Colorado unit 49 archery

[Bittski]

Hi everyone,


My buddy and I are going to unit 49 in a month for our first archery elk hunt. We are fairly new to elk hunting we have both taken bulls with rifles in other states. Our goal is shoot two legal bulls. We are in good shape and can bivvy hunt if need be. we will have two pickups and a wall tent for base camp. we are thinking that we will hunt Sept. 7-17. Just wondering if anyone else has experience archery hunting this unit that would be willing to share some knowledge. I have tried to E-scout but that is just a little to techy for me. I have taken the University of Elk Hunting course and worked on my calling and shooting all summer. Thank you all for any help you could provide.

 

[Elk Noob]

49 gets busy, but you shouldn't have a problem getting into legal bulls. Having said that, don't hold out for a "Trophy" this isnot the unit for that. You may get lucky and see 1 or 2 300" bulls, but do not hold out for them. You'll see lots of elk though.

 

[cohunter14]

I have never hunted 49, but it's a beautiful area that I've camped in multiple times. I would highly suggest going back through the UEH course regarding e-scouting. If you have the right tools, it's not very techy at all and will be of way more help than going in blind.


Another thing to take a look at is the Colorado Hunting Atlas. It has quite a bit of information on the locations of summer range, road access, etc that you might find helpful: Colorado Hunting Atlas (colostate.edu)


Chances are, you aren't going to find a ton of people who have hunted the unit so I wouldn't expect a lot of guidance on where to go.

 

[wl704]

Plenty of great spots and, I hear, still decent elk in the unit. My buddy took about a 320 bull a few years ago.

Go where others won't and find the dark timber.

 

[LIT]

Hi Bittski.
49 is a very good unit. I have only rifle hunted it, but friends have bow hunted and had a blast. The elk can be scattered from above timberline by the Buffalo Peaks all the way down to the floor.
I envy you for as a rifle hunter and being 67 years of age, I don't stand a good chance of drawing a license in that unit again, but you never know.
Talking with my friends they did try to plan there hunt around the muzzle loaders to lessen the chance of each other getting in the way of a stalk or working a bull. It is public land and thats just the way it is.
Give me a few days to dig out my maps of that area and maybe I can help you with some starting point. But as always, its the elk that will show you where they are at. It is still up to you to read the sign. I'll update soon.  LIT

 

[AJHURD]

Hi Bittski,


I also drew a unit 49 archery tag and will be getting to the unit a few days later. I will be hunting from the 13th to 23rd, and I wish you the best of luck during your hunt!


AJ

 

[LIT]

OK. I was hunting by Castle Rock last year and did stop in by 49 and camped for the night. Drought conditions cannot describe the area. Every step was a cloud of dust and what little grass there was just crumbled in your hand. Conditions were the same where I hunted and the key was finding water and low areas with greener grass.
I had people stop and talk with me and made the statement of with C-19, everybody and their brother were hiking, camping, biking... through out the whole unit, and by the traffic coming down these two tracks it sure looked like they were right. New suv's, camps with generators, barking dogs, kids...
Might be something you have to contend with.
I have hunted from Salt Creek towards Weston pass. Top to bottom and the elk were scattered through out. If you get above timberline, the pika's hopefully are still their and you should see some sheep up there to. Between is a trailhead and a outfitter usually had his camp set up close by and hunted off that trailhead.
Salt Creek, I would follow that up. Once you get up a ways, there is a small meadow with water to set up a camp. A hunter can hunt up, left or right of the creek. If the elk are there, they'll show you where and when. The grass can be green and plentiful up there if they got some rain or snow.
Good Luck and Good Hunting.