Well, I've got a young hunter who is peppering me daily about getting back out and hunting some elk. We had a 2nd rifle cow tag (youth) and didn't bag one. So now we can go hunt any late season in the state. Can't say I have too much experience with late seasons. I've never hunted a late season and I've only accompanied another hunter once up by Craig.
So, got any suggestions on a late season hunt for a youth? Just looking for help getting pointed in the right direction. Thanks!
We're about a half hour north of Denver. I've been looking at units 19 and 20 on the maps just because they are close to us. But I'm not sure these will be very good hunting. I don't know anybody who has hunted late season in either.
The only real late season with public land I have much experience with is in unit 35. It's been about 18 years since I've hunted it andit was really hit and miss. It runs up the Colorado river over by Dotsero. If we get a lot of snow the elk would be in there pretty good but if it's less than a foot we wouldn't even see any the wholr season. We only filled our tags one year and the other 2 times we hunted it never even saw an elk due to lack of snow.
About 5 miles north of Buena Vista. Heckendorf lease. It's the winter range for this area. 200-300 elk will be there when they show up. I've seen lots of elk in the area, but not on the lease yet. They should be there by late season. Easy hunting. A huge meadow, and a wooded area on the west end.
Too easy for me, but would be good for your son. It's almost flat, so no hard hiking. Do everything right. The local warden lives next to the lease. 
That sounds almost ideal. Unfortunately, there isn't a late season in unit 481 so we can't hunt it. Great tip though. I might consider a 4th season tag for there next year for him.
The kid's a real trooper, he's been going with me for a couple of years and we're not shy about putting in the miles to find tha animals. Don't get me wrong, he loves flat when we can get it. But if he thought the elk were on top of the mountain that's where he'd want to go without hesitation. Now that he gets to carry a gun he's pretty keen on getting one this year.
Have you looked at the LEFT OVER LICENSE LIST yet? I don't see any tags left for units 19 or 20 and a lot of the others that do have tags left are for private land. I forgot that he has a youth license but the late seasons are a tough hunt unless you can get onto some private property or have the snow to drive them off of it.
You will find that the late seasons will be a real hit or miss. You usually will have to pray for snow to drive them off of the private and onto huntable land or you'll have to fork over some bucks to hunt the private unless you get to know the land owner. I tried the late season tags a few times and it never worked out.
Don't have any info for you, just wanted to say good luck!!!
Back when i was a youth, I chose to hunt the december season in 3, 301. If there is snow on the ground, you should have no trouble finding elk there. The first year i was there i saw close to 500 elk on new years eve day. and the second time was similiar. chased a herd of 100 over on godiva rim.
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