firsttimeelkhunter

Thanks again. forgive the Typo' s, I using my wifes laptop and I' m not used to the keyboard. We had our meeting last night. The good news is they are going to drive us up about 1/2 the distance to the camp so it' s only going to be a 12-13 mile pack in vs a 24 mile.

Looks like most of the info you all have given is all right on.

This is the question that came up. The hunt is the 11th-15th of October. We are debating leave date. Two guys don' t want to leave til Wednesday and drive hard for the trip. Should be 22-24 hours. Three want to leave on Tuesday morning to get in on Thursday morning, driving 1/2 way and sleeping over night. I personally have not ever been to Colorado or into the mountains and am thinking that the extra day will do me good. Any thoughts would be appriciated.

Thanks!

ELKampMaster

Ryan,
Assuming you are hunting public land during Colorado' s 1st Elk Only season I' d recommend:
(1) Arrive early, acclimation prior to the heavy exertion of elk hunting is VERY helpful and even if you have to leave a day before the season is over, it is FAR superior.
(2) The first two/three days of that season will net you 90% of your results (weather and luck being equal). Plus don' t be surprised if by day 4 that you may have had just about all the fun you can stand.
(3) If you can arrange it to sleep one night on your way driving in at around 6,000 to 7,000 feet and then meet with your outfitter the next morning and then spend that next night at (I' m guessing) 9,000 to 11,000 it will help you lot.
(4) No alcohol and No heavy exertion in the first 48 hours is highly recommended.
(5) Keep water easily available all the time especially in the first 48 hours and drink until you whiz like a race horse.

Side note: There is a herbal remedy (lab tested, double blind pharmacuetical test, the whole bit) that essentially pre-empts altitude sickness.

Even so, arrive early --- that season, the first two days are KEY, KEY, KEY.

Best Regards,
EKM

Arrive early, you can' t hunt if you are sick.

BareBack Jack

Leave with penty of time on your hands,rest would be good for a long days drive and then a long days ride.

Listen to EKM advice,don' t drink or smoke for at least a day.
Pay close attention to your balance first sings of altitude sickness is balance,a quick remide for this is ROLAIDS the antacid,don' t know why but it works.

Next bit of advice is when you get that elk in your scope,breath,breath,squeeze.
Alot of first time elk hunters get to excited and jerk(even old ones),so put' em in the boiler room.Forget what pepole say about breakin them down through the shoulder so they can' t run.Hit' em hard and keep doing so till they are down.

Best of luck and drive safe.BBJ

bigbulls

Definetly arrive early and make sure that you are well rested. Like was said above, if you can sleep at altitude for at least one night and try for two before you start huffing it in the mountains it will help a lot. I have gotten altitude sickness once before because I over exerted myself at 11,000 feet. Sometimes it doesn' t take much.

Drink lots of water. When you think you have had enough drink some more.

Eat a lot of protene and carbs. The protene for long lasting energy and the carbs for quick energy.

Try to avoid excessive ammounts of caffine. If you are feeling a little bad it will only make it worse.

One more thing about over exertion, you can' t beat an elk in a race up a mountain.

firsttimeelkhunter

Thanks, That was my thought as well. EKM, What is the herbal formula? I' m a Chiropractor and can problebly get ahold of it through a supplier.
I' ve also heard about the rolaids and the water. All good advise. Thanks again.

Next question. I just finished reading an article that suggested that you sight in dead on at 100. I' m shooting the .338 and was planning on 2" high at 200. Comments on this? Thanks!

ELKampMaster

Site in " zero" range don' t really matter as long as YOU know where its going to shoot.
I site all my rifles in " zero" at 200 yards.

Never Go Undergunned
EKM

David/Mo

To help avoid altitude sickness start taking a good multivitamin, and calcium, and I take Chromium Picolinate. These will help build up your RBCs. Also there is a prescription medication Diamox they have found that helps prevent Altitude sickness, but I don' t believe its really warranted for the Rockys. Hit the vitamins hard and your blood will be up to the task.

David/Mo

Oh, yeah another tip to beat altitude is cut way back on caffiene before and right after you get to altitude, and limit your intake of red meat before. Picked these up in hunting mags over the years. Good luck

bigbulls

I sight my rifles to hit 2" high at 100 yards. This gives me the ability to hold center of the elk to about 300 yards and can hold on " hair" to 400 yards. I just have more confidence this way in case I make a yardage misjudgement.

ELKampMaster

first time,
Regarding the herbal remedy its Ginko Biloba.

http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com/hot-topics.html

EKM