Patchboy

I have a drop camp hunt planned for 2nd rifle season in unit 47 Colorado. 4 of us are being taken in the White River National Forest about 3 hours on horse back. I was looking for any tips or suggestions anyone may have. I was also looking for any books or videos that are out there that would help me out. I'm looking for basic habits or patterns of the elk themselves and ideas on how to hunt them during that season. I'm currently reading Mike Eastmans book and it has a lot of good info. Thanks.

Buckshot

Ive hunted Idaho twice and my first words of advice would be GET IN SHAPE. I cant stress this enough. The first time I went out I didnt work out and I really, really paid for it. Last time I was jogging 4.5 miles twice a week along with doing wind sprints on an incline tread mill. I actually cut out heavy weight lifting, and tryed to get as lean and toned as possible. The one thing that really came to my attention is the distance between game. In Idaho at least it was common to walk for miles without coming acoss any tracks, and then youd hit a pocket of a 1/2 mile that was all tracked up. The last time I was there all I did was walk and glass, it wasent uncommon for me to cover 10-15 miles a day looking for elk. You want to carry a day pack with everything you would need to spend the night in the woods. My daypack consisted of: 100' of parachute cord, 2 lighters, 2 candles, emergency sleeping bag, folding saw, gps, 2way radio, knife, extra box of ammo, first aid kit, map, extra socks, extra down vest, 4 energy bars, water filtering system. We had 3 watt 2way radios and man did they come in handy saved alot of walking and really added to our piece of mind. Good luck in you hunt.

gselkhunter

I don't think Mike hunts too much public ground and you will be. Since your hunt will depend on weather a lot, you must have two plans. Warm conditions will put elk in a position of looking for cool places. An elk can take a lot of cold with it's winter coat on, but not hot. Deep canyons with heavy timber and water, or high elevation with heavy timber and water. The grass should be browned out so the elk feed intake goes up. This is in your favor because the elk are on their feet longer. Since you will be scouting as you hunt, if the sign isn't fresh, it is too old. Easy way to hunt this, run ridges and glass the hill sides and bottoms for elk. Did I say easy, let me say this altitude is not a JOKE you had better be ready! You are warned! The big bulls are not with the cows any more the rut is over. They are recovering still from the rut. If you are seeing a lot of cows and young bulls you aren't in the right place, but your close. The thing about warm weather is the elk won't leave for the wintering grounds so quickly. But they are going that way lttle by little.
Cold weather is good! The elk move around more and you have snow to track with. But you better be ready with gear! Light breathable gear, because you are going to work very hard. The elk are headed to the winter grounds, so you may only get one chance at them, be ready! I would still glass a lot from high points. And now the places elk are using are marked with tracks in the snow. This time of year chance meeting happen. Oh the elk aren't here, ok maybe not today, but the next day they are all over the place because they are on the move. Don't give up!
Couple of key issues: #1 Where are you going to be? Ask the outfitter for range, township and section of the camp you will be using. Buy a BLM of the area so you know what is where from camp. A GPS will get you back to camp, but won't tell you where the next water or canyon is. #2 Calling is very important even in second rifle season. Calling will stop the elk so you can get a shot. Go to Elknut.com, talk to Paul and buy his tapes. #3 Watch your wind, an elk has a great nose. You are going to have a ton of questions, there are some really good guys here and they will help. Maybe to point of over load, but the pieces will fit in when you hit the field. And any elk you take you will have earned in this country.
Gselkhunter

oldrgr

I started hunting elk in Colorado, GMU 68, in 1996. Three books that greatly assisted my education were Calling All Elk and Hunt Elk, both by Jim Zumbo and All About Elk by Mike Lapinski. I checked and all three are available on Amazon. Do a search by title. Lapinski's book (part of the N. American Hunting Club series) has an excellent description with photos of how to bone out an elk in the field eliminating all but the hip bone. This is important even with horses.

Also second the gent's comment above about being in top physical shape. I hunt and camp above 10,000 feet, and I come from sea level. You expend a lot more energy just breathing at elevations above 7,000 feet.
His advise about being prepared for fairly wide temperature swings is also spot on.
Woodswise products makes an excellent cow call that comes with a video. I took my first bull using this call - happened almost identical to one of the vignettes in the video - couldn't believe it!
Good Luck.

ELKINMTCWB

You have got some good imfo going allready.Here is just a few more clues.

1st As every one has said if you think you are in shape,you need to be in better. WATERPROOF WATERPROOF repeat, get boots and rain gear good ones. If you get water on you,it will get very cold fast.I use only wool late in the year.

2nd Look for rocks or very steep inclines. This will narow the elk down in the path to there winter grounds.MAPS will help here alot.

You can make yourself VERY VERY sick by running up the moutains to get a shot.Donot over do it or you may cut your trip short.This is called altitude sickness.If you do start to fill like you are going to fall out go down in elivation you will fill better,then go up slower.I have seen this 3 times 1 time was bad allmost had to drag my cusion down the moutain

glob3006

As said above Get in shape.Redundant I know !!! But I am part mountain goat ( the leg half thank you) and it still kicks my butt. Use your calls they are not only for hunting the rut. But you may even encounter a secondary type rut. Elk are most always vocal. Practice!!!

If you are with a reputable outfitter they will get together with you and help you plan a strategy and point you in the right direction.
Alot of guys like to have an adult beverage in the evening but if you do follow it up with water.If you're pi$$in' clear you won't be dehydrated!! One beer one water. Kinda sucks but you will put yourself at risk of greater fatigue if you drink to much!!!!!!!!! Load the calories and I would suggest protein shakes especially in the weeks leading up to your hunt,always look ahead and be alert, Practice shooting your rifle in many different positions. You NEVER know when you might have to shoot and at what angle or position............Get off the bench!!!!

Bill

oldrgr

Allow me to piggyback on to what glob said.

The whole season might come down to five seconds or less. Be ready...! One of the best things I do each year is some quick fire type shooting. I stand at port arms barrel down range with safety on. I jack the rifle up flipping safety off and get off a shot within three seconds at a standard orange target 25 yards away. The distance isn't as important as the muscle memory created by repeatedly snapping the rifle up into a good firing positon. I use 3 seconds as a standard to replicate a fleeting shot in dark timber. This is what I mean by the season often coming down to the decisions and actions that occur in a 3-5 second window. This is precisely the scenario that occurred when I shot a bull several seasons back. When I started doing this I was subconsciously trying to center the scope crosshairs in the middle of the target - wrong answer! All I needed to actually do was get the shot to print inside the 8 inch circle. An elk's vital area is around a foot in diameter.

Once you've gotten your time down, offset the barrel 15 to 20 degrees and traverse across until you come on the target, then fire, and continue to traverse (follow-through). I assume that I will have to make a moving shot. (the two bulls I killed were both moving shots). I'm not talking about extreme distances, but the close in shot in dark timber after jumping an elk in its bed.

Having said all this, it's always best to shoot from a supported position, but the situation may not allow you to take up a good position. In Colorado there is a 4 point restriction on bulls (or there must be a brow tine at least 5.5 inches long). You may also have to factor target ID (is it a legal bull), into that short decision cycle as well.

I would also recommend bugging your outfitter about what to bring, how much, etc. I've kept a running journal after each hunt to remind myself of things that worked and didn't, etc,

Study a good topo of the area you will be in - have your outfitter send to you if you can't find it through the CO Dept of Wildlife. Take what you have read and studied and apply it to the actual terrain. If your outfitter is also guiding you, that should be a given, but if you're being dropped off, you will need to have a plan.

I've had a touch of altitude sickness a couple times. Each time I had allowed myself to get a bit dehydrated. I force myself to drink a couple large cups of water before leaving camp in the morning and doing same after returning in addition to 70 Oz. that I guzzle from a Camelback during the day.

The fitness topic has been hammered on above, but insure that your low back is in good shape. Walking up to 8-10 miles a day on uneven terrain is a lot different than driving a desk day in and day out. Some specific strength exercises are in order.

I'll probably think of more stuff as others add their advice.
Regards.

BareBack Jack

I see everyone knows that you must be in good physical shape,but what about mental shape.
This is one that seldoms gets talked about you have to have the mental tuffness to make your self go.I see it every year guys comming from the east-south and so on to hunt elk and deer.They take off the first two days and hunt like their briches are on fire,but if things don't go right for them.The pressure eats them up,they no longer want to go that extra mile,or walk over the next hill before they know it they are burnt out and leave for home.
What you need is positive attitude,if you are seeing tracks thats a good sign,keep looking soon you will find what you are looking for.
I hunt probaly 20-30 days a year,I hunt with many diffrent pepole and I love the hunt.When I'm done at the end of the season I'm back to planning next years.
Keep your attitude positive and work hard and you will get what you are hunting for.
Also the part about snapp shooting is a good piece of advice,you don't know how many times I've wanted to kick someone in the but for not taking a shot when it's their.Alot pepole wan't to set up shooting sticks or get to prone shooting position.If it's under a 100 yds you can practice to make a snapp shot as good as a dead rest.I hunt close in the timber most of the time and shots happen in less than 3 seaconds.
Happy hunting and Good luck
BBJ

PaRu

Yea i would agree with Jim Zumbo videos and i would get some Wayne Carlton videos to the more the better, elk are strange at times but you can hunt them like whitetails if you watch the wind and would use a bugle to locate the bull then go to cow calls if he will keep answering.