Colorado Unit 76

[Dhosera]

Looking at burning my points in 76 this year for Early Season Archery in the high country. I've scoured forest service trail maps, Google earth, TopRut's downloadable google earth overlays, ATV vs. foot traffic only trails, Forest Fire maps and even Talked to the local Bio. I'd say I've spent my fair share of time looking into things and have a fair grasp on what I'm getting myself into, but maps & computer screens are completely different than to boots on the ground experience. Does anyone have experience in the unit with boots on the ground and be willing to share what you've learned? I'd like to talk access, difficulty with Altitude sickness, lodging or local processing resources ect..... I'm also concerned with recreational traffic from the continental divide trail and ATV trails. Just wondering if there's some members here that wouldn't mind sharing.

 

[Campo]

PM me


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[Dhosera]

PM Sent! Thanks in advance Campo

 

[Dhosera]

Any Takers? Haven't heard from a soul on this one.

 

[TexasCub]

Pm sent.

 

[Poser]

Great unit to get struck by lightning in. Seriously, you can get stranded miles from the nearest tree. The hunting could easily feel more like goat or sheep hunting where you’ll have to go miles or hours out of your way to put a stalk on. I’d suggest going up this summer and driving around in a side by side (you can rent them in Silverton, Lake City, or Creede) and getting a feel for the unit. It’s one of my favorite segments of the CO Trail but it’s an unforgiving environment and it can definitely snow in September.

 

[chindits]

I spent some time in that unit prior to my 2013 elk hunt. I also did a honey moon backpack trip from the train drop to creede. I spent a fair amount of time glassing and figuring out the high speed trails and sneaks in a certain part of that unit. I wasn’t looking for deer just a bull that stood out from all the other bulls. I’m sorry to tell you that in the country I was in I saw more goats, sheep, moose, and a hell of a lot more elk than deer. Deer wasn’t my focus, but if they were, I wouldn’t go where I’ve been in that unit unless all that beetle kill caused a significant species shift. Just what I saw while looking for something else.

 

[chindits]

I can tell you the further I got from Durango and the closer I got to creede the number of people decreased exponentially. I don’t have altitude issues, this is close to home. I don’t know who processes game since I do my own. I could tell you stories of elk not even looking up when a dirt bike rides by, but since I only saw a couple deer in three years of scouting a part of that unit it’s no help to you. I have little regard for the CDT as I find way more critters not in close proximity to high use foot trails, not counting the mountain goats licking up salt from human piss in Chicago basin.

 

[Poser]

I did 2 overnight Mtn Bike trips up there last summer. One from Stoney Pass to Creede and back and another from American Basin to Cataract Lake, down a nasty dirt Bike trail and back up West Pole Creek. Now that I think about it, I concur with the other guys: I heard plenty of elk, saw a ton of elk tracks, saw moose, sheep and goats, but only saw one single deer and only a handful of tracks. I also did a quick overnight backpacking loop around Highland Mary Lakes in early September, though I forgot my optics. I saw one fresh set of deer tracks on that trip, but no actual sightings. I have to believe that there are some big Mulies in that unit at any given time, but I think you’d have to try something other than hiking the CO Trail, the CDT or any of the other popular trails and the problem is, getting off trail can get very difficult to impossible in terms of actually getting anywhere.

I’m short, I’ve spent 3 nights in that unit and covered over 100 miles. Though I have no intention of hunting it since it takes a lot of points, I’m not sure where I would start looking for a mule deer if I were going to hunt it. It is remarkably beautiful country and worth a recreation trip, but I’d want a week’s worth of scouting minimum.

 

[Dhosera]

Thanks for the insight guys! And thanks Poser for the pics!