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NH Hunter · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Southern NH

I've hunted 12 mostly but I wouldn't call myself highly successful there. In twelve years I shot three elk, two cows tags and a bull. Is that considered successful? :roll:

dejoy1976 · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

NH Hunter wrote: I've hunted 12 mostly but I wouldn't call myself highly successful there. In twelve years I shot three elk, two cows tags and a bull. Is that considered successful? :roll:

I would say that's pretty good. We have never done it before, so truthfully we have no idea how difficult it is. Whitetail is the biggest game we've ever hunted.

Can we do this hunt without ATV's or horses?

Are we able to set up camp in the woods, legally?

Thanks

NH Hunter · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Southern NH

Yes on the first question for sure.

Probably on the second. We hunted the White River National Forest and you can camp there. We hunted off of a forest service road and there were plenty of places to camp along the side and just off the road. You could drive a 4-wheel drive truck right to the camp. You can't take wheeled vehicles into a Wilderness Area so you need to watch for that. The Flat Tops Wilderness Area is just south of GMU 12. If you want to hunt GMU 12, get a White River National Forest map from the US Forest Service and go from there. It will have the roads and the Wilderness Areas marked on the map. It covers a lot more than just GMU 12. Or you can use some of the mapping programs out there for sale or go to www.gmuresearch.com and sign up. Plenty of mapping stuff, harvest statistics and draw info available there. If you want to just look at some maps you can use the NDIS website at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/GMUnitMaps.htm

It's definitely do-able. Get in shape and be ready for a steep learning curve.

dejoy1976 · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

NH Hunter wrote: Yes on the first question for sure.

Probably on the second. We hunted the White River National Forest and you can camp there. We hunted off of a forest service road and there were plenty of places to camp along the side and just off the road. You could drive a 4-wheel drive truck right to the camp. You can't take wheeled vehicles into a Wilderness Area so you need to watch for that. The Flat Tops Wilderness Area is just south of GMU 12. If you want to hunt GMU 12, get a White River National Forest map from the US Forest Service and go from there. It will have the roads and the Wilderness Areas marked on the map. It covers a lot more than just GMU 12. Or you can use some of the mapping programs out there for sale or go to www.gmuresearch.com and sign up. Plenty of mapping stuff, harvest statistics and draw info available there. If you want to just look at some maps you can use the NDIS website at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/GMUnitMaps.htm

It's definitely do-able. Get in shape and be ready for a steep learning curve.

What's the weather like during that 2nd season?

Any other advice you could pass on?

Thanks for all your help.

NH Hunter · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Southern NH

dejoy1976 wrote:

What's the weather like during that 2nd season?

Any other advice you could pass on?

Thanks for all your help.

If I knew the answer to the first question I would not only be a rich man but I'd know which season to apply for. :yes:

It's a crapshoot. Could be hot, sunny and dry or three feet of snow and falling hard. You never know and it can change every day. Snow is not uncommon. We've had years where we had to leave early because we got driven off the mountain by snow. Either that or stay til spring. Some years it's hot and dry. You need to be prepared for both extremes and everything in between.

Do some looking around on the NDIS site I gave you a link to. It will also show forest roads. Do some research on line. After you've narrowed down where you might want to try, come back to the forum and ask specific questions. You'll generally get specific answers but probably by PM, not in a post like this. These boards are great to chat but you really won't want to advertise where you're going so the place doesn't get over run. It does happen. Most guys will help you out but respect the source of the information and don't post it all over the net.

MrKrabs · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: Roanoke, VA

One more question I'm having trouble finding an answer to. If half of our party want cow tags and half want bull tags do we need to apply as two separate groups or can you have both tags on one group application?

hellomcfly · Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Denver Colorado

you need to apply as two groups

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1337 Location: Colorado

hellomcfly wrote: you need to apply as two groups unless if the bull tags are over the counter, if that is the case you can just purchase them(bull tags) when you guys get here. The cow tags will need to be applied for and you should do those as a group. Deadline for the draw in around April 6 or so.

Alamosa · Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 125 Location: Southern Colorado

I got skunked in unit 12. Our hunt there was 20 years ago. BUT ... My brother got a 4 x 4 bull and a 5 X 5 buck in that unit that year.

The thing I remember most was that the deadfall was 6ft deep in some areas of black timber. It was one of the few places I'd been where a open sights seemed to be an advantage over a scope.

MrKrabs · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: Roanoke, VA

I'm just full of questions. I'm planning on building up some points for some of the bigger bull units like Unit 2 or 10. If I keep building up my points to 6 or so by selecting something like unit 2 as my first choice will they deduct points if my second choice requires 5 points? I'm guessing they will, but I'm just wondering how everyone else goes about building up points for the exceptional gmu's while still being able to hunt decent areas.

NH Hunter · Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Southern NH

You'll need to check the regs because they change the rules often. I know last year if you drew, you lost all your points. I had six and drew a 2-point hunt. Points are back to zero. One year (I think) they let you keep what you didn't need. I wouldn't count on it happening again, but, you never know!

MrKrabs · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: Roanoke, VA

NH Hunter wrote: You'll need to check the regs because they change the rules often. I know last year if you drew, you lost all your points. I had six and drew a 2-point hunt. Points are back to zero. One year (I think) they let you keep what you didn't need. I wouldn't count on it happening again, but, you never know!

That pretty much knocks you down to OTC areas only for 15 years to draw the best areas. That stinks.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1337 Location: Colorado

Alamosa wrote:
The thing I remember most was that the deadfall was 6ft deep in some areas of black timber. It was one of the few places I'd been where a open sights seemed to be an advantage over a scope.

That downtimber is a real joy to drag elk through...... :](*,)

Just think how bad it's going to be in a few years when all of the beetlekill starts falling.... :o

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1337 Location: Colorado

MrKrabs wrote: NH Hunter wrote: You'll need to check the regs because they change the rules often. I know last year if you drew, you lost all your points. I had six and drew a 2-point hunt. Points are back to zero. One year (I think) they let you keep what you didn't need. I wouldn't count on it happening again, but, you never know!
That pretty much knocks you down to OTC areas only for 15 years to draw the best areas. That stinks.
Yes NH, they have only allowed point banking one year so far but I wouldn't be surprised if they allow us to do it again in the next 5 years or so.
Mr Krabs, Unit 2 and 10 are a really tough draw and currently take 16 points to even have a shot at a unit 2 or 10 bull tag. With point creep it might be 30 plus points before a guy just starting out will draw those tags.
A lot of us that hunt Colorado every year will apply for a Preference Point (E-P-999-99-P) as our first choice and then we'll apply for a cow tag for our second choice. That way you can earn a PP and draw a tag. Many areas have a over-the-counter bull tag and in a lot of units you can get both a cow tag and a bull tag.

MrKrabs · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 51 Location: Roanoke, VA

Hiker wrote:
Yes NH, they have only allowed point banking one year so far but I wouldn't be surprised if they allow us to do it again in the next 5 years or so.
Mr Krabs, Unit 2 and 10 are a really tough draw and currently take 16 points to even have a shot at a unit 2 or 10 bull tag. With point creep it might be 30 plus points before a guy just starting out will draw those tags.
A lot of us that hunt Colorado every year will apply for a Preference Point (E-P-999-99-P) as our first choice and then we'll apply for a cow tag for our second choice. That way you can earn a PP and draw a tag. Many areas have a over-the-counter bull tag and in a lot of units you can get both a cow tag and a bull tag.

What if your second choice requires points? On the other hand what if the second choice doesn't require points (so 0 PP hunter could get the tag as well) would they still take your points since you have them and you're applying for a limited draw area?

I know why everyone complains about the point system needing an overhaul now.