Colorado Elk going solo
Wisconsin
Anyone from this site heading to Colorado elk for this fall, solo?
I am going, but not solo. My buddy and I are doing a drop camp into the Flat Tops.
Next Fall, unfortunately.
Sharpshur,,,,,, I am going this year, both to Colorado and Idaho.....This will be for me, more of a spiritual quest, compared to a hunt. Last fall I came close to death, and I was one of the lucky ones...... I am going with my family blessings.
it is a hunt I must do solo,, and just bought a new Eukreka tent for the trip,,,,,, I have no care about a bull...... I have shot 5, was very lucky to be truthful, and so I am wanting to shoot a nice cow, that will feed me thru to spring, since I am on a wild game diet.....
To be honest I am already half packed,,,,, swimming and weights and my daily pack walk...... I am in no hurry, have no time schedule. which is nice....
see you on the trail
Sounds like a great trip. Some of my most memorable hunts are ones I came home empty on. A Wild Game diet would be great. I'm on a Sea Food Diet. I see Food & I eat it. I hope it all goes well for you.
Looks like I will be heading out solo for the first time. Been out with other guys before. For those that have done it, any extra precautions you take? Probably going to hunt a familiar area that I have hunted before
Well one thing I carry with me, is a 911card. It is laminated, and I like to wear mine around my neck. Its there for anyone who finds me, or lets say, I am unresponsive, it has my name, emergency contact number, blood type, medicines I take, and anything I would be allergic too..... that will assist, those, who would be assisting me.....
For anyone going solo I highly recommend a satellite messaging device like a DeLorme Inreach or equivalent. It's very nice to check-in via text during the day or once in the evening. You can set it up so the receiving person ends up with a map showing exactly where you are.
I was in Colorado last August solo. Bring a good book and enjoy the deafening silence interrupted by the occasional bugle. I agree with YZF. Didn’t have one or need one, but the peace of mind would have been nice.
Read Mike Mitten book "Passion of a solo bowhunter" he also has a new DVD coming out called "Passion of a solo moose hunter" He is one of the best at it.
If it was me I would take a toe tag so when the flesh rots off & the smile disappears from my face they will say "I think he died happy". "What a lucky man he was".
OK, since I am a dinosaur it is hard to change. When I started they didn't have things like cell phones, GPS, aerial maps, water filters (I love the taste of Iodine) & even better fire starters. I always looked for landmarks like Rabbit Ears Pass or something that stood out. One tip I would say is to look around when you stand up after resting. Everything you have with you is important. Don't want to leave something on a rock. I guess the 2 most important things I can think of off hand would be fire starter & mole skin for your feet but there would be a number of things in my emergency pack.
But would you put a moleskin wrap on the toe tag?
As far as getting lost out there, I found it pretty hard to. Your always on a mountain looking at others. It's pretty easy to know where your going and where to go to get out. Now, other things can and do happen, but you take that responsibility.
This isn't my first hunt out there, I have done three others all DIY with a couple guys. We camped together and hunted solo on each trip. Just looking for an xtra precautions or tips from the guys that have gone solo.
Yes, that is what I would do. Usually 2 of us would pack out about 5 miles to get away from the crowd & then hunt solo from there. Not much of a crowd back then but it seemed that most years I would call in someone from Michigan. They must have a good number of bowhunters there. I try not to get lost but there have been times when I was pretty confused. Especially when you are trying to get ahead of Elk. Fog & darkness make it more difficult also. I lived in Colorado for a year & would scout most weekends. I found I could hunt as much there living there & I can living here. Plus when my buddy came out to hunt with me when we were done I was done for the year. He came home & had over 3 months of hunting left. I also camped most of Idaho one year for 3 months. You can really get lost out there. TWEED, The mole skin goes under the toe tag so the wire doesn't hurt your toe.
5 miles is a long way....... My first trip was in 1989, and I killed an elk in 3 hours, from my truck, so I was starting off lucky........ I have had two deer camps, there fun at night, but I want to hunt alone, always have......
Hunting solo out there is no different.....its a mental game I guess for some, to me its just natural......
After my experience last year, and age, I will be out from my truck for a night or so, and to tell you the truth, I do not hunt that far from my truck,,,,,,,
also being satisfied with a nice cow elk, and not having a time schedule makes a great hunt,,,,,,, you pretty well have everything you need, since you have been out there several time,,,,, nothing I could add really, except my suggestion for a 911 card
good luck
Please take plenty of pics and post about your hunts when you get back.
Ground Hunter, the 911 card is something that would benefit a lot of folks just to always keep in their pocket. I was golfing this past Monday and a man collapsed on the course. I'm sure something like that card would have been a big help to the first responders.
Five miles is a lot longer now than it was back then. Must be inflation. lol One thing I remember learning was to unbuckle my back pack when crossing a creek on a log incase you end up on the bottom like an upside down turtle. Then you have to make the decision to camp high & get hit by lightning or camp low & get hit by rocks. I have run into some weather out there from fog, wind, rain, snow & hail. Still fun.
I added a "Life Straw this year,,,,, going to test it out this week, while trout fishing
I got the beaver fever in Utah. It didn't hit me bad till I got home. I was drinking water out of a seep unprotected. Was cow dodo not far below but I don't know what bug got me. I could squirt through a screen 8 feet away & never touch the sides. Ugly bug.
I had that from Wyoming. Don’t know what a beaver was doing well above tree line but I was getting my water right where it came out of the mountain. Like you it didn’t hit me till I got home. 1991 was the year.
Huge fire going out there now. 22,000 acres burned so far in the western part of the state and closed one National forest. Might want to check if any of you guys are going to that part of the state.
I will be heading out solo from Wisconsin for my first hunt, thanks for the advice guys!
Drop tube what units are are affected by that fire?
I get beaver fever all the time
There are several fires right now just west on Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Not sure the unit numbers. Never hunted CO.
Link doesn’t work for me. Here is a photo.
My son and I are making two trips this fall. Opening and closing week. He has the limited tag and I will tag along. If he connects early we will head to an OTC for me. The wilderness we are going to is currently closed, but hopeful it will open up.
My son and I are making two trips this fall. Opening and closing week. He has the limited tag and I will tag along. If he connects early we will head to an OTC for me. The wilderness we are going to is currently closed, but hopeful it will open up.
I have a friend going to the area south of Glenwood Springs, he is going for 5 weeks, so he is going to play it by ear...... The guy is 74 and a cancer survivor, so the young guys have no issues to complain about
Fires are always a concern
Ground hunter, dkbs, Stilpr and everyone else - Have a great, safe hunt. Best of luck to you guys.
If you're not base camped near the truck, you might want to invest in a purifier instead of a filter. Sawyer has a 4 liter gravity system that has done right by me. If you've got a good pool to pull from, just fill the gray bag.
If it's just a trickle, use a Ziplock to feed the gray bag. I tuck a one gallon bag paint strainer into the gray bag and use one of my wife's pony tail holders to secure it to the outside of the threaded fill neck.
The bag paint strainer catches any bigger debris. I use the pony tail holder to hold the pieces and parts together when packed.
Just get the gray bag filled and gravity takes care of it while you take care of other things.
No beaver fever. Even in some dicey spots.
More expensive than a filter, less expensive than a doctor's visit. Less expensive and less bulky than the MSR Guardian.... which is still cheaper than the doctor.
Sharpspur - A small thing. I tuck a couple of mylar "space" blankets into my kill kit.
They're a clean surface to lay meat out on when breaking down an animal... and you have a couple of "space" blankets with you in case of some problem.
Groundhunter - If you had some serious health problems, you might want to carry a Personal Locater Beacon to ease your family's minds. I do not own one and can't attest to the quality of one over the other, but maybe Les or Mike or someone else has some experience and can offer an opinion.
FWIW - When solo, take your time and be more focused, even with small things.
And take some available help if something happens.
I came across a guy on a canoe trip. He had been about to make dinner and fumbled the pot. It dumped boiling water down his shin and into the top of his boot. By the time he got his boot and sock off, the top of his ankle and foot were a mess. Thick hunks of skin blistered up in thick pads and came off. It was nasty.
For some reason, he steadfastedly refused to allow us to paddle him out. I still wonder about what happened to that guy.
thanks Orion,,,, no concerns now, the heart doctors from Cleveland National Heart and Frodert, said they gave me another 25 years. I swim almost every day, and work free weights, and I feel like 30,,,,, I am a lucky guy
I have prior and will continue to wear my 911 card, though around my neck......
nice thing about hunting when your retired, is you can take all the naps you want
Glad to hear it ground hunter. Have a great hunt. Please share some pics upon your return.
Have a great hunt everyone.
