BLM worth hunting?

[ckswall]

Like a lot of folks I am scrambling to come up with a new plan for hunting elk this year in Colorado after mailing my tag in yesterday for a refund due to the wildfires. As I sit down to start my e-scouting over from scratch I am trying to look at new areas. Last year was my 1st year elk hunting and everyone I spoke with told me to not waste my time with BLM land. "It's no good". "It's over run with ATV's". "There are no elk there".

For those of you that have hunted BLM land, especially in CO, what has your experience been? Anyone have success locating elk? Did you run into a lot of people and if so were they primarily hunters or recreational users?

As always thanks in advance for any information!

 

[Scoutman]

They tell you that to keep you from going. The BLM is what you make of it, where I've hunted for 15 years is BLM, ATV use is allowed, people spend more time riding than hunting mostly. They are easy to get away from if you put in the effort. Good luck!

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[Jwknutson17]

I've killed just as many elk on BLM. There are some great spots folks overlook because they want to be in the NF/wilderness. Go for it.

 

[ckswall]

I've killed just as many elk on BLM. There are some great spots folks overlook because they want to be in the NF/wilderness. Go for it.

Good to know! I noticed a lot of the BLM I am looking at doesn't have elevations over 8,500 - 9,000 feet. Have you had any luck finding elk in those types of areas in September?

 

[Jwknutson17]

Where we hunted it was less then that and had tons of elk coming in and out of private land to the BLM daily. 7900-8300 ft. And low 80s in temps and elk were all around.

 

[ckswall]

Where we hunted it was less then that and had tons of elk coming in and out of private land to the BLM daily. 7900-8300 ft. And low 80s in temps and elk were all around.

You're making me feel like there is still hope yet. Greatly appreciated!

 

[nphunter]

Please just keep going. There are no animals on BLM only atv’s and Rattlesnakes!!












P.S. I’m not joking about the Rattlesnakes. Stepped over one the day we snuck in on the bedded bull (I missed him) and had one in the trail while packing out my bull last year. Our BLM is lower and most all of it is infested with them, I know that’s why most people don’t hunt it here.

 

[ckswall]

Please just keep going. There are no animals on BLM only atv’s and Rattlesnakes!!

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P.S. I’m not joking about the Rattlesnakes. Stepped over one the day we snuck in on the bedded bull (I missed him) and had one in the trail while packing out my bull last year. Our BLM is lower and most all of it is infested with them, I know that’s why most people don’t hunt it here.

Great looking animals! Congrats on all the success! We deal with Rattlesnakes here in the Ozark Mountains but I definitely wouldn't call it infested.

 

[nphunter]

Great looking animals! Congrats on all the success! We deal with Rattlesnakes here in the Ozark Mountains but I definitely wouldn't call it infested.

Some areas are worse than others, normally they are around water. I haven’t seen many hunting deer in the rim rock. The spot where I killed that bull I’ve seen them 2/3 of the times I’ve been in there. My hunting partner walked into a den in one area at night, they said there were snakes all around them in the headlamps, they won’t go back to that spot even though there’s an active wallow A 1/4 mile you the draw. I ran a cam on that wallow after that and never saw a single snake.

 

[RT-MCPO]

We were on BLM for black powder in Sept. Saw several bulls, no cows and it was a good time. No ATVs and didn’t see another hunter. Only drawback was not putting one down, we couldn’t draw them in and they weren’t talking.

 

[Dos Perros]

BLM can be good. If I had to characterize it compared to typical forest is maybe less animals but also bigger animals. But I've seen giant piles of elk on BLM, too.

 

[mlchase]

Agree with the above. Depends on area and elevation, but plenty of critters on the BLM off the trail.

 

[Tennessean]

Everything has been said. I have hunted nothing but public land out west (BLM, NF, State, BM) I am fortunate enough to have filled at least one tag every year that I have gone.
Public land is a beautiful resource. Go and hunt it. You'll have to get off the motorized vehicles and on foot away from the roads to increase your chances though.

 

[Sako76]

Plenty of elk on BLM.