Colorado elk units

[1uofacat]

Mo,

Colorado can be done on foot, and it's absolutely beautiful there. Note there are problems with hunts that you pay an outfitter to pack you into however...

 

Here's just a few:

1. They typically take you into an area miles back in. Sounds great, but then you're stranded there for the duration of the time you're there. That could be a problem if either there's not a lot of elk in there, or they move after you hunt there for a few days and you or someone else pushes them out.
2. You're stuck in there until they come get you. The typical hunts, like back into Deer Creek, usually mean hunting out of your camp in the canyon you're dropped off in/near. Going 2 canyons away is just too far up/down as you'll probably be talking ridges that are 1,000+ fee high between them, and the elk move a lot in there (or at least they did back when I hunted there).
3. It's typically a long ways in there and you'll need to pack enough food, water, camping, and hunting "crap" to stay in there for a week - 10 days, depending on how long you want to stay in there. That said, it all has to be compressed because it's all going in on horseback. What if you get hurt or break a string on your bow? You may or may not have cell coverage in there, probably not.
4. Cost... it's not cheap.
5. How do you plan on scouting this area that's only realistically reachable by horseback? Are you going to trust an "outfitter" that has no financial gain if you kill or not?

 

We've done horseback hunts in Colorado back in the late 80s and early 90s. I also hunted there a lot while living in Farmington, NM, but the horseback hunts were rough in that you're basically stuck in there. Moving a camp is a lot of work, and impossible if you don't have the horses to use. We actually had horses in there, but it was too much work to move camp, so it was a week+ of hunting with 2 good days before the elk moved out and were basically unreachable.

 

Also, the country back in those areas is dam* rough... often times "straight up and down". If you kill, it gets harder or you lose meat.

 

As it's been said, killing a large bull in Colorado doesn't happen often, but they are there. The largest bull we took was about 270 as I recall, but I have chased 300+ bulls there, and one a 350 class bull, but that was an exception, not the rule. That particular bull was also chased by locals for years, never heard who, if anyone, collected him. Mostly you'll likely see bugling raghorns.

 

The issue is how rough it is back in there. I've hunted the Mission Mountain area (out of Durango), the old Purgatory ski area north of Durango, Cascade Creek, and around Engineer Mountain. I've also hunted on top of Table Mesa (north of Dolores) which was the closest thing to hunting in AZ, but fewer animals. Lots of awesome country, and some elk, but not like AZ.

 

That said, some of the most beautiful country I've ever hunted elk in is in Colorado, and I'd consider going back, but would first want to have someone in Colorado that I could call that has horses to get an animal out as it's likely not going to be easy on foot. I'd also not go back in on horses to hunt because of some of the restrictions that imposes on you, but rather hunt on foot from a road, or hike in that day to hunt, but not have to worry about packing out on my back.

 

As far as backpack hunts, which I did a couple times, they were just too dam* much work so wouldn't do that again, unless you can convince several sherpas to go along!

 

Also have help... other hunters, who are as committed as you. Because you'll be hunting around 9,000ft or more ASL (probably), get in shape as it's going to be rough. The Cascade Creek area is absolutely breathtaking, but you can also be hunting basically above timer line (10,000 ft or more as I recall). It's not uncommon to glass a hundred elk in an area above timberline in the Cascade Creek area, but you may be across the canyon from them and 2,000 feet or more in elevation down and up to get to them... basically realistically unreachable.

 

Just know what you're getting into. Shoot, go on a scouting trip this spring to look around... it'd be worth it.

[MoHunter81]

Ok thank you for such a detailed response. It sounds like that area is pretty rough country so some scouting might be a smart idea. Have you ever hunted in New Mexico? Is it hard to draw a tag. Again thanks for the input

[yotebuster]

Ok thank you for such a detailed response. It sounds like that area is pretty rough country so some scouting might be a smart idea. Have you ever hunted in New Mexico? Is it hard to draw a tag. Again thanks for the input

NM draw has already passed. In the future it's a good backup. The units just across the az border are typically regarded as the best but are hard to draw. The area along the Colorado border has some pretty good draw odds if you study them and has (in my opinion) a much better chance at a 6pt bull then Colorado. Don't go into those northern units expecting a 350 bull or bust or you'll go bust for sure, but for a chance to get out and chase rutting Bulls it's a way better option then Colorado. Some of the archery tags in there have 20-60% draw odds so they're defninitely obtainable tags. Another option is a landowner tsg. Prices have probably gone up but last I checked you could get a landowner archery tsg in some of those northern units for $1000-1500. As far as Colorado goes listen to 1uofacat as he hit the nail on the head.

[MoHunter81]

Ok thanks for the info I'll check out NM in the future

[metau]

Check some of the local papers in CO. There are several small colleges and there is usually a few ads up for students that will help pack out an animal in exchange for meat. Elk are dang near everywhere in CO. Whichever unit you choose, you just need to find the steepest, darkest, nastiest northern facing slope with dark timber and that is where the elk will be. There, and on private property. I'll be headed either there or Montana myself. Best of luck.

[MoHunter81]

Cool good to know. I would love to hunt Montana

[MoHunter81]

Cool good to know. I would love to hunt Montana

[metau]

Makes two of us. Never been there. Always wanted to go. I got a couple of buddies that have been that said they wanted to go this year if I didn't draw, but after talking to two of them this afternoon, looks like I might have a solo trip on my hands. The archery season starts too early in CO this year for my liking, but may do that instead. I know a few spots to go, but not sure if I want to be there in August.

[Edge]

1UofAcat,

Ever hunt around Lone Cone?