CO and NM Flooding

[Big Fin]

Watching the mess recent storms have created in CO and NM, makes me glad to deal with Montana blizzards rather than monsoon season flooding. Feel bad for people who have to deal with this. Hopefully all affected have ways to recover, if that is possible.

I know it has had big impacts on the Front Range of Colorado. Also some serious impacts in SE and North Central NM.

Some guys I know were down in NM with a highly coveted 16D archery elk tag and they had to abandon their truck when the main road became a three mile long swamp. Their guide's truck got sucked into a newly formed swamp and is totaled. What turned out to be the hunt of a lifetime was a disappointing experience.

I have a really good friend and his buddy in Unit 16A this week. I am afraid they are swimming rather than hunting. Bad deal for them.

I suspect a lot of NM archery and CO archery/muzzy hunters are being impacted by this. I head to NM on Tuesday for a 3rd season archery hunt, but I doubt I can get in there, given the amount of rain they got from Thursday through Saturday.

Good news is that if I can paddle my inflatable up the mountain, the forecast looks good for the five days of my hunting.

 

[Muskeez]

HA! If there is ANY way in, you will find it Fin! Best wishes!! We leave in 4 days for CO, but will drop down from WY to avoid some of the messes.

 

[Pagosa]

Its amazing the amount of rain received in such a short timeframe. Combined with the recent the fires the soil conditions were prime for major erosion. Most monsoons don't last for days. My thoughts and prayers for the people affected. In NV where I'm working we got hammered from this low pressure Pacific storm.

 

[JohnCushman]

It's still dry with little to no rain where I am in SE Colorado

 

[Summitthunting]

Be careful guys, this place is a mess and a lot of the mountain roads are gone! Check road closures and bring your milk crate full of chains.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Insane amount of rain from the TV reports i have been watching. Hope all the CO and NM hunt talkers are ok?

Guess the positives will be for those who are prepared to tighten up the laces and hike into their units the hunting should be superb with lightly pressured animals and quiet stalking conditions underfoot. There are always positives to be gained from bad weather conditions and good hunters just adapt and keep on killing animals rain, hail or shine.

Just might be a good year to try to obtain a tag in 2014 in some of these rain affected NM elk units if a few extra bulls manage to get through another hunting season with so many guys hunts messed up.

 

[Zach]

I was already up in the mountains when all the rain started. Didn't know about the flooding until I got back home.

Nothing threatening where I live south of Denver. Haven't heard if it has affected my co workers.

Glad I don't live in Boulder area.

 

[justdada]

12" of rain in 6 days where i am at. Lots of road closures, bridges out and houses damaged. A year worth of moisture in less than a week is really scary in the foothills.

 

[s1n2i3p4e5]

heading to wy sept 27, will be comeing in to denver on 70 then north on 25 to casper is the hwy still open. or should i go 80 throught nebraska as usual,

 

[DKO]

I got out of the mountians Friday Night very light rain until I hit Vail on 70 got nasty quick by the time I got to Copper counted 3 vehicles either in the ditch or median. Very foggy and heavy rainfall all the way out took e470 south to avoid the road closures. Seemed big bulls just pushing spikes away and getting fired up this week and next should be sweet. Good luck!

 

[sbhooper]

I am sure glad that I don't have an expensive elk or deer tag for some of those areas. It is going to take some time to recover from this one for sure.

 

[Zach]

heading to wy sept 27, will be comeing in to denver on 70 then north on 25 to casper is the hwy still open. or should i go 80 throught nebraska as usual,

Check the CDOT site before travel, but I would think by then the 70/25 closures should be over.

 

[bobbydean]

The flooding has displaced many wild animals. Was in Lubbock for minor surgery this past Thursday. On my return, saw mountain lion tracks all over the place. THe horse pasture seemed his favorite place, tracks at least 3 times back and forth surveying the pasture. If that horse could talk, I could get the rest of the story.

I live south and east of major pecan groves that the deer take refuge in. I am sure the lion was just taking an after dinner walk.