Pretty new hunter in Colorado

[Wiggin]

A little info first. I've gone on 2 elk hunting (3rd rifle 2018 and archery this year) the only elk I've seen are a single cow during a scouting trip in Colorado unit 161 and a good bull during my deer hunt in unit 25, 2nd season. I have spent countless hours this year pouring over maps, reading, watching and listening to everything I can in hopes I can learn more about elk and hunting in general. So far I've been skunked on 4 hunts with little more than a glimpse of the animal I was hunting.

My last hope this year, is to fill a cow tag in CO unit 161 4th season. I've got some good ideas on where to look but it's a lot of ground to cover and I've only got three days. What I'm hoping for is any local knowledge, or experience in the area to help me get started. My biggest question is where to look, in the high meadows or lower elevation?There's no snow forecast, but the temps are gonna be in the teens overnight and 30-40s in the day.

I'm not asking for honey holes, nor do I expect anyone to drop an X on the map. I just wanna avoid spending half my trip in the wrong area and praying for a Hail Mary the other half.

Many thanks if you can help, and happy hunting.

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Addicting]

Welcome, I can’t help you specifically on that unit. If I were a betting man with it being 4 the season, I would wager on they are already on their way to their wintering grounds. Have you looked at where they winter and the routes they take or talked to the Biologist? That is would be my first steps, in that order.

 

[The Yetti]

Welcome! Would have to see a picture to be able to agree whether or not you are a "pretty" new hunter!

 

[nrpate05]

Welcome from a fellow Coloradan. I don't know that area but check out the CPW Hunt Atlas. It can be a huge help. I was in summit county this weekend (not hunting) and watched 2 mature bulls run out of the hills (probably pushed by a hunter) and when I checked the hunt atlas, the route they took was the exact as the red arrow that showed migration. Perhaps coincidence, perhaps not.

 

[Wiggin]

Welcome, I can’t help you specifically on that unit. If I were a betting man with it being 4 the season, I would wager on they are already on their way to their wintering grounds. Have you looked at where they winter and the routes they take or talked to the Biologist? That is would be my first steps, in that order.

I've heard Randy Newberg and others talk about speaking to biologists, but where do I find them? Is that through CPW? I have looked at the wintering grounds using On X maps, but I can't make sense of the thousands of arrows showing migration routes.

One other thing, if you've got some input. The best food I've seen in the area is in the valley meadows at elevations around 11000 feet, while the wintering grounds generally show around 8-9000 feet. That doesn't seem like a big difference to me. My first thought is that they'd stay in the higher elevations until the lush grasses are gone. Again, thank you for anything you can offer.

 

[Wiggin]

Welcome aboard.

Thank you!

 

[Wiggin]

Welcome from a fellow Coloradan. I don't know that area but check out the CPW Hunt Atlas. It can be a huge help. I was in summit county this weekend (not hunting) and watched 2 mature bulls run out of the hills (probably pushed by a hunter) and when I checked the hunt atlas, the route they took was the exact as the red arrow that showed migration. Perhaps coincidence, perhaps not.

I'll look at it again. I didn't know that was a layer option. Now I've got something to do at work tonight.

 

[MTGomer]

Hoping that you accidentally left a comma out, I clicked this thread hoping to see photos of a pretty, new hunter.

 

[Randi]

Hoping that you accidentally left a comma out, I clicked this thread hoping to see photos of a pretty, new hunter.

I also had thought another female had joined the forum.

Good luck and welcome

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome to the forum

 

[LuketheDog]

One other thing, if you've got some input. The best food I've seen in the area is in the valley meadows at elevations around 11000 feet, while the wintering grounds generally show around 8-9000 feet. That doesn't seem like a big difference to me. My first thought is that they'd stay in the higher elevations until the lush grasses are gone. Again, thank you for anything you can offer.

I'd be really surprised if they are still up around 11,000' in 4th rifle...

 

[Wiggin]

I'd be really surprised if they are still up around 11,000' in 4th rifle...

Thank you! I'll start low around the winter grounds and move up if need be. Thanks for the help.

 

[Cutlass]

Message sent

 

[Wiggin]

Hoping that you accidentally left a comma out, I clicked this thread hoping to see photos of a pretty, new hunter.

It doesn't help that my W icon is pick I suppose.

 

[Khunter]

It doesn't help that my W icon is pick I suppose.

No it does not.

But are you pretty or not? LOL

Seriously, good luck, never hunted that area so no help to offer.

 

[sbhooper]

Welcome! Would have to see a picture to be able to agree whether or not you are a "pretty" new hunter!

You guys beat me to it!

 

[Bullshot]

Hoping that you accidentally left a comma out, I clicked this thread hoping to see photos of a pretty, new hunter.

Doesn't take much with this crowd. Like moths to a flame... then ZAP

 

[commando668]

Welcome, i have been hunting since i was 8 and today i am older with lot of health issues. welcome again.

 

[shannerdrake]

Wiggin - you missed out on a golden opportunity! You should have ran with the "pretty" thing. Had you continued allowing the community to think you were a female hunter, you would have been showered with PMs, GPS coordinate, specific drainages, and personal cell phone numbers offering to help pack-out.

Now you are going to get a lot of posts that will read a lot like "Welcome," "This has been covered a lot; use the search feature," and "introduce yourself, contribute, and stick around and you will pick-up a lot."

Joking aside, I don't have any knowledge of the units you mentioned.

Oh I almost forgot - WELCOME!