DIY Colorado Elk Hunting
Elk are a fascinating and challenging game for hunters in Colorado. Hunting elk becomes all the more challenging when you dismiss the idea of a guided hunt and decide to do it yourself. The DIY hunt is as much about rigorous preparation and basic planning as it is about the firing of a weapon.
Things You'll Need
- Rifle
- Topographic maps
- Compass
- Rucksack
- Thick boots
- Woolen clothes
- Camp
Instructions
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Apply for a Colorado elk hunting license on the Department of Wildlife website. The online application form guides you through the process step by step. An elk hunting license is available for as little as $49 for a Colorado resident, and for as much as $544 for a nonresident. The state imposes limitations on how many carcasses you can bag (depends on your license type) and the hours in which you can hunt (typically from a half-hour before sunrise to half-hour after sunset.
Elk hunting season takes place between August and December, depending on the specific area you are looking to hunt in and what weapon you will be using.
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Research your potential hunt. Go online to find sites such as coloradowilderness.com and rockymountainhunting.com that are designed to give you hunting advice and information specific to Colorado. These sites contain information about hunting seasons, maps and environmental advice.
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Prepare yourself thoroughly in terms of your choice of clothing and your physical conditioning. You should be fit to hunt elk; they are a difficult game because of their savvy. It is thought that elk have learned to be less vocal as a result of being hunted, so a hunt could require a great deal of hiking in one day. As far as clothing, you are in Colorado it will likely be cold -- wear thick wool as well as thick, comfortable boots that will aid in walking. Take a strong, supported rucksack on the hunt if you wish to return with a "trophy."
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Learn basic survival skills. A DIY elk hunt requires a great deal of self-sufficiency. You should know how to read a compass and how to read a topographic map as well as how to cook in the wild and set up campsites during the hunt.
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Talk to the locals. It is possible that you will be hunting elk in an area you are unfamiliar with, but one which is ripe for hunting. In which case, talk to the local hunters who have experience with the terrain and with the animals. If there is a hunting club in the area ask members for advice and guidance.
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Choose a suitable weapon. A hunter is only as good as his weapon, and for a prey like Colorado elk a .338 magnum rifle would be a suitable firearm. This offers excellent knock-down power, an key feature for hunting larger animals. It also has an incredibly fast action, which ensures you have the maximum opportunity to hit the animal -- if you are fast enough.
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Begin the hunt.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Elk image by bas from Fotolia.com
