BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

catfishryan · Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Texas

I am trying to plan my first Colorado elk gun hunt for 2008. I want to hunt an area that doesnt allow atvs and hike in and camp as far in as i can get. I dont mind the work and am not targeting a trophy i just want to get something and have an adventure. Do i need to apply for a tag or can i get one over the counter? If anyone knows a good location(the closer to TX southeast the better)i would really appreciate it. Any information would be helpful.

semore120 · Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

As far as south east elk hunting in Colorado I don’t know too much about that however in north east Colorado in Rout County the zerkil wilderness is a grate place to hunt elk especially if you are looking for an area that is not assessable by motor vehicle. The zerkile wilderness is located north of steamboat springs Colorado and the hunting would probly be most productive in this area during the 1st rifle season as the elk have not yet moved on there wintering grounds also in Colorado you can perches elk tags over the counter but I would advise entering in the raffle especially if u want to go after a bull elk.

I hope this helps.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

Welcome to both of you to BGH! :thumbsup1:

If you want to get away from other hunters and ATV's your best bet would be a wilderness area. Zirkels like seymore120 said is a decent elk area but Colorado has many good elk areas. If you want to stay toward the southern part of the state, you might to look into the South San Juan wilderness area.

Check with DOW's site for more info...
www.wildlife.state.co.us

bankerhunter · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Jackson, MS

As far as having to draw a tag or getting one over the counter, it depends which season you want to hunt. 1st and 4th rifle seasons mean drawing tags, 2nd and 3rd seasons have plenty of OTC units. Feel free to email with more questions. andy.barksdale@bxs.com

andy in MS

catfishryan · Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Texas

How does the drawing work, if multiple people are going, do they all have to draw a tag? Do you pay when you apply or after you get drawn. Which season is best? If it is late in the season will i be able to drive the roads without four wheel drive?

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

Yes, when you apply for a tag in Colorado, you'll need to pay up front. If a few of you are applying, you can apply as a party, so either you all will draw or none of you will. In Colorado, as well as most of the Rocky Mountain states and Provinces after October 1st, you really should have a 4x4 with tire chains, especially on secondary dirt roads. We can get 2-3 feet of snow in a matter of hours. Bring a tow strap, shovel and a nice jack with you too.
Every area is different, some areas are better first season and others are better forth season. Much of that will depend on the elevation and how much snow is on the ground.
You can still purchase 2nd and 3rd "over-the-counter" bull tags for a lot of Colorado but be prepared to see a lot of hunters and very few legal bulls. Your best bet would be to hook up with a outfitter unless you want to do the legwork and scout out the area before season or find a friend who knows the area. It helps to hunt the same unit for a few years until you kind of figure it out and know where the elk will be going after the hunting pressure starts and after the snow starts to build up. Elk hunting is a blast! :thumbsup1:

Brahma Bull · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 6 Location: Hallettsville Texas

As much as I would like to hunt San Juan units in 2008.I still got lot of home work,research and talking to do.Before I try my first elk hunt.Might be better to wait till 2009,take my time.1st vs 4th rifle season for San Juan units?After the first day shooting starts where do the elk hide out?What was the success percentage in 2007 season?Size of bulls killed?I hear the snow was late this past year so that didn't help any.Anyone hunt in San Juan this past year?How was the hunting?How many elk did you see?Hunting 4th season,it's snow on the ground,you can let the elk hang a couple of days?I just ordered several unit maps to study.Looking for some helpful input,opinions,suggestions,tips hunking elk in Colorado and New Mexico.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

Here's the latest success rates and hunting pressure stats on Colorado DOW's site....

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR.....arvest.pdf

Many of your questions will be hard to find a answer to, online. If you want to hunt DIY each year, your best bet would be to find a decent area and hunt it year after year and figure it out and what the elk will do under certain circumstances. It takes quite a few years of hunting a particular area to learn it well. A good outfitter can save you a lot of time and energy, plus give you much better odds of killing your bull.

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

I'm planning a trip to CO for this fall and want to hunt in one of the limited draw areas. Our entire group has 0 preference point. Do we even have a shot of drawing tags this year? I believe a couple are going to apply for bull tags and a couple for cow tags. I'm new to this whole process so I'm still trying to figure out how it works.
I'm probably going to put in for tags with the rest of the group then send a second application for a mule deer tag. It seems they may be a little easier to get. Is that the case?

BTW the areas we are looking at are north of Salida. We have a friend that owns a house there so we can stay for cheap plus we've been to the area before.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

MrKrabs, do you know what unit numbers you will be applying for? If you can tell me the number, I'll look up your draw odds.

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

Hiker wrote: MrKrabs, do you know what unit numbers you will be applying for? If you can tell me the number, I'll look up your draw odds.

We're still trying to figure out the best unit around Buena Vista so it will be unit 48, 49, or 481. If you can give me the draw odds for elk and mule deer I would greatly appreciate it.

This will be my first elk hunt and I'm getting so excited I can barely contain myself. :laugh: I bought a Remington 700 XCR and a Knives of Alaska triple combo yesterday just to calm myself down a little.

I forgot to mention that I believe unit 55 near Gunnison has unlimited tags for the 2nd and 3rd season. If anyone has any information on that unit I would be greatful for that too.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

Do you know what season you guys will be hunting? Every season will have different odds, unless the tags are over the counter 2nd or 3rd season elk tags.

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

Hiker wrote: Do you know what season you guys will be hunting? Every season will have different odds, unless the tags are over the counter 2nd or 3rd season elk tags.

Those areas are limited draw tags in the 2nd and 3rd season if I'm reading the regulations correctly. We are planning to hunt the second season.

Hiker · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1271 Location: Colorado

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR.....tRecap.pdf

In 2007 a non-resident had a chance of drawing a 2/3/4th season bull elk tag for unit 48 with one preference point, two would have guaranteed you one.
Unit 49 was a tough draw and took five preference points to draw, with four PP's you would have had a very slim chance. Unit 481 had the best chance of drawing without a pp but to be assured of drawing you needed one pp.

When I get some more time, I'll try to look up the deer situation.

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

I found the deer draw results here: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR.....tRecap.pdf

What percentage of tags are for resident vs. nonresident? Thanks for the help this is great information.