CO Elk - Unit 201 | Big Game Hunt

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Sat, 2011-12-17 23:35

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CO Elk - Unit 201

This is my first post, I've been reading posts on this forum and really like the way everyone is helpful. I live in CA bay area and hunt you name it. My friend and I have 20 preference pts. for elk in CO. I read the post from "exbiologist" on 'Point Creep' and decided we are going to put in for unit 201 early rifle this year. I know its not likely we'll get drawn but you can't get drawn if you don't try.

I also have 11 pts for elk in AZ and thinking of putting in for muzzleloader in unit 9. I've been talking with an Outfitter but don't think I can afford it. Maybe I should wait on AZ until next year? I definitey don't want to draw both tags, but I'm not getting any younger the last time I looked.

What would you do?

Sun, 2011-12-18 01:15

Critter

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Location: Western Colorado

Joined: 03/26/2009

Posts: 3324

Well, according to the

Well, according to the satisticis that the Department of Parks and Wildlife puts out last year there were 604 non residents that put in for that season and only 4 drew out and it took 21 points to do it. So if I was a betting man I would say that you just may get another PP in Colorado for that hunt and then hope that you draw your tag in Arizona.

For Colorado you might be luckier if you put in for unit 2 since last year it only took 20 PP's to draw a tag but it is still a gamble.

Sun, 2011-12-18 08:35

exbiologist

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Location: Colorado

Joined: 09/19/2008

Posts: 2346

yep, what he said

2 and 10 are better point "values" in terms of trophy potential to preference points required and you could potentially draw either next year.

Thu, 2012-01-05 20:54

PackInLight

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Joined: 02/12/2011

Posts: 17

Cow hunted in unit 2 this

Cow hunted in unit 2 this year. Let's just say if I had 20 points that would be my choice. Good look with the draw, you'll get a once in a lifetime hunt in any of those top units.

Thu, 2012-01-05 23:16

jkhuntsbg

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Posts: 8

Unit 2

I'm seriously considering unit 2 but what I've found from my reserach is it takes 21 pts for a guaranteed draw and 22 for unit 201. It seems like we are behind by 1 every year. I take it you saw a few good bulls in unit 2.

Sat, 2012-01-07 21:06

PackInLight

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Posts: 17

Yep. The bull to cow ratio

Yep. The bull to cow ratio in that unit is insane. It's actually really challenging to find cows... But then again most those trophy units are like that. 61 would be another one of my top picks if I had that many points (which I never will). I went backpacking out in 61 last summer, and saw some massive bulls. I can't think of a cooler canyon/desert elk hunt in colorado either.

Fri, 2012-01-13 05:20

Umpqua Hunter

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Posts: 64

201 and 9

I am in the same boat as you except a couple more points in Arizona. I have 20 points in Colorado for elk, and 13 points in Arizona for elk, and I have studied the heck out of this.

In Colorado, with 20 points we will be chasing a firearm (rifle or muzzleloader) in Unit 2 and 201 for a few more years. There are still quite a few applicants ahead of us, and with a preference point system, we wont draw until they do. Personally, I am seriously considering Unit 61 with a muzzleloader or the first rifle season. There is an insane number of elk on in Unit 61 from what I have heard, and I have heard nothing but great reports.

In Arizona, in Unit 9 here is your problem there...the non resident tags are almost always drawn out in the max point draw in top tier units. My understanding is that the first tags to draw are the max point tags, and since 20% of all of the tags go to max point applicants, the 10% ceiling on non-resident tags is almost always reached in the max point drawing. That means on those tope tier hunts, most years there is NO CHANCE to draw a tag, unless you are in the max point pool in that unit. Now there are some lesser units that don't draw out all the non-resident tags in the max point draw, but not likely Unit 9. In Unit 9, to be in the max point draw in 2012, you will need something like 18 points to have a chance at a muzzleloader tag, and even about 14-15 points to have a shot at an archery tag.

My estimation is.....if you want to draw a tag to hunt elk in the next 5 years it likely wont be a firearm tag (rifle or muzzleloader) in Colorado Unit 201 or an early firearm tag in Unit 9 in Arizona. You will need to apply for archery, or look into alternate units to draw your tags.

Fri, 2012-01-13 23:20

jkhuntsbg

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Posts: 8

Unit 9 Arizona

Umpqua,

I actually have 10 pts in Arizona and put in for Unit 9 and 10 this year. I know I probably won't get drawn. I'm going to attend a hunter safety course and get another point probably next year. Then I'll just put in for unit 9 or 10 until I get drawn or settle on a lesser unit.

I'm not sure about unit 61. My friend hunted unit 61 for deer two years ago. He met 3 guys that hunted it for elk because of age and having 17 pts. Only one guy shot a 300 plus bull and the others didn't tag out so I'm going to wait ... like I've been doing for 20 years. My friend said 61 is very thick and tough to hunt, but if you know the unit then you are way ahead of me. Maybe I should get a bow?

Sat, 2012-01-14 12:34

Umpqua Hunter

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Posts: 64

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for the feedback on Unit 61. Do you know what season the elk hunters were hunting? From everything I have heard, you want to be there for the muzzleloader hunt (rut) or first rifle (still bugling). There is a 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th rifle season for bull elk. I certainly wouldn't burn my points for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th rifle season. Since there is no deer season during the first rifle elk season (which also means less guys in the field), I would suspect your friend met elk hunters during the second or third season. I have heard estimates of 10,000 elk on Unit 61. Realistically a 300-330 class bull is what 61 has the potential to produce with the occasional 350+ bull on the early hunts with very high success. From the homework I have done, that is also pretty much what Unit 2 and 201 is also producing for the vast majority of the hunters. A friend of mine who is a taxidermist in Colorado says he has not taken in a big bull out of the NW corner in years. With that said, Unit 2 and 201 are great hunts with very high success and I have heard the rut is an absolute frenzy. I actually drew a 201 archery tag in 2010, did a ton of research on the unit, and then due to scheduling conflicts returned it which set me back one point (no point the year I drew).

In Arizona I really just wanted a point this year, so I threw my name in the hat for couple long shots, Unit 10 early rifle, and Unit 1 early muzzleloader. Unit 1 had a big burn in it in 2011. It should be awesome in a year or two. A lot of elk on that unit and it borders the White Mountain reservation.

Unit 9 can be incredible, but I drew an early archery tag in 2001 on what turned out to be a drought year. I only heard a few bugles, hunted 6 days with one of the top outfitters in the state, and only saw one bull on waterholes I sat. So even Unit 9 is not a gimmee. Reports are the quality has dropped a bit on Unit 9, but it is still a very quality hunt. Stuff is always changing. If you can wait it out to say 25 or 30 points (with point creep), and go for the best firearm hunt in the state. I am 47 years old, and may just do that as I should draw while I am young enough to hunt. The other option is bow hunt and get 2 or 3 high end bow hunts in in Arizona in that same time.

I guess what I hoped to convey is you can probably throw your name in the hat for both states (CO and AZ) for the hunts you mentioned (Unit 201 and Unit 9) and have virtually have no chance of drawing both tags.

Sun, 2012-01-29 20:41

jkhuntsbg

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Posts: 8

Unit 61

Sorry for taking so long to respond, been hunting ducks here in norcal and the season is over. My friend was hunting the second season in Unit 61 for deer. So you may be on the money by going for an early season hunt in 61. If you can scout it out during the archery season to find out where the big bulls are hanging out then it may be the right choice. I heard that Unit 201 has not produced the 350+ bulls as it has in the past but there are still some big bulls in those northwest units.

I doubt I'll get drawn for Arizona and probably just another point again for Colorado since there is no way I'll draw an early rifle. I just turned 58 so my clock is way ahead of you. When we started building points in Colorado I was a young man, chuckle. I'm going to have to evaluate this situation in the next couple of years.

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