CO Elk, 1st rifle season GMU 6

[TheChiro22]

Hi,I've been mostly hunting High Sierra Mule deer out here in California, but a buddy of mine moved to Colorado a few years ago and has been asking me to put in for a tag. This year I drew a 1st rifle, either sex Elk tag in GMU 6, which also allows me to hunt 16,17,161 and 171. I've been using the search function and trying to learn as much as I can about both Elk and that region of Colorado.Saw a few posts about how unpredictable weather can be and read about lower success rates in that area. For anyone who has been through there, are those success rates more so due to people hunting close to their campground and not putting in the miles to get deeper into the woods or are there just lower numbers in those zones? From OnX it looks like there are some good timber areas and potential migratory patters, so I'm hoping that the either sex tag puts us in position to at least fill the freezer.
We are looking at the Rabbit Ear, Haystack and parkview areas, although not being from that area, I'm not sure what access looks like. Obviously I'm not asking for anyone's GPS coordinates, but any information on launching off points would be appreciated, to help get started. We are planning on hiking in quite a ways and setting up camp as deep as we can get considering we will hopefully be hiking out a heavier load/s
That time of year, if it's colder or even snowy, will the elk head to lower elevation or still hold at 7500' (or so and up) waiting for it to get later in the season before dropping down? Also if it stays warmer is it realistic to find Elk in the 7500-9000' range or am I way off?Was also wondering about the terrain out there, would you all recommend a sturdier boot or could I run some approach boots and stay a little more agile?
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[/size]I've also heard it's smart to grab a bear tag for those areas...any opinions on that?Thank you in advance for any help and insights...please feel free to DM me if you'd rather not share info on the public forum. 

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[WW]

Cnelk is a regular on here. Maybe he can give you some info. If not I'll bet he knows someone that hunts the area.

I have a brand spank'n new pair of Danner Elk Hunter boots in size 8 1/2 I'd make you a good deal on. I won them in an elk calling contest and have no use for them.

 

[TheChiro22]

Cnelk is a regular on here. Maybe he can give you some info. If not I'll bet he knows someone that hunts the area.

I have a brand spank'n new pair of Danner Elk Hunter boots in size 8 1/2 I'd make you a good deal on. I won them in an elk calling contest and have no use for them.

Really appreciate the info...and those boots look nice, but are not my size. Thanks anyway.

 

[cnelk]

I replied to his/this post over on another forum.


Its a tough unit. Elk? yep. Gotta work for em

 

[BuckyHunter13]

I've only hunted these areas during archery season, and even then the pressure can get pretty heavy, especially in 161 in my experience. At least part of that pressure comes from campers/hikers during archery season, which I'm guessing drops off by rifle season. Also guessing it is more than made up for by the hunting pressure. When we're leaving town and the muzzleloader season is firing up, the hotels in Walden have gone from 8-10 cars to trucks with trailers double parked and filling up the parking lot. The traffic heading up the mountain looks even worse. While we rarely if ever have actually run into hunters on the mountain (except in 161), I have to imagine that it's difficult not to during rifle season (especially with the increased visibility of the orange). I don't mean to discourage you though. I'm positive there are areas tough enough to get to that it weeds out a good bit of traffic. There are also a lot of guys that think they're going to outwork everyone else by going to the furthest spot possible, when they would have been better off going 50/50 on outworking and outthinking.

 

[Rdub]

If you want to hunt 171 you may look just north of willow creek pass on the east side of the highway.

 

[cnelk]

Randy
That whole area is currently undergoing a major logging operation. Thousand of acres will be logged off

 

[klosjj1]

I have hunted over by Cameron pass in 171 the last three years. It has been getting more crowded (especially last year due to fires in Steamboat) and has been tough hunting. Last year was exceptionally dry and in the three years I've hunted there I have only heard a handful of bugles. There are elk in there but they are very skiddish and do not like to talk. I am considering relocating, last year success rate for archery was 4%...