1st Time Hunting Colorado This Year- Over the Counter

[chrisk]

I am elk hunting Colorado for the first time this year and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on where to go and which rifle season is the best or fewer hunters. My Dad and I are just getting over the counter tags and not looking for a trophy, just meet in the freezer. We don't road hunt, but my father is in his late 60's, so I don't want places where serious backpacking for several days is required either. 1-2 mile hikes off the road each day would be ideal. I've heard the north part of the State has the numbers of elk and the South part has the larger elk. Not sure of the validity of this.

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[sdnative13]

I have heard steam boat springs is a good place to start

 

[myfriendis410]

I hunted the Area 4 fourth season North of Craig by the Wyoming border. The largest elk herd in the world is there on Baker Peak. There is a fair amount of public land, but that is a limited draw hunt. That's the main problem; you get an over the counter tag and there's going to be a lot of other hunters to deal with.

You might want to look at the fourth season on the North side of Interstate 70 behind Idaho Springs. There's some good country in there and lots of roads. You need snow though, to bring 'em down where you can get to them.

 

[jerryt]

I hunt the second season/first combined season(Late October) in unit 11 and 22. We have excellent elk hunting with our over the counter tags but sometimes it is very difficult though we could shoot cows just about everyday if we had cow tags. I've hunted the same spot 6 years straight now and have killed a bull every year. As a group I think we are running at about 60% percent success as far as tags filled.

 

[chrisk]

Thanks Guys, I appreciate your responses and advice. I'll start with the places you've mentioned.

 

[FoCoHugh]

Iron Mountain in NW Colorado did real well last year 4th season. It's by Craig.

 

[Iditarodgrizzly]

We hunt Unit #33. You take exit 105 off I-70 at New Castle. Take the New Castle/Buford Road up to Triangle Park. Turn right and go up to Flat Tops which is in White River National Forest. Get in shape for elevation or altitude sickness. You will be at 9500=10,500 ft. elevation hunting. I've never been without seeing cows and we have gotten bulls the last 2 times that I've went. Any other info, just IM me. 1st. rifle season is draw, 2nd and 3rd are over the counter. 3rd season has a boat load of snow some years. I've seen 2nd. season have 4 out of the 9 days that we could not hunt for it snowing or the fog rolls in on top of the snow. Almost zero visibility for both. Still great fun. Good luck.

 

[chrisk]

thank you Iditarodgrizzly. That is very helpful. We've decided to go the 2nd Season instead of the 3rd for the reasons you mention.

 

[dirtpoor]

just a thought, generally 2nd season is a crapshoot, if you're not at high elevation then getting snowed out is usually not a problem , I've taken 11 elk on public land all 3rd or 4th season,, the reason being that the migration is usually in full swing, 2nd season the elk are spooky from archery/muzzleloader and 1st season hunter's and the rut is mostly over so it's you against quiet elk,

 

[chrisk]

Thanks Dirtpoor. Not the information I was hoping for since we've already committed to the 2nd season, but much appreciated none the less. We were hoping they wouldn't be too spooked yet as opposed to by the 3rd season as well as had not moved down into private property once the snow came.

If you or anyone else that has been kind enough to provide previous suggestions could suggest on where we should start as far elevation (high/ low), hitting the dark timber, etc, that would be greatly appreciated. I think we are going to start with units 11 and 22 on the west side of Meeker and then hit some of the other units on the east side of Meeker if we're not seeing anything.

 

[FastGM3]

I've hunted unit 11 and 22 west of Meeker many times. Always made the main hunt for Mule Deer and typically bought an Elk tag just in case. It always seems so unpredictable to me. For instance we'd by bull tags, and see cows. The following year, we'd by cow tags and see nothing. One year we seen a guy get a small bull up high, this bull was so small he was able to fold it up on a quad and get it off the hill. Last year was the first time I didn't buy elk tags and seen more elk with in shooting range than I ever have, and these were some nice bulls However, this time they were down low just above the white river. I typically have gone the 2nd season, but have gone the late a time or two. I'll tell you one thing, I'll never go back there for Mule Deer again. It was desolation row, we hunted hard high and low and only seen 2 or 3 does over a 10 period. There's elk in there and I think it really has to do with the pressure from the 1st and 2nd seasons as to where they are. As I'm sure you know elk move quite a bit and they move fast and there's a lot of pressure on that public land. Also in unit 11 and 22 if you get any weather, rain or snow be prepared for MUD and very deep road ruts. The snow will melt as fast as it comes in and sometimes it becomes so muddy it's difficult to get your rigs out. Good Luck!

 

[jerryt]

As I stated above we hunt unit 11 and 22 every year second season. We have never shot an Elk or a deer in the dark timber in those units. We have killed them in the sage and in the Junipers. Not that they aren't in the Dark Timber but we haven't found them in there. We always scout for three days before the season also which usually gives us a good idea of where to start.

 

[jackrabbit]

I'll second recommending Unit 33 up on the Flat Tops near Triangle Park, 2nd season. We used to hunt that area every year back in the day. Nice, easy rolling terrain up on top, and you can hike down into the canyons as far as your body will let you. Had some snow during 2nd season a few times, but the main road up there is good gravel and you can get out pretty easy if necessary -- just don't do like some fools do and panic early morning when the snow is still frozen and slick, wait until it turns to slush. And carry tire chains, a lot of folks don't, and regret it.

You'll have plenty of company up there, but there are a lot of elk up there. And, oh, did I remember to say that the terrain up there is easy to move around on?

The hunt area up there is only 45-60 minutes from the I-70 if I recall correctly.

 

[chrisk]

Thanks Guys! You don't know how much I really appreciate the information you have provided.

 

[Z-man]

Glass,glass,glass.. goes without saying.

The area I'd recommend isn't open for OTC, but they were there during muzzie and I never saw another hunter other than my group. Hikes were fairly decent too. If you want info for the future shoot me a PM.

 

[COHunter]

Glass,glass,glass.. goes without saying.

The area I'd recommend isn't open for OTC, but they were there during muzzie and I never saw another hunter other than my group. Hikes were fairly decent too. If you want info for the future shoot me a PM.

Your not telling folks where you went last year are you??? :confused-yellow:

 

[suavegato]

Your not telling folks where you went last year are you??? :confused-yellow:

LOL, someone doesn't want you giving up the spot!

 

[Stryder]

LOL, someone doesn't want you giving up the spot!

Yup, the guy who told Zman about it and trusted that he wouldn't tell anyone since Z didn't find it himself. Loose lips on the internet destroy areas quicker than anything else out there, except for Eastmans, maybe.

 

[Z-man]

Yup, the guy who told Zman about it and trusted that he wouldn't tell anyone since Z didn't find it himself. Loose lips on the internet destroy areas quicker than anything else out there, except for Eastmans, maybe.

Do you know me?

J, don't worry....

 

[suavegato]

opcorn: