Transportation service to trail head.

[zadvorney]

A while back I started trying to figure out how to make the trip from Western New York to Colorado a little less of a chore. I have to get out to the area a few days earlier than the rest of the hunting party to scout a little. Driving takes at least three days each way and eats up the vacation time like rosanne barr eats fresh baked cookies. But when you are a DIY hunter, the other options don't stack in your favor. Flying is a recipe for disaster with lost gear and limited amount of things to carry along. A train takes as much time as driving but the gear list can be extended. A bus is suicide. So back to planes. After you arrive the next order of business is a car. Off road or just enough to get you there. I was blown away by the rental prices. Well over a grand for a week plus three days. The taxes alone jump the advertised price by 45%! It isn't that I'm cheap but, $1200.00 to rent a car for a week and a half is crazy. So I looked around for a one way ride service. A taxi service might do it. One out of Denver had a $200 minimum plus mileage and hourly fee. It worked out to less than a rental and would drop me off at the spot I wanted to go. Gear would have to be limited and if the crap hit the fan once the ride left, well, it would be a long wait until someone could get to me. I also found a ride service out of Gunnison airport. Alpine Express Shuttle ( http://alpineexpressshuttle.com/) typically runs passengers to and from Crested Butte and Gunnison and Montrose. They would also run someone to a trail that is accessible by van one way. Very helpful people.A one way ride to my spot for around $400.00 isn't bad at all. As I'm writing this I am still in the air about flying or driving. My gut tells me to drive. I've done it a bunch of times already but getting there in one day is quite alluring. Anyone else come up with a better solution?

 

[JohnCushman]

Where from in NY? I'm originally from Rochester. I've made the drive back and forth several times.

 

[HighDesertSage]

The better solution is to move closer. I packed up and moved the family for this very reason. There have been sacrifices made no doubt, but I could never live in a state where I could not hunt elk every year. Flying sounds like a nightmare, especially if you are successful and have meat and antlers to bring back.

The best thing I have found when doing cross country trips is to have multiple drivers and switch off every 8 hours or so. If your not driving your sleeping. Stop only when you need gas, and make the most of the stop (use restrooms, get food, etc.). Using this method you should be able to do W NY to CO in 1.25 to 1.5 days.

 

[LopeHunter]

The better solution is to move closer. I packed up and moved the family for this very reason. There have been sacrifices made no doubt, but I could never live in a state where I could not hunt elk every year. Flying sounds like a nightmare, especially if you are successful and have meat and antlers to bring back.

The best thing I have found when doing cross country trips is to have multiple drivers and switch off every 8 hours or so. If your not driving your sleeping. Stop only when you need gas, and make the most of the stop (use restrooms, get food, etc.). Using this method you should be able to do W NY to CO in 1.25 to 1.5 days.

Agree that a serious consideration of moving to the West should be considered. Most skills needed in NY are needed somewhere out West, too. Moving is not possible for everyone. I made the move as a young person and have had more and better hunting every year since the move.

I enjoyed hunting whitetails and tom turkey before headed West but hearing a bull elk bugle, seeing a pronghorn zooming across the prairie, a bison herd thundering along, moose moving like tanks through the basin, following a mule deer bouncing up a steep ridge, seeing bighorn sheep and mountain goats on peaks, well, that is a nice day indeed.

I also like the tag team driving approach. Keep the vehicle moving. No hotels. Drive in shifts. Any resulting annoyance is worth having more time on the hunt. Flying is okay but there is gear you can not take either due to space/weight restrictions or regulations (black powder). Flying home is even more problematic since gets expensive trying to change tickets if you tag out early or extend your hunt a day or two.

Good luck on your hunts. Stay safe and do not drive tired.

 

[2rocky]

Sounds like a group trip. Is it possible to fly out with 3 days worth of scouting/ bivy gear and sent big stuff with the group in the vehicle?

It is always helpful if there is someone who doesn't mind the drive, to haul big things like horns meat, horses dogs and quads. This role can be rotated from year to year. You want to avoid being the one who gets there last and leaves first EVERY year.

But to show up early and stake out a spot for the group? Yeah that is worthwhile...

As for TH rides, many fly shops/rafting/gear shops will offer drop off/ pickup services they also will ferry your car to another trailhead if you want to do a progressive trip.

 

[zadvorney]

The group trip is the way to go. I usually drive to Illinois and meet the rest of the guys there, then we drive out from there. put the fuel in and drive your tank. This year they can't hunt as long as I can and we have little time to scout a new area. I figure I'll just drive out and eat up the vacation time wholesale. It will be safer and better to have eyes on the ground ahead of time and have the ability to stay longer if I want. I will keep the fly shops in mind as well. This will be trip number five but first with a gun. I must say a thank you for the previous advise on contacting the CoDoW. The "ask a hunt planner" was a bust but it lead me to the forest service and they were a better help. See you all out there and good luck.

 

[zadvorney]

John C, Buffalo area. You need me to bring out some Weber's Mustard or Anchor Bar Wing's. How about a REAL pizza.lol Salen's or Wardinski Hot dogs......

 

[JohnCushman]

John C, Buffalo area. You need me to bring out some Weber's Mustard or Anchor Bar Wing's. How about a REAL pizza.lol Salen's or Wardinski Hot dogs......

Bring me a garbage plate and some Zweigels and loganberry juice

 

[ccc23454]

Bring me a garbage plate and some Zweigels and loganberry juice

dam a loganberry sounds good then a cold blue draft and some real wings and GO BILLS...

Chris
originally from Bemus Point/Jamestown now stationed in VA

 

[JohnCushman]

I found Blue out here in limited supply from limited places, but it's expensive as hell out here

 

[zadvorney]

I smell a trade....Seriously I don't have a problem getting you what you need as long as your on the route out there. The loganberry can come in a concentrate, I don't think Zweigels would be hard to get there fresh but the garbage plate is a no-go. A delicious grease bomb like that would last about 10 miles and then I'd have to tuck into it myself. Let me know if you need it. Funny, no matter how far I travel in the world I will run into someone from this area. New York State gets a bad rap for it's association with NYC but I haven't found a better group of people than right here.

 

[zadvorney]

ccc, I'm headed out this weekend to fill the freezer with perch fillets. I didn't get into the walleye like I should have this year. Too much going on. The ringbacks are schooled up and fat as pigs. Be safe in Va.

 

[JohnCushman]

I've done the drive to Rochester in about 32 hours with a couple hour nap just East of Indianapolis at a rest stop. Kansas has got to be the worst part of the trip, but it's not so bad now that they raised the speed limit to 75 on I 70. Where are you planning to hunt in CO?

 

[Corax]

Zad - you do not say where you are planning on flying into. For one person, flying is almost always cheaper than driving a long distance. Your prices sound like you are flying in to Gunnison and renting an SUV there. I suggest flying into Denver and renting a compact car, which will get you most places.

 

[Corax]

And IMO, flying with guns is a non-issue. And as a bonus, the gun case is the one piece of luggage you can actually lock these days.

 

[zadvorney]

Unit sixty five 2nd season. I looked into Denver and renting the compact. It was more than flying into Gunnison. I will drive this time. If and when I go out for deer I'll fly. I hate to think of how much it would run me if I get an elk down and it needs to be shipped back. I'm going to buy a large magnet and glue it on my car. When I hit Kansas I'll attach it to a truck and let him pull me through while I sleep. Purchasing extra data for my phone so I can use Pandora all the way out. Maybe some books on tape.

 

[Recurve62]

Zad, don't know your whole situation, but in 2012 when my brothers trip schedule to get out there was iffy, my wife was gonna drive out with me so that I could do a non stop and then she would just fly back from Denver. We are about 30 minutes south of Erie, Pa. and we do Denver in about 26 hours with gas/pee stops, two drivers. We go the I90/80 route (Nebraska is a killer). We do have the advantage of traveling a day early and resting at our sisters in Denver before heading to our hunting area. GO BILLS!!!! Tomorrow is for "Fish Squishin"'

 

[JohnCushman]

What route are you taking? If you're coming any where near me I'll offer you a hot shower and some food and a bed to crash on.

 

[JohnCushman]

Recurve62...you're in Steelers country...what's this Go Bills crap?

 

[ccc23454]

Recurve62...you're in Steelers country...what's this Go Bills crap?

john don't tell me your a Broncos fan...lol big game tomorrow in buffalo for sure, first time ever RV/trailer was full day early. all spots sold out this morning, they are tailgateing hard from what I have heard.

as far as the drive travel issue its only as bad as you make it. if you travel the right time of the right days the trip can go by fast. Pandora and cell phone apps like it helps, I have Sirius sat radio and like driving on sundays and listening to NFL games. if you let it mentally concur you, your already starting trip wrong. never hit the big cities during rush hours, never pass the football towns on sunday after a game if they are home that week. I have to go across 64 to 80, I stop in that rest area on IL/IN state line sleep 4 hours then drive to Cheyenne for a hotel room, hot shower (probably last for a week or 2) then head into the mountains. have fun with the trip and make it part of the adventure and it goes fast, here is my favorite cell pic from last trip, sent it to buddies and told them I might need this #, that's how I like them..

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