New to DIY Elk Hunting... Colorado

[rjthehunter]

Hi All,

I posted a couple days ago about hunting in WY. With a new plan in works, it's seeming like Colorado would likely be one of my best bets for a non resident OTC Tag. I'm looking for suggestions on units with a decent amount of public land. Once I nail down that I'll be hunting Colorado for sure I'm going to purchase the onX subscription to nail down locations, etc... I'm not new to hunting or elk hunting at that, but am new to the idea of Colorado. I'm not looking for anyone's secret spot but does anyone have recommendations on a unit I should go for? Which Season? I'm planning on rifle hunting. I'm 22 years old so I'm not afraid to walk! I can bring an ATV If needed but don't have access to horses. Any tips???

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Maybe start with deer or a bear first, lots of people get themselves into a whole lot of trouble having their first western big game animal be an elk... especially if this is a solo mission.

But if your gonna just do it anyway... depends on how you plan on doing your hunt. Rifle and backpacking then 1st season (easiest weather for rifle hunting), car camping I would try 2nd season (stay mobile, figure out 6 spots at various elevations start at the top of the mtn and work your way down), and if your plan is to stay in a motel then 4th season (elk mostly likely will in winter range or transition zones).

Somewhere in this portion of the state, pick your season, then start looking at which units you can draw. Probably avoid units that are mostly huge mts, unless you really have your poop in a group.

My in-laws family motto, If your gonna be stupid you better be tough... I think trying to solo hunt an elk as your first western game qualifies. Lots of stupid and tough folks on here though, so at least you have company and a sounding board for questions.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Hi All,

I posted a couple days ago about hunting in WY. With a new plan in works, it's seeming like Colorado would likely be one of my best bets for a non resident OTC Tag. I'm looking for suggestions on units with a decent amount of public land. Once I nail down that I'll be hunting Colorado for sure I'm going to purchase the onX subscription to nail down locations, etc... I'm not new to hunting or elk hunting at that, but am new to the idea of Colorado. I'm not looking for anyone's secret spot but does anyone have recommendations on a unit I should go for? Which Season? I'm planning on rifle hunting. I'm 22 years old so I'm not afraid to walk! I can bring an ATV If needed but don't have access to horses. Any tips???

Colorado has a lot of good information on their website. Start combing through it. They will show you harvest rates, draw odds, etc. for every unit. With that information you should be able to get a decent idea where you'd like to hunt a long with the season.

 

[jlmatthew]

This year would probably be a darn good one to have a 4th season 3/301 tag. But that's about all I know. Elk were pouring out of GMU 4 during 3rd season. Butcher shop in Craig stopped taking animals on Tuesday for the rest of the season.

 

[rjthehunter]

Maybe start with deer or a bear first, lots of people get themselves into a whole lot of trouble having their first western big game animal be an elk... especially if this is a solo mission.

But if your gonna just do it anyway... depends on how you plan on doing your hunt. Rifle and backpacking then 1st season (easiest weather for rifle hunting), car camping I would try 2nd season (stay mobile, figure out 6 spots at various elevations start at the top of the mtn and work your way down), and if your plan is to stay in a motel then 4th season (elk mostly likely will in winter range or transition zones).

Somewhere in this portion of the state, pick your season, then start looking at which units you can draw. Probably avoid units that are mostly huge mts, unless you really have your poop in a group.

My in-laws family motto, If your gonna be stupid you better be tough... I think trying to solo hunt an elk as your first western game qualifies. Lots of stupid and tough folks on here though, so at least you have company and a sounding board for questions.

View attachment 119783

Thanks for the info, It's looking like it might just be a solo hunt. Looking for someone who wants to go along but I'm not going to let that limit my possibilities. I've hunted the mountains before. Hunted the Selway Bitteroot in Idaho. It was steep... very steep... and it was a fun hunt. I did no sort of preparation before that hunt in terms of preparing for the hikes. We put on 10-14 miles a day and I managed it! So whether there's crazy mountains or not I'm not going to let that deter me. I'm willing to go where the elk are and I understand that I'm going to have to put the miles to find them.

All that being said, a nice gentle rolling hills wouldn't be such a bad hunt either lol. I'm planning on getting a deer tag as well. But the focus is going to be for elk. I'm equipped and willing to backpack hunt if that's what it'll take. I am also willing to put some miles on the pickup if that's what it's gonna take! I am thinking 1st or 2nd season. Getting off work isn't an issue so it just depends on what I can figure for my best odds at punching my tag. Note; I'd love to shoot a nice bull. I'm willing to do what it takes. But at the same time, I don't think I could pass up meat in the freezer!

 

[Seamaster]

You might be better off to seek a cow tag through the draw and get into a less pressured unit than the OTC units. It is a good way to get familiar with a unit for a later bull hunt, and cows taste better. The OTC units are a great way to meet other hunters but pulling out a "nice bull" is a long shot.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I'm as pro-hiking as can be, but miles covered are no guarantee of anything in my experience.

 

[rjthehunter]

I'm as pro-hiking as can be, but miles covered are no guarantee of anything in my experience.

Only thing you're guaranteed is sore feet after 50 miles in 4 days. I didn't bag an elk on my Selway Bitteroot trip, but I put some miles on the boots!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

IMHO the biggest hurdle for a new elk hunter is how to deal with the critter once it’s down. Field butchering solo, and packing out a elk solo just sucks.

I expect the first time I walk up on a moose solo I will feel the exact same way I did about my first bull. “Crap... maybe this was a mistake”

 

[rjthehunter]

Yeah, I know the feeling. Same deal when you shoot more than 1 deer and have to haul it out. Much smaller scale but similar in a sense lol. Any info on unit 5? Has anyone had any experiences with it? It looks like a good chunk of land and the majority is public.

Scratch that, unit 5 is a draw unit it looks like

 

[kwyeewyk]

Not sure what you're looking at but 5 is open for OTC 2nd and 3rd rifle season. I've never hunted CO yet, but have a friend who used to live around Steamboat and hunted most of the surrounding units, killed several bulls while there. Plenty of elk, plenty of people too, but still opportunities to get away from the roads some. Not as crazy of mountains as San Juans or some areas. Don't be too worried about specific units (make sure they're legal units of course), that's the beauty of the OTC tags, plenty of units to work with. Focus on locating areas that are likely to hold elk when you'll be there, using the seasonal approach Big Fin lays out. Have backup plans in multiple units if it makes sense, no reason to limit yourself to one unit when there's so many to choose from. If you can't scout ahead, figure your first hunt in an area will be something of a scouting trip, because even as awesome and invaluable as the escouting tools available today are, nothing replaces boots on the ground for really understanding where the primary use areas really are (for both elk and hunters).

My wife is from MN, always impressed with the size of the whitetails out there.

 

[rjthehunter]

Not sure what you're looking at but 5 is open for OTC 2nd and 3rd rifle season. I've never hunted CO yet, but have a friend who used to live around Steamboat and hunted most of the surrounding units, killed several bulls while there. Plenty of elk, plenty of people too, but still opportunities to get away from the roads some. Not as crazy of mountains as San Juans or some areas. Don't be too worried about specific units (make sure they're legal units of course), that's the beauty of the OTC tags, plenty of units to work with. Focus on locating areas that are likely to hold elk when you'll be there, using the seasonal approach Big Fin lays out. Have backup plans in multiple units if it makes sense, no reason to limit yourself to one unit when there's so many to choose from. If you can't scout ahead, figure your first hunt in an area will be something of a scouting trip, because even as awesome and invaluable as the escouting tools available today are, nothing replaces boots on the ground for really understanding where the primary use areas really are (for both elk and hunters).

My wife is from MN, always impressed with the size of the whitetails out there.

Thanks! So the OTC Tags are good for any unit that offers them? That's good to know!

The whitetail in MN are absolutely ridiculous some years! The one in my profile pic is from the Selway Bitteroot in Idaho but I shot a nice one this last saturday! Here he is on trail cam!

 

[ben300win]

1st or 4th season is the only season I will go again. And the one that has the least moon would win on that one.

 

[Flatrock]

I'm as pro-hiking as can be, but miles covered are no guarantee of anything in my experience.

Absolutely 100%. I've REALLY started thinking differently about elk the past few years and have had better success hunting within a mile of roads in places that are either overlooked by other hunters or I've just been lucky. The "hunt smarter not harder" has a ton of truth to it.

This year in Montana, I saw a guy shoot a 5 point bull less than 200 yards from his truck that knew where the elk would go once the shooting started. He and his buddy carried two folding chairs to a key spot in the morning, sat there and 7 bulls came by and they shot 1. First time I've ever seen two guys with folding chairs sitting by a tree. Can't argue with it though when you can shoot elk.

Not entirely sure where I'm going with all this but I guess don't assume you have to go deep to find elk. I've put on tons of unproductive miles and learned a lot along the way. As others have said though, going solo is tough. Try and find a buddy who is as passionate as you are and just go. Chances are good you won't be successful for a year or two but if you work hard, learn as much as you possibly can about elk and have a positive attitude, you'll start to be successful.

 

[SFC B]

Getting back to the CPW website suggestion......lots of good info, get to know the almanac feature and CPW also has "hunt planners" you can call and go over plans with.

 

[DouglasR]

Allow me to preface this by saying I’ve only been on 1 elk hunt and I’m carrying a 63% success rate so do the math on that and take what I say with a grain of salt.

If I was narrowing down a unit...

I’d go ahead and buy the OnX subscription now. Don’t forget to use code Randy to save 10%
A lot of the info on there mirrors what’s on the cpw website and it just really makes it easy and quick to study units from your phone.
I’d check out Randy’s E scouting and 5 periods of elk episodes then use what I learned in conjunction with the OnX system to narrow down my search.
I second what everyone else says about “the work starting when the bull hits the ground”. Even small ones are pretty big. With that being said, assuming you’ve butchered several animals already I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.
Based on research and studies performed by other forum members I would 100% plan on boning out the meat before hauling it out!
I’d also say there’s a good chance you’re gonna have to field dress or remove the head if you’re planning on rolling him over alone so be prepared for that.

Good luck!