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First time OTC Colorado Elk hunt advise?

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    #61
    Download the ElkNut app and learn to call. I did everything else but that for the first two years and had I known what I know now I would’ve been successful.

    I think it’s the most overlooked portion of it. And a lot of it doesn’t even have to be using a cow call. Raking trees, stomping, throwing rocks to turn an elk coming in toward where you want them to go, all of that is hard to learn, but Paul definitely shortens the learning curve.

    Elk101’s university course is pretty good too but a lot of it is redundant. Corey Jacobsen and Paul Medel both have very different calling strategies but they’re probably two of the best out there.

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      #62
      It is extremely difficult to call in an elk when your by yourself. You almost need a 2nd person to get them into range. Not saying it can't be done but I've been in the mountains enough to of learned this by experience!! I hunted by myself for 6yrs and had 2 shots, both 50+ yard shots. Went the next two years with an outfitter and had a 32 yard quartering shot and a 39 yard shot. I said all that too say this. If there's more than one of you going on the trip you might consider pairing up to help each other call one in. If your plan of attack is to call one in you should seriously consider working together. Good luck!

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        #63
        My brother is tagging along. Thanks for the advice ag111, I feel like I'm in pretty good shape but I fully expect to get the crap knocked out of me. lol. We're planning for that. Nothing terribly strenuous this first year. Just going hiking and camping...but with a bow...and $800 poorer. lol
        Hopefully both of us and team up with the calling/shooting and make something happen. I'd planned to do the run-n-call method if it were just me but since he's coming along, that should help make things a little easier.

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          #64
          Another thread made me remember, CO is an 80% let off state. Make sure your bow is legal.

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            #65
            I will keep this short and sweet. Lived there 3 years never got use to the altitude. Get up high and glass. Then use the wind to your advantage. Pack in tons of Oxygen!!

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              #66
              Originally posted by Johnwayn34 View Post
              I will keep this short and sweet. Lived there 3 years never got use to the altitude. Get up high and glass. Then use the wind to your advantage. Pack in tons of Oxygen!!
              Yeah, I'm kinda worried about that. We vacationed in Taos one year and stayed at 8,000'. 2nd day there I decided to go for a jog. Got gassed fast. Had a hangover-style headache and nausea for the next 3 days. I didn't feel well going into my run but figured it was just riding 12hrs in a car. Thought the run would help. Pretty sure it was altitude related. I quit drinking 8 years ago so I know it wasn't the former. lol

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                #67
                I live in humid Houston and normally drink 3.5 liters of water per day. My first 2 days in dry high altitude areas like CO I drink 5+ liters per day. It makes a HUGE difference. A lot of people that get “altitude sickness” are simply dehydrated. Make things as easy on your body as possible. An extra acclimation day at altitude before setting off into the wilderness is a good idea. No alcohol is a good idea. Take some melatonin to help you sleep. Most people struggle to sleep at altitude until they adjust. Your resting heart rate will be very high the first night and you won’t sleep, melatonin and water are your friends.

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                  #68
                  I did it by myself 2 years ago. I was 63 at the time. The best info I got was from a biologist, at the DOW office in Montrose. He told me and showed me on the unit map, the areas I was most likely to find the elk. The weather had been hot and dry, and they were not in areas that they usually would have been. I camped out at above 9000', in a tent. I hiked my butt off. I scouted with scope and binoculars for 2 days, until I located the herd, in that area. They were at a lower elevation, so I had to relocate my camp to an area that had closer access, with hiking trails into that vicinity. The 4-wheeler was great for scouting from high access points, but it was useless once I located the elk herd. I was able to take it the first 400 yds. from my camp. I left it there every morning, hoping to hike out with a pack full of meat. Every morning I hiked "down" to that area where the herd was located. I found the elk, including a very nice 6X6. I was able to get close on 3 occasions, but could not get the ethical shot that was was comfortable with, at the bull I was hunting. The most important thing is, "I had a blast". You can't replace those kind of memories. JUST HAVE FUN!!!
                  Last edited by moondog; 08-06-2021, 04:38 PM.

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                    #69
                    I did it by myself 2 years ago. I was 63 at the time. The best info I got was from a biologist, at the DOW office in Montrose. He told me and showed me on the unit map, the areas I was most likely to find the elk. The weather had been hot and dry, and they were not in areas that they usually would have been. I camped out at above 9000', in a tent. I hiked my butt off. I scouted with scope and binoculars for 2 days, until I located the herd, in that area. They were at a lower elevation, so I had to relocate my camp to an area that had closer access, with hiking trails into that vicinity. The ATV I had was useless after the first 400 yds. from my camp. Every morning I hiked "down" to that area where they were located. I found the elk, including a very nice 6X6. I was able to get close on 3 occasions, but could not get the ethical shot that was was comfortable with, at the bull I was hunting. The most important thing is, "I had a blast". You can't replace those kind of memories. JUST HAVE FUN!!!

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                      #70
                      I hunted montrose area last year. Will be there again in 33 days

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                        #71
                        Originally posted by Onski69 View Post
                        Yeah, I'm kinda worried about that. We vacationed in Taos one year and stayed at 8,000'. 2nd day there I decided to go for a jog. Got gassed fast. Had a hangover-style headache and nausea for the next 3 days. I didn't feel well going into my run but figured it was just riding 12hrs in a car. Thought the run would help. Pretty sure it was altitude related. I quit drinking 8 years ago so I know it wasn't the former. lol
                        Also remember to drink tons of water as well. Yes it was the altitude and dehydration that caused the headaches. The weekend i killed that bull in my avatar i had Friday, Saturday & Sunday to hunt. That Friday morning we went up early…hiked 3 miles in and 3 miles out. I didnt think i was going to make it back to the truck because of my pounding head. Didnt even go on Saturday because i still felt sick. Made it back on Sunday felt way better and killed my Bull that morning. Never felt bad like that again.
                        Last edited by Johnwayn34; 08-07-2021, 07:32 AM.

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                          #72
                          If the elk are talking keep that call in your pocket. Listen and follow them to an ambush spot or try some tree raking. They've heard all the cow calls and bugles people can throw out. Keep it very simple for calling.
                          Find a saddle on the mountain where they travel across, great ambush spot.
                          They like to bed on north facing slopes , stay out of the bedding areas or you will bump them to the next mountain. Set up along their travel route to the bedding areas.

                          Take the first good shot you get, bird in hand.

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                            #73
                            Originally posted by ag111 View Post
                            I live in humid Houston and normally drink 3.5 liters of water per day. My first 2 days in dry high altitude areas like CO I drink 5+ liters per day. It makes a HUGE difference. A lot of people that get “altitude sickness” are simply dehydrated. Make things as easy on your body as possible. An extra acclimation day at altitude before setting off into the wilderness is a good idea. No alcohol is a good idea. Take some melatonin to help you sleep. Most people struggle to sleep at altitude until they adjust. Your resting heart rate will be very high the first night and you won’t sleep, melatonin and water are your friends.
                            Great advice. I try and do at least a gallon a day. I work outside so that's not hard to do on hot days. I'll definitely try and double that supplemented with electrolytes for at least the first few day till I can adjust. Can't hurt and come to think of it, I don't think I hydrated real well, just ok, when I went on that run in Taos. Definitely could have been dehydrated, especially if I needed to drink more than normal at altitude. Pretty sure I didn't do that.

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