Topic: Colorado Elk Hunting

[HerdEcon]

Leaving Thursday for Colorado.  Camping in a tent at over 11,000 feet, snow already on the ground.  Just me Mother Nature.  Highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's.  Ahhhh, the good life.  No feed plots, game farms, cell phones, or guides just good ole fashion hunting.  Throw in the trout pole in case I tag out early in the season and that is a guaranteed good time.  I may even pack my swim shorts and hit the warm springs a few times. 

Only bad part, missing two Herd football games.  Thank goodness for DVR. 

[BHFIOHIO]

watch out for brer grizzly and keep the 308 handy ...a side arm too if legal...good luck

[HERDFAN1999]

Leaving Thursday for Colorado.  Camping in a tent at over 11,000 feet, snow already on the ground.  Just me Mother Nature.  Highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's.  Ahhhh, the good life.  No feed plots, game farms, cell phones, or guides just good ole fashion hunting.  Throw in the trout pole in case I tag out early in the season and that is a guaranteed good time.  I may even pack my swim shorts and hit the warm springs a few times. 

Only bad part, missing two Herd football games.  Thank goodness for DVR. 

Ok, I'm jealous!  Have a safe trip and I hope you have a great time.  Let us know how it goes.  I won't be hunting until deer season here in WV.  We will be going after a blacky as well.  What cartridge do you use for elk?  I have a 300 WSM I really like and love using my trusty 30-06.

[spaldy]

Envious!   Good luck. 

[herdfanwoody]

awesome!!!! good luck, ive always wanted to go, i plan on going when i finish up with college!!! let us know how you did when you get back

[HerdEcon]

Back from Elk hunting just in time to enjoy no electricity and no telephone.  Day three and counting. 

Now about the trip...  My brother and friend drove from WV to Pagosa Springs, Co. pulling a trailer containing all our gear, tent, firearms, food, and 3 ATVs.  Due to my work schedule I flew into Durango, Co. where they picked me up.  After buying our licenses and ATV permits we headed straight to our campsite in the National Forest approximately 1.5 hours out a dirt road from Pagosa Springs.  Thursday night we had a good supper, grass feed T-bone steaks. 

Friday we spent scouting, acclimating, and preparing for opening day.  The wildfires this year hit the area and caused a lot of outfitters and regular hunters to change their plans and find new hunting areas.

Saturday, opening day of the second Elk firearm season.  We hit the mountain before daybreak.  Base camp was at just over 10,000 feet.  We were hunting at between 11,500 and 11,900 feet.  It was a 45 minute ATV ride from base camp to the area we wanted to hunt.  At 1:30 while hunting a forested area I saw a legal 4 by 4.  I let it walk toward me although I had a couple of opportunities to shoot I opted to let it walk closer.  Before I could take the shot it made me.  My shot ended up being a hurried shot at a moving Bull Elk.  The result was predictable, clean miss.

At 5:50 my buddy shot at a walking 6 by 6 but the result was the same, clean miss.  His shot was just over 200 yards.  In his defense he was still suffering from altitude sickness.  Headaches, nausea, and a couple other unpleasant symptoms. 

Those were our best chances of the 8 day hunt.  We saw several Elk both bull and cow over the course of the hunt.  We were in a bull only area.  We didn't get to tag out early and take in the trout fishing, maybe next year.

Wednesday we headed down from the mountain to Pagosa Springs.  We had a good meal at Boss Hogs and got a shower and spent some time warming up in one of the natural hot springs before heading back up the mountain. 

Tuesday and Wednesday we had some high winds.  Wind blew so hard Wednesday we had to leave the woods early for safety reasons.  Lots of trees being blown over. 

Overall the weather was good.  Mostly sunny warm days (so long as you were in the sun) and cold nights.  No rain but we did have snow one day.  A couple nights we had to throw an extra log in the stove and zip the sleeping bag up a little tighter. 

A good time was had by all eventhough we didn't bag a bull Elk.  No guides, no high fence, and no feed plots.  We saw a lot of Elk, had chances, and enjoyed the hunt.  In fact, we are already planning next year. 

Notes for next year, replace our wood stove with a propane heater, buy more tarps, and replace my cot with an air mattress with foam pad for insulation.  Also in the market for a extra gun, looking for a 300 WSM. 

Anyone wanting to go Elk hunting, do it.  Great experience.  No guide/outfitter necessary.  There is no shortage of public hunting areas.  We were camping and hunting beside several outfitters.  The only difference was those guys paid thousands to hunt the same area we were. 

[marshallisqbu]

I'm not a hunter, but that sounds like a great trip nonetheless.