DIY Archery Hunt Advice???

[Mr.Redneck]

I am planning a trip to CO next fall with a group of four hunters to archery hunt elk diring the first 12 days of the archery season. We are all first timers who are decent whitetail archers in OH, each of us usually kills a buck and doe, only a couple of bookmakers, but respectable. We are planning to hike in and set up a base camp, tents tarps and the like, probably with in pairs make one trip out each for supplies during the stay. Any advice would be appreciated!!!

That is I used to a decent archery hunter until I shot

about two inches over the back of a 140 - 150 twelve pointer tonight

I could have just jumped right straight out of my tree.

But I am very impressed with the new "X-scent" underclothing I bought this year. He muched on branches that I had just trimmed of my tree I was in directly below me for several minutes before walking woefully towards the brushy side of my stand.

I shamefully attempted the five yard shot from 20ft up and just plain missed.

 

[One Track]

Sounds like a fun trip. I would suggest subscribing to Eastman's Bowhunting Journal. Cameron Hanes is the editor. He's a hardcore bowhunter and specializes in Do It Yourself hunting. Each issue will include a few pages on backpack hunting, like equipment, fitness, supplies, etc. He also has a book titled something like, "Bowhunting for Trophy Blacktail" that includes chapters on DIY hunting. The book is awesome, no matter where you hunt. It was a big help to me on my last backpack hunt.

 

[Mr.Redneck]

Thanks One Track, will look into that. Any other advice is appreciated.

 

[SDHNTR]

Learn to use and elk bugle and cow calls. Get in shape, get in shape, get in shape!!! That is the single best piece of advice you could get for a midwesterner who is used to stand hunting at low altitude. I'd not be satisfied until I was able to easily run 5 miles every day, including some good hills.

 

[wmidbrook]

1) Pick a unit/general area within a unit
There are services for DIY hunters like DeerKing's service. He'll send you maps with a camp location and X's on the map where you're likely to get into elk. Several folks around here have used his service and have nothing but good things to say. His rates are reasonable and he charges the same for 1 person or a party.

Another alternative is the state of Colorado's BigGame CD--available at the DOW's website. There's useful info there. They'll give you likely areas in a unit that hold elk. E.g. mountain names, mesa names or something to that effect but is a step down from a more personalized service such as DeerKing's.

Or, you can do it the old-fashioned DIY way. Do a ton of phone scouting: talk to Wildlife agency personell (field officers, biologists), media personel, outfitters, etc.

2) The following skills help:
--Know how to at least do a location bugle
--cow call (Primos' hoochie mama can be mastered in less than a month and is very realistic)
--reading sign
--dissecting topo maps to locate likely benches, areas with wallows, etc.

3) Get "How To" videos/tapes
--Elknut.com's, Wayne Carlton, Dwight Schuh and Larry Jones, Brad Schearer and a handful of others....watch/listen all year long

4) Get "How To" books like OneTrack mentioned

5) Be in good enough shape to get off the road at least a few miles and to cover a lot of ground. The more ground you can cover in a day, the better off you are in terms of locating and getting on an elk (of course, you don't want to bump elk out of an area 'cause you're plowing thru an area too quickly/noisely)


6) Be able to consistently hit a paper plate @ 40 yards

 

[Mr.Redneck]

Hey guys,
Sounds like good info., I am starting in pretty good shape, not real sure about running 5 miles a day though, have a little exertional asthma can't run much over a mile without dying, but can hike forever. I am already watching the videos, and have used the CDNR website pretty thoroughly, as far as what areas have a higher archery success rate vs. overall rate, esp. the units open to OTC tags, I have played in altitude before, hiked up Mt. Rainier to the glacial cap, and that was in cowboy boots, not highly recommended by the way, I also have already looked and played with the hoochie mama, it seems like the best prospect out there as far a cow calls go. I also am good with the topos, after being in the Army, can find a hair on an elephants ass. My big questions if DEERKING???? Where do I locate him, and how much are his fees???? I have used and abused the CDNR website and MyTOPO.COM, which by the way have been very helpful to me and my buddies, but I want to make sure that 2-3 of the 5 or 6 of us come back with some meat and horns. I know I am good to 50yds. not sure about the others, but one has a couple of 3D trophies so I know he's alright. Any other GUIDANCE will be much APPRECIATED.


THANKS