Colorado Elk hunt unit 71

mkelley12

FNG
Joined
Jan 15, 2017
Messages
64
Location
Michigan
So my hunt group applied for Colorado unit 71. We are trying for first rifle and if we are unsuccessful we will do 2nd rifle. I am trying to pick a good area to unit within the unit and was hoping someone can help a little. I am not looking for the honey holes.

i live in Michigan and it does not look like i will be able to scout at all. I was thinking about the Dunton Area so we can hunt the wilderness and the public land around it. If any one can shed some light on the terrain and areas worth looking and areas not worth looking at that would be great.


Thanks
 

Burnsie

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
246
Location
Illinois
A lot of hunters hit the Lizard Head area within 71, at least for archery. I've never gun hunted Colorado, so don't know how crowded it gets then.
Just north and west of Dunton is fairly decent terrain, but to the South and west on the Willow divide and Black Mesa areas it is steep and rugged. Better have a plan for getting the animal out if you happen to get one. You can get on top of the Willow Divide on the North end where it is less rugged, but it starts dropping off steep the further south you go.
 

JO.

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
124
Location
Colorado
I've hunted those units a few times and it can be quite varied. Where we hunt is was big canyons and was pretty steep and gnarly. Some areas though were more oak brush, pine, and much flatter. As for hunting pressure there are quite a few people on atvs and trucks. If your going to be successful use maps and google earth to find large chunks of land away from roads that have cover, food, and water. Like Burnsie mentioned, have a plan to get one out. If you do get the tags maybe look into contacting an outfitter with horses willing to pack out for you. We always took horses and mules and it was more than worth it. I packed my head out on my back up about 1200 ft. of the steepest thick crap I care to. Horses are worth the extra cost if you have to pay someone.
 

BH107

FNG
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
89
Location
Bozeman, MT
The last few years have been very warm and dry that time of year. Last year I was near there hunting deer third season and the elk hunters were having a pretty hard time, as nothing had started to move down yet even by the first week in Nov. A few years back we hunted elk in another unit close to there and didn't see any until above 10,500'.
 
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