First Elk Hunt – Colorado Early Season

Hi all,

I will be headed to Colorado (zone 70) for my first archery elk hunt (early September). We will be going through an outfitter and staying in a cabin with power, shower facilities, etc, and will be taking ATV’s out for day-long spot & stalk hunts.

Being that the majority of my big-game hunting has consisted of Minnesota whitetails, I’ve got some ground to make up in terms of gear. I’ve already purchased a new pair of boots, but am most curious about what you all would bring for clothing. We will be relatively high (10,000 ft) so I know the weather will be pretty variable. I already know I’ll be bringing a couple pairs of different weight baselayers for layering, the First Lite Corrugate Guide pants & jacket for my “primary” wear, a packable vest, rain gear, and quality hiking socks. If there is anything you all would recommend that you can’t live without, I’m all ears!

Thank you and I look forward to hearing your recommendations.

Get in their bedroom,
take a climbing tree stand.

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When I went on my first archery hunt in the flat tops of CO I brought WAY TOO MUCH CRAP!!!!! my advice is pack light as possible! bring a range finder, distances with elk are hard to judge when you are used to whitetail. set your bow up to shoot out to at lest 80 yards, get a bow case that works with your atv! you are required to case it on the atv I ended up having to put mine in a sea bag and it was not ideal. a locking box or luggage compartment on the atv so you can leave items you don’t need to lug around but would be nice to have secured ie lunch (MRE’s where the best on the mountain) spotting scope tripod.

gear I would keep (locked) in ATV

tripod
spotting scope
bow case
pack with shelf for packing out meat
meat bags, extra knives butchers kit etc
at lest a gallon extra of water\
small tool kit
extra MRE
complete first aid/survival kit
warm sleeping bag with bivy sack

Gear that I lug around

bow with 3arrows 2 with quality fixed blade point 1 rage expandable for shots over 50yds

small light pack with hydration bladder and in line filter

packable gortex rain gear if rain is expected, usmc poncho if not

small fixed blade knife and leatherman

small belt sized Ifak & survival kit

light pack coat scrunch up kind, wool gloves, wool hat, extra wool socks

range finder, gps/map, binos and sun glasses/atv riding glasses keep the dust out of your eyes

Multiple good head lamps with extra batteries.

A heavy arrow setup with a quality fixed blade on the front with enough confidence to make a long shot. Atv or not start getting your cardio in. My sea level lungs take a day or two let me do much.

Good for you guys that are going out on a trip like this. It would be a dream come true for me, no question. Hopefully one day I will sack up and make the trip. Like you, I have next to none of the gear required for an elk hunt in the mountains. After a little research I’ve learned itll be quite the investment!

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out the “Land of the Free” series by Born and Raised Outdoors. Its on youtube. A few guys and their friends travel to 5 different states out west hunting and camping on nothing but public hunting land for 50 days straight. They make archery elk hunting look WAY too easy, especially considering the different terrains of the different states/forests. GREAT show. I never even considered hunting elk until watching this show. Now it seems its the only thing I think about!