Any Elk hunters out there?

Some friends and I are going out to Colorado (Gunnison NF) October 21-29 for the Elk 2nd season (rifle). I was just wondering if anyone here on the boards has any information, tips or tricks to offer up.

The plan is to take the truck and trailered four-wheelers up the dirt road as far as we can. From this point we will take the four-wheelers about ten miles to the Wilderness Area. From this point on it's foot travel only. All of us are in fairly good shape and plan to spend the first day getting acclimated to the elevation (7000-8000)!


Here are a few things I'm wondering about:

Elk - where are they this time of year? Up High?

Moving times?

Packing out the meat? We are thinking of using a sled?

I'm a bit of a minimalist so I will list only a few things as must have.

camping equipment/appropriate clothing/first-aid/emergency supplies - I've got this down pat

binoculars
rifle/cartridges
blaze orange
two way radios



Any suggestions, comments, experiences are more than welcome!

I'm a hopeful elk hunter. I've got a chance to kill a cow in November for $500 including a farmer as a "guide." I'm trying to get my wife to buy in. Anyway, sorry, I have no knowledge yet.

I've only ever driven through Gunnison NF. What a beautiful area. I'd suggest shooting one as close to a road as you can.

But seriously, enjoy your time in the high-country.

Don't know the area, but in the elk country out here you would not be able to move a sled. This does work and has the advantage of being nothing more that two poles and some rope to haul in.

tra·vois (tr-voiz, trvoiz)
A frame slung between trailing poles and pulled by a dog or horse, formerly used by Plains Indians as a conveyance for goods and belongings.

sorry this is a late post but i just saw this. If you are going in october in that region i would say stay a little lower on the mountains. From my experience (starting at age 8 with the gramps and father) the elk start coming down in september because the mountains get too cool for their comfort in the transition from the summer coat to winter coat. Definetely go early mornings, real early, and then sit on your ass all day and have a homebrew and then start again an hour or two before sunset when they start moving from their daybeds. Although we got a nice 6 point bull in midday a couple years ago .

Enjoy the scenery, we've never hunted that particular region. Mostly the high desert mountains here in Oregon and then the Rockies in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and planning a trip to Alaska.

We've also hauled them out by just carrying quarters, seems to work well. It's not that bad unless you get a massive bull which makes the pain feel so good!

Have fun!

thanks for the replies guys, it's closing in, we are leaving in nine days (on the 18th) after work. woohoo!!!

hey billybrew, there are 104 cow tags left, why don't you meet us in gunnison, co friday the 20th, the more the merrier!

BootYtRappeR said:

thanks for the replies guys, it's closing in, we are leaving in nine days (on the 18th) after work. woohoo!!!

hey billybrew, there are 104 cow tags left, why don't you meet us in gunnison, co friday the 20th, the more the merrier!

Click to expand...

Man, I'd love to, but I'm breaking the bank and SWMBO's patience with this trip. I've even neglected some of my brewing because I'm saving money for this one.

Good luck to you though. I want to hear a story when you get back.

Well, we are back in NC. We packed up Wednesday night and got out of the woods just before the snow came. Glad we did as it snowed about two feet where we were camped. We hunted on Saturday, Sunday was a rest day b/c one of the guys hunting with us had a mild case of altitude sickness (after a six pack of water he was cured). On Monday we walked up to and along a ridge where I spotted a nice 6 by 6 about 75 yards away chilling on the snowy side of the ridge at about 2:00. My buddy was the only one of us with a bull tag so I ran and got him, showed him the bull and he popped it with a .270, the bull went straight down to his knees stumbled a little and slid down the mountain approx. 50 yards. It took us the rest of the day and all of the next to pack him out. Luckily it was all down hill but still quite strenuous with a 100 lbs on your back.
After all that hard work the remaining two cow tags went unfilled for lack of desire to haul more elk meat out with only one good day of weather left.

A good time had by all!!!

Here's a pic!
View attachment 447

I dont know if i am more impressed with the Bull or the beard...

That's cool. I bet you were pumped!

MMmmmmmmm, what beer would you serve with Elk steak?