CO Unit 20 Late Rifle

[jm1607]

Was wondering if anyone has played this game before lol?

I've read alot about it and I'm on the fence.. Seems tough but "doable" on public.. Was wondering if anyone had any 1st hand experience? Shoot me a PM if you don't mind!

 

[jm1607]

ttt

 

[Bulldawg]

I haven't hunted it but I've looked into it myself, always thought it would be fun to go out bull elk hunting in January. Good way to stretch the legs and shake off the cabin fever.

 

[jm1607]

I haven't hunted it but I've looked into it myself, always thought it would be fun to go out bull elk hunting in January. Good way to stretch the legs and shake off the cabin fever.

I agree!

I mainly just want a chance at a decent bull without waiting a decade lol.. Looks like to hunt public on this unit you need to catch the bulls between non-huntable public and private.. I don't mind giving it a shot but I don't want to throw my points away either!

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I've researched this hunt quite a bit, and my brother knows a guy who guides for an outfitter in the unit. I'm under the impression that it's pretty hard to get bulls on public during the season without a lot of prior knowledge and some luck, but that it can be done. I can't say I know, but for units like this typically outfitters work very hard to keep the elk on land that their clients can hunt exclusively (can't say I blame them). Personally that would be my biggest concern.

 

[Thedeerfarmer]

I live just north of unit 20 about half the year. I've never elk hunted the area, but I've seen quite a few deer. I think the draw odds might be second choice. I have a friend who I believe hunted 20 for elk and deer last season on second choice or leftover. I'll ask him.

 

[Coveyleader]

I hang with a guy that guided for the prominent guide in the area. The elk are almost all on private. Waiting for them to come off a parcel to get on some public isn't what I would call a "hunt" more like a neighborhood hunt. Also note, you will have company from local guides on the public as well. The biggest elk are low, and on private ranches. Make no mistake, giant bulls in there, just not available to the public most of the time. Not much different from the castlerock herd.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I live just north of unit 20 about half the year. I've never elk hunted the area, but I've seen quite a few deer. I think the draw odds might be second choice. I have a friend who I believe hunted 20 for elk and deer last season on second choice or leftover. I'll ask him.

No. The late rifle is not leftover or 2nd choice.

 

[Coloradohuntingguide]

CoveyLeader - Old post but I wondering who the “prominent Guide” is in Unit 20? I assume it is Scott Limmer??

thanks...

 

[COLOelkman]

I assumed it was Tim Resch with Estes Park Outfitters.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

CoveyLeader - Old post but I wondering who the “prominent Guide” is in Unit 20? I assume it is Scott Limmer??

thanks...

For the late rifle tag he does very well most years.

 

[commandoNate]

I've never hunted that late season but when I was learning to elk hunt I got some unit 20 tags about 15 years ago now. I never got one in there but I saw some elk. I recreate in this area quite a bit from fishing to hiking, snowshoeing and mountain biking. Hell, I buy stone from a quarry that sits on almost a thousand acres in unit 20 and they have what amounts to a local herd that doesn't migrate off their property or the immediate neighbors all year! I routinely see bachelor groups of bulls that are in the 280-330 range up there. They have so much sanctuary area at their disposal with all the private land mixed in with the public in unit 20.

This is the info I've got at my finger tips about those late season hunts.

E M 020 L1R is the December hunt and was drawn out at 4 PP's in 2019. Quota was 60 tags with 239 people putting this down as their first choice on the application.

E M 020 L2R is the January hunt and was drawn out at 6 pp's in 2019. Quota was 60 tags with 290 people putting this down as their first choice on the application.

 

[LongWayAround]

I almost put in but passed on it this year and I live next door.

I'm sure it's doable but access is spotty, though there is a lot of public land. There are a lot of small mountain subdivisions and ranches that cutoff roads or other access points, also city/county open space not open to hunting. It doesn't take much weather and the elk show up on the golf courses at the foot of the mountains. Last year there was a group of bulls close to one of my work routes, all respectable bulls but nothing that made me want to gamble my points.

When I first moved out here I did some work for a few landowners in the Lyons area and while they reported decent elk on there properties, I wasn't willing to pay $5k+ to shoot an elk on a ranchette.

If you are willing to go guided or pay for access, I'm sure it's a worthwhile tag. Or scout the migration routes and hunt the following season.