No longer hunt but think back when I went on MLer elk self hunts in mostly CO and seeing the application success was based on a lottery and number of preference points system and was usually successful every 3-4 yrs, the hunt was a treasured event.
Starting w/ the long trip to CO well ahead of the 9 day season opener, only a couple of minor problems were encountered during any of the hunts.
The regimen during the hunt days was a 4AM rising, a small breakfast and seeing our camp was at 10,200 and we hunted at approx. 11,000, a climb greeted us every AM.
We found that stashing a "butcher pack" before opening day in the area we hunted eliminated the need to go down to camp. This "pack" had everything req'd to butcher and pack in meat, including Colemans for late kills.
One late AM day my son killed a mature cow and survey taped his route to the top and found my nephew and I and we got the butcher pack and he cruised the area and the problem was that he hadn't tape high enough. As we were waiting for him, 2 bears were watching us until my son returned....he hadn't found the elk. So we each headed down the wooded slope and after awhile I saw some magpies and a lone raven take off. I was happy for the help and we cut up and tied the meat to the backpack frames. A thunder storm came over as we started up the steep slope.
To make a long story short, we arrived in camp at 2AM and went to bed.
Our return to camp was in the dark every night and a prepared meal was eaten along w/ a couple of drinks and to bed we went.
This regimen during the hunt didn't allow for daytime camp leisure and the members of the hunt {usually 3-4} all thought alike on this. We came to hunt and we hunted hard.
The exception to a camp visit during the day was when meat was backpacked in....couldn't let it sit around because of the many black bears in the area....saw quite a few while hunting and surprised a few at the gut piles.
Altogether we would spend 2 weeks on these trips which did allow camp time, just not during the season. Enjoyed every minute.
Sorry for the long post......Fred
Starting w/ the long trip to CO well ahead of the 9 day season opener, only a couple of minor problems were encountered during any of the hunts.
The regimen during the hunt days was a 4AM rising, a small breakfast and seeing our camp was at 10,200 and we hunted at approx. 11,000, a climb greeted us every AM.
We found that stashing a "butcher pack" before opening day in the area we hunted eliminated the need to go down to camp. This "pack" had everything req'd to butcher and pack in meat, including Colemans for late kills.
One late AM day my son killed a mature cow and survey taped his route to the top and found my nephew and I and we got the butcher pack and he cruised the area and the problem was that he hadn't tape high enough. As we were waiting for him, 2 bears were watching us until my son returned....he hadn't found the elk. So we each headed down the wooded slope and after awhile I saw some magpies and a lone raven take off. I was happy for the help and we cut up and tied the meat to the backpack frames. A thunder storm came over as we started up the steep slope.
To make a long story short, we arrived in camp at 2AM and went to bed.
Our return to camp was in the dark every night and a prepared meal was eaten along w/ a couple of drinks and to bed we went.
This regimen during the hunt didn't allow for daytime camp leisure and the members of the hunt {usually 3-4} all thought alike on this. We came to hunt and we hunted hard.
The exception to a camp visit during the day was when meat was backpacked in....couldn't let it sit around because of the many black bears in the area....saw quite a few while hunting and surprised a few at the gut piles.
Altogether we would spend 2 weeks on these trips which did allow camp time, just not during the season. Enjoyed every minute.
Sorry for the long post......Fred
