Advice needed on expectations of hunting Colorado GMU 13

[aes7.5x55]

Hi all,
I am very excited to be going on my very first elk hunt this October!  I have lived in Ohio basically my whole life and am super excited to finally get an chance to hunt the west!  I have an either sex elk tag for GMU 13 for the first rifle season.  I have a very good friend that used to live in Craig and has friends with farmland we will be able to hunt on. 


My question is really what to expect as far as number of encounters (I know weather at higher altitudes plays a big role in this), size of bull, etc.  What size bull is considered representative of elk in that area?  I have never seen an elk in the wild, so I'm sure they'll all look big to me.  Am I better off taking the first legal bull I see?  Wait for a 4x4? I don't want to hold out for a 5x5 if that's a pipe dream in that area.


I'm really viewing the experience of visiting a new area with a great friend as the trophy, but wouldn't mind getting a nice set of antlers for the wall either!

 

[cohunter14]

Welcome to the site  :welcome:


Unless it's some sort of awesome private land that you are hunting, I would shoot the first legal elk I saw if it were me. My goal is to fill the freezer though. If your goal is a nice mount on the wall and you don't mind risking going home empty handed, you can hold out, but just remember that the average success rate for elk hunting is 10%. I'll take being part of that 10% any chance I can get.


Might be a question to ask your buddy though considering you are hunting some private land?

 

[cnelk]

If you have an either sex tag for unit 13, you are restricted to Private Land Only. But you arent restricted just unit 13.


You can hunt private land in 11,12,13,23,24,25,26,33,34,131,211,231


Bull size ranges from raghorn - 260", some over 280", success is ~26%, bull/cow ratio is 21:100


Good Luck

 

[aes7.5x55]

Might be a question to ask your buddy though considering you are hunting some private land?

Great point. I've talked with him, but he moved from Colorado 12 years ago and hasn't been back since, so he isn't current on what the herd's like.


I know we'll get information from the landowner when we get there, but I'm getting so excited I thought I'd start checking in the meantime.  Everyone around me is tired of hearing about elk, so I have to take my discussions online, ha ha.


Thanks for the welcome!