New to Elk hunting, and help on CO otc Archery units would be awesome

[Ryanpent]

Hello Everyone-
Si am gearing up and planning an OTC elk hunt in Colorado for 2019. I know that is a ways off, but my original scouting trip has been scrapped. I anticipated going out next spring to turkey hunt and scout for elk, but My wife is pregnant and I do not see that trip happening as of now. I am trying to be prepared as much as I can and do as much online scouting as possible. If there are any locals or seasoned elk hunters that can help me with some info I would greatly appreciate it. I don't need honey holes or anything like that, but all tips and tricks, camping areas, will be helpful. With this being my first hunt I don't have high expectations of a monster bull, but if I can get into some elk just to help understand their behavior and how to hunt them I will be just as happy.

Units I am looking at currently
(411, 421, 42, 13, 78) I'm also open to any suggestions.

Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[emiller35]

Welcome! Some questions that will help us help you

- how will you be camping? From a truck (by a road), backpacking in? Or what are you planning

- being this is your first go, how long are you planning on coming out for a hunt? 1 week? Shorter,longer?

- what do you already have in terms of gear?

As it gets closer keep in touch, I live out here  (in CO.) and am always looking for people to enjoy a hunt with.


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[Ryanpent]

-My plan is to backpack in and move camp as needed.
-I am planning on hunting for 5-6 days
- Gear- I am waiting on my EXO 3500, I have a 2 person Mountain smith shelter, sleeping pad, backpacking quilt. I am buying items as I get closer, but I have a pretty detailed gear spreadsheet for the remaining items, but I wont bore you with that.

What part of the state are you in? do you have any knowledge of these units?

I appreciate the help.

 

[emiller35]

I live in Denver, shoot me a PM and we can discuss any questions further


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[DTP]

Something I?d say is have a plan A, B, C, D and E for out there.  That way if you find the spot you were set on was overloaded with people, you can move on (if you need to). 


Also keep all the seasons in mind.  I have good buddies who hunt Colorado every year. The first few days they will see anywhere from 30-50 people in the same canyon. Then everyone disappears and they have the place to themselves.  Something to keep in mind!

 

[Ryanpent]

Something I?d say is have a plan A, B, C, D and E for out there.  That way if you find the spot you were set on was overloaded with people, you can move on (if you need to). 


Also keep all the seasons in mind.  I have good buddies who hunt Colorado every year. The first few days they will see anywhere from 30-50 people in the same canyon. Then everyone disappears and they have the place to themselves.  Something to keep in mind!

Thanks for that input. I defiantly plan to have a several spots picked out and scouted online. That?s actually one of my biggest concerns, I really don?t want to have to waste days hiking in and out of spots once I?m out there. Especially with a limited time frame

 

[cohunter14]

Something I?d say is have a plan A, B, C, D and E for out there.  That way if you find the spot you were set on was overloaded with people, you can move on (if you need to). 


Also keep all the seasons in mind.  I have good buddies who hunt Colorado every year. The first few days they will see anywhere from 30-50 people in the same canyon. Then everyone disappears and they have the place to themselves.  Something to keep in mind!

Thanks for that input. I defiantly plan to have a several spots picked out and scouted online. That?s actually one of my biggest concerns, I really don?t want to have to waste days hiking in and out of spots once I?m out there. Especially with a limited time frame

Ryan, DTP brings up a good point and you reiterated it: you want to be mobile and you don't want to waste time hiking in and out of places. To that point, unless you get some great advice on a hunting area that requires you to hike into it, I probably wouldn't recommend doing it on your first hunt. You have 5-6 days of a hunt. If you throw camp on your back and hike in 4-5 miles, you are going to give up at least a day and probably two of your hunt just hiking. Imagine you hike in and hunt the area for a day and find no sign of elk, then what? You have to hike all the way back out and start again. It will be much easier if you plan to hunt from a base camp on a road where you can be mobile. Just my two cents.

 

[Elk Noob]

^^ makes a great point. I've been stuck in that exact situation many times.


I generally don't have the luxury of taking a ton of time off for my hunts and tend to get 3 days in on the weekends. With this I have wasted many weekends hiking into/out of an area where I find no fresh sign etc.

 

[Ryanpent]

Elk Noob
SO what have you done in the past to combat that? As I stated in my original post, my initial scouting plan of coming out for a spring turkey hunt prior to the season, has been put on hold. so at this point I am basically scouting through maps and any feedback I can get from folks.

 

[mckayam1]

I am in the same boat.  I'm hunting Colorado otc.  I have a buddy that has elk hunted Montana several years that might go, but he may not.  Regardless I'm going.  I'm new, and I don't care.  I want the experience and education.  An elk is a bonus.  I plan on taking 12 to 14 days.  I'll be flying out. Coming from north west Maine. I plan on being mobile.  Couple miles in, check, and move on if needed.  I'm going through the elk 101 course now.  Been doing a lot of E scouting, and hope the course can help out with some finer details.  I'll have the gear I need to stay out for a week if needed at one time.  I still have a bunch of areas in looking at  and want to narrow it down to 4 or 5. 21 31 43 471 70 711 741 13 421, are some in looking at.  Hopeful the course will give ways to narrow it down.  I suggest have some spots in those areas picked out based on info I have heard from Corey on a number of podcast.  Obviously the more info the better.  I'm sure I'll be asking plenty more questions as time goes on.  Thanx for all the help everyone.

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[Travis25]

I?m going through the same thing as you guys. I?ve been planning and researching since October. I?ve done a ton of research into all the numbers and evrything on populations and hunters and success rates. I?m on my OnX maps constantly as well as google earth. I?ve pretty well got all my gear ready, all the that?s left to pickup is an inreach. I?ve been killing it in the gym and dropped from 221 down to 191 since January. Im doing the elk 101 course also. This is going to be a solo hunt.

My plan is to backpack in and hopefully get on some elk and stay. But if I don?t find sign or have any luck on the first day I?m going to back out and move on to another spot. Same thing if I?m running into a bunch of Hunters. I?m doing my best as far as scouting but won?t know if I?m doing it right until I get out there [emoji23]. So I?m gonna try and have a lot of areas to go check out. If any of you guys wanna talk about stuff send me a message I?d love to bounce some thoughts and ideas off you. If this turns into an expensive camping trip I?m good with that too!


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[Bowhunter1]

I?m going through the same thing as you guys. I?ve been planning and researching since October. I?ve done a ton of research into all the numbers and evrything on populations and hunters and success rates. I?m on my OnX maps constantly as well as google earth. I?ve pretty well got all my gear ready, all the that?s left to pickup is an inreach. I?ve been killing it in the gym and dropped from 221 down to 191 since January. Im doing the elk 101 course also. This is going to be a solo hunt.

My plan is to backpack in and hopefully get on some elk and stay. But if I don?t find sign or have any luck on the first day I?m going to back out and move on to another spot. Same thing if I?m running into a bunch of Hunters. I?m doing my best as far as scouting but won?t know if I?m doing it right until I get out there

. So I?m gonna try and have a lot of areas to go check out. If any of you guys wanna talk about stuff send me a message I?d love to bounce some thoughts and ideas off you. If this turns into an expensive camping trip I?m good with that too!


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Great job Travis!!  You have a good mindset. Enjoy your time in the mountains and good luck. Just remember a strong mind and will is your most powerful asset. Don't quit and keep the wind in your face. :upthumb:

 

[cohunter14]

I?m going through the same thing as you guys. I?ve been planning and researching since October. I?ve done a ton of research into all the numbers and evrything on populations and hunters and success rates. I?m on my OnX maps constantly as well as google earth. I?ve pretty well got all my gear ready, all the that?s left to pickup is an inreach. I?ve been killing it in the gym and dropped from 221 down to 191 since January. Im doing the elk 101 course also. This is going to be a solo hunt.

My plan is to backpack in and hopefully get on some elk and stay. But if I don?t find sign or have any luck on the first day I?m going to back out and move on to another spot. Same thing if I?m running into a bunch of Hunters. I?m doing my best as far as scouting but won?t know if I?m doing it right until I get out there

. So I?m gonna try and have a lot of areas to go check out. If any of you guys wanna talk about stuff send me a message I?d love to bounce some thoughts and ideas off you. If this turns into an expensive camping trip I?m good with that too!


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Welcome to the site Travis!  :welcome:


Sounds like you are on the right track! Keep us posted and let us know if there is anything we can do to help. A lot of experienced elk hunters hanging around here  :upthumb:

 

[Travis25]

Yea I?ve talked to some people locally who have been who have been pretty negative about public otc hunts and have told me to just pay an outfitter, but that?s not happening. Not bc the money but it?s just not for me. I?d rather strike out on my one than the other way.
Right now I?m looking st 77 and 78. I?ve got some areas within those units specifically that I?m eyeing. 


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[codyderrick]

I posted a similar question on the general elk thread, probably should have put it in here.
This will be my 3rd year, but still consider myself a novice.
The first year I saw a couple of small herds during the third season, but only had my bow.
Last year I picked the wrong unit for hunting from my truck, so I'm trying to find a few areas to concentrate on this year, but I'm stuck. I keep finding a place that looks better than the last.
If anyone has an advice on hunting from a base camp (my jeep) in unit 82/86. Or if there's better OTC units to hunt from base camp, I could use the help.

 

[wl704]

As DTP mentioned above having a quiver of backup sites has been helpful.

Where I start is with old school topos. I'll print a copy in B&W on regular printer paper and break out a pack of highlighters. I start with shading a buffer around evert road and trail in a unit (thanks Randy Newberg) in one color.

Next shade water and possible wetlands/springs. And I may now start to circle some possible areas in pen.

Time to escout...I'm looking on GE at those area I'm looking at the veg and color of veg, trees, clearings and terrain. Elk want food & water they also want cool and secure bedding. I'm looking at my circled areas that fit one or both of those criteria. Mark on GPS.

Boots on the ground from here...

 

[codyderrick]

I posted a similar question on the general elk thread, probably should have put it in here.
This will be my 3rd year, but still consider myself a novice.
The first year I saw a couple of small herds during the third season, but only had my bow.
Last year I picked the wrong unit for hunting from my truck, so I'm trying to find a few areas to concentrate on this year, but I'm stuck. I keep finding a place that looks better than the last.
If anyone has an advice on hunting from a base camp (my jeep) in unit 82/86. Or if there's better OTC units to hunt from base camp, I could use the help.

Have you hunted in 82? That?s where I?m leaning towards this year for first week of sept.


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I haven't. I hunted 140 my first year. It was a very last minute, I'm not getting any younger decision. Last year I hunted 81 around Platoro, but it seems you need horses or backpack in a ways to hunt that area well, unless there's a secret to it that I didn't find.
82 looks like it has some areas that may be huntable from a truck/camp.

 

[pwforester]

I am in the same boat.  I'm hunting Colorado otc.  I have a buddy that has elk hunted Montana several years that might go, but he may not.  Regardless I'm going.  I'm new, and I don't care.  I want the experience and education.  An elk is a bonus.  I plan on taking 12 to 14 days.  I'll be flying out. Coming from north west Maine. I plan on being mobile.  Couple miles in, check, and move on if needed.  I'm going through the elk 101 course now.  Been doing a lot of E scouting, and hope the course can help out with some finer details.  I'll have the gear I need to stay out for a week if needed at one time.  I still have a bunch of areas in looking at  and want to narrow it down to 4 or 5. 21 31 43 471 70 711 741 13 421, are some in looking at.  Hopeful the course will give ways to narrow it down.  I suggest have some spots in those areas picked out based on info I have heard from Corey on a number of podcast.  Obviously the more info the better.  I'm sure I'll be asking plenty more questions as time goes on.  Thanx for all the help everyone.

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I am in the same situation and doing the same thing. We are from NH and doing the studying everything we can, planning and heading out. With moon and everything for us we opted for 3rd season OTC. We will have to cover ground and find them in the nasty places from what I hear, but we are up for that.


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[yountagg13]

I am also in the same boat as the original poster and several other responders. I will be doing an OTC public land hunt the 3rd week of September for 10 days, archery obviously. I am planning on backpacking in, and then staying mobile once back in there. The original goal was to stay back 3 days, then relocate if nothing comes up and then keep rolling back out as necessary.


Been enrolled in UEH for almost a year now, and planning since may '16. Hitting all the podcasts I can find (Gritty, ElkTalk, HuntBackCountry, HuntTalk w/Randy Newberg, KifaruCast, WiredToHunt, TWBowhunter) as well as any youtube mentors possible (BRO Land of the Free, Newberg, Gritty, EXO guys, Elk101, ElkCallingAcademy, Dirk Durham, Donnie Drake, Pure Elevation, even solo newbie hunters with go pros.)


I've pretty well got the gear all settled, and have backpacked numerous times. However, hunting in Missouri/Nebraska/Texas my whole life, this'll be my first Elk trip. Ive got several Units designated (42,43,14,11,421*[last option]), but the roadblock is making the most out of my only scouting trip the fourth weekend of August. I'm hitting GE, OnX, Atlas', and GMU maps hard, but having a small window to get boots on the ground I want to make it count. I am right there with the other poster in that if nothing else, I'm going to have an absolute blast in the mountains backpacking without work bothering me for 10 days. However, I'd like to be productive (meat in the pack, horns are a plus) as well.


If there is anyone that has experience with the area, or would like to meet up that weekend in August and wouldn't mind sharing some knowledge with a greenhorn, it'd be GREATLY appreciated. Again, not asking for the full bag of tricks, just a mentor to help out.


God Bless.

 

[cnelk]

@ youngtagg13


If you're planning on 'scouting' the 4th weekend in August, you best be carrying your bow as thats opening weekend