We all want to get away from people...

M

mertzga

New member
Dec 30, 2017
7
I have recently begun doing some research of elk grounds in Colorado and Idaho trying to decide what to do next year. I have had the opportunity to go to an area in central CO twice OTC with my bow. My nephew hunted this area this year and encountered 11 other hunters. It is fairly common to read on these forums hike in deeper to avoid people. I certainly believe that is a accurate strategy. Getting to my question, you study up decide on an area, figure out access, is it reasonable to think you can avoid other hunters on public land. What are some unwritten rules when crossing paths with other hunters? One other question In general are BLM lands less pressured than general USFS land?
Thanks for thoughts.


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Deeper isn?t always the answer. Sometimes is just straight up or across some natural barrier others don?t want to spend the energy on. Trail access will always invite the lazy people not to mention hikers/bikers etc.


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big44a4 said:
Deeper isn?t always the answer. Sometimes is just straight up or across some natural barrier others don?t want to spend the energy on. Trail access will always invite the lazy people not to mention hikers/bikers etc.


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Perfect answer


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I hunt a lot of corporate timber lands and not only is it hard to get away from other hunters but with the building boom we are experiencing its hard to get away from loggers. A lot of the places I hunt are being actively logged right now. The clearcuts will be good hunting in the future but its one more thing to have to contend with when searching for elk.

It is nice though that when they are logging every basin but one you know which basin to start looking for elk in.
 
Also, deep downstairs have to be six or more miles. In past years I've hunted drainages within a couple miles of the truck and saw no one. A huge tool is on x maps. If you can figure out how to drop in off another area that gets you closer to your waypoint, what 10 miles back for some people may only be a couple for you.
 
Deeper is not better, more difficult and smarter is better. Horses can go much farther than you?ll ever dream. If there?s a trail, someone will take it 12 miles. Hike off trail, through dark timber, up steep slopes, etc, and you won?t have to go near as far. As far as un-written rules: treat everyone as you would want to be treated. 90% of the people out there are courteous and will share. Don?t forget that every tax payer in America owns that piece of ground just as much as you do. Unfortunately, there are some a-holes who just need to be avoided. Usually they are lazy and hunt close to roads and trails tho  ;D :-D
 
One thing I've noticed is just parking, if there is literally no parking for tens of miles you can find little pockets that will hold elk.  Biking on roads has opened lots of these areas that everyone drives by.  Crossing a river will do the same.  We carry waiters during the season and have had great encounters.  My first bull was called in 100 yards off a paved road that we heard from a mile away on the opposite hill side.
 
I?m no hero so I don?t try to get hella deep but I stopped making an effort to get away from people. Once you get off the trailhead you will probably see no one. Veer off trail, no matter how deep, you?ll probably see no one. It?s much easier to make a hunt plan if you jettison the burden of avoiding people. I?m actually glad if I run into another dude to BS with for a minute or two because I hunt alone and get lonely. I?ll often let them know what my plan is because he doesn?t want to run into me either. Or if I don?t have a plan I?ll ask if there are areas or directions (no specifics) he would like me to avoid on my random wanderings. Then we part ways. But overall if you do see people it?s not the end of a hunt. I don?t feel like I need to pull stakes and find a new area. Just this past weekend I ran into another mule deer hunter Sunday morning and shot a buck not 200 yards from where we chatted a few hours earlier. Animals don?t see people and run to the next county. They would never stop running. They?ll move over a drainage and go back to being an animal.


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big44a4 said:
Deeper isn?t always the answer. Sometimes is just straight up or across some natural barrier others don?t want to spend the energy on. Trail access will always invite the lazy people not to mention hikers/bikers etc.


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Good answer.  What did that old boy tell Corey? If you can't hear the highway, you've gone too far.

Of course, our general rule is, if we can get at least 1 mile, we loose the majority of the people.

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