Colorado 3rd Season Elk GMU 4 or better?

[HUNTINTHEWILD]

Hello forum, newb here. I'm from North Dakota and I want to take my father on a Elk hunt in Colorado. It's always been his dream to tag a bull elk of any size. Right now we are looking at GMU 4 because of easy access and tags (OTC 3rd Season). I have been reading several forums that state that the basic strategy is to either get lucky with weather or find them hiding in safety zones.

A couple of questions.
Is GMU 4 the best option?
Is that basic strategy the way to go?
What general area of GMU 4 should we focus on?
Does anyone know anyone that offers private land with a small trespass fee?

Appreciate it!

 

[JohnCushman]

Ease of tags and ease of access means lots of hunters...... And welcome to HT

 

[HUNTINTHEWILD]

Thank you! I also want to add, I am from North Dakota and that's where my father lives, however, I live in Florida now. I am no stranger to crowded public land. I do get alligator tags once in a while and have an airboat. If I get tags this year I would be willing to trade a hunt as well. I find out end of May on the alligator tags.

 

[JohnCushman]

Try giving the biologist in the area you want to hunt a call. The regional office in the district can put you in touch. I've had lots of luck talking to wardens and biologists over the phone. Once they get the idea that you're willing to work for your tag and after a few calls, they tend to open up a bit. I would also google local taxidermists and game processors to see where a good share of their business comes from. Since they depend on successful customers for their livlihood, sometimes they are willing to spill the beans on where animals are coming from. I know it's all a crapshoot, but talking to people with local knowledge can sometimes work out.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Welcome aboard!

 

[thusby]

I've seen elk come out of there. The bears ears gets absolutely pounded.

 

[Rev. J]

Lots of elk in that area but I agree with Thusby. Bears Ears is a circus. OnX is your friend. You have to use the hunting pressure. It’s part of the game. Welcome to HT

 

[HUNTINTHEWILD]

Ok good to know! Is cell service decent? Also do you have to go to really high elevations to find them?

 

[thusby]

Pretty evenly distributed from my experience.

 

[jlmatthew]

They were stacked on Frosty Acres right along the hwy last year during 3rd season

 

[vanish]

3rd season dates this year is like 4th season previous years.

If the timing and weather works out, you'll be in the middle of the migration. If it comes early, the elk will be far west of you, or holed up on private. Feast or famine.

They probably won't be in the high country, and if they are, you probably can't get to them.

 

[HUNTINTHEWILD]

Right on, well hopefully it’s a feast! If I’m willing to put the miles on is there a reasonable chance of being successful? How about cows or bears?

 

[Davetats51]

If you put in the miles there is a reasonable chance for an elk in most units in Colorado. Just remember that if you go in far you still have to walk all the way back out with the elk on your back. Not sure how old you and your father are or what kind of shape your in but make sure you prepare twice as much as you think you should physically.

 

[Carlin59]

I hunt Bears Ears every year, and it is true there are a lot of elk. However, there are far more hunters than you can probably perceive currently when you think of "wide open public land out west" hunting as an Easterner (I get it, I grew up in WI where 10 guys hunting 40 acres is the norm so I understand what crowded feels like). With that said, if you put in your dues and time you can find escape routes and have consistent success. However, it may be a steep learning curve. That said, I would not discourage you from going this year as that area offers a decent chance just on dumb luck. For me, I have my exact GPS pin that I need to be at 2 hrs prior to opening every year that offers great opportunity. It took me about three years to learn that spot, but now I have it (and about five others like it, again, only earned through time afield).

 

[88man]

I hunt Bears Ears every year, and it is true there are a lot of elk. However, there are far more hunters than you can probably perceive currently when you think of "wide open public land out west" hunting as an Easterner (I get it, I grew up in WI where 10 guys hunting 40 acres is the norm so I understand what crowded feels like). With that said, if you put in your dues and time you can find escape routes and have consistent success. However, it may be a steep learning curve. That said, I would not discourage you from going this year as that area offers a decent chance just on dumb luck. For me, I have my exact GPS pin that I need to be at 2 hrs prior to opening every year that offers great opportunity. It took me about three years to learn that spot, but now I have it (and about five others like it, again, only earned through time afield).

You too

 

[elynch2020]

4 of us from Indiana plan to hunt Colorado GMU 4 during the 2nd rifle season. I have been using On X and Google Earth to find good glassing areas within the unit. Looks like there is a lot of good hunting within the unit, but any where there is access there will be a lot of other hunters too. If you look at the access points they are located several miles apart around the outside edges of the public lands, so that means walking a couple miles to get passed most of the other hunters. ATV are allowed to be used in a large part of the unit with only some trails being for non-motorized traffic. My plan is to hike in to the areas between the access points and use the boundaries between private and pubic as I look for isolated steep draws near water as a starting point.

Good luck and will post how we do.

 

[lbarkurn]

Wondering how things turned out for your group? would you recommend this unit? evidently with all of the pressure, most people thing there is a decent chance of running into animals.

 

[WTFJohn]

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Went ahead and helped you a little bit there. DON'T GIVE OUT SPECIFICS ON THE OPEN INTERNET, especially OTC units. A 5 second google search now with Unit * and mule deer or elk will bring this thread right up. If you were planning on coming back from out of state to hunt that area again, guess what? There's going to be even more folks in there because of posts like this.

There are no 'honey holes' anymore, just a rotating list of spots to go as NR blow the areas up on the internet. SW CO used to be great, until everyone said go hunt SW CO. Now units are going draw because of too much pressure and too few animals.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I agree. Finding game should be done by the hunter. NOT on forums.