Well all I can say is I'm glad that I don't have flights or reservations for my CO archery elk hunt. My bud and I have decided to move our target area from the Pagosa area to up around Telluride. We are moving to a much higher elevation so this should be fun. Ive been hiking 2 miles a day with my pack on for about the last week. I plan to up that to 4 miles a day by this wknd. Only thing that sucks is that down here in Texas theres not much elevation to work with. I can tell you after 5 days of hiking that I have blisters on top of blisters the size of half a dollar bill. No pain no gain. Right. Gotta break in the new hikers and build up the calluses. I hope that this will be the area that we will continue to visit and learn. I also want to try to get out to Kentucky and elk hunt out there one day. Hell my bucket list is so full I don't even know where to start on it. But thats another thread. Anyways Im looking forward to the trip and the adventure no matter if theres a kill or not. So thats my latest update to talk about. I don't have any trail cams out there to show pics of or properties to work on but I do enjoy looking at all of the prospects y'all have out there.
What kind of socks are you wearing? New boots should not be causing blisters on such short hikes on flat terrain. Either your socks are wrong or the boot is sized wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm wearing just a regular crew sock that I wear with my boots. The shoes fit very nice and comfortable right out of the box. I've since got some thin socks to wear under my regular socks. And I added a cushioned insole. It has made a world of difference but unfortunately the blisters are there. The shoes btw are hi top hiking shoes. A $75 pair of shoes from sporting goods store. Also. I only wear redwing lace ups so this is technically only the 2nd pair of shoes I've owned in 10 years.
If your socks are made of cotton you will get blisters no matter the cushioned insoles or hiking shoes. Get something synthetic like polypropylene or another moisture wicking material. Cotton will just trap the sweat and make more blisters. Sweat and friction makes for miserable feet. In the mountains it will ruin your hunt. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would give smartwool a try for the socks. I've used them hunting in the mountains a couple of times and they are great. As far as preparing for the hunt, you are definitely doing the right thing wearing your pack. I would probably put more weight in it than you plan on actually hunting with, just so it will be easier on you. I would also try to use a stairclimber or some other type of elevation change workout. It will make a big difference for you. Good luck this fall, enjoy the mountains!
