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Planning a 2018 CO OTC Archery Elk Hunt in GMU 78/81

Slow&Steady

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Aug 30, 2016
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7
Hello,

My buddy and I are planing our first CO elk hunt, his first elk hunt ever. We plan to backpack in and set up a camp a few miles into the back country. We'll be hauling meat out by foot if we are successful. Our plan is to spend up to 10 or 11 days hunting (or until tags are punched if we are lucky) during the second half of archery season. I understand that these units see a lot of pressure, but records show that they see a pretty good success rate too.

I'm posting this thread in hope that some of you who have hunted these units might share some wisdom. I'm not asking for anyone to share their spot. Rather, I'd like to hear what kind of areas to look for, and kind to stay away from. Like everyone else, we'd rather not spend two weeks tripping over other hunters. One of the strategies we've considered is staying off the forest roads and trail heads, and instead look for areas that sit within a few miles of paved roads, but separated from the road by a few miles and a couple thousand feet of elevation. Our thought is that perhaps such an area might be overlooked by those trying to go ad deep in as possible, while also allowing us to hunt from the top of the mountain down, rather than trying to camp low and scramble to get above the elk. Does this approach make sense, or is it wishful thinking?

I'd really appreciate hearing from those who have hunted these units. If you would like to share info, but don't want it forever memorialized in this thread for the world to see, please PM me. Any advice is appreciated.

Good luck and happy hunting.
 
We've been considering 78 and 81 primarily, due to the sheer volume of public acreage and the historical hunter success rates there. We are, however, open to considering other areas.
 
Slow, the biggest issue I see with that plan is that you intend to hunt from the top of the mountain down. In general, wind will usually be headed downhill in the morning. Hunting downhill would put the wind at your back. We've always had better success planning out our archery hunts to be hunting uphill in the morning, eat lunch up high, then hunt back downhill during the afternoon. Obviously it's not always the case, but usually from my experience. Something to consider.
 
You DEFINITELY want to be below the elk or on same level in the morning.After the sun gets above the mountains for about an hour,the winds will shift and go uphill.You will NEVER beat an elks nose to get archery close.Don't even try it.I don't know your units but would figure the elk there would be like everywhere else I hunt.In archery that generally means high up by treeline.You don't necessarily have to go in really deep.If you camp away from trails you should find plenty of elk.Like any other animal you hunt,identify bedding,feeding and watering areas that are secure in the fact that they won't get alot of human interference. Google Earth is awesome for locating these spots.Have a plan A,B,and C..And get yourself into top shape especially your core and legs.That will make your hunt so much more enjoyable
Good luck, have fun and enjoy where you are for the week or two
 
Thanks for the tip. That certainly changes our strategy. Perhaps we should spend the first day glassing from the high ground before moving down the mountain to camp in the basin. That would allow us to get a handle on the area and what's in it before plunging blindly down the mountain.
 
I live over in Unit 80, a bit East of GMU's 78 & 81. As for 78, I've never hunted it, however have ridden horse in the backcountry there. Something that might not be readily apparent to folks coming in from out of the area, is that a lot of this country has a fair density of backcountry users in the Summer. I know some of the popular trailheads have horse/mule riders using the backcountry, and they travel further into it than a the vast majority of walk in hunters. Pagosa Springs has a whole lot of horse folks and clubs. There's also a fair amount of Outfitters in there during the hunting seasons.
As for Unit 81, I'm pretty familiar with it on my side of the divide, but not as much on the West side of the divide where you're apparently hunting. Interestingly, a good friend of mine lives in that country, and when asked where he hunts, he says on my side of the divide! In any event, this area too can have a fair amount of hunting pressure. I know hunters on this site that have mentioned hunting it. I was pretty surprised to read in Colorado's Parks & Wildlife data, that there's actually more hunters in 81, than in GMU 80, as there's more roads in 80. Of course, a lot of 81 is comprised of the great South San Juan Wilderness. Now that's Elk country! If I can be of help, just ask....
 
Thanks windymtnman! This will be our first trip to Colorado and my buddy's first Elk Hunt. Would you mind if I PM'd you to bounce some ideas off you? I don't know if we'll make it up there to scout or not, but we are planning for two weeks of travel and hunting. It would be great to vet our ideas before we depart. I've started to mark up google earth and can send you some screenshots. I don't mind sharing them privately if you are willing to provide some feedback.
 
You're fine to message me. I know some of the areas around here intimately well, and some I've never been in. (of course, there's only 1.8 million acres of Rio Grande Natl Forest out our back gate!) As I mentioned in my original comment, I don't know the country West of the Continental Divide from Wolf Creek Pass down to New Mexico very well, but have a hunting friend that literally lives in it.
So, I'll wait to see what your questions are....
 
I hunt "downhill" quite a bit; as mixedbag noted there is the thermal thing usually working against you in the AM. But in many cases there is a strong prevailing westerly wind that can counter act this to some extent. And I just often hike in well before daylight through a non-productive area and then hunt the wind from there. What hunting "downhill" buys you is similar to hunting deeper, there are just fewer people willing to pack an elk uphill.
 
I hunted 78 last year during archery. One thing I noticed is plenty of outfitters up high. Pretty good size herd that will hang out on the Rio Blanco ranch.
Lots of camps along FS rd 663 west of V mountain. We did hunt some in that general area and were able to get into elk.
The areas we ended up hunting got over looked for sure.

You had mentioned hunting down from a highway. The only place I can think of in 78 that you could do that. Is up by wolf creek pass maybe. Not many roads up high in 78.

Lots of scrub oak below the aspen line in that unit.
 
Fulldraw1972: "You had mentioned hunting down from a highway. The only place I can think of in 78 that you could do that. Is up by wolf creek pass maybe. Not many roads up high in 78."
Regarding your above comment, as you may know, when you get too far West of Wolf Creek Pass on Hwy. 160, a deep gorge and cliffs behind it are going to prohibit you from hunting South along this whole stretch till you get way down below the switchbacks, etc.. Then, the areas immediately close to Wolf Creek Pass have some hiking trails that get hammered with use in the Summer. So, that might impact the game populations in there. I've been in there myself, and hiked all the way up behind Wolf Creek Ski enterprises there.

I agree 78 can have a lot of outfitters in it. I've as yet to go up the Rio Blanco trail. Maybe I should get over there this Summer with the pack boys and camp a bit?
 
Fulldraw1972 - Yes, we were considering some areas around Wolf Creek Pass. Given the comments above, we may be skipping that option. Would you mind if I PM'd you, since you've hunted that area?
 
Slow&Steady-

If you wouldn't mind .me asking to Pm you...I myself am going out to hunt unit 78 from. I have a friend that hunts there frequently. Plan is to basically do the same pack in and camp. Have you decided on this unit for sure. I am taking 2 hunters that have never archery hunted elk. All the above information is the same as what I hear from my friend that has hunted here. We will be hunting unfortunately during the muzzleloader season because of conflicting work schedules.
Thanks to all who have shared their information above
 
Hey guys, would love to revive this thread and hear how your hunts went. Also, I know there was at least one small fire in this zone. Between that and the beetle kill how much has the zone changed the last couple years? Some friends and I will be archery hunting the zone this season and it's all of our first elk hunt. Been doing a lot of research since results came out but wanted to hop on a couple of these forums and see if we could get some general info about the unit or advice for first time elk hunters!
 
Hey guys, would love to revive this thread and hear how your hunts went. Also, I know there was at least one small fire in this zone. Between that and the beetle kill how much has the zone changed the last couple years? Some friends and I will be archery hunting the zone this season and it's all of our first elk hunt. Been doing a lot of research since results came out but wanted to hop on a couple of these forums and see if we could get some general info about the unit or advice for first time elk hunters!
Welcome to HT.
 
Good morning tpm
you prob arent gona hear back from them, many show up on here after getting a tag ask for info that they could find on their own and never show back up
My best advice is use the search on HT call F&G come up with many back up plans and if you ask the right kind of questions this site has lots of folks willing to help esp on my adventure for a sheep since we arent competing with each other
But you will also see the folks that get a tag and want folks here to do their homework for them the waters can be a bit cold,I live in the east and have several places to hunt elk that I know pretty well and go back on a kinda regular basis but it took quite a lot of time, mistakes and boots on the ground
And IMO on a 1st hunt put the 1st legal elk you can on the ground
 
Good morning tpm
you prob arent gona hear back from them, many show up on here after getting a tag ask for info that they could find on their own and never show back up
My best advice is use the search on HT call F&G come up with many back up plans and if you ask the right kind of questions this site has lots of folks willing to help esp on my adventure for a sheep since we arent competing with each other
But you will also see the folks that get a tag and want folks here to do their homework for them the waters can be a bit cold,I live in the east and have several places to hunt elk that I know pretty well and go back on a kinda regular basis but it took quite a lot of time, mistakes and boots on the ground
And IMO on a 1st hunt put the 1st legal elk you can on the ground
Thanks for the response! I absolutely am doing my homework and research online and plan to call fish and game before the trip! We won't be trophy hunting and we will consider it a wild success to put down a single legal bull between the group of us with tags. We are doing this as a first elk trip and more for the learning experience and adventure than for the likelihood of a kill. I have been and will continue to dig around on this and other forums and every other corner of the internet for info! Just figured that these forums were worth posting in on the off chance that someone might have some info and be willing to share with an eager young hunter!
 
Hey Tpm lots are willing to share but keep in mind we get a lot of folks that show up just to take n go home
hell I have had guys try to get what canyons I hunt I wouldnt tell my bother that lol
If you guy have either sex tags I wouldnt pass up cows
my buddy went last yr with out me due to getting hit by a dui driver and had shoulder issues he had a cow at 25 yrds 2nd day let it walk it was his 1st trip. Never got another chance to draw his bow been kicking himself all yr and he told me aint gona make that mistake again Ive said it before you have to put elk on the ground to get good at putting elk on the ground
Im a bit more picky having been out west a bunch of times but made the statement this yr with gas prices and everything else I maybe more of a meat hunter I want my freezer to be packed with good meat elk ,deer n bear to combat food cost or shortages
 
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