Editor's Note: Tony Sanders, host of the Tony Sanders Outdoors Radio Show on WGOW, shares the final installment of his Colorado elk hunt experience.

It has been a little over a month since I returned from Colorado. I did not get an elk, as chronicled in my previous two articles (Part I and Part II)... however it was still a great trip.

There were things I learned however … things I would have done differently to make the next trip more outstanding. I’m writing them down now 1) so I can remember before my next “dream hunt,” and 2) so perhaps you can learn as well.

1. First, I would have prepared better.
a. While I did a good job of preparing for an archery hunt, I would have shot the bow much more and at greater distances. While I practiced often, I would have practiced more. While it did not matter for this trip, if I had to take a 50 yard shot, would I have been comfortable? I was comfortable at 30-40 yards, but 50 yards would have been normal in Colorado.

The Watering Hole - Photo by Tony Sanders

b. I would have done more research on the rules and regulations of the state I am hunting. That means I would have carried a stout handgun with me to Colorado so as I was stepping over and around bear and mountain lion scat, I would have felt just a little safer. According to some, it would have been a perception, but I would have felt better.
c. I would have exercised more. While I felt like I had done all the correct things in preparing; I should have done more cardio. Going from 683 feet in Chattanooga to a base camp at 7,800 feet, strenuous cardio would have been the ticket. I am just glad I quit smoking some time back; it would have been tougher if I had not.
d. I would have spent more time learning about the gadgets I was taking with me on the hunt. Bushnell provided me with a new Onix 350 GPS for the trip. While it was an invaluable tool for me on the trip, especially the tracking feature, there were many features that I could have used that I did not understand. Bushnell provides topographic maps and real pictures that can overlay your position. This would have been helpful when I was looking at numerous hills and valleys trying to make the decision on the next place to hunt.

Vast area to hunt - Photo by Tony Sanders

2. I would have purchased additional tags so I could hunt a greater variety of game. This will be an expensive proposition as out of state licenses are not cheap. The elk tag alone was $546. Adding bear, mule deer or other critters could have easily pushed the license tab to more than a $1,000. Would I have added all of them? Most likely not, but I would have talked with the outfitter and determined what tags would afford me the best opportunity to harvest an animal. A small side note for you to consider. I was one of only a few hunters out of the camp that even saw a mule deer and the only one to see a nice buck. Even with a pocket full of tags, it is still hunting.

3. I would not have flown. Chris Willmore (my hunt partner) and I agree on this one. While the flying was very convenient, it presented itself with many more problems. First, getting your gear to camp. The good old days of air travel are behind us (I have 700,000+ career air miles) and it sure made itself clear to me on this trip. American Airlines charged $20 for the first checked bag and $30 for the second. That was not worst part of the charges; the oversized fee was insane. To take an oversized bag on the plane was $150.00 each way. Just for the record, there is not a bow case on the market that is not oversized. The final obstacle of flying is getting your game back home. The cost is unbelievable (I will not put the amount as Chris’ wife may read this). Seriously, the cost for shipping the processed elk back was in excess of $660, not including the processing. Remember this when you ask Chris for some elk meat and he just walks away shaking his head “No.”

4. The final thing I would have done differently is most likely not gone elk hunting during archery season. Let’s face it; a hunt of life time should include every opportunity to harvest an animal. While I enjoy archery immensely, limiting myself to coming within 50 yards of an elk 1,500 hundred miles from home is a lot to ask. The other side of the argument would be the ability to take a cow. Archery hunting allows you to take most any animal you see where the gun will limit you to a legal bull for the most part. I’m not sure what I will do next time, but it will be something I will consider.

The trip was unbelievable and something I hope to do again.

Chris Scores - Photo by Tony Sanders

While the camp had a good success rate, I would like to have added one more elk to the bag; but I am not the only one in Chattanooga that feels this way. The next time I head west to hunt elk; I will do a few things differently.