Looking for assistance, I haven't hunted CO Unit 80/81 since 2006. Went out the last two years with my son and son-in-law, trying to teach them the ropes and was extremely disappointed. 20 years ago, I could find the elk within a few days and then spend two weeks in the middle of them hunting. Now this unit is overrun, I've seen very few elk over the last two years and now debating if I should point the boys elsewhere. I've never seen the elk so cautious and call shy. But I do understand, I've seen folks from a certain southern state drive around and just blow bugles up and down the road and that is how they spend their day hunting. Is this just the norm now? Don't get me wrong, I've found elk but very few and far between. If anyone would be willing to share or help, I'd like to get the boys in a position to at least to see what elk hunting is all about and they don't get frustrated and give up. Not looking for anyone's honey hole, just insight on how to hunt the unit now or try somewhere else. My father-in-law and I hunted the unit for 15 years before I got consumed with chasing growing kids around and we had great luck. Any insight or discussion would be helpful.
Colorado Unit 80/81
- Thread starter beakster
- Start date
Bullshot
Well-known member
Yep. Alot has changed in CO in 20 years. There are no secret solutions to this dynamic. If you want to hunt where additional thousands of people also want to hunt, you just have to work even harder for those fewer encounters on those smarter elk. One unit is probably as good as the next. If you know the area you have a leg up. thats the best you can do unless you are using a ton of PP or go outfitted on private.
tkhuntsman
Well-known member
I was born and raised in the middle of unit 80 and spent a large portion of my adult life guiding in that unit from Backcountry horse camps. It's very tough to get away from people there. The best way to be successful is to find drainages that don't have roads or ATV trails in them. It might not seem like there are any but they are there and they hold elk. It's surprisingly rough country and will take some effort to get into and hunt. There's actually a few drainages that are 4-5 miles from any motorized trail. I managed to keep about an 80% success rate in that unit with my clients and killed a bull every year for 11 straight with a bow. It can be done for sure do your e-scouring, put boots on the ground and just because you see another hunter across the drainage doesn't mean the elk aren't there. It does have a good elk population and some extra large mule deer.
elkduds
Well-known member
Welcome to HT.
Thanks!
My son is hooked, last year was his first elk hunting trip out West. I was able to get him and my son-in-law on some elk. I had to be extremely careful bugling I found out because someone would typically come screaming up in there truck or side by side and start blowing their bugles and calls frantically. I've never seen the like! Now they want to put in again. Last year I took them to unit 81, had a lot of success there in the past but quickly found out every elk encounter we had was met with 10 hunters. I did have some honey holes there and found fresh sign but the elk were so skittish, saw alot of butts.
Then moved camp to South of Del Norte around the Hog Back Mesa. Was able to hit some of the old spots but was very mixed results. Most of the ATV trails are so treacherous I wouldn't let the boys travel them because they don't have the experience that I feel they need to be on them. I think if we would have started there I probably could have gotten them both tagged out. Use to see some really nice bulls there, actually in both units. What I saw last year were smaller spindly bulls. Obviously trying to decide if it is worth them putting in there. I basically am the camp cook and go out to call for them when they get some elk found. I'm gonna have fun no matter what.
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