Last week of Sept. I am headed to Colorado for a bow elk hunt near Durango. Unit 74. Never hunted elk before, much less with a bow! Sounds like fun though!
Last week of Sept. I am headed to Colorado for a bow elk hunt near Durango. Unit 74. Never hunted elk before, much less with a bow! Sounds like fun though!
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
Make sure you are prepared, I thought I was on my first trip and almost turned out bad for me, gps, map and some things to make through the night if you have to.
Bullet 21XD, 250 PRO XS
What would you put in your pack if your buddy suggested to cold pack it for a night?
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
what is cold packing, guess I don't know that one.
Bullet 21XD, 250 PRO XS
That's gonna be an awesome hunt. Best of luck and take plenty of pics
We are using an outfitter to pack us in on horses and to use a base camp, but then my buddy is suggesting we hike into the unit further and possibly have a spike camp so that we are closer to the elk when it's daylight. The outfitter will pack out the elk if we get one too btw.
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
Good luck, been elk hunting the Gila in New Mexico for the past 6 years. 3 years before that in Chama and 2 years before that in colorado. Not saying I am an expert but if you need any advise let me know. GET IN SHAPE is the main one. The better shape your in the better your chances. Also I don't care how good shape you get in you just can't get use to the thin air, but saying that it's easier if your in tip top shape.
I am a novice so any advice you can give me would be great. Should be in the rut, bugling and all.
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
Your smell is the most important thing, if you get just a little down wind it's over and there is nothing out there that will mask your smell enough to stop it. Cow call some and bugle less or not at all. A lot of the bulls will not come to a bugle, use it to locate one but not to call one in. Use your cow call for that. Take lots of water and drink often to fight off altitude sickness. In your pack take a lighter, energy bars, lightweight rainsuit, compass or gps trust me you will need it, whistle, space blanket and of course knife.
Do not walk on top of the hills, you want to rim them to break up your outline. They are not like deer, you can get away with a little noise and even some movement but not smell. That time of year don't waste time in areas with little or no activity, they will be vocal and keep moving till you find them. Cover a lot of ground, We usually cover 5 to 8 miles a day once we locate them. Check water holes for activity and set up on them. Bulls with water at anytime of the day, so don't be afraid to sit all day at a water hole. It's also a welcome rest after a couple days of walking. Good Luck and any questions feel free to IM me.
Here's pictures of my two biggest.
Whoa! Nice bulls!!! I have looked at the cow calls...from the turkey calls to the squeeze the bulb calls. Does it really matter and are some of them more dummy proof than others? We are using a couple of Montana decoys too in hopes of bringing them in close enough for a shot. How would you use them and how would you do a set up with two people (1 shooter and 1 caller).
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
Bulb calls are good and easy. As far as set up, when you get close enough to a bull and he may come to your cow call have the caller about 100 yards behind the shooter in a direct line to where you think the bull is. This way he will pull the bull straight towards you. When you set up and the bull is coming don't set up in thick brush or behind a big tree, you need room to manuver your bow. You just need something behind you to break up your outline. Stay still until he is in range and when he walks behind a tree or bush and he can't see you that's when you draw your bow. The decoys will need to be set up 50 to 100 yards behind the shooter, sometimes they will hang up short and you don't want to be set up at the decoy's.
Okay, sounds good, but how do you know if a bull is going to hang up short and you don't want to put out the decoys? Is it a matter of how long it takes for him to come in or just a gut feeling on it? Thanks again for the lessons!
okay, okay... last cast, after this one.
You can put out the decoy's if it doesn't take long to do so. I would only use one. Bulls hang up all the time for no reason and some come in like a train. Putting out the decoy is not going to change this, it's just something they will sometimes do. If I were going to use a decoy I think I would use it at a water hole and not when I was on a hunting hike, If your caller is behind you and he can't smell you, you will probably see him. He will most likley hang up closer to the caller. Thats why you want the caller behind you. Don't think I would use a decoy in this situation. Only place I have used them is water holes and fixed stands, not on a spot and stalk.
A buddy of mine goes every other year to Wyoming. His best recommendation to me (as I will join him in 2010) is to GET IN SHAPE. You'll be hunting at a high altitude where the air is thin. You gotta be in the best shape of your life to operate at your optimum level, or so I'm told. 2010 will be my first trip as well.
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