Colorado High Country Elk & Mule Deer - Unit 43

[herb0166]

This is my second year making a trip out west from MN for elk hunting. Last year a group of 4 of us went into Idaho unit 17 in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and all got hooked! So much more fun compared to stand hunting whitetails! Didn't put anything down, but saw black bears, mule deer, and elk.

This year we are going into Colorado Unit 43 for the ML season with elk and deer tags. Our plan is to arrive before the season to catch our breath, and hopefully scout a bit. Our hunting style is backpack bivy, and we plan to camp around 10-11k feet depending on location (I have not done my homework on e-scouting yet but will be soon). As there is no way for us to get out and scout, I do have some questions I am hoping you guys/gals can answer:

1. What temperature/weather should I plan for during Sept. 14-22 in the high country? From what I can tell, it will be 25-65, some rain and snow possible.
2. Will there be water in creeks shown on my topo map? Any on southern exposures?
3. Will there be any bugs. Coming from MN we are pretty much use to anything, but good to know.
4. Will the elk & deer be at the treeline, if not, how far do they tend to drop down? We chased footprints last year, and I am curious about how far they can drop daily.
5. Are there area's that guides tend to work hard with folks on horses? Trying to avoid crowds.

Thanks!

 

[Madman]

I've never hunted 43 but hunt a lot on the other side of the divide...weather can be anything from 70's to freeze your arse off, best bet is to plan to be flexible and look at the weather patterns predicted closer to the start date. I wouldn't sweat bugs, especially compared to MN. Elk can be anywhere and range many miles overnights if pressure pushes them. I have no idea about outfitters, but if you hunt the black timber there will be elk in there and there will be fewer hunters than in the open areas.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I grew up in Eagle, unit 44

1. Sept tends to be dry and sunny, with rain shows in the evenings occasionally snow probably the easiest month of the year to be in the woods
2. Maybe, probably not on the south, depends on the snow year and rains... this year has been a big snow year so their will be more water than normal. But expect things to be dry that time of year
3. No, maybe in the timber in some spots around water
4. Deer yes, elk maybe as soon as people start flinging arrows they will start hiding in the timber. I would hunt the edge of timber/tundra transition/aspens
5. I don't know specifically, if you hunt areas that don't have a trail into them you won't see horses.

There will be a shit ton of people up there... trail runners, leaf peepers, etc.

 

[nrpate05]

I've only hunted 43 once during rifle season and was successful. Definitely get as much time as you can to acclimate. A lot of the unit is high elevation and steep. Don't discount the forest west of Hwy 133 (Redstone). It won't see the crowds that the bigger mountains see and there are elk in there too.

1) That sounds like a good general estimate of temps but it could be much colder or warmer. Keep an eye before you pack up to leave.
2) Aspen is having a hell of a snow year so I would say there will be water in most creeks. Tough to say on southern exposures, but a lot of that high mountain terrain has water in every little drainage.
3) Probably wont be many annoying bugs that time of year.
4) That time of year elk could really be anywhere but I'd concentrate on the higher elevation timber. We saw them around treeline but ended up taking a cow around 9500'.
5) I know there is an outfitter that works out of Redstone, but not sure where they actually hunt. There will certainly be recreationalists out, especially in the Wilderness areas. Don't go to Conundrum hot springs.

I may be out there in September at some point with a bear tag hopefully. There are a lot of them running around. Camp wisely!

 

[davinski]

See my "Maroon Bells early rifle buck" post in the deer section from a couple years ago. That was 43. I scouted it a couple years leading up to it but haven't been back since. Lots of water everywhere when I went, I expect the same this year. Deer and elk were all over high and low. Elk seemed more spooked by hunters and hikers and stuck to the dark stuff in the daytime. Deer generally stayed high but were out all day. Tons of hikers on the Aspen side, not as many on the Marble/Crystal side. Your weather/temp assumption follows what I had. I haven't checked the season dates, but ML, archery, and early rifle deer were all concurrent when I went so there were more hunters than I expected. Amazingly beautiful country though. Good luck!

 

[herb0166]

See my "Maroon Bells early rifle buck" post in the deer section from a couple years ago. That was 43. I scouted it a couple years leading up to it but haven't been back since. Lots of water everywhere when I went, I expect the same this year. Deer and elk were all over high and low. Elk seemed more spooked by hunters and hikers and stuck to the dark stuff in the daytime. Deer generally stayed high but were out all day. Tons of hikers on the Aspen side, not as many on the Marble/Crystal side. Your weather/temp assumption follows what I had. I haven't checked the season dates, but ML, archery, and early rifle deer were all concurrent when I went so there were more hunters than I expected. Amazingly beautiful country though. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing! Great pictures, and nice buck!

 

[herb0166]

I've only hunted 43 once during rifle season and was successful. Definitely get as much time as you can to acclimate. A lot of the unit is high elevation and steep. Don't discount the forest west of Hwy 133 (Redstone). It won't see the crowds that the bigger mountains see and there are elk in there too.

1) That sounds like a good general estimate of temps but it could be much colder or warmer. Keep an eye before you pack up to leave.
2) Aspen is having a hell of a snow year so I would say there will be water in most creeks. Tough to say on southern exposures, but a lot of that high mountain terrain has water in every little drainage.
3) Probably wont be many annoying bugs that time of year.
4) That time of year elk could really be anywhere but I'd concentrate on the higher elevation timber. We saw them around treeline but ended up taking a cow around 9500'.
5) I know there is an outfitter that works out of Redstone, but not sure where they actually hunt. There will certainly be recreationalists out, especially in the Wilderness areas. Don't go to Conundrum hot springs.

I may be out there in September at some point with a bear tag hopefully. There are a lot of them running around. Camp wisely!

Great info! Thanks! We are planning to take a day/night at a base camp before hiking to accumulate. MN has black bears and we always hang our food/trash from a tree away from camp.

 

[herb0166]

I grew up in Eagle, unit 44

1. Sept tends to be dry and sunny, with rain shows in the evenings occasionally snow probably the easiest month of the year to be in the woods
2. Maybe, probably not on the south, depends on the snow year and rains... this year has been a big snow year so their will be more water than normal. But expect things to be dry that time of year
3. No, maybe in the timber in some spots around water
4. Deer yes, elk maybe as soon as people start flinging arrows they will start hiding in the timber. I would hunt the edge of timber/tundra transition/aspens
5. I don't know specifically, if you hunt areas that don't have a trail into them you won't see horses.

There will be a shit ton of people up there... trail runners, leaf peepers, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Pelican]

Great info! Thanks! We are planning to take a day/night at a base camp before hiking to accumulate. MN has black bears and we always hang our food/trash from a tree away from camp.

Backpackers are required to have a interagency grizzly bear committee approved bear resistant container in parts of 43. I’ve heard the rule is strictly enforced.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Backpackers are required to have a interagency grizzly bear committee approved bear resistant container in parts of 43. I’ve heard the rule is strictly enforced.

Get the sack ones if you can... it’s so stupid they had to make this requirement, but with all the morons at conundrum it’s probably for the best.

 

[herb0166]

As I understand it, there aren’t grizleys in unit 43, so that bag requirement sounds like a joke. But thanks for the heads up. I haven’t seen that anywhere else.

Looking at some of the pictures from davinski, it looks like the areas above the tree line are very large and open. Just thinking we will want to be prepared for that environment and the dark timber. This will impact where we plan to camp, glass, etc.

Thanks again for all the help! Can’t wait to get out there!

 

[Pelican]

As I understand it, there aren’t grizleys in unit 43, so that bag requirement sounds like a joke. But thanks for the heads up. I haven’t seen that anywhere else.

Correct. No grizzlies in CO. The interagency grizzly bear commitee is the recognized certification group for bear resistant containers. Grizzly resistant = black bear resistant. Lots of people in 43 backpacking and some are slobs, so the black bears have learned humans have food and they get into trouble. I agree with wllm1313 and prefer the Ursack brand bear bag to meet the requirement.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Slobs is putting it nicely that place has turned into a cesspool. Great trail if you want to follow 20 stoned Californians up a trail for 3 hours with their traprap blaring.

 

[herb0166]

Cesspool is right! Goodness! Not that they don't have a right to be there, but I will definitely need to plan around this.

 

[herb0166]

One last question... Are there grouse? We saw around 30 last year in Idaho, and if that is usual, we will be taking advantage of the small game license... Thanks

 

[Thomas11]

Slobs is putting it nicely that place has turned into a cesspool. Great trail if you want to follow 20 stoned Californians up a trail for 3 hours with their traprap blaring.
View attachment 103928

That’s insane! I’ve hunted a lot around creste butte and same type of thing. I guess it’s so scenic it just attracts all the hippies lol

 

[Deleted member 28227]

One last question... Are there grouse? We saw around 30 last year in Idaho, and if that is usual, we will be taking advantage of the small game license... Thanks

Colorado only has dusky (blue) grouse, whereas ID has dusky and ruffed. There are grouse in 43 and you will likely see some, there are also ptarmigan if you get up high.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Slobs is putting it nicely that place has turned into a cesspool. Great trail if you want to follow 20 stoned Californians up a trail for 3 hours with their traprap blaring.
View attachment 103928

Aaahhh the scenic Rocky Mountains. Did you get a contact high?

 

[SandyCreek]

Slobs is putting it nicely that place has turned into a cesspool. Great trail if you want to follow 20 stoned Californians up a trail for 3 hours with their traprap blaring.
View attachment 103928

i bet a steripen, aqua tabs and a pump wouldn't get the funk outta that water