Colorado Unit 76/49/66

[Lee bergstrom]

I have 15 PP looking at units 76, 49 and possibly 66. Probably looking a last 10 days of archery. Anyone have any thought at what we should do. I know 76 is rugged and would need pack in service or bring our own horses. Any info would be great. Looking for guidance on where to go and where to start

 

[Yooper906]

Wow, that’s a good spot to be in! Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience in those units, besides vacation and hiking around in Creede. Beautiful country and seemed to be good elk numbers from what I saw while visiting. Talked to some locals at a few bars and they had good things to say about the area. Good luck. If it were me I’d go 76....

 

[Lee bergstrom]

Wow, that’s a good spot to be in! Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience in those units, besides vacation and hiking around in Creede. Beautiful country and seemed to be good elk numbers from what I saw while visiting. Talked to some locals at a few bars and they had good things to say about the area. Good luck. If it were me I’d go 76....

Thanks for the reply.

 

[jrabq]

There's a good bit of 76 that can be hunted without horses or extreme backpacking. Not saying it's a cakewalk, but it's not as tough as it's sometimes made out to be.

 

[Ben Nicholson]

If I had 15 points I'd be gunning for 76. I'm sitting on 11 points and just put in for 49. Best of luck!

 

[Lee bergstrom]

There's a good bit of 76 that can be hunted without horses or extreme backpacking. Not saying it's a cakewalk, but it's not as tough as it's sometimes made out to be.

Thanks for the response. Great input.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I'd also be looking at 76; pretty good bull quality, not a lot of pressure, and typically a very good rut. 49 has some big bulls but they're not as easy to hunt as 76. Frankly I don't think 66 belongs in the conversation with more than 5 points, let alone 17. As a non-resident you could draw first rifle with 3 points, and a couple other rifle seasons with 1 point. It's a favorite of the draw websites but it's really an opportunity unit with mostly small bulls taken that fill up those success rates.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I'd also be looking at 76; pretty good bull quality, not a lot of pressure, and typically a very good rut. 49 has some big bulls but they're not as easy to hunt as 76. Frankly I don't think 66 belongs in the conversation with more than 5 points, let alone 17. As a non-resident you could draw first rifle with 3 points, and a couple other rifle seasons with 1 point. It's a favorite of the draw websites but it's really an opportunity unit with mostly small bulls taken that fill up those success rates.

76 is the way to go.

I don't see 66 1st rifle being just 3 points for non-res this year, even with the late dates. I could be wrong...

 

[rmyoung1]

Yeah, I’d find someone with horses and do a drop camp in 76, as well. Just beautiful country. Even if you don’t bring home the bull of your dreams, you’ll be hunting dreamy elk country, which is at least half the fun.

 

[Tony Trietch]

76 and don't look back. Good luck!

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I don't see 66 1st rifle being just 3 points for non-res this year, even with the late dates. I could be wrong...

Fair point, I should have been more careful and stated that's what some people drew with last year. The overall point being that I think anyone would be crazy to burn 17 points on a unit you could draw during rifle season with under 5 points, and in some cases 1.

 

[LuketheDog]

There's a good bit of 76 that can be hunted without horses or extreme backpacking. Not saying it's a cakewalk, but it's not as tough as it's sometimes made out to be.

You could even kill a moose there without horses...

 

[Durango Mike]

Yes 76 is rugged for a great deal, but can be accessed without horses. I live in Durango and have horses but will probably decide not to use them, very weather dependent. I decided to burn 20 points for early rifle as I am 74 and just got a new right knee, figured it would be good incentive to rehab and fortunately have a young volunteer to go with me. Put in for Moose (13 weighted points) so it will be the daily double if I am drawn for both. I think the big issue is the trade off of age/physical condition/opportunity in burning points, since I am not buying green bananas I figured 76 was the optimum use for early rifle season (18 should be 100% success if go hunt stats are correct). The weather can make later rifle seasons at that altitude exciting in terms of extraction when storms hit. Colorado feels like it is moving to more restricted GMU availability and might ultimately change the point system for elk to look like Moose/Sheep hybrid with weighted points. If you get drawn keep in touch as I will do some scouting during the summer and archery season and we can compare notes.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

You'd be wasting a lot of points to pick 49 for archery. It only took 5 points last year.

76 only took 7 points.

 

[Ben Nicholson]

You'd be wasting a lot of points to pick 49 for archery. It only took 5 points last year.

76 only took 7 points.

For residents, NR took 15 for 76 last year.

 

[Seamaster]

Over the long years I have hunted 76 many times. When I first hunted the unit it was an OTC tag and a spike bull was considered a good one. The unit and it's elk have matured and now it is a good place for an honest 280" - 300" bull (as measured by an actual measuring tape), and very occasionally a bigger one. Really large rack bulls are much more rare there than they are in some other units (and on internet boards). It is beautiful country and it is a great place for an elk hunting experience (unless the snow gets deep).

 

[Muley_Stalker]

For residents, NR took 15 for 76 last year.

Ah, ok. I keep forgetting that.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

The unit and it's elk have matured and now it is a good place for an honest 280" - 300" bull (as measured by an actual measuring tape), and very occasionally a bigger one. Really large rack bulls are much more rare there than they are in some other units (and on internet boards).

This is the truest thing I've heard on a forum in a while, and is one of my biggest frustrations with goHUNT. goHUNT lists 76 as having a general size of 310"-340" with a trophy potential of 350"+. It couldn't be much further from the truth. Specifically 66, 67, and 76 are units that in reality have smaller trophy quality than a lot of units, including OTC units. For 66 and 67 that kind of showed itself in the historical draw odds, because people that hunted there understood that the potential wasn't as good for those units. Good harvest success though, mostly on smaller bulls. But now that goHUNT and similar companies are inexplicably claiming the trophy size is so high, it's making these units statistical outliers and driving the point creep way up.

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

Well I'm going to be 60 in another month put in for unit 49,48,481,76 as a fourth choice.
I have 10 points and if I get drawn at my age no need to keep buying points.
i have only ever wanted was to shoot 1 yes one 6x6 adult bull elk in my life then it's back to Deer & Antelope.
Elk hunting really is a horse mans game. and a locals game because of the opportunity to scout pre season.

 

[JD88]

I decided to burn my points on 76 this year I hope it wasn’t a mistake.