I have been invited to travel to Colorado next year to hunt with a friend of a friend. It will be during the combo elk/deer season. We will be somewhere in the area around Rio Blanco, between Rifle and Meeker, CO. Is anyone here familiar with this area? How does the elk vs deer hunting in this area stack up? I am a Alabama whitetail hunter, and I would truthfully rather try for elk, but if the deer hunting is superior I will probably deer hunt. I feel like I will only hunt one or the other. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...
gonehunting
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I was just in that area this year during that season. Their are definetly both there. Is the friend that invited you from that area or is he an out of stater too?
If he isn't from there the best advive I can give you is get some good land ownership maps and study them well. There is a lot of elk there, the problem is that once first season hits, most of the elk head for private land. And from my expierience there, the state does not mark their land boundries very well, but the private owners put up "no tresspassing" signs everywhere. So I think alot of the land that looks like it is private land, really isn't. I am not saying they were putting signs where they weren't supposed to, Im saying when there is a "no tresspassing" sign, and no fence or other sign to say where that land ends or starts, it's hard to tell what's what. From what I heard the locals were charging $1,000 a point to take an elk of their land.....umm no thanks.
Their is a lot of good sized deer, problem for us was we didn't know about left over tags until half way through the season. We saw several good bucks the first couple of days, but only one during the second half of the season.
I think your odds are better at deer, but If I were to go their again I would buy both tags. But I probably won't do that hunt again, not that it's all that bad, I mean elk tags over the counter is cool, beautiful country, and a chance at an elk or deer, but It was a little too crowded, a little too frustrating to see all those elk and deer on private land. Elk hunting in NW Colorado just seemed like a little too much like a tourist trap for me. But then again, I talked to several people that go there every year and love it.
As for me, I think I am just going to hold off on elk hunting until I draw a tag in a little bit better area.
If he isn't from there the best advive I can give you is get some good land ownership maps and study them well. There is a lot of elk there, the problem is that once first season hits, most of the elk head for private land. And from my expierience there, the state does not mark their land boundries very well, but the private owners put up "no tresspassing" signs everywhere. So I think alot of the land that looks like it is private land, really isn't. I am not saying they were putting signs where they weren't supposed to, Im saying when there is a "no tresspassing" sign, and no fence or other sign to say where that land ends or starts, it's hard to tell what's what. From what I heard the locals were charging $1,000 a point to take an elk of their land.....umm no thanks.
Their is a lot of good sized deer, problem for us was we didn't know about left over tags until half way through the season. We saw several good bucks the first couple of days, but only one during the second half of the season.
I think your odds are better at deer, but If I were to go their again I would buy both tags. But I probably won't do that hunt again, not that it's all that bad, I mean elk tags over the counter is cool, beautiful country, and a chance at an elk or deer, but It was a little too crowded, a little too frustrating to see all those elk and deer on private land. Elk hunting in NW Colorado just seemed like a little too much like a tourist trap for me. But then again, I talked to several people that go there every year and love it.
As for me, I think I am just going to hold off on elk hunting until I draw a tag in a little bit better area.
I have hunted units 22 and 23 up in that area. This last year I had a unit 22 cow tag and never saw an elk the whole time. This is the winter feeding ground for elk and you need some bad weather to drive them down. It snowed the first day we were there and then the sun came out and it was sunshine and mud the rest of the week.
RVRKNG
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I was there about 5 years ago & saw 6 Elk & 12 Deer(1 very big buck-but no tag...Dooooh!). But you do need some snow high up to bring them down. Also if in the area go into Meeker for dinner & go to the grocery store to see the mounts on the wall!
lxtrail
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I dont know the area, but out in cali, i get a bear tag every year, just in case. you know if you dont get a deer tag you see the biggest widest mule deer ever. if your going on that kind of trip make the most of it, if the oppurtunity arises
GOOD LUCK
GOOD LUCK
I know the Meeker and surronding area fairly well but don't hunt it much anymore. Second rifle season is combined opposed to the first which is elk only and is a draw. Alot of hunters during the second combined season. Flip me an e-mail and I'll point you in the right direction...
