OTC tag Colorado Elk Hunts

[88 Bound]

Congrats on your bull.

"Not about how far you go in." Would you mind elaborating. Thanks.

Neano pretty much summed up my point. Everyone thinks that to do better than the Elmer Fudd hunters you have to go miles upon miles into the wilderness. While that may work, youre piling on a ton of extra work for yourself that really isnt all that necessary. You have to be willing to go into the nasty stuff that everyone else drives or walks right past. The elk have figured out how to get away from people.

One of the bulls (330" or so) that we encountered was in one of those areas. He came in silent because he had a harem of cows all to himself and he didnt want any of the other bulls knowing about it. We made him think that he lost one while pushing them up to bed for the day and he popped out at 30 yards to get her back. We werent expecting him so quickly or the end result would have been a little different....

As Patton mentioned, you can't research enough. If you aren't versed in elk hunting, learn about the animal. I would put this well above learning how to hunt them. If you can figure out why elk do what they do, you can put a plan together and figure out how to kill one. It worked for us.

[tpack]

1982(21 years old)- saw nothing
1983- saw nothing
1996(wiser and smarter)- killed 6x5 opening morning/first season rifle..... scouted a week before season was the key !!
1997--lots of snow..... lots of elk but far away.... No kill.

[Chew]

You guys that suggest scouting prior to the season... Are y'all going up a few days early and scouting or making an entire separate trip for scouting? That sounds like the way to do it but I just don't think logistically I could do something like that (work, family, $$)

[Patton]

You guys that suggest scouting prior to the season... Are y'all going up a few days early and scouting or making an entire separate trip for scouting? That sounds like the way to do it but I just don't think logistically I could do something like that (work, family, $$)

We were only able to scout online with OnX, Google Earth, etc. Same limitations so it will probably stay that way.

[deerplanter]

I am 1/4 with OTC tags (3 rifle attempts & 1 bow) in CO all in the same area near Pagosa Springs and will be going back this year for a rifle 1 - typically hunt 11,000 - 12,000 ft in dark, steep timber, all public land. Hope to improve the odds this year.

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I used to hunt around Pagosa and have been thinking of going back, which mountain range or you in? I have hunted Devils mountain allot and square top/nipple mountains and once at Williams creek. We did one drop camp which was the last time I went but I can't remember where it was.

[Texans42]

I used to hunt around Pagosa and have been thinking of going back, which mountain range or you in? I have hunted Devils mountain allot and square top/nipple mountains and once at Williams creek. We did one drop camp which was the last time I went but I can't remember where it was.

Not to be a buttt but only a few peaks that you can actually hunt at 12k around PS

[deerplanter]

Not to be a buttt but only a few peaks that you can actually hunt at 12k around PS

He also said he hunts in dark timber which is not 12,000 feet, but thanks for your very useful input.

[MBV77]

My best friends brother in law goes every year and tags out. I went this year for 7 days and never saw an elk.


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Which unit were you in so I can cross it off the list? Or were you just shacked up with some women’s swim team and never got out of camp?


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[MadHatter]

We were only able to scout online with OnX, Google Earth, etc. Same limitations so it will probably stay that way.

To me Google Earth is simply amazing!! I remember the first time, I ever started looking at our hunting spots with it. Places we had gone for yrs but never seen from the top, except a for a bunch of wore out Randy Mcnally's topo maps. Now my google maps of Colorado looks yellow, there are so many starred places, notes, etc...
It's like night and day, compared to when we had nothing. You can find elk online, literally, without ever stepping foot in a unit.

[CSanders]

If your going to a new unit how do you find where you are going to park your truck and head into said unit?

[gatorgrizz27]

Congrats on your bull.

"Not about how far you go in." Would you mind elaborating. Thanks.

We backpacked in 5 miles to a CO OTC unit. Saw 20 cows glassing the first night, I went to try to shoot one in the morning when a 5x5 came in to my buddy with a bull tag, so I let him take the opportunity.

I only had one opportunity the rest of the trip, I ended up missing a cow on the second to last day. As we were packing out I said “we will probably see cows by the truck” and was dead serious. We ran into a pair of local guys headed in who said there were 4 of them 70 yards from where we parked at daylight...

[HDWRENCH]

If your going to a new unit how do you find where you are going to park your truck and head into said unit?

Its different for each place some have camp sights others have " areas you park " others yet have camp sights , trail head parking etc .

Most parking is not an issue per say , some areas you can only get so far unless you have a ATV that is less than 50 inchs wide. So no UTVs up that trail some have steel poles to stop larger vehicles others do not but make no mistake donot get caught on that trail .

Private land is a big deal and we got the visit again this year . 5 year loss of hunting privileges and 32 states are hooked to that TX is one of them .

So have a map program loaded that keeps you off private land , some is fenced other parts may not be .The area I hunt has one area that is very easy to walk right onto private and there is no clear fence markings no signs nothing .

[Texans42]

If your going to a new unit how do you find where you are going to park your truck and head into said unit?

Beauty of google is being able to toggle through satellite and topo. Use topo to find the benches and satellite to find parking areas. Don’t be scared not to hunt a trail head, and just park on side of the road. Find the water find the elk. This year I found more elk under 8k then I did over 10k. Elk will be where you find them.

[Texans42]

He also said he hunts in dark timber which is not 12,000 feet, but thanks for your very useful input.

Lots of elk 37.25487, -107.07920

[Redraider]

I found my elk this yr at .75 miles as a crow flies from camp. It was 1.1 mile the way I walked. There were 4 camps by me and I didnt see another hunter while I was out. I was in elk everyday but one. I had planned on walking like 4-5 miles in each day but found them at that spot.

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