Advice for CO

R

Rzrbac

New member
Jan 12, 2018
124
I know there are a few guys here that either live in CO or have hunted it quite a bit.  I?ve been there myself but only twice and only once with an elk tag in my pocket.  I know there are some units that one can draw with 0 points or buy leftover tags. I also know you can buy OTC tags for some units.

I plan on being there this fall and will have a group of 6. We are getting together this weekend to start planning. One in our group has killed some elk and will likely have some suggestions and locations in certain units.  He hasn?t been out there for elk in a couple of years so his areas may not be what they were.  I?m not after anybody?s stomping grounds that requires putting in a lot of work and miles and I certainly realize that.

Here?s the things I would like to know if anybody would care to volunteer the info-hunting pressure, preferred time to go, units that hold few elk or maybe trend of the population.  Once we have ironed out some locations I?ll likely have some more questions like road conditions, possibly a place to store meat and maybe additional tags to pick up like mulie or bear. 

I think our first option is to attempt to lease hunting rights on a private ranch but I?m not real optimistic on that. I?m up for hunting about anywhere in CO but if I can avoid an area with blowdowns that would be awesome. I?m anxious to get started on planning this hunt and have an idea where I?m going so I can start scouting on GE.  Thanks.
 
If youre considering units that have beetle kill, the trees are really starting to go down now.
Its getting worse every year.


Most places are still 'huntable' but its difficult to maneuver and get to where you want to go, especially quiet and quickly
 
The majority of the info you seek is all available on the CO doe website , they do a great job of giving you all the info you need to plan a hunt , you just need to spend some time learning the website . As far as avoiding blow down I think your hurting your self , every elk we got on last year was in dark timber and blow down . The elk love it and it deters hunters my advice learn to like and hunt blow down . What season are hunting archery 1 , 2 ,3 or 4 rifle all this makes a difference in where and how high you hunt . If hunting 3-4 rifle look at your migration routes and units . Also Colorado is the most heavily hunted state there is my advice is do research pick a unit and go hunt it you might get lucky the first year but you need to find a unit and stick with it at least 2 -3 yrs getting to know it and the elk to be really successful . Good luck


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Thanks guys, I know a lot of info I?m looking for will be available online. I guess I?m just a little anxious but I do wonder about stuff I won?t find online.  If I remember correctly CO had a lot of areas that were open range. I don?t recall seeing that online although the last time I hunted there I called ahead to check on grazing. I?ve always wondered how that impacted the herds in the area so I would hope to avoid that as well.
 
It just occur to me that on September 8th, there is a game I would be interested in at Ft. Collins. Doubt I can convince the guys to go call the Hogs with me but if I was in the area and tagged out, I would find a ticket. May pack a U of A sweatshirt just in case  :-D
 
I plan on archery. I think there maybe some in our group that will hope to draw or find a mz tag. Either way it will be in September and not later than mz season. If it were left up to me, I would go as early as possible but I?m retired. Others in the group will have to fit it around their drill schedule as they are in the National Guard. I believe I?m gonna find out they will want to leave out around the 9th or 10th of Sep but that is just speculation.

I probably jumped the gun posting this with nothing decided. I?m anxious to get back out there and was just trying to think ahead a little.
 
Another thing that just occurred to me was non-hunting activity. I recall seeing several mountain bikers and hikers if I got close to a trail. I?m not sure how elk tolerate that but it?s something I would like to avoid if possible.
 
Grazing allotments are managed by the Forest Service, not the CPW.
Call the nearest FS office and ask them these specific questions:


1- Is there cattle or sheep grazing?


2-  If cattle, How many pairs are in the area?


3- Where did the grazing start? Where will it end? [Ranchers are required to alternate the grazing each year]


4- When did the grazing start? When are the cattle required to be off?


Most grazing starts July 1, but many ranchers wait until after the 4th of July to put the cattle on range. Most grazing ends Sept 30. But allotments can vary




Elk really like to come behind the cattle about 7-10 days later and eat the new green grass that has re-generated.


But Ive also seen elk grazing alongside cattle











 
You pick good dates to go hunt with the moon phase this yr I?ll be headed out the same time . You mentioned open range land , here?s my advice for hunting archery elk in the rut . Get in the dark timber at 9500-11500 ft find small hidden parks up
In the dark timber if you are dead set on trying to hunt something open but plan on only seeing elk in them right at day light or right at dark . Find the cows and you find the bulls that time of yr . Like I said I kill my elk in dark thick timber . Find your wallows in the dark timber also good to sit on mid day


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Thanks Brad, I wondered about the effect grazing had on elk. Guess that?s about the same as cutting a fescue field around here.  Also good to know on the POC for the grazing.
 
Thanks brett8133. I did find a wallow in dark timber last time I was in CO. Think I just missed that bull, the mud was still dripping off the trees around it. I believe it was around 3:30 and finally heard him bugle above me around 5:30. Probably should have got a little more aggressive with him but I thought he would come back to that wallow. Didn?t happen :-[
 
Steven, one of your questions was about which units are OTC. Here is a link to the 2017 Big Game Brochure (the 2018 isn't out yet): http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/Brochure/BigGame/biggame.pdf


Page 38 will show you which units are OTC for archery. As you can see, you shouldn't have any problem finding a unit to hunt. However, your friends who want to hunt the muzzleloader season might have a little more difficulty as that is all by draw and many units require preference points.


Regarding the number of hunters and the number of non-hunters in the woods, keep in mind where a lot of those people will come from. Locals in Colorado will be coming primarily from the front range, so any unit close to that area is going to be more crowded. And many tourists are in and around the major ski towns, so any areas right around those are naturally going to have more hikers and bikers in them than areas not near a big town like that.


Hope that helps! Keep the questions coming and we'll do our best to help you out.
 
That?s a great point on the non-hunters. My last time there was around Steamboat Springs. I had no idea it was the type of town that it was. My other short hunt was near Crested Butte. It seemed like a small town to have so many people out there on bicycles and dirt bikes. I?ll definetly keep that in mind.

I am a bit concerned about what the others are expecting, I know all of them and I?m not sure they are all as set on archery as I am. Nothing against using a gun, I?m just partial to bowhunting.
 
I only know of one, University of Arkansas. Wooo Pig Sooie!!!

I didn?t even go to school there, I?m just a fan of the football team. Actually I?m a college football addict and root for several SEC teams. Loved the Natty this year, liked both teams and have always been a fan of Saban.
 
Ok, Was just curious if you were partial to, went there or one of their satilite schools.  I went back and added an associates to my vo-tech education back in 05 up at their Montecello extension.


Never been a big sports fan too much myself but the wife is from Lake Charles and is all about the Tigers.  We are actually in the process of moving up near Ol Arkys neck of the woods from North Louisiana. 


So far, I've not let her take down the Razorback signs in the yard, lol.
 
Good job on the Razorback signs in Tiger country. My last game was last year in Fayetteville against LSU, not a good night for the Hogs.  This year we had planned on going to watch them in Oxford and after seeing how terrible they were playing decided it probably wasn?t worth the trip.  Turned out to be their only conference win and was a good game.

No wonder I can?t kill an elk, season is in September it?s clear I?m easily distracted that time of year :grin:
 
Looks like it?s gonna be unit 55 archery elk. The dates weren?t my first choice but with everyone?s work schedule they were all that was available. Opening day through the 4th of Sep, not expecting to hear a lot of bugling during those dates. I am pretty sure I know where we?ll have a base camp with the possibility of spiking from there. As I understand no beetle kill on that area :thewave: but it?s a little steeper and higher country than I?ve been in the past few hunts. The guys in the group all seem eager and motivated so hopefully it?s a fun trip.

 
Keep in mind you can't enter unit 55 from Buena Vista over Cottonwood Pass. It will be closed. You'll have to come in from Gunnison.
 
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