Info Regarding Elk at GMU 54 2nd Rifle Season

Hello to all and hopefully you already received your tags, at side from leftovers. I managed to get an Elk Cow Tag for 2nd Rifle Season at GMU 54. Additionally, I will buy an OTC Elk Bull Tag for GMU 54. This year they will have 2nd rifle season OTC tags for bull elk at GMU 54. I have done some research about the area and trying to concentrate my efforts on a more specific area.

This will be my 2nd time hunting in Colorado. Last year I hunted GMU 81 and 82 with cow and bull tags, we ended up with Tag Soap. Well, we all did, me and 2 other friends. Hopefully this year will not be the same. Last year we hunted during 2nd Rifle season and after 8 days, we only saw two cows several miles away. We were disappointed but overall we enjoyed every minute of it.

As you can see here. We are looking at 3 potential areas on GMU 54.
1. First area could be on the West side of the GMU along the East Soap Creek area. We can use Co Rd 721 to drive north to the beginning of the West Elk Wilderness. Then walk a few miles away from any roads.

2. Second area could be south of the Castles on the Center of the GMU. We can access the area via Co Rd 727 then walk 3-4 miles into areas south of the Castles.


3. Third area could be on the East side of the GMU. The 2nd picture has it marked as Migration Corridor.

If you hunted GMU 54 before, can you please provide any inside into any of these 3 potential areas?
Have you seen or killed any elk around any of these 3 areas?
Should we set up a car camp then walk a few miles each day to a hunting area or should be set up a camp a few miles into the woods and hunt from there?
We don’t have enough money to pay for a drop camp and we do not have horses. We are Army Soldiers and in good shape to hike a few miles away from any roads. Thanks for any info in advance regarding GMU 54. Have a great day.
V/R,
Coloradohunter719

Here's picture taken at the Mill Creek Trail Head. My wife and I caretake the cabin in the pic. I haven't hunted 54 in years, so I don't have specific info for you. I will tell you that the elk head for private property along Ohio Creek as soon as the bullets fly. This seems to be happening earlier every year. You will have a lot of company. Every trail head and turn out will have hunters, this is a popular unit. I think the east side gets more pressure because of access. You might look at the western edge of 54 on Black Mesa. Shoot the first legal animal you see, cow or bull. It can be a tough hunt, but elk get killed there every year. Remember to have fun!

Set up at ambush points. 2nd rifle in 54 will have alot of hunters to move the elk around for you.

Waygoner,

Thank you so much for the info and your time. Since you are from that area, Do you think it will be too cold during 2nd Rifle Season to do a backpack hunt? or it will work best to set up base camp(RV Trailers) near a trailhead and walk it from there each morning and late evening? We just don't know the weather up there in late OCT. Thanks for the info in advance. Have a great day.

V/R,
ColoradoHunter719

ishootdasmallones,

Thanks for your point of view. I guess if we end up with tons of hunters around our area, we are going to take advantage and for sure find a higher point and wait for those other hunters to push some animals our way lol. Have a great day.

V/R,
ColoradoHunter719

It's cold here all the time. Expect temps below freezing in October, maybe even single digits.

waygoner said:

It's cold here all the time. Expect temps below freezing in October, maybe even single digits.

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Waygoner,

Thanks for the info. At first, we were planning on doing a backpack hunt but NOT anymore due to the weather during late OCT. Most likely we are tacking a trailer RV, drive up north from Gunnison River/Blue Mesa Reservoir using Co Rd 723 or Co Rd 724. Take this road as north as possible in order to camp out near trails that will take us further north near South Baldy Mountain.





I’m planning on taking our first scouting trip to Gunnison, CO next month or Aug. Do you know if Co Rd 723 or Co Rd 724 (Rainbow Lake Rd) are good enough to be able to drive a trailer RV (20 Feet Long) up as far as north as possible? Thanks for your time and info in advance.

V/R,
ColoradoHunter719

Y'all need to decide if you want a comfortable camping trip or if you want to kill elk. Since you are Army and young, I would advise backpacking in several miles. You could also do a combo. Set up a nice base camp and bivi out for one night a couple of times.

3855WIN said:

Y'all need to decide if you want a comfortable camping trip or if you want to kill elk. Since you are Army and young, I would advise backpacking in several miles. You could also do a combo. Set up a nice base camp and bivi out for one night a couple of times.

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Agree with this. As stated above...you guys are in good shape. It wont be that way forever! So I would hike in 3-4 miles (or more) and set up a bivy camp. Then hunt out from there. You may be surprised by the lack of people you see..... And its october in CO! Its supposed to be cold! If you want warm go OTC archery first week! LOL. Good luck!

723 is very difficult to turn around at the end of the road. We barely got a horse trailer turned around. Many trucks park at the end and this prevents you from moving around. 724 is down in the bottoms and much more room to move around and prettier place to camp.

3855WIN & Eyeguy,

Thanks for your points of view. We are taking our backpack equipment in order to set up a spike camp or Bivi out a few nights then return to the RV base camp as needed. Depending on weather and resources, we should be able to stay out a few days. Plus we can keep all the coolers and frozen milk jugs at the RV.

Wilaggie13,

Thanks for the info about Co Rd 723 and Co Rd 724. I like 723 cause it goes a little further north. Plus some other members mentioned that Co Rd 724 (Rainbow Lake Rd) gets tons of more people because hunters like to camp out by Rainbow Lake. Any points of view about that?

Thanks again for the info.

V/R,
ColoradoHunter719