Hi all!

A group of friends and I are planning to head up to Colorado in late September, likely unit 53, and get off-road and outdoors to hunt some elk. I've been on multiple elk hunts in both Colorado and Wyoming, but they have always been guided. However, I'm a big outdoorsmen and love camping so I'm really looking forward to this trip.

We expect to be out for a 6-7 day hunt. I'm 34 years old, in very good shape, and plan to hike 5-10 mi per day (as necessary). Bagging an elk with the group would be absolutely amazing, but I'm also very excited to just be out in the mountains.

Our current plan is to hike in about 2-3 miles on the first day, likely 2 trips from the truck for running supplies, and establish a base camp with a larger tent. From there, we'll travel out each day with the ability to set up satellite camps using smaller tents. We'll likely be hunting in 2-3 groups. We'll leave some supplies at the truck, like food for the 2nd part of the trip, with the expectation that we'd journey back to the truck to grab it at some point (and maybe even move the base camp half way through the hunt).

What are y'all's thoughts on a base camp + satellite camps as we move around? Is it overkill?

I'd also like some input on food, specifically breakfast and lunch/snacks. Obviously we'll need to travel light. I've tried a few of the Peak Refuel freeze dried meals, and will be going with some of those for dinner. Given the amount of activity I expect, I want to make sure I stay properly fueled with good carbs and protein. Any suggestions?

2 trips to setup camp feels a little extra.

I'd bring all that I could in one trip and know that you can go resupply halfway through. Once you setup camp, I'd do a minimal tarp/cooking setup to take with you in the event you get on a bull and want to camp closer to it.

Sounds fun!

Indeed! I need to organize my supplies a bit better to see if it would require 2 trips from the truck or not. At a minimum, I do plan to have a large hiking pack (all base camp supplies) and a day pack with minimum cooking supplies, a light tent, and hunting gear. For the initial hike in, the day pack will have to be attached to the larger hiking pack some how.

Having to carry a bow in addition to all the other supplies for the base camp (specifically a larger tent) has me thinking those 2 trips are likely, but there is the possibility that we could split the large tent up between our packs for the journey in.

Don't do a base camp.

Stay as mobile as possible.

Elk travel. Bc weather. Bc pressure. Bc they can. Don't be stuck with a big comfy base camp and no elk in the vicinity.

Speaking from experience. Made that mistake as a rookie elk hunter many years ago. It turned into a comfy camping trip where I got my "hiking with a rifle" badge.

More later when I'm not typing on my cell.

Unless you know the elk aren't that far in from your parking spot, 2-3 miles in is very light, in my opinion… I'd get as far away as possible to where you have scouted animals or to an area that is the hardest to access.

I agree with posters above. It sounds like y'all are overthinking this, and will spend a ridiculous amount of time packing in, setting camp, moving camp, retrieving satellite camps/gear…

Go minimal, stay mobile. You don't need a big "base camp" that is only 2-3 miles from the truck. If you were 10 miles back on horses, OK. But, for packing in on foot- stay light as possible. You can share tents for camp, and skinny down to a tarp and stove for setting up over a bull if needed.

Let the elk determine what you do. Don't get locked in to a spot for base camp. Get up there, find the elk, and move accordingly. You are more likely to be forced to move than to hunt out of base camp the whole time. I also think I hunt harder the less gear I have. If I have a nice cushy camp, it is far less appealing to spend the night in a remote draw. Also think- if you find a spot good enough and big enough for a base camp 2-3 miles from the trailhead, so have plenty of other hunters in recent years. The elk will take note.

Just my .02

I went pretty simple for breakfast and lunch - all no cook options

Breakfast - Clif Bar + 2 natures valley breakfast biscuits
Snacks - homemade gorp / jerky / Bucky dried sausage
Lunch - flavored tuna or PB in squeeze tube with honey packets on a tortilla ( 2 per lunch)
Also 2nd trip we tried Chata Chilorio ( pulled pork in Mexican seasoning ) which was great - 1 packet was more than enough for two people)
Then a freeze dried meal in evening - 1 per person even though they say 2 dinner portions per pouch

I add the individual La hot sauce packets for a little flavor boost for both lunch and dinner

I have nothing to add, what I would give as advice is said already. I would say to post your gear list and let us widdle it down to allow you to be mobile and an enjoyable trip. Lots of knowledge here that can help you.

Don't bring food. Just eat your elk.

The hunger will give your group a sense of urgency in acquiring food, and lead to the hunt being more successful.

MRE's for big meals on the fly, for snacks jerky, skippy peanut butter packs, CLIF Bars, Vienna sausages, tuna packets, dry sausage sticks, saltine crackers, dried fruit & nuts.

Definitely have a Camelbak M.U.L.E. hydration system for when you're out hunting for water.

I have nothing to add on the logistics part, but will say I really liked both Mountain House and Backpacker's Pantry freeze dried meals that I took with me on a hiking trip years ago. It might have been because I was super hungry, but I was very surprised with how good some of those meals tasted.

I've hunted unit 53 OTC archery. You will need to go more then 2 miles in from the trail head. There are also bears and cats in the unit so plan accordingly. Good luck on your hunt!

I typically only eat a hot meal for dinner, most of the time either mountain house/peak4fuel/backpackerpantry, etc. For lunch peanut butter , bacon, honey, on a bagel , and for breakfast typically bars or something to eat quick on the hike . I also carry a bag of mm's , trail mix, jerky

I take a combo of probar meal bars and green belly meals for breakfast and lunch. One mountain house dinner per day for dinner. I usually have one honey stinger bar and some almond butter packets for snacks during the day. I've never run out of food…for some reason I don't get hungry up there. Even hiking 5-9 miles a day. I'm always taking too much food, so this year I'm cutting back a bit.

Since I'm not boiling much, I can take a small can of fuel for coffee/dinners to save weight.

I normally put down a ton of food, but when I'm in the backcountry and hiking a bunch, my appetite leaves me. Sometimes you don't know how your body is going to react.

Water helps you keep going. I drink a bunch of water normally, so I'm the mountains I drink a metric crap ton and always have at least 4L purified and ready to drink. That's one thing I do not want to run out of. I've taken a Katydyn Base Camp and/or a MSR AutoFlow XL the years I've done it. The Katadyn clogged too easily. The MSR is wonderful. However, this year I'm leaving the MSR at home and taking tabs and a UV pen to save some weight and bulk.

2-3 miles from the trailhead isn't enough in my opinion. Most women and children could do a 2-3 mile out and back, which means you will have all manner of people in your camp and in your business.

The further you can get from where people normally are and the more terrain you can see that's somewhat accessible, the better. I know that sounds basic and obvious, but it's worked well for us. That means getting camped away from traffic and near a good vantage point. Maximize the time and space you can glass for animals and minimize the time necessary getting to and from camp. You'll save energy and sleep more, too.

Also, Leukotape P is your friend for blisters…

Thank you all for the feedback and tips. I'll try to get a formal list of gear put together here in order to get your feedback as well.

To clarify the intent behind the base camp: because we'd be hunting in 2-3 groups, this would be our single point of reconvening throughout the hunt. One gentleman is older and won't be getting as far out as my friend and I who can get 10 - 20 miles away from the base camp. The base camp locations we are considering would be at vantage points for glassing and/or near locations where we've seen a lot of elk sign in the past.

Anyways, I do hear you all and not doing any type of base camp would cut back on the amount of gear we bring on the trip so not doing one is under heavy consideration.

Don't waste your time setting up a base camp. If you end up setting up where the elk aren't, you're constrained to hunting no elk based on where your base camp is. Elk are mobile and move a lot. If they aren't where you initially set up, you have to move to find them

Whatever you decide, good luck on your hunt and remember Rule 1 when you get back.

I agree on the food. I'm fairly experienced with hiking/ backpacking, and find it almost impossible to eat as many calories as I should. I'm just not hungry, and don't want it even after strenuous days. Here were some favorites from our last trip:

- frozen steaks (we planned to eat these night one, but they were still frozen solid and made it to the second night)
- red beans and rice w/ sausage
- oatmeal for breakfast
- tortillas, pp&j, honey, etc for lunch
- jerky, dried sausage
- hard cheese
- ramen noodles

Eat the heaviest stuff first.

Freeze dried meals and protein bars are easy and light, but they get old FAST. Get the highest calorie, densest stuff you can, because you will not want to eat it. A long spoon is best for eating out of the pouches.

For water, I like the Sawyer squeeze filters and bags. Easy, and fits in your pocket. Bring the syringe so you can backflush periodically. Carry a 2L nalgene and a bladder in your pack and you have plenty of storage if you even need it. I also like to use Nuun tablets in the nalgene.

Quote:

---

To clarify the intent behind the base camp: because we'd be hunting in 2-3 groups, this would be our single point of reconvening throughout the hunt. One gentleman is older and won't be getting as far out as my friend and I who can get 10 - 20 miles away from the base camp. The base camp locations we are considering would be at vantage points for glassing and/or near locations where we've seen a lot of elk sign in the past.

---

IMO…This is the perfect set up for a road camp. Meaning, head up a well traveled FS road, and find an open spot right off the road to pitch a big base, if that makes your group comfortable. There will be plenty of places like this on nearly all the maintained FS roads in CO.

This does a couple things for you:

1) The elderly gentleman in your group has a big comfy camp where he can come and go as needed. Pick a spot on/near a ridge so he can hunt up or down that ridge. Even better if it's a known elk corridor. MANY an elk have been killed around the corner from camp by going for a little stroll with a rifle

2). You and your buddy can remain mobile. You're on a road, so if you need to bounce and access a new area of the unit, you can do that quickly without a hike out. It gives you the best chance to kill.

3.) If weather does what weather does (major change), and you need to break camp, you can. And fast. Keep in mind that if you've hiked your base camp in, and you need to break it down, you'll have to hike it out. That's hunting time you're going to lose.


Pitching a base camp 2-3 miles really does nothing for you but complicate the trip. The more you can keep things simple, the harder you can hunt. And if success is high on the priority list, then you'll need to hunt hard. Cover country. Be out early. Stay out late. Etc.

100% agree

Thanks. Just sharing what I've learned, and hoping to save others from mistakes I've made.

All to say, a week in the mountains is still a heck of a good time. It's just nice to optimize and give yourself the best chance to kill.

We hunted that unit 3 years ago, saw one guy get an elk. We staged at lost lake camp ground which would be perfect for the older gentleman. Go mobile from there for the guys that can do it. You will probably have to go at least 10 miles in to get away form people.

Grand Mesa Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests - Lost Lake Campground-Paonia RD (usda.gov)

Thank you for the feedback. We were currently looking at the area between the Beckwirth Mountains and then going west of there if we don't find see much sign or if it's too crowded.

This is great feedback and makes a ton of sense, thank you. I'll share it with the group.

Instant mashed potatoes + pepperoni and sharp cheddar is my go to high calorie cheap backpacking meal.

I also like to make all sorts of concoctions with the Knorr rice packets.

I don't know how some of y'all don't eat a lot on your hunts… I just look at the mountains and need to eat 3,000 calories. And I don't think I have lost less than 10lbs in a hunt.

I'm the worst about drinking enough water and eating enough while hunting. If I drink 2L a day that is a lot.

I got dehydrated on a mountain once, in brown bear country, with a deer in my pack... I never have less than 3L of water on me and a pedialyte pack or two and reliving that situation again (full blown dehydration cramps) is one of my worst fears.

I pack half a dozen of those Liquid IV packets with me now and down one each night. Nutrition is definitely where I could improve while hunting.

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

I don't know how some of y'all don't eat a lot on your hunts… I just look at the mountains and need to eat 3,000 calories. And I don't think I have lost less than 10lbs in a hunt.

---

I usually lose about 1.5-2#/day. But I just can't eat while I'm up there. I normally can put down a ton of food, but I just don't have much appetite at elevation.

You should have more of an appetite given all the defenseless animals you kill. You're losing weight hauling meat, most others are just taking their guns and bows for long hikes.

Do you prefer the liquid IV packets? I just ordered some and will add a few into pack along with the pedialyte.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-I-V-Multiplier-Electrolyte-Supplement/dp/B01IT9NLHW/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=14TI1ISB77FT3&keywords=liquid+iv&qid=1691601291&sprefix=liquid+i%2Caps%2C259&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

as Hoyt can attest, I don't know **** about killing elk, but I can move in the mountains OK. Nutrition took me a while to figure out and I only really got better at it after doing a bunch of endurance crap after moving away from the mountains.

Like several mentioned, I also can struggle to eat at altitude and have found that the best thing for me is to treat high mileage days like a long run or bike ride. Which for me means 100 or so easy to choke down calories every 45mins to an hour whether I'm hungry or not. I like shot blocks and gu packets, but whatever you can force down when you don't want to works. I usually alternate between the caffeinated and de-caf versions.

I also like breakfast and lunch to be in the form of 3-5 smaller items so I can eat 1 or 2 and shove the rest in my pockets to eat while I walk. Variety is good for me, but some are better sticking with 1 thing.

If you want an easy button for trail food, you can sometimes order surplus meals from philmont scout ranch (they are much better than they used to be. too good, IMO). Yes, you can assemble the same thing for cheaper but they are already packed for 2 people, have the correct nutrition, and are just plain easy. you can also check out their nutrition guide for some good ideas on products, portion sizes, and total calories if you want to take a more DIY approach.

I know you're hunting relatively early, but should the weather turn cold on you, do not underestimate the power of a hot meal at lunch or whenever the mood strikes when it is cold both physically and mentally. a small thermos of hot soup or a backpacking stove and some freeze dried garbage can work miracles.

Hoyt Ag said:

---

You should have more of an appetite given all the defenseless animals you kill. You're losing weight hauling meat, most others are just taking their guns and bows for long hikes.

---

I never said I killed anything. I'm working on that…