Caribou Gear

Colorado archery elk

Any information on the purchasing of tags and units or a gear list for a solo archery hunt would be greatly appreciated!
Figure out how you are going to hunt backpack/car camp/ trailer, get a budget and start shopping. Lots of backpacking gear is as good/better than hunt brand stuff and cheaper, like tents and sleeping bags. Put that stuff in your pack and go hiking, backpacking is important to practice before bringing all the extra hunting stuff.

I don't think you need to be able to flip tires or do that thing where you wiggle the ropes real good, but being able to hike all day is really helpful. I've found being able to move in elk county very beneficial.
 
i plan on getting there august’s 29th to scout until season opens the 2nd. and i plan on setting up a base camp and then hiking out for 2-3 days and returning to re supply. i’ve got a lot of my old military gear i plan on taking i just didn’t know what are the must needs for a colorado elk hunt. and i’m i’m pretty decent shape, i workout 4-5 days a week but i’ll be getting a new pack soon and pair of boots so i plan on packing around 150lb 2 times a week to get in shape. i appreciate the advice!
 
Im a Texas resident and i will be taking my first every elk hunt this September with a bow hopefully. i've researched over the counter either sex tags but still a little confused on the units for Colorado or were to hunt per unit or how i would purchase a certain unit. Also ive been researching some of the must needed gear most people use for a solo elk hunt. Any information on the purchasing of tags and units or a gear list for a solo archery hunt would be greatly appreciated! Ive been dreaming of his hunt since i was a little kid and im finally being able to take it after 4 years being over seas in the military. Thank you all in advance!!
First I would seriously reconsider a solo elk hunt for your first time. Should you get one you'll be packing out elk by yourself and that's not going to be fun or easy. Get a buddy, or two, to go along just to help out if you get one or if you get hurt.
You can find tons of info for free on the web (CO Parks & Wildlife for starters) but GoHunt sure makes it easy. All the info for all the western states are consolidated and include a phone app with offline maps. Watch tons of youtube videos of Randy Newberg (@BigFin on here), Corey Jacobsen, Born & Raised, and many others to see what is involved. Then, if you've never been there or in mountains over 9000', it becomes a whole new ballgame. Altitude is tough if you aren't used to it and living in TX, you won't be.
For gear take a look on YouTube of the above hunter's bag dumps. You'll get an idea on what you'll need. You won't need the latest and greatest but I'm telling you, you'll want lightweight and dependable!
Message me and I will be more than happen to share more details. I'm sure about anyone else on this community would as well. It's not the jerks you see on a lot of Facebook boards.
 
I believe it’s around page 118-119
Are these official? I noticed it also said you now have to wear hunter orange during archery season when the muzzy overlap occurs but there was a post on here that said that was shot down.
 
i plan on getting there august’s 29th to scout until season opens the 2nd. and i plan on setting up a base camp and then hiking out for 2-3 days and returning to re supply. i’ve got a lot of my old military gear i plan on taking i just didn’t know what are the must needs for a colorado elk hunt. and i’m i’m pretty decent shape, i workout 4-5 days a week but i’ll be getting a new pack soon and pair of boots so i plan on packing around 150lb 2 times a week to get in shape. i appreciate the advice!
I know the military is all about packing weight, maybe that's why they're 18😂. I was a wildland firefighter, climbing ranger, and climbing guide. Put #40 in your pack for training, that big weight sounds bad ass on Instagram but will wreck your body long term.
I've packed all my elk solo before I got llamas, and would do a cow in three trips. Establish how far away you can kill something and stick with that restriction.
When I got pack Llamas and started actually weighing all my loads I got a better sense of what things weigh. I had to adjust many of my stories about the "epic" pack out to include Jess weight in my pack. When someone tells you how much their pack weighs online just reduce that number by %50-33.
 
First I would seriously reconsider a solo elk hunt for your first time. Should you get one you'll be packing out elk by yourself and that's not going to be fun or easy. Get a buddy, or two, to go along just to help out if you get one or if you get hurt.
You can find tons of info for free on the web (CO Parks & Wildlife for starters) but GoHunt sure makes it easy. All the info for all the western states are consolidated and include a phone app with offline maps. Watch tons of youtube videos of Randy Newberg (@BigFin on here), Corey Jacobsen, Born & Raised, and many others to see what is involved. Then, if you've never been there or in mountains over 9000', it becomes a whole new ballgame. Altitude is tough if you aren't used to it and living in TX, you won't be.
For gear take a look on YouTube of the above hunter's bag dumps. You'll get an idea on what you'll need. You won't need the latest and greatest but I'm telling you, you'll want lightweight and dependable!
Message me and I will be more than happen to share more details. I'm sure about anyone else on this community would as well. It's not the jerks you see on a lot of Facebook boards.
thanks for the insight and advice! i spent quite a bit of time in the mountains while being deployed in the marine corps so i know what you mean when you say the altitude it tough. it kicked my butt for the first week or two rucking up mountains. the main reason i’m taking this hunt is because it’s so challenging and my dream. i’ve been reading and looking at a ton of videos when it comes to solo hunts and the easiest way to get an elk out solo. so when you say i should take a buddy i believe you 100% but at the same time i want to be able to make a split second decision and not have to worry about somebody else while on the hunt if that makes sense. i’ll be sure to look at the guys you have mentioned, any and all advice is helpful. especially for people who have already done the hunt. i’ll have to reconsider going with a buddy, you’re not the first person to tell me how hard it is to pack out an elk. i’m just so used to marine crops rucks for miles that i think i can do it. i’ll defiantly consider that. thank you for the advice!
 
thanks for the insight and advice! i spent quite a bit of time in the mountains while being deployed in the marine corps so i know what you mean when you say the altitude it tough. it kicked my butt for the first week or two rucking up mountains. the main reason i’m taking this hunt is because it’s so challenging and my dream. i’ve been reading and looking at a ton of videos when it comes to solo hunts and the easiest way to get an elk out solo. so when you say i should take a buddy i believe you 100% but at the same time i want to be able to make a split second decision and not have to worry about somebody else while on the hunt if that makes sense. i’ll be sure to look at the guys you have mentioned, any and all advice is helpful. especially for people who have already done the hunt. i’ll have to reconsider going with a buddy, you’re not the first person to tell me how hard it is to pack out an elk. i’m just so used to marine crops rucks for miles that i think i can do it. i’ll defiantly consider that. thank you for the advice!
You still have your fellow marines with you. ;)
 
You can pack an elk solo, just don't get too far out of range, put the meat up in a cool spot, and don't hurt yourself
 
Unless it has changed, you have to get approval from Colorado of your out of state hunter safety. A friend and I missed a day of hunting 3 years ago waiting for approval as the warden made us go to a local office and get confirmation from Missouri. You can take care of this before your trip, I can’t remember how. Check with the Colorado website.
When you buy your qualifying license you have to put hunters safety card number and state from where it came. At least that’s what it did to me last year. I purchased my OTC tag on Aug 3 when they released it so I could have any license vendor print it when I arrived. If you show up after season starts you have to go to the Game and Fish office to buy one and get it printed. Since I had the receipt and confirmation number just walked into the local Walmart and had them print when I picked up my camp groceries and ice.
 
I would go with a buddy and the biggest issues you'll face will probably be altitude and the heat. You're going early so it's more than likely going to be hot, so you need to get the meat packed out quicker. More people the better
 
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