Colorado OTC archery elk..??????

[njason99]

Ok, This is my first post so I want to start off with a little background. I am a 27 yr old bowhunter from North GA. I am an avid whitetail hunter looking to try western hunting. I have traveled and done DIY archery hunts in multiple Mid-Western states but I am looking to try something new. I have been reading a few posts and doing a little searching on here for a little while now just trying to gather information.

I have been watching the Elk Talk videos on YouTube and to tell the the truth watching Randy's videos are what sparked my interest in a public land elk hunt.

I also want to add that by posting this I am by no means asking anyone to tell me their hunting spots!! I know that there are a lot of posts about this and people are very hesitant to give any information but I am hoping to get some guidance on picking a unit. Also, I know that by picking an archery elk hunt as my first Western hunt I am setting myself up for failure, but life is no fun without a challenge! I am not scared of a hard hunt, I will camp, backpack, hike, and do whatever it takes to get to the elk, it's the miserable times of the hunt that make it the most memorable and rewarding. A monster bull is not my goal (although I would love the opportunity) I am just looking for a legal bull or maybe even a cow.

Mainly I am looking for just some guidance picking a unit. I have joined Go Hunt Insider so I have used it to do a little research on the OTC units. I also took it upon myself to make an excel spreadsheet to sort and rank the various units using the information from the Colorado Parks & Wildlife site. After all my number sorting my top four units have came to 62, 81, 78, 421.

If anyone could please give any information on what to expect? past experiences? other things I should look for?... any information will help.. Thanks in advance!

 

[Thomas11]

I was in the same boat as you a few years ago. I'm from Alabama and wanted to do the same thing u r talking about. I've been to CO twice archery doing exactly what you r wanting to do. I have not killed an elk there but have had lots of close calls with elk screaming in my face. I also apply in every state that has a viable option of drawing. I'll be hunting in UT this fall on the nebo unit for elk. I drew with three points. give me a call and I'll tell you what I know about CO and how I'd go about picking a unit there. To long to text! 251 769 6061. Thomas

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Sounds like you've done a lot of research. Honestly having the GoHunt Insider, as well as carefully studying the stats on CPW's website, will likely give you better info about units than anyone here is likely willing to. Your best bet is to pick a unit with good stats, scout using Google Earth to ensure the terrain is what you're looking for in a hunt, and then get after it. The other piece of advice I'll give you is, if you're driving, don't drive past too much good elk country to get to a different unit if you're doing OTC for a legal bull. If you're driving from Georgia I don't think it's worth driving all the way to 62. Use those extra hours as hunting time and it'll give you a better chance to knock down a bull. Good luck!

 

[JohnCushman]

Unit 62 is one of the most hunted units in the state.

 

[ChrisS]

Don't overthink it. I know it's difficult not to, I was in the same boat. But every unit open to OTC archery has elk and hunters in it. Pick a unit and go. Plan it around something else (a place to visit, somewhere you've wanted to fish, something/anything).

 

[njason99]

Thanks for all of the great information! I really figure that all of the top places that I come up with through my spreadsheet and Go Hunt will end up having a lot of pressure due to the fact that anyone can get that information. At the same time I can't get over the success rates and amount of ground there is to hunt. I also cant imagine that with the amount of land that is available that the amount of people could compare the some of the places I have hunted whitetail in the midwest.

I have also told myself that I am overthinking it. It's my first time, so success will just added bonus to the hunt. I'm trying to think of this just as much as a vacation to see Colorado as a hunt. In reality I would assume that my first time out west and my first time elk hunting will mainly just end up to be a learning experience full of mistakes.

 

[Ohboytimmy]

Njason99, I had same questions and thoughts as you about picking a OTC archery unit in Colorado. I went for my first otc diy solo archery trip in Colorado for 2 weeks. You can look at all the harvest/hunter success rates blah blah. It's pretty much pick and choose. Make sure there is plenty of public land, make a dozen well studied hunting spots, commit and go from there. You never know what the hunting pressure is going to be until you get there. Thats why its extremely important to have multiple ridges you would like to start your mornings out. Choose a terrain you will be comfortable with. I went into high altitude 12+ and got my ass whooped. Ran into barely any elk, best experience of my life and this year I am 75% confident into this hunt. I was hunting the flat top wilderness. Picking a different unit now and planing to be alot more mobile. Use your eyes (binos) before you use your feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have the correct mindset about just being an experience and not taking home a trophy elk but always prepare for the best and worst. I took things slow, learned my gear, learned to be efficient with it, learned how my body reacted to the work, learned to be smart and safe.


For sure hit me up because you are going through the exact some shat I was going through!

 

[HighDesertSage]

I have experience in 421 and 62.They are both crowded, as any OTC unit in CO is. Get off the roads AND TRAILS and hope for some luck. Do some studying up on elk habits and habitats. Randy has some great videos to help you with this.

 

[Jfelkins]

I've been 3 times and haven't connected yet but have had multiple close calls. PM me and I'll share what I've learned. I'm just north of you in middle TN.