair to good access for public lands. Fair to poor on private lands.
State Trust Lands
: Froze Creek (640 acres); McCoy Gulch (640 acres); Short Creek Baldy
(640 acres).
State Wildlife Areas:
Middle Taylor Creek (486 acres); Treat/Ogden (fishing access)
State Park:
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. AHRA campgrounds are open year
round and provide a good base camp for hunting surrounding Federal and State public
lands. No hunting within 100 yards of any campground, picnic area, nature trail or boat
ramp. Call park for details. (719) 539-7289.
Deer
: The northern 30 percent of unit. On public lands, try McCoy Gulch, Kerr Gulch,
the area around Texas Creek and lower elevation public land around Hayden Creek. Mule
deer inhabit both lower and higher elevation habitat, but tend to utilize lower elevations
containing more piñon/juniper and brushy vegetation.
Elk
: Throughout the unit during the regular fall seasons depending on the snow and
weather. Elk hunting is best at higher elevations with pine, fir and meadows in the earlier
seasons. Elk may move to lower elevations when heavy snows come.

[BrianL]

Boots! True mountain boots. Kenetrek or Lowe both make a great boot. Good water filters that do several liters at a time. Good rain gear. Clothes that dry fast(no cotton). Solar shower or small propane shower (zeti).

[HTDUCK]

And you have to be prepared for extreme temperature changes.
Colorado in Aug/Sept can be hot one day and snowing the next.

Next question ?
They take you up there and drop you off.
Say there is a medical emergency, you have any way to contact them to get you out of there ?

[2050z]

Start training right now. Cardio, legs, back, shoulders, and core. I learned my lesson on boots this year and will not make that mistake again. Trash your feet and your hunt is over.

[BrianL]

Start training right now. Cardio, legs, back, shoulders, and core. I learned my lesson on boots this year and will not make that mistake again. Trash your feet and your hunt is over.

I think you need to train while breathing through a straw. I couldn't breath enough to get too tired. We were at 10500 feet. By day three of the 5 day hunt I was nearly adjusted

[El General]

I haven't elk hunted, but done quite a bit of hiking. Spend money on boots, socks, and sock liners right now. Don't buy hunting boots. Buy real hiking boots. Train in them and your socks and make sure both are broken in before you go.

[RedTx]

Well I've never had much time in altitude but when i did i was skiing and never had much of issue. Although I've never stayed over 10k for 24 hours.

So get some good hiking boots. What else?

[cbrown]

Boots! True mountain boots. Kenetrek or Lowe both make a great boot. Good water filters that do several liters at a time. Good rain gear. Clothes that dry fast(no cotton). Solar shower or small propane shower (zeti).

Good advice. Light weight boots that are waterproof. You will hike a lot and it's uphill both ways. You can drink mountain water that is coming out of the mountain, do not drink from below a beaver pond. If you've never been at higher altitude you will likely get altitude sickness. Lots of water and added electrolytes will prevent most altitude sickness.

The biggest key is to glass a lot, move slow, follow sign and play the wind.