WT Ridge
New member
Anybody out there who has hunted archery in Unit 54 that would be willing to have a quick chat? Thanks in advance!
Colorado Unit 54
- Thread starter WT Ridge
- Start date
Went there last year for 2nd rifle so I can't say anything for archery but I talked to one guy that had gotten a rage horn and he was packed 5 miles into the wilderness. No one was seeing anything except a herd of 250+ on private land. Luckily we also had a deer tag. Didn't see many bucks tons of does.
WT Ridge
New member
I've heard it can be a tough unit. Sounds like it's pretty steep with some nasty country.
MazzHunter
New member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2016
- Messages
- 18
Scouted it a few years back in the south section of the West Elk Wilderness. PM me if you still need so info as Ill share what I know.
wildaggie13
Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2015
- Messages
- 109
I've heard that the gunnison basin got hit harder than people have indicated with the winter storms bringing high mortality rates. I know most of the people hunt the wilderness area hard during archery season. Most of the big bucks are shot in late rifle season when they come out of the high country.
WT Ridge
New member
I've hear they've had a tough winter and that they've been feeding there to keep the animals off the highways.
My friend had a 1st rifle tag in that GMU last year that I tagged along on for opening weekend. We put some miles on and found a good 5X5, a rag horn and a handful of cows. We were up Soap Creek, if I recall correctly. It's cool, big country and there are certainly elk in there but it may take some effort. I don't know about archery, but bulls were still bugling early and late in the day.
MoGreen
Member
Its really nice country but I would suggest getting a drop camp hunt if you go. A lot of people near the roads and a lot of tourists (non-hunters) on the roads. And then tourists on the woods.
Busy place.
I was there 2 years ago. I arrived in Gunnison on September 10th. Along Ohio creek there were tons of elk that were already on private land. The fields were full of them just 10 days after the season. Those elk were bugling. On public, not a peep.
Get back in and stay there would be the best advice.
Busy place.
I was there 2 years ago. I arrived in Gunnison on September 10th. Along Ohio creek there were tons of elk that were already on private land. The fields were full of them just 10 days after the season. Those elk were bugling. On public, not a peep.
Get back in and stay there would be the best advice.
Fulldraw1972
New member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2017
- Messages
- 16
I have hunted 54 a couple of times during archery season.
Most of my hunting was up soap creek. We would hike in 5 miles and set up a spike camp. There is an outfitter that runs drop camps there. Jon with Eagle mtn if I remember right. The people he had in drop camps were the only people we seen in there. His camps are on elk. I hunted by 3 of his camps.
I never seen much on the south side of the unit. I did hunt the east side up Ohio creek Rd a little as well. There is a pretty good size herd that lives on private year round there.
Most of the elk will be high but not all of them. It's a very steep unit so be in shape.
Most of my hunting was up soap creek. We would hike in 5 miles and set up a spike camp. There is an outfitter that runs drop camps there. Jon with Eagle mtn if I remember right. The people he had in drop camps were the only people we seen in there. His camps are on elk. I hunted by 3 of his camps.
I never seen much on the south side of the unit. I did hunt the east side up Ohio creek Rd a little as well. There is a pretty good size herd that lives on private year round there.
Most of the elk will be high but not all of them. It's a very steep unit so be in shape.
Hey Guys, new to the forum. I've hunted drop camps up Ohio Creek 3-4 times since 2009. I love that valley but everyone is right about the bulk of the elk being on the Castleton Ranch, the show out there is amazing from the road, they're just not huntable.
Going to hunt a new part of 54 this year so subscribing to this thread and look forward to the comments.
Going to hunt a new part of 54 this year so subscribing to this thread and look forward to the comments.
BrokenArrow
Active member
This may not help as much, but I have visited the west elk mtns first hand a few times this winter and the winter kill is going to be pretty extreme. I used to draw 54 4th season cow every year as late season friends hunt and none of us have drawn for a while. The tag quotas have been slashed in the last few years because populations were down. All that was before this double big winter.
Being a good draw archery unit, you will find elk. But, like Wheaty17 said, you will work for them in those steep ass mtns.
Btw, cnfirmeding my suspicions, I found this article this morning:
http://blog.eastmans.com/colorado-d...ail&utm_term=0_aec388f646-65bb9e32c3-10591525
Being a good draw archery unit, you will find elk. But, like Wheaty17 said, you will work for them in those steep ass mtns.
Btw, cnfirmeding my suspicions, I found this article this morning:
http://blog.eastmans.com/colorado-d...ail&utm_term=0_aec388f646-65bb9e32c3-10591525
Looking at this exact scenario for first rifle this year. When you hunted up Soap Creek where did you find a place to park? PM me if you want to. Thanks!
I'm sure others will comment but I would recommend tire chains as a must for the road back to soap creek. When it's dry good tires and 4wd is enough, but when it's raining that top layer is slick we chained up all 4 to get in! I know some guys tried to get in without chains and had to be pulled out, go back to town and get chains to get in there.
(this pic was taken right before we took the chains off)
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
That unit is really over-the-top-beautiful. Very demanding physically, but gorgeous.
Muley_Stalker
Well-known member
When you drag up old threads. Make sure who you're quoting is still on the forum. He hasn't been on since 2017.
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