First time Elk Hunt - Where would you go?

[Cob]

Wow - i should go ahead and send the $10 just for that explanation.

 

[Cob]

Has anyone here ever hunted GMU #22, #23, or other units in NW CO,near Meeker?

Yes what would you like to know?

- On COW website, it states that "Intense Energy Development" taking place west of the vicinity of Meeker, Rifle area, in GMU 22, 21, 32...by oil and gas companies. i talked with a COW Hunt Planner, who reccommended this area as one unit that should have a 100% success rate of first rifle draw in CO, and lot's of new roads have opened up within it due to energy infrastructure. lots of BLM land, statistics look good from years past.
Population estimate is 11,760 elk from 2009. just curious what anyone might could add? Is the terrain steep (does not look to bad on topo map, but again i'm 14' feet above sea level)

 

[FNA]

- On COW website, it states that "Intense Energy Development" taking place west of the vicinity of Meeker, Rifle area, in GMU 22, 21, 32...by oil and gas companies. i talked with a COW Hunt Planner, who reccommended this area as one unit that should have a 100% success rate of first rifle draw in CO, and lot's of new roads have opened up within it due to energy infrastructure. lots of BLM land, statistics look good from years past.
Population estimate is 11,760 elk from 2009. just curious what anyone might could add? Is the terrain steep (does not look to bad on topo map, but again i'm 14' feet above sea level)

It means they have put a gas/oil pump every half mile and drove the animals out in the process and that is why the loclas aren't buying that units tag giving you a better success rate.

Not trying to discourage you or be negative. But that what it says if you read between the lines. The oil companies have done the same thing to the units I hunt too!

 

[Cob]

I read where they had over 2600 oil/natural gas wells drilled at the end of 2008, with over 19,000 planned for Rio Blanco County/ area. That sort of development is enought to keep me out of there, as well as the elk.

 

[exbiologist]

Then you might consider looking at mountainous areas instead, especially those with wilderness areas. All those roads that the energy companies put in for oil services are useful for getting around on (though some are off limits). The units you were talking about can be effectively road hunted (I don't mean shoot out you window, but drive and glass, drive and glass, bail out, etc) because there is good road access and little wilderness. That, combined with good visibility creates a high success situation.
But if that's a turn off for what your idea of an elk hunt ought to be, then look at some places with large amounts of wilderness. Of course success rates will be lower though.

 

[Cob]

Exbiologist, in the post your hunting pics section, you posted some pics of some mtn terrain, with some elk in them... That is the sort of place that i would like to hunt. were the pics taken in CO?

 

[exbiologist]

Not all of them, also some New Mexico and Wyoming shots. If you like that kind of terrain, then you would not like those Book and Roan Cliffs and Piceance Basin units that you've asking about.
You need to be focusing on the higher elevation stuff, and I'm pretty sure all those pics were in or alongside wilderness areas, or effectively wilderness (roadless) areas.
I can't think of any shots that I have access to right now of the Douglas Pass country, but it looks similar to this in parts(note the preponderance of scrub oaks and lack of "real" mountains):




And some more Colorado Plateau-type country



Versus "real" mountains, big woods, wilderness, etc

 

[Cob]

thanks for posting.. I was able to go to google earth, and look at terrain that way, from the live stream method (little yellow walking man in top right corner, dropping him on the map) a while back I had determined that the country in that area was "flatter".

Where was the pic taken, where a guy was sitting on a rock, near what looked to be the top of a mountain, glassing an area?

 

[Cob]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7172375&postcount=5

Exbiologist -this is the area that looked pretty good, both "glassing" pics, and elk pics,and the "guy" may very well be you- Is this in CO?

 

[exbiologist]

Cob,
Yes, those are in Colorado. You may not realize this, but because that's public land, it's a pretty rude thing to ask where exactly that is. That's also why residents will rarely suggest a unit, but will give their take on units that you bring up from your own research.
Anyway, the one with the spotting scope was from a mountain goat scouting trip, and was not in a wilderness area. Notice I'm not even wearing boots in that picture, you're able to drive pretty close to that spot.

The other ones are alongside a wilderness area. Where exactly, are things I'll tell customers, but not something I'm going to openly tell on the internet.

I'm just trying to illustrate the differences in the types of country, and point you in the right direction.
Those areas are much harder to hunt than some of that scrub oak type country. But if you're patient, and have the time to spare, you can do good things in big country.
Here's another resource:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdon...EC9-FEF143B1FA56/0/BigGameGMUMapWildAreas.pdf

That's a map of the wilderness areas, but it also lists the percentage of wilderness in each unit. If you're trying to do your own research, you need to compare apples to apples, so take a look at a 3 or 5 year average of the success rates of units with a similar percentage of wilderness. Unit 15 in the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, is probably the only wilderness area that I can think of in Colorado that does not have alpine habitat.

Now, not all high mountain areas like that are in wilderness areas either, but the vast majority of them are.

So anyway, you have to decide your priorities for a first elk hunt. If your goal is to kill an elk, than these are not the best options. Instead you need to head to a high pressure, high success unit. If killing an elk is only part of the goal, then you might want to consider these types of places. Low pressure high success units, are mostly, but not entirely limited draw units.

 

[Cob]

Cob,
Yes, those are in Colorado. You may not realize this, but because that's public land, it's a pretty rude thing to ask where exactly that is. That's also why residents will rarely suggest a unit, but will give their take on units that you bring up from your own research.

I was not looking for specific unit numbers, just general area- thought that state was a pretty general sized area. thanks for sharing general location, and the pictures. that makes a good comparison..

got the link, already found it. i was able to obtain NF boundaries, Roadless areas. DAU shapefiles, and general elk information for CO, and have been looking at that information statewide...and will say that when it comes to analyzing data, i have a very fine micrscope, just lack the on the ground information for CO.

 

[YooperBob]

Elk hunting in Kentucky?

I understand that elk hunts are being conducted in eastern KY. I was told that this was a little publicized fact and the herd numbers about 25,000. Anyone have any details?

 

[Cob]

They have a drawing for 800 tags in SE Ketucky, on public & priavte lands that border great smoky mtn. park. The chance at the tag is slim, with over 40,000 people applying last year, and estimated elk population at over 10,000 elk. There are some big ones in the area, they were first transplanted there in 1998, 1999 -The deadline to apply has already past for this year, but the cost to apply for a tag is only $10.00...(which i did) waiting to see results at this point. check KY dept. of game and fish for more information, avaialble online

 

[HUNTINANDFISHINADDICT]

I have hunted elk as well as deer in many different states. Mostly Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. At first we started going out on our own, but realized that most of the equipment we needed to get our game out of the woods and back to our truck, or camp cost so much that it was almost half the cost of going with a outfitter, so in 1997 we booked a elk hunt in Colorado, and the hunt was great with the outfitter it was so nice just to be able to worry about actually hunting instead of how are we going to get this big elk out of here. I did not get a elk thanks to my poor shooting, but my brother in law got a okay 5 by 6 bull. The outfitter and his guide took care of getting us on the elk, and getting it back to camp. So the next year we had planned on going back, but my brother in law wanted to go back to Wyoming were we had hunted on our own in 1995 and although we never did get on to any elk we seen many big elk people had taken. So we decided to put in for the Wyoming draw and start our search for a Outfitter. We came upon a Outfitter who at the time had been in business for 45 years. We called and talked to him, and we were excited from the get go. The prices were by far the best we could find in the state if not anywhere. He set aside a date with us right then and there, and told us if we draw that date will be reserved for us. Lucky for us we drew our tags. We flew into the Jackson Hole Airport and were picked up by one of the Outfitters Guides at no extra charge and he drove to the tent camp just south of Jackson Hole. When we first saw the tent camp I was amazed at how much work had to go into setting up such a nice camp. Everything was spotless, and perfect. This was the day before the hunt and I was already so excited I had Goosebumps, because I knew this was the Outfitter that was going to get us onto some big bulls. For dinner that evening we were treated to some of the best food I have ever tasted anywhere. I can still remember it was roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and a salad. The next morning around 4:30 A.M. we were treated to a great breakfast. Then we were off to get on our horses that were already saddled by the guides and ready to go. As we road up the trail and it was still trying to get daylight the elk were bugling all around us. I finally asked on of the guides "are we going to stop here and wait for daylight?" and he said "well we could, but this is nothing we are not even to the good spot yet, but if you want to we can wait here?" at that point I was like lets go to the good spot. Finally as the sun started to crest the eastern mountains we were set out, and the guides started to looking at the openings, and within 15 minuets had spotted out two big muleys, (I wished I would have had a deer tag too) , a cow moose, and four cow elk. They guides knew the area so well one leaned over to me and said "see were that last cow came out of the trees? the trail below that is were the bull that is bugling will probably come through." sure enough no more than ten minuets after that the big bull popped out, and was walking right threw the opening only 100 yards away. Thy guide asked me if I wanted him, and I was Heck YES!!! that's the biggest bull I have ever seen. I pulled up my 7MM, and (thanks to the guide helping make sure my rifle was sighted in the day before) I got him right in the kill spot. Once we got over to him I could see how perfect he was. A perfect six by six bull. (which later scored 365) While two of the guides we taking care of my elk we heard a shot which happened to be my brother in law. He kept shooting, at a elk they said was close to the same size as mine. He never did get it because he was so excited he was shaking. The outfitter and guides did a excellent job of capeing out and taking care of the meat. A process that takes me and someone else around a hour took two guides 30 minuets tops. The meat was taken to a meat processor by the guides, and the next day my brother in law finally got his elk not sure if it was the same one as what he was shooting at the day before, but he says he belives it is. We spent the rest of our seven days riding out with the guides as they kept track of the elk and deer, to see were they were for the next hunt. The experience was just perfect, and we have hunted with this outfitter since then. We have hunted Elk, Moose, and Deer with them. We have both been successful every year. With the exception of one year when I forgot to put ammo in my clip (yes a rookie mistake, and not to mention the guides had said "check your clips for ammo, and check your safety’s" before heading out that day.) I have seen some of the best game with this outfitter, and the fact that all of his guides are all family it makes it that much more of a great experience. They have always treated us like kings, and worked their tails off for us. The experience just at camp makes the trip well worth while, and seeing them work like crazy to get us on whatever we are hunting puts the cherry on top. I will never go back to hunting on my own, I will always hunt with Jensen Outfitters just because of the way they operate, and the way they treat us so great. I know that when were we trying to hunt Western Wyoming on our own there was no way we could have got a elk or even a deer out of some of the areas we were in. Not to mention we got turned around twice. I strongly recommend a outfitter for any of western Wyoming, it is tough country and hard to hunt on your own if you don't know the area. And nobody knows the area like Outfitters and guides. these guys even know all the game trails, and are excellent trackers. I strongly recommend Jensen Outfitters if you have a tag for Deer, Moose, or Elk in Western Wyoming. They have a tent camp in the snake river area as well as Cabins on there ranch in Afton. If you have a General tag or a tag in a area they outfit in I recommend getting in touch with them. Cheapest prices in the State of WY. If not anywhere. trust me it is well worth the call. call keth jensen 307 886 3401

 

[Cob]

Thanks or information. - I see that's your 1st post as well!..THR really provides some unique interaction with hunters and liars from all over the county/ world... I've put in for tags for a couple states, and i'll admit i researched Colorado like crazy, religiously, for about a month before the draw, then jumped out of that boat, and put in for archery Elk in Units 51 & 52 in Carson Natl Forest, in NM... mainly cause i got an invitiation to go with a group who hunted in that area before. still waiting on draw results, June 8. If unlucky for NM, then will revert back to CO. I was unsuccessful in KY, got a PP in CO, and still waiting on NM.... also applied for the 1 non-resident tag in TN, about a 1:15,000 chance at best...

I won a "vacation" thru work and wull be flying to Albuquerque August 6... hope the NM tag pulls thu, and i get a chance to do some pre-season scouting.

 

[Cob]

Anyone have any information on unit 77 or 78, near Pagosa Springs, CO?
Should I expect much snow around 9,000', Oct. 22-30?

Beautiful Country,- i didn't see any elk there while scouting a month ago. Maybe that will change a bit when further from the roads.

Here's a view from Wolf Creek Pass area.

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[35 Whelen]

Well there is big controversy on the alocation of the number of tags sold to out of state residents in NM. However, rumor has it that NM is especially kind to NON resident hunters. I cant confirm or deny, just saying.

Well, as a NON-resident of New Mexico who is on his 8th consecutive year of non-guided hunting there, let me be the first to dispell that rumor. From the NM Game & Fish website:

New Mexico’s big game drawing is subject to a quota system. In accordance with state law, the draw attempts to distribute 78 percent of the licenses for each hunt to New Mexico residents, 12 percent to nonresidents who’ve contracted with an outfitter and 10 percent to nonresidents who have not contracted with an outfitter (this does not prohibit nonresidents in the 10 percent pool from contracting with an outfitter if they are lucky in the draw).

That's right, residents get 78% of the tags. In the unit in which my father and I hunt, first rifle season there are 75 bull tags. That means that non-guided hunters like myself and my father have a shot at 7-8 tags...for the entire unit. Guided non-residents get 9 tags, and residents get about 59 tags.
Next rifle season, 125 bull tags, so my father and I are competing for 12-13 tags, NR guided about 15 tags, and residents about 98 tags.
The last two seasons are for antlerless and there are 90 tags each season. You do the math.
NM's draw for the season is a lottery style, in other words, no preference points. It's completely random from a clean slate every year.

I fail to see how there could be any controversy as residents get over 3/4 of the tags, as they should.

The first 6 years we went, we drew bull tags and 4 of those six years we got a bull. Last year and this year however, we've dranw cow tags and though I love shooting the bulls, I just feel lucky to have been drawn at all.

For a first time elk hunter, I'd highly recommend Colorado and a couple of pieces of advice:

Be prepared to get as far away from roads as possible. Most hunters are lazy and if they can't find them by puttering down the road or walking a short distance into the woods, they're not going to expend any more effort.

Understand what you're dealing with if you kill one, especially away from roads and trails. They're not like deer in that you can't just gut 'em and drag 'em to the nearest road. Gutting, skinning and quartering a bull elk is similar to doing the same to a yearling steer. It's hard work. Nothing like you see in the glossy page hunting magazines:



Bt when you're done, you'll KNOW you've been hunting!!

Good luck!
35W

 

[castingdonkey]

That's far from true FNA. I hunted unit 22 yesterday and work in the Oil and Gas industry. We see elk around our equipment all the time. Unit's 22,23 are great elk hunting unit's be sure to buy a BLM map marking private and public or get the GPS version. The oilfields install thousands of miles of pipeline. In order to do this they have to clear large right of way's accross the mountains. These get re-seeded and gorw the kind of crp type of foods that really help strengthen the herds. The elk don't give a hoot what we do up in the hills they just keep their distance and not much at that. I have had them walk less than a hundred yards from me and pay no mind to what I am doing. Anyway hunt where you want, but ignore the oilfield hate retoric. The hills are alive and healthy. This is a public land bull I shot opening morning of my second year elk hunting. Grossed304. Contrary to popular belief this animal was taken at 5600' 1st rifle season. Not all the elk go up the mountain and a lot of them come down it for the rut and stay down. Get a good cow call like the mossback widow maker. You can use it to locate your elk or you can go where elk are blow it and wait for a shot. Glass a lot and don't move around too much where you think they may be bedded down. Busting an elk herd sucks.

 

[castingdonkey]

BTW..I took my Blaze orange off and put it on the highest branch by where we were working on this elk. In the draw that we were at there would have been no other way for others to have known we were there. The only thing that I will really really stress is that you must be prepared to haul a dead animal dang near the size of a horse horse in pieces on your back. So if the elk is down in a canyon then you get to put big pieces of it on your back and pack it back out of that canyon. This can be absolutelly horrible, but very rewarding.

 

[HUNTINANDFISHINADDICT]

Hey Cob how was your Elk hunt this year? Here is some Wyoming Elk pictures for you, now you know why that’s where I go first post or not. Oh and there is more where these came from. I am not lying, just enthusiastic about getting out and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. Yeah my first post may have sounded to good to be true, and that’s okay I just like sharing my hunting stories. I have searched around for years trying to find the perfect place, and now that I have I love bragging about it. Don't get me wrong there are some years finding the elk is tougher than others, but that is hunting some days you may be surrounded by game and the next there may be nothing in the same place. That’s why it's called hunting. I am sorry if I offended you by talking so highly about my hunts in Wyoming on my first post. I hope you had a wonderful hunt this year the area looks beautiful. Great pics.

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[wyohome]

I would go to Unit 52 or 53 in the Sunlight area of northern Wyoming. There are usually left over cow tags there. The wolves are getting pretty bad, so I would not expect that herd to last much longer. I don't hunt for antlers, so that is an easy one day harvest for me.

 

[CSA 357]

newmexico elk hunt is my dream, i was born there and would love to go back and take a nice elk, or even a cow!

 

[MCgunner]

Man, I don't know if I'd wanna bother doing an elk hunt without pack horses, unless all you're after is the mount. That much meat is a might more than I'd wanna pack out of rough country on foot, especially at my age. It would take MULTIPLE trips even for several guys and some of the country my friends have hunted, like the San Juans of western Colorado, is VERY rugged.

I used to look around New Mexico a lot for mulies and elk. I have hunted mulies there, but never got to elk, but the area I was looking at is the Lincoln NF south of Cloudcroft. I've not scouted those mountains, but the success rates 20 years ago were in the 25 percent range. That's pretty danged impressive. Never got out there, did kill a mulie in the Guadalupes up near Queens. There's an elk herd there and shooting one is a good way to do hard time. They're real proud of that herd. It is the only indigenous wild herd that Texas can claim, the Guadalupe NP being part of their range.

The guys I've known that hunt elk in Colorado have horses. It's really the best way to get into the rough country that needs to be gotten in to out there and it's STILL a chore. There's no more beautiful area in the country than around Silverton, Colorado IMHO, though. I'd LOVE to get a hunt up there ...maybe I'll hit the lotto or something.

 

[IdahoHombre]

Regardless of whether or not you are just in it for the "mount," you have to pack out the meat. I wasn't sure if you were insinuating that you wouldn't have to if you were just taking the head out. Pack horses would be all the more helpful if you kill a monster bull.

If you don't pack out all of the meat, the game wardens will nail you with some hefty fines.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Put in for a Roosevelt elk on Afognak Island, near Kodiak. Roosevelt elk are much larger than the puny variety found down in the Rockies