BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[South Dakota Hunter]

Going to give Colorado a shot this year and try to hunt for a quality bull. Any advice on location? If you had to pick one spot in all of Colorado to hunt, that was open to the public, where would it be and why? Thanks!

[BryanB]

Hello,

Please read my post in this thread near yours titled "Elk Hunt Paradise". Ive been hunting elk in the western states for many years and this is the best situation Ive EVER seen. Check it out.

Regards,

Bryan

[South Dakota Hunter]

Thanks for the advice. I will check it out!

[Hiker]

Most of our best bull areas will require 10+ preference points to draw a tag. If you don't have that many points saved up and want to hunt soon, I'd look at the South San Juan Wilderness area or other southern Colorado wilderness areas that you can pack in 10 or more miles from the trailhead. Much of the middle of these WA doesn't get much pressure and big bulls can be found.

[BryanB]

I agree with most of what Hiker says, especially about the the Southern San Juan mountains. In my opinion howver the preference point thing is a sham. Truth be told, there are trophy bulls in EVERY elk hunt unit in Colorado. Your success in bagging one depends mostly upon you. Youre own knowledge of elk hunting in general, knowledge of the area, and how hard you are willing to work at it. An outfitter can be a huge advantage. The idea of investing the time, and money in accumulating 10 preference points is absurd to me. Ive hunted my entire adult life, and have never bougt, accumulated, or used a single preference point. I hunt every year, and almost always successfully. THe people I know who play the preference point game, generally do less hunting than I do, and have no better success than I do. You can book a hunt on a private ranch (guided or not) that sees little hunting pressure, bag that trophy bull, and do it for less than those preference points will cost you. Myself, I prefer hunting public lands, because they are much more expansive, and hey, I already pay for them as a taxpayer. If you want to hunt a particular area, like the southern San Juan, and you dont know the area, and/or arent a very experienced elk hunter, then book with someone that can help you overcome those things, be prepared to hunt hard, and you will be successful. Of course you have to be able to make the shot- which is the single biggest failure afield. "Big" bulls, dont come easy anywhere you hunt, unless you go the elk farm route. In my experience(25 years hunting elk, many as a guide and outfitter myself) RV Robertson out of Capulin, CO has a better track record of putting self guided hunters on good bulls, on public land, than any other outfitter, anywhere. Wherever you end up, have a great time!