Tips for a Western Hunt?

[Guyon]

Was chewing the fat with a hunting buddy with whom I've hunted the last couple of seasons. He was saying that we ought to think about a trip out west within the next few years for an elk hunt. The likely destination would be Colorado, but I suspect we would consider other states.

Anyone here done a Colorado elk hunt? Any tips on drawing a tag? Getting a good guide? Firearm considerations? Anything else?

 

[Gunner45]

YES go there..............we have no elk what so ever in Utah. He He He

Gunner45

 

[dakotasin]

be in good shape. working mountains in thin air is much different and harder to do than running 5 miles at a brisk pace on flat/low land.

optics optics optics. get good ones, use them well.

be able to shoot accurately while stressed.

use enough gun - the most gun you can accurately shoot.

get your gear pared down so that you have what you need, and that is it. also, keep your gear light.

good luck! 1/4 of the fun is planning a hunt, 1/4 is the hunt, and half is reliving the moment time and again - while showing the pictures you took w/ the camera you debated on leaving behind, but wisely decided to take (pic of that animal loses something when it is in the back of a truck, compared to the pics of the area, pics of the critters, and pics of where the shot took place, and where the animal dropped... bonus points if you can get a pic of the critter before the shot, too).

 

[H&Hhunter]

Guyon,

First of all a large chunk of CO is over the counter for bull elk license sales. You don't really need a guide in many places however a guided pack in trip on horse back is a really great experience. Beware however as Colorado has really poor outfitter oversight and regualtion and there are more bad outfitters in this state than good ones. If you E-mail me or pm me I'll send you a couple of names that I'd recomend.

I second the be in shape thing, this is really hard hunting up here at high altitude and in steep country. I have hunted the rockies all my life and I find colorado to be challenging. But that should not be a detractor rather i use it as a great reason to stay in shape or in my case to get back in shape every season...

As far as guns go I think that something in the .308 win class is reasonable minimum. Good glass is nice don't skimp on the binos however a good low power scope is far more important than a high power scope. At least the way I hunt I tend to shoot far more elk in the dark timber than cross canyon. And your average 6.5X18 varmint scope I see guys carrying on their rifles are just usless in the timber. I like a 1.75X6 or at the most a 2.5X10. The low end is far more important than the high end on a scope. There is notthing you can't do with a 6 power scope at long range but their is notthing you can do with a 6 power scope at close range on a moving target. So when your cruising timber keep that scope turned all the way down or eventualy your going to miss a grand oportunity.

I like to hunt late season becuase we tend to see alot more elk, however you must have the equipment and know how to deal with extreme cold and heavy snow during the late season hunts.

See my thread about our recent elk hunt it kinda gives the flavor a little bit. "Notthing fancy just an old fashioned elk hunt"

And most of all have a great time you'll love it.

 

[labgrade]

"Anyone here done a Colorado elk hunt?"

May haps we have ...

& we're about 80% success rate to date - although we hunt cows mostly & really don't consider big bulls much - I've 5 decent enough bulls in my front yard right now...... (& a 5X mule deer trying to "make nice") ... we like to put some meat in the freezer, is all.

Different hunts you can do.

You can hunt elk, or you can hunt throphy bulls.

The first is a fairly easy draw - with decent success, the latter is a more strigent thing to determine where you want to hunt (a very much part of the deal = the terrain itself), or if you just want to tag an elk.

Lots goes into what you want the hunt to be = what you want to bag, how big o' antlers, what type terrain you'd like to hunt (the experience itseld, etc.) - yada.

Colorado has the largest elk herds (I just hunted the largest of them all & got skunked ;-( wah!), Colorado must have the most incredible various terrain & you can pick whatever you'd care to do - really incredible what this state has to offer - season dates, altitude & terrain to match most of anything you could want. (subject to change, of course - the west slope's getting hammered 'bout now & it's pushing 70 just east of Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park)

Snook up on what it is you want to do. Talk to those who've done it. A guide wouldn't hurt - 'specially if you haven't been out this way before. Use reputables & rcommendends.

Any decent scoped '06 with premium 165-180s will do you fine enough - tend towards the heavier bullets if any doubt.

Do a search on Colorado Divison of Wildlife & check "stats" for what happened this last season. There's also a "pay for" CD that'll detail it some more.

Cool thing about elk is - any full-grown cow (antlerless critter) weighs in about 3X over anything an eastern hunter has ever taken - it really is a chore to roll 'er over. Kinda very cool & you will be very impressed with "just a doe."

Wouldn't knock it in the least (although a bull is way cool).

BTW, a decent 6X bull head likely takes a single trip just to take out the head - the meat takes more trips. These things aren't cheap.

Be prepared.

 

[JohnDog]

H&H and Labgrade took on the hunting/shooting aspects, so I'll go for the drawing the tag advice.

Colorado has a Preference Point (PP) system for drawing limited licenses. Each year you apply for a draw and aren't picked, you get a PP. PP are for a species, i.e. elk, deer, etc.; so you can apply for a rifle elk hunt one year, not get drawn, and use the elk PP for an archery elk tag next year. On the application for a tag their are 2 choices, the first choice uses the PPs you have (you start with one PP even if this is your first drawing), the second does not. So the drawing goes like this: whovever has the most PPs for a specific draw gets drawn, next most, etc., down to a single PP if there are tags left. Then if any tags are leftover they go to the 2nd choice appliers in a random draw. And you can just apply to get a PP, so you can build them up.

So what does that all mean!?! A lot of good areas (good area = high success rates) are limited draws that only take one or two PPs to get a tag. For example the entire first season is by limited draw, and with the elk herds over population a lot of those tags are either sex. If you apply with your first choice you'll probably draw. And if you aren't coming out for a couple of years you can build up points and get even better chances at good areas, if you apply for the PP each year.

So next spring you should checkout the CDOW site, and see what you want to apply for. The application deadline is usally the first week in April. Send an email and I can explain thing better (or add more confusion) then.

JohnDog

PS - Gunner45 - There are no Elk in Utah? Gee, I guess I better stop applying for those Bonus Points, huh???

 

[Gunner45]

JohnDog

I hope that came across very toung in cheek. I have seen some massive bulls taken here this year. Utahs elk heard looks to be in great shape.

Keep getting those points.

Gunner45

 

[JohnDog]

Gunner45,

You can't fool us Coloradans - we know that there might be an elkie or two running around over there in Utah

I had a hard enough time trying to explain to Guyon how our draw worked, and I apply every year. No way I was going to act like an expert for another state - even if I have stayed in a Holiday Inn.

JohnDog

 

[Guyon]

Thanks fellas. Lot of good info in the replies.

 

[josefidelity]

long shots

I bagged a nice 5x in colorado and it was a 300+ shot
be sure you got enough gun a 06 will be enough but a 300 is plenty in case of long shot.
Great terrain beautiful country and cold as heck