cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,431
How long have you been hunting your current area or unit? When was the last time you made a change, and why? Any potential changes in the future?
Your current hunting spot...
- Thread starter cohunter14
- Start date
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
Second time hunting the unit.
It\'s perfect for someone like me in a few ways.
First I am drawing in NM so the draw rate for this unit is more realistic than others.
Next there is a fair amount of elk in this unit so for me, someone who is still new to elk hunting, it will teach me a lot more and possibly present me with opportunities.
Finally and most important is the fact it\'s a unit that the average bull taken is smaller, but there are 340/360/380 out there hidden. As a hunter of any game, I am going to test and push myself to find those larger and more mature animals.
I\'d like to draw this unit as many times as I can, so no changes for now. :upthumb:
It\'s perfect for someone like me in a few ways.
First I am drawing in NM so the draw rate for this unit is more realistic than others.
Next there is a fair amount of elk in this unit so for me, someone who is still new to elk hunting, it will teach me a lot more and possibly present me with opportunities.
Finally and most important is the fact it\'s a unit that the average bull taken is smaller, but there are 340/360/380 out there hidden. As a hunter of any game, I am going to test and push myself to find those larger and more mature animals.
I\'d like to draw this unit as many times as I can, so no changes for now. :upthumb:
Matt Dworak
New member
- Feb 19, 2015
- 95
We\'re probably going on about 5-6 years in our current area. Made the switch when we finally cashed in our points (Unit 61 CO) which opened up some options for us other than OTC. Although, recently I\'ve definitely been getting the itch to start checking out some new county!
Glacier Country
New member
- Nov 13, 2013
- 177
I am unafraid to hunt new country and do it a lot. Have bugle will travel.
This will be my second year hunting the \"new\" unit after 38 years hunting the old OTC units.
I had a great spot that was a big chunk of BLM that just touched the road, went up in-between tow big ranches. We packed-in on foot and horses for many years. It later turned private during a big 3-way land trade but we were still permitted to hunt it by the new owner. He died and the property sold. I hunted two seasons on my old stomping grounds around there but it had gotten so popular that it wasn\'t fun hunting. Racing guys to bugles, groups doing drives through bedding areas, people riding ATVS into the BLM and forest from private ranches below, etc..
So I moved to an area with rugged country, low elk density, lower success rate, and way less hunting pressure. Last season was one of my most enjoyable seasons in many years, hunting and learning the new spots.
I had a great spot that was a big chunk of BLM that just touched the road, went up in-between tow big ranches. We packed-in on foot and horses for many years. It later turned private during a big 3-way land trade but we were still permitted to hunt it by the new owner. He died and the property sold. I hunted two seasons on my old stomping grounds around there but it had gotten so popular that it wasn\'t fun hunting. Racing guys to bugles, groups doing drives through bedding areas, people riding ATVS into the BLM and forest from private ranches below, etc..
So I moved to an area with rugged country, low elk density, lower success rate, and way less hunting pressure. Last season was one of my most enjoyable seasons in many years, hunting and learning the new spots.
I\'ve been hunting the same unit for 7 years. I digi-scout and confirm new areas every year. I also scout otc units for others each season and usually get out for a few days of hunting in new areas. If I tag out on day one of a 20 day hunt, I stay in the woods either helping friends and people I\'ve met at the trailhead or simply scouting/hunting with no weapon. I don\'t have nearly the number of years of experience that some of my friends on this forum have but I have spent more days in the woods during elk season than most hunters will see in a lifetime. Life is Good
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,431
\"otcWill\" said:
A lot to be said for that Will...it doesn\'t matter where they are at any other time of year!
Will, I hear ya, buddy! Time in the woods during season matters more to me than killing a big bull. The career I chose allowed me to spend up to 25 days in September, and for years I guided rifle hunters in October too. My hunting partners used to call me \"Last Minute Louie\" from my habit of killing something on the last day.
But that raghorn and the many days hunting would mean more to me that ending the hunting part earlier with a much bigger bull I\'d let walk. I figure I\'ve averaged 22 days in elk woods in September for the 36 years since college graduation. Enough to hopefully earn a PhD in Elk Rut Hunting.
But that raghorn and the many days hunting would mean more to me that ending the hunting part earlier with a much bigger bull I\'d let walk. I figure I\'ve averaged 22 days in elk woods in September for the 36 years since college graduation. Enough to hopefully earn a PhD in Elk Rut Hunting.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,431
\"Jaquomo\" said:I figure I\'ve averaged 22 days in elk woods in September for the 36 years since college graduation. Enough to hopefully earn a PhD in Elk Rut Hunting.
I would say that would do the trick!
We have areas in 3 different OTC units that we have been hunting the last 15 years. I\'m always looking on maps for other areas - mainly just to explore some new country, as we have been successful in our current areas. I did find some good areas I need to check out a little closer when I was scouting for my deer hunt last year. I have a few places found on maps that I would like to scout sometime as well. I hope to be like otcWill and get tagged out early to check out some of these potential spots during the season.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
Started bowhunting the areas I normally frequent in 1998, the Year my Son was born. Leaving my Wife 8 months pregnant (with a 4 year old as well) was a little scary, but I was lucky enough to bring home my first bull.
He\'s 16 now, and will be 17 in October.
He\'s 16 now, and will be 17 in October.
Mostly concentrated on one OTC unit for the past 8 years.
First 3 seasons I was only as a caller for a friend in the same OTC and only on weekends.
Next 3 seasons in same OTC for first half of September. For the 2nd half of September, I tried out other OTCs to no avail.
2 years ago, another hunter convinced me to commit to the same elk OTC for the entire season. For 2 seasons, my deer tag was in another unit which I never committed much time. Last season, another hunter convinced me to get my deer tag for the same unit as my elk tag. Starting this season, no more side adventures to another unit for deer. Plenty of deer in my OTC elk area.
I still toy with the idea of trying another OTC unit closer to home. However, I like my current elk OTC. I have never felt happy in the other 4 OTCs that I tried. Between high ATV traffic, outfitters, and elk pressured onto private; those other OTCs were not to my liking. This season, work may force me to hunt the OTC close to home on the ML weekends. Not thrilled, however, it may pay off in the future.
First 3 seasons I was only as a caller for a friend in the same OTC and only on weekends.
Next 3 seasons in same OTC for first half of September. For the 2nd half of September, I tried out other OTCs to no avail.
2 years ago, another hunter convinced me to commit to the same elk OTC for the entire season. For 2 seasons, my deer tag was in another unit which I never committed much time. Last season, another hunter convinced me to get my deer tag for the same unit as my elk tag. Starting this season, no more side adventures to another unit for deer. Plenty of deer in my OTC elk area.
I still toy with the idea of trying another OTC unit closer to home. However, I like my current elk OTC. I have never felt happy in the other 4 OTCs that I tried. Between high ATV traffic, outfitters, and elk pressured onto private; those other OTCs were not to my liking. This season, work may force me to hunt the OTC close to home on the ML weekends. Not thrilled, however, it may pay off in the future.
This will be my fourth year at this particular spot.
I\'m torn. I love the spot. It\'s got everything I like ... solidtude, elk, water ... that\'s about it.
But I really am, at heart, a \"What\'s over that hill?\"-kind of guy. I don\'t know how much longer I\'ll stay here. I may go close-by, but I may also travel quite a ways away. I\'m always looking.
Truthfully, I\'m intrigued by Lou\'s experience of getting into a little less \"prime\" of a spot. But I\'m not confident enough to take the leap.
I\'m torn. I love the spot. It\'s got everything I like ... solidtude, elk, water ... that\'s about it.
But I really am, at heart, a \"What\'s over that hill?\"-kind of guy. I don\'t know how much longer I\'ll stay here. I may go close-by, but I may also travel quite a ways away. I\'m always looking.
Truthfully, I\'m intrigued by Lou\'s experience of getting into a little less \"prime\" of a spot. But I\'m not confident enough to take the leap.
Dr. Deertick, it\'s never too late to start poking around in different areas, especially for a young feller like you. I spent two years researching this area before hunting it. I spent many nights on the satellite maps, studying access on USFS and other maps, and studying topos. I talked with the WCO and biologist, along with other hunters who either hunt it currently or had abandoned it.
I spent two summers hiking into different spots to check out the prospects I\'d identified. Sometimes it was day trips; other times I took my pack or truck camp and spent a couple days diving in different directions.
Interestingly, a chance encounter with a cute young blonde bowhunter gal at Ace Hardware provided a great tip into a spot so obvious it is overlooked by everyone driving past. Another time a guy stopped by my camp and accidentally tipped me off to a hot wallow and evening meadow only about 1/3 mile from my camp that I didn\'t know was there. In fact, three of my best places are in the \"almost too obvious\" category.
What happened was that probably 90% of the \"prospects\" were eliminated either because of too easy access from outlaw ATV roads or other trails, not enough of the right kind of rutting sign, or places where there were elk I didn\'t think I could get one out by myself.
When the season started, more than half of my remaining 10% were eliminated because other hunters knew about them. Only two of the MANY spots I\'d scouted ahead of time produced elk more than once. The four best solo hunting spots for an old guy were found during the season, as I started putting the hunter-pressure puzzle together with the habitat and topo (travel route/funnel) knowledge. No matter how much scouting is done ahead of time, you really don\'t know anything until the hunter pressure is factored in.
I stayed mobile until the last week, and put on miles of boot leather each day hitting one place in the morning and another in the evenings. I left elk several times to check other spots since it was a learning season.
A couple other spots I\'d scouted would have produced, I\'m sure of it. But I was onto a couple big bulls elsewhere and didn\'t make it in there. I did a couple drive-bys and didn\'t ever see evidence of other hunters. During the last week a surprise spot near one of the areas I\'d pre-scouted proved to be such a pleasant adventure that I didn\'t leave. I was into elk every day near camp, after having pre-scouting a killer basin a mile+ away that never did seem to have elk during September. I think it would be a better rifle spot later, as were several other places I\'d scouted.
Sorry for the long-winded post. Hopefully this info will help some others who are thinking of switching areas but reluctant to take the plunge.
I spent two summers hiking into different spots to check out the prospects I\'d identified. Sometimes it was day trips; other times I took my pack or truck camp and spent a couple days diving in different directions.
Interestingly, a chance encounter with a cute young blonde bowhunter gal at Ace Hardware provided a great tip into a spot so obvious it is overlooked by everyone driving past. Another time a guy stopped by my camp and accidentally tipped me off to a hot wallow and evening meadow only about 1/3 mile from my camp that I didn\'t know was there. In fact, three of my best places are in the \"almost too obvious\" category.
What happened was that probably 90% of the \"prospects\" were eliminated either because of too easy access from outlaw ATV roads or other trails, not enough of the right kind of rutting sign, or places where there were elk I didn\'t think I could get one out by myself.
When the season started, more than half of my remaining 10% were eliminated because other hunters knew about them. Only two of the MANY spots I\'d scouted ahead of time produced elk more than once. The four best solo hunting spots for an old guy were found during the season, as I started putting the hunter-pressure puzzle together with the habitat and topo (travel route/funnel) knowledge. No matter how much scouting is done ahead of time, you really don\'t know anything until the hunter pressure is factored in.
I stayed mobile until the last week, and put on miles of boot leather each day hitting one place in the morning and another in the evenings. I left elk several times to check other spots since it was a learning season.
A couple other spots I\'d scouted would have produced, I\'m sure of it. But I was onto a couple big bulls elsewhere and didn\'t make it in there. I did a couple drive-bys and didn\'t ever see evidence of other hunters. During the last week a surprise spot near one of the areas I\'d pre-scouted proved to be such a pleasant adventure that I didn\'t leave. I was into elk every day near camp, after having pre-scouting a killer basin a mile+ away that never did seem to have elk during September. I think it would be a better rifle spot later, as were several other places I\'d scouted.
Sorry for the long-winded post. Hopefully this info will help some others who are thinking of switching areas but reluctant to take the plunge.
StartMyHunt
New member
- May 3, 2015
- 84
Started hunting one unit almost 35 years ago with my Dad. Hunted others off and on, but it is hard to get that feeling out of your head when you know that if you go over a certain ridge there will be elk. It is also nice to see how the habitat changes from year to year. When we first started, there was one area we called \"the burn\". Hell on earth to walk through with all the down timber. Now, it is prime elk habitat. Grass growing everywhere and the big trees have started to settle into the ground. Still not fun to walk through, but at least now you can see to the other side.
Mike
Mike
I think everyone should at least have a \'backup area\' just to the chance of a forest fire.
In Colorado there are millions of acres of timber that have been killed by beetles, and its not IF a forest fire will happen, its WHEN.
I hunt in these beetle kill areas and between random trees falling down or fires, it can be quite spooky sometimes.
The areas I hunt are about 100 sq + miles. I put many miles on my truck each fall looking for elk and new spots
In Colorado there are millions of acres of timber that have been killed by beetles, and its not IF a forest fire will happen, its WHEN.
I hunt in these beetle kill areas and between random trees falling down or fires, it can be quite spooky sometimes.
The areas I hunt are about 100 sq + miles. I put many miles on my truck each fall looking for elk and new spots
