2015 Colorado season quandry.

TwoTikkas · Jan 18, 2015

Hey guys. I need some help. Next fall I want to take my daughter elk hunting. Sort of a "Big event with Dad" thing before college takes over. She wants to go in the worst way. I'm her buddy. So,here is the problem. Our group usually hunts unit 67,up handy McDonough reservoir. All that is fine and dandy,and I have a pretty good grasp of the unit in that locality. First,I have no camping gear of my own. We always use a friends 30' pull behind. So,I'm thinking of staying down in Gunnison in a cabin at the KOA,and driving the 45 miles each way to the hunting grounds. Not a huge problem,but not too attractive either. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding a decent hunt/unit closer to Gunnison? I want to get her a bull tag,and maybe a cow tag for myself.First rifle preferably. If push comes to shove we can make the drive twice a day up into 67. I do know the area pretty well. Just thought I'd throw it out and see if anyone had a suggestion or two. Thanks all.

under h2o hunter · Jan 18, 2015

I have a 30 foot pull behind alumalite camper that I would be willing to rent you cheap. I am located in Denver just off I-70.

KMT · Jan 18, 2015

Why not just bring her along?

TwoTikkas · Jan 18, 2015

Normally it wouldn't be a problem. But the rest of the party aren't applying until 2016. So,we're on our own this year.

TwoTikkas · Jan 18, 2015

under h2o hunter said:
I have a 30 foot pull behind alumalite camper that I would be willing to rent you cheap. I am located in Denver just off I-70.

That's a very generous offer. But I would be a nervous wreck until I got it returned. Heck I don't know if the 1/2 ton Ram would take it over Monarch. We tug the other with a 3/4 ton Duramax Disel.

Backpack Hunter · Jan 20, 2015

Any reason you can't setup a nice base camp? Wall tent, beds, heaters, etc.

camelcluch · Jan 20, 2015

Try 55. Good unit and little closer. You maybe be able to rent some of the equipment you need. Check Davis Tent and maybe REI for rentals. Moose Jaw might be a good place to check to. Or you could rent a trailer from one of the several RV places around the Denver area. Hope that helped. Good luck.

WyoElk · Jan 20, 2015

I would look at RV rentals. You can get a pop-up fairly reasonable which would save you a lot of time each day. Light enough to tow with your 1/2 ton and pretty comfortable to stay in. Good on you for getting your little girl out

dotman · Jan 20, 2015

Isn't there a place that rents gear like wall tents, maybe Google it? I swear there is, think maybe Davis tents even does it as they have a cheap once a year sale if my memory serves me right.

crzy_cntryby · Jan 20, 2015

WyoElk said:
I would look at RV rentals. You can get a pop-up fairly reasonable which would save you a lot of time each day. Light enough to tow with your 1/2 ton and pretty comfortable to stay in. Good on you for getting your little girl out

I would have to say this may be your best bet.

Edub · Jan 21, 2015

TwoTikkas said:
Hey guys. I need some help. Next fall I want to take my daughter elk hunting. Sort of a "Big event with Dad" thing before college takes over. She wants to go in the worst way. I'm her buddy. So,here is the problem. Our group usually hunts unit 67,up handy McDonough reservoir. All that is fine and dandy,and I have a pretty good grasp of the unit in that locality. First,I have no camping gear of my own. We always use a friends 30' pull behind. So,I'm thinking of staying down in Gunnison in a cabin at the KOA,and driving the 45 miles each way to the hunting grounds. Not a huge problem,but not too attractive either. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding a decent hunt/unit closer to Gunnison? I want to get her a bull tag,and maybe a cow tag for myself.First rifle preferably. If push comes to shove we can make the drive twice a day up into 67. I do know the area pretty well. Just thought I'd throw it out and see if anyone had a suggestion or two. Thanks all.

TwoT- Good for you for taking your daughter out, I am envious. I have two daughters of my own, and hope that they will want to do the same when they are old enough. I don't want to speak to you or your situation, but i think if it were me I might look into hiring an either an outfitter, or possibly a drop camp situation. This trip could be the one that hooks her for life and if it were me, I'd do whatever i could to make my daughter as happy and succesful and possible.

Good luck, i hope you guys get after them!

Take care,

rayporter · Jan 21, 2015

if you are going to rent a bunch of stuff why not splurge and do a drop camp?

under h2o hunter · Jan 21, 2015

Davis Tent Company doesn't rent Tents. I use to rent my wall tents out for 50 bucks a day including cots and coolers. However I will be hunting 1st rifle season myself so I 'll need both my wall tents. If you choose a 2nd or 3rd season hunt I would be more then happy to rent you my tents. But keep in mind that I do require a heavy deposit which would cover the cost of the tent if the tent was to not come back. That's the reason why there are no companies that rent wall tents. If you check craigslist there are usually a couple other guys that rent wall tents out in the Denver area. But they to require a sizable deposit.

TwoTikkas · Jan 21, 2015

Thanks for all the input fellas. Lots of good options. Since I started the thread,I may have the option to tag along with a co-worker's father-in-law to tent camp over in 68. Don't know yet if I will,but it's a possibility. I'm going to explore some of the suggestions you all offered too. I'm on the Davis tents mailing list for sales and updates. I guess I need to bite the bullet and buy a tent.

bz_711 · Jan 22, 2015

Planning is half the fun...I look forward to the days my kids are old enough to go...Best of luck to you and your daughter!

chindits · Jan 26, 2015

I think if you arecomfortable in a tent you should go ahead and buy one. I can’t imagine renting a cabin in Gunnison is cheap. You might find that the drive time you put in to find an area that isn’t hammered with hunters and non-hunting recreationists in 55 is nearly as long as you would travel to that Cochetope Country. The areas have two totally different feels to them. That Cochetope/old agency area you are familiar with still feels like the old west. Most of 55 feels like lycra/motor recreationhammered new west. Just my 2 cents, 2 ½ cents counting inflation.

cnelk · Jan 26, 2015

Check these guys out for rental equipment - they are in Denver
http://www.outdoorsgeek.com/

Bar · Jan 27, 2015

If you decide to hunt unit 55 they have a bunch of cabins you can rent. Lots of hunters do that. They're right in the middle of the unit by the reservoir.

I'll see if I can get you a link.

Bar · Jan 27, 2015

That was easy. Here you go.

http://www.taylorparktradingpost.com/cabins.htm

TwoTikkas · Jan 28, 2015

chindits; I figured that would be the case. I know the country from the dome up into the McDonough park area pretty well. Our usual group has taken 5 bulls out of there between the 2011 and 2013 seasons. They are planning to apply in 2016. I could wait till then,but it would be a bit of a hardship for my daughter from a schooling perspective. We hunt the first rifle season when we come out. Is 55 a limited license unit in the first rifle season? I know when we come out of the hills at the end of that season,Gunnison is crawling with second season hunters. Trailers with 5 or 6 quads. Every parking space has some sort of 4x4 in it. Pretty wild. I can't imagine having much of a quality hunt with all those folks saturating the hills. She (my daughter),has 5 points saved up. Maybe I should be looking in a different direction. I'd like to have at least a cow tag in my pocket as well,but only have one point myself.

2015 Colorado season quandry.

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