Colorado: Salida/Buena Vista area....... Unit 57/58

[cbellosu]

Hi all,

Ohio guy here, in the beginning stages of planning a muzzleloader hunt in Colorado in a year or two. I have been researching my options and wondering if anyone has experience hunting units 57/58, which is around the Salida/ Buena Vista area. I have been looking at onXmaps, colorado hunt resources, and Google earth to pick a few spots away from roads.

How is the hunting pressure in the public area? Is there opportunity to get a few miles away from the roads? I guess most importantly.... are there decent numbers of elk in the area? Not overly concerned about trophy potential, just opportunity or even seeing an elk.

My fiance and I are taking a trip to Buena Vista in a few weeks and plan to talk to the forest dept and drive around the area just to check it out also. I appreciate any experience or thoughts. I am looking forward to my first ever western/elk hunt.

C. Bell

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome to the forum. I can't attest to the hunting in the area, but the fishing through bighorn sheep canyon on the way to Salida, as well in Salida has some amazing trout fishing. I have a buddy that lives out near Grand Junction and I have to go through there and I always take my fly rod along to fish the canyon.

 

[Alabama]

I have absolutely no first hand experience there, but I was researching CO elk units and looked into those a bit a couple years ago. It looked to be mostly lower elevation and thickly timbered. If I recall correctly the 2nd and 3rd seasons had the highest success rates and were the most coveted tags (at least for rifle). I'm sure there are some resident elk there but I think the majority are pushed from other units by weather.

That's what I recall from my limited research, but I do remember seeing some "representative" bulls coming from there even in the earlier seasons. That area is not managed for trophies, It's a limited unit mostly for crowd control. Good luck!

 

[windymtnman]

I live about 70 miles South of this area. It's beautiful country. Just know that the motto of Chaffee County (Salida), is "the land of the 14teeners". The mountains are tall, and steep. I was up past there 2 weeks ago, and there's a whole lot of snow on the peaks! The area West of Buena Vista, (the Collegiate Range) is much the same.
As for how good the hunting is, I can't say.

 

[cbellosu]

Thanks for the replies guys. I definitely plan on bringing my fly rod (and fiance's) when we are in Buena Vista/Salida for our trip in a few weeks, and we also plan to hike Mt Harvard one day.

In regards to elk...
I plan to check out potential elk areas east of Salida around Waugh/Loco mountain, as well as Badger Creek area- the colorado hunt atlas lists the Waugh mtn area as having a resident population. My dad and I aren't too concerned about trophy quality, but just want a good experience and hopefully get away from the crowds. Do you guys think I will be able to get a few miles away from roads in these units?

Thanks again for the input!

 

[Roughwater]

Hi C. Bell,

I am originally from Ohio as well (Newark) but live in NC now. I have hunted Colorado 3 times. I see your concern is getting away from roads. If you don't see a road on Google Earth, or your other map programs there is likely none there. In Ohio, most places the farther you get from one road the closer you get to another. However there is a lot of roadless land in Colorado thank god, so in most GMU's it's not hard to get away from a road. Best of luck hunting. The difference in elevation can be a butt kicker as it can make even a casual walk more difficult. On your upcoming visit to Colorado, find a trail, one at higher elevation and walk it for a few miles and you will see what I'm talking about. The best thing to do is Walk hills a lot and run and jog a lot prior to your hunt. The more the better. The best of luck. Terry

 

[LuketheDog]

Do you have any preference points? You might need one or two for unit 58...

If you're going to fish book a float trip with ArkAnglers in Salida, they're good guys.

 

[RedRaider13]

It's a beautiful area. I camped, fished, and 4-wheeled up there years ago. Never hunted it though. Always saw lots of game when I was up there. Best of luck!

 

[cbellosu]

Will have 2 PP before applying.

Thanks roughwater. We plan on fishing, quite a bit of hiking, and hopefully a little hunt scouting while out there in a couple of weeks. Do you live out there now? We are considering a moving to COS/ woodland park area when she is done with her NP program back here.

 

[jlmatthew]

I always take my fly rod along to fish the canyon.

You closet hipster!

 

[Big Slick]

You closet hipster!

Now that's funny.......man bun.....engage!

 

[JohnCushman]

You closet hipster!

In my camo crocs :W:

 

[JohnCushman]

Now that's funny.......man bun.....engage!

I can't have a manbun on a bald spot

 

[homerj]

Thanks for the replies guys. I definitely plan on bringing my fly rod (and fiance's) when we are in Buena Vista/Salida for our trip in a few weeks, and we also plan to hike Mt Harvard one day.

In regards to elk...
I plan to check out potential elk areas east of Salida around Waugh/Loco mountain, as well as Badger Creek area- the colorado hunt atlas lists the Waugh mtn area as having a resident population. My dad and I aren't too concerned about trophy quality, but just want a good experience and hopefully get away from the crowds. Do you guys think I will be able to get a few miles away from roads in these units?

Thanks again for the input!

I used to ride dirt bikes in that area all the time, there's some good camping out there (I camped W of there a ways). There are a ton of tracks that you'll see on Google Earth/satellite imagery that aren't open for travel so make sure you have an up to date MVUM when you go. Delorme Gazeteers are good for getting the general topography, land ownership and orienting yourself, but they show tons and tons of closed tracks on the map. There is a bit of local traffic to/from the ranches in that part of South Park, but that is mostly on the main graded county roads.

I've rousted elk up there on rides a few times during the summer, they're definitely up there. Good luck.

 

[Tbeak]

That is some steep land.

How can steep be so deep