T
txbigbuck
Guest
I am an avid Tx whitetail hunter and have hunted muley's in Co. I'm Elk hunting in unit 78 this year Oct. 16-24. I need some ( alot!) of advise. Can anyone help??
txhunter58
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-04 AT 12:34PM (MST)[p]Don't know anything about 78, but can give you some genreal info. You probably know most of this since you have been mule deer hunting, but some things are different.
First and foremost, be in the best shape of your life and then improve on that. Elk are more herd animals and so 80 % of the country may hold no elk. You just have to keep traveling until you find that area.
Because you may be on the move a lot, it is imperative that you have a really good pair of boots and a premium pair of long johns. Think moisture transfer, not warmth when you buy long johns. There job is not to insulate, but to transfer sweat to outer layers where it can evaporate. Cheap ones hold moisture against your skin and you will be cold no matter what you have on over them.
You will be hunting the second elk rifle season, so they are pretty wised up by then. They have been through a month of bow season, muzzleloading season, and the first rifle season. Also the rut is over. Therefore, you will usually not find bulls with cows. They will be mostly far from a road and stick to the thick stuff, private ground can be an exception to this. A lot of time, the high country gets hammered so hard on public ground that the elk go down to the low country which has a lot of private ground and less hunting pressure.
Do you have a plan to transport a 500 lb animal to your truck if you kill one 4 miles in? Better have one.
And lastly, you might luck out and see a 350 bull opening morning, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Any elk is a good elk. Shoot the first legal bull you see. You will be very pleased with the table fare.
Good luck from a fellow Texan. Watch out, you will be addicted to elk hunting!
One more note: Don't expect to come on a website, post for the first time and have too many people give you some specific info on where to hunt. Would you post your hunting hotspsot on a public forum? Do some reasearch on your own first. The Colorado DOW wegsite has some good info and you can call the DOW office for the area and ask them questions. However, if you ask general questions, you will get general answers: "Where is a good place to hunt? Will get you: Anywhere on public land can be good" Get maps first and study the area. When you find some likely spots, call them and ask: "Could I expect to find some bulls at the head of Bear Creek in the second rifle season?"
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
First and foremost, be in the best shape of your life and then improve on that. Elk are more herd animals and so 80 % of the country may hold no elk. You just have to keep traveling until you find that area.
Because you may be on the move a lot, it is imperative that you have a really good pair of boots and a premium pair of long johns. Think moisture transfer, not warmth when you buy long johns. There job is not to insulate, but to transfer sweat to outer layers where it can evaporate. Cheap ones hold moisture against your skin and you will be cold no matter what you have on over them.
You will be hunting the second elk rifle season, so they are pretty wised up by then. They have been through a month of bow season, muzzleloading season, and the first rifle season. Also the rut is over. Therefore, you will usually not find bulls with cows. They will be mostly far from a road and stick to the thick stuff, private ground can be an exception to this. A lot of time, the high country gets hammered so hard on public ground that the elk go down to the low country which has a lot of private ground and less hunting pressure.
Do you have a plan to transport a 500 lb animal to your truck if you kill one 4 miles in? Better have one.
And lastly, you might luck out and see a 350 bull opening morning, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Any elk is a good elk. Shoot the first legal bull you see. You will be very pleased with the table fare.
Good luck from a fellow Texan. Watch out, you will be addicted to elk hunting!
One more note: Don't expect to come on a website, post for the first time and have too many people give you some specific info on where to hunt. Would you post your hunting hotspsot on a public forum? Do some reasearch on your own first. The Colorado DOW wegsite has some good info and you can call the DOW office for the area and ask them questions. However, if you ask general questions, you will get general answers: "Where is a good place to hunt? Will get you: Anywhere on public land can be good" Get maps first and study the area. When you find some likely spots, call them and ask: "Could I expect to find some bulls at the head of Bear Creek in the second rifle season?"
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
T
txbigbuck
Guest
Thank You for the tips. So far, I think i'm on the right track.One more question if you don't mind- What is the best way to get a Elk out?
if you are backpacking away from roads/trails: be prepared to quarter the elk where it drops, debone it if greater than 2 mile pack distance.
bone-in: one man = 4 trips; two men = 2 or 3 trips
bone-out: one man = 2 trips, two men = 1 trip
these "trips" are for hunters who are in excellent physical condition.
bone-in: one man = 4 trips; two men = 2 or 3 trips
bone-out: one man = 2 trips, two men = 1 trip
these "trips" are for hunters who are in excellent physical condition.
