"Easterners", how did you pick your first CO OTC Unit?

[3darcher2]

So I've been elk hunting one time all the way back in 1999, DIY archery in AZ. Another PA guy and I drew and we got in elk day one and were in the for 5 days until we both harvested. Life then happened and I have not returned. I started a few years ago buying points in WY and then applying in AZ and NM, but struck out in the draw again this year. I didn't want to use my WY points although I could have drawn a general tag there but with the change in draw date and everything else going on, I didn't apply this year. So now here I sit deciding that this year will be the year I definitely get back at it one way or another. I will still try the AZ mulie draw in June, but that's a longshot too.

That brings me to CO, archery in specific. How did you eastern US guys like me pick a unit and decide where to park the truck that first day? I've researched about 6-8 units pretty hard but it seems like there are so many variables that just can't be determined until you put your feet on the ground. I know I have to take my limitations into account - my relative rookie status and my age (56). I've spent a week in Vail in the past few years with no altitude issues, but IDK about higher and I am a few years older. I am in overall pretty good condition, although I know my hiking here is nothing compared to some of the units I've looked at.

Wilderness, truck camp, pack in, ATV (I don't have one anyway), mountain bike, BLM, state land, National Forest, public roads/private roads, gates, sheep and cattle, backpackers, outfitters, it just seems like the list goes on and on. What was your thought process and what would you do differently? How fast would you move to plan B? With the current season dates, would you go before or at the end of muzzy? Did you find a buddy or go solo? (Looking for the right, serious partner )

I know if I get to the right spot I'll be OK on the hunting side whether I am successful or not. It just seems like picking the spot to put that tent up is an impossible decision, and I don't have that many more chances that I can afford to screw too many up. The last thing I want to do is park in a spot, hike in three miles to set up and find I am overrun with sheep or outfitters.

 

[Split toe]

Go with somebody that knows what they are doing (has been there before) was how I did it.

 

[Smallie]

A buddy and I went to Colorado for our first time last year for OTC archery and it basically came down to whether we were going to hunt areas with higher elk numbers (also the most hunters) or go into a low population unit with less pressure. We opted for less pressure and less animals. It was great having the entire area to ourselves but frustrating not seeing any elk or even hearing any bugling. We backpacked in for 3 days then spent 3 days truck camping and driving around so we looked for areas with lots of NF or BLM land and stayed flexible with the plan. Moved to Plans B,C,D after not seeing anything we liked in the first spot and kept moving. I think if we had more time we would have been able to get something going at our last spot

 

[LaHunter]

I just started a thread titled "Where's Your Honey Hole?' Kidding.
I decided on my weapon and what I wanted from my hunt, what experience I was looking for, then I spent over a year researching on the 'where to go' part of it. I had a plan all set on where to camp and where I expected to hunt. When I arrived, the area had gotten a 'snow storm of the century' a few days prior and I couldn't even get onto the FS road in my truck. The snow depth was insane, so I had to scramble with an improvised plan B. Long story short, my first year was a little bit of a cluster %$#*&, but it was a learning experience. That was about 8 years ago and I have been every year since then. True first time DIY hunts for easterners (and deep southerners) usually are at least a little bit of a cluster &^%*$#, but if your goal is to become a good western hunter instead of just going hunting (there is a difference), you will start to figure parts of it out. It is a process.

 

[Northpark]

I get asked “where are the elk?” About a thousand times over the course Of the fall. I always give folks the same advice. Look at a map of national forest lands. Pick what looks like the worst place to possibly get to that has food, water, cover then go there. Hint, worst place to get to isn’t always the furthest hike. I know some places I kill elk in every year that are only 2 miles from the truck but it’s really not fun getting there.

 

[Wapiti1]

Once you've done the basic research and have some spots to try. You just have to go and see. There is no other way. Analyzing it will ultimately be fruitless. For a first timer, I always suggest truck camping and day hunting, or short overnighters. With no pre-scouting ability, or past experience, you need to be mobile. Map your likely spots out in a north to south, east to west, or loop fashion, and start on one end, then work you way through them. 2 spots (morning/evening) a day or one good hike until you get into elk. Nothing, move on.

Then you hike, you learn, you listen, and you have a good time in the woods.

That's it. There isn't a secret sauce or recipe. The best you can do on google earth is eliminate obvious bad areas, but you can't pick guaranteed elk areas. Perfect spots might be void of elk for whatever reason, so you move on. Have a plan, stick to it, and enjoy.

Jeremy

 

[ShakeDown]

Depending on your budget, you can always do a guided hunt. Landowner voucher is also a possibility.

If you are just looking to get an animal on the ground and begin to learn elk behavior and habitat a NM cow landowner voucher might be the ticket.

As far as paralysis by analysis in CO OTC, my humble suggestion would be to decide on a unit (bull to cow, harvest stats, dart at a map... whatever) and find about a dozen or so good looking spots with various habitat and elevation. Perhaps even within a few different units. I’d recommend staying relatively close to the truck for mobility. Then just get out there and have fun.

Do not marry yourself to one plan. If you are not in elk, move. Eventually you will run into them. When you do, mark the spot, weather, time of year etc. Keep this log year after year. In a few short decades you’ll be set! /grin

Goodluck!

 

[3darcher2]

Go with somebody that knows what they are doing (has been there before) was how I did it.

Yeah, that would be good if I found the right guy or group of guys. I'd definitely tag along for the right situation. I had a group that I could have maybe gone with but they go every other year and this isn't the year.

 

[3darcher2]

I appreciate the replies. I found what looks like some good BLM that is maybe a little bit lower and gentler than some of the NF/Wilderness that I looked at but it really looks sketchy on access for the areas I'd most be interested in. I did find one area of BLM that looks to be in a unit with decent success and not crazy overrun with hunters but it looks almost too accessible. If I don't find a buddy, I think I'll wind up calling that BLM office and the CPW biologist for that area and do the same thing for the reasonably near by NF/Wilderness areas. I plan of having two weeks - 16 days including the driving, so I have a little bit of time to make a move.

I do like the idea of truck camping, we actually did that in AZ and then used quads on the FS roads to get in past where my truck could go. It's a lot nicer creature comforts living out of the truck compared to a pack. If I get the right spot I have the gear to backpack in though.

 

[Swampcruiser]

I did learn you need to be careful on BLM. You want to make sure the BLM area you are looking at is open to hunting. Colorado is a little different that way.

 

[MichaelO]

printed a map of Colorado and threw a dart at it, that's where I'm going this year. If only it were that easy.

 

[3darcher2]

I did learn you need to be careful on BLM. You want to make sure the BLM area you are looking at is open to hunting. Colorado is a little different that way.

Yeah I'm looking at county MVUMs and BLM maps and I see where roads go across private and they where they are closed. Some appear to have gates on them on BLM when there isn't any private anywhere nearby but the road keeps going. Then I look at Google satellite and 3D and there are trails and 2 tracks everywhere that aren't on the maps. I'm guessing that even though they aren't on the maps and aren't legal, they are used anyway. Either way, it's gotta be frustrating out there to drive miles of road through BLM where the BLM starts 20 yards off the road and there's no way to access the thousands of acres behind it without a monster hike.

I guess you can just pull off along any road when you are actually in BLM and park if you want to backpack in? Seems like CO isn't too bad for vandalism, etc., like some of the stories I've read in NM.

 

[Sdieffen]

As one guy said above, "it's a process". I've been 5 yrs now, you learn more each and every year. I'm by no means an expert but someone posted this earlier: find the steepest, north facing, highest elevation timber that has some water and food sources nearby and you'll find elk. The key is to not be hiking with a weapon as I did for the first few years.

 

[rayporter]

i am going to bet this will not be a normal year. pressure will be much different than the last few years.

there will be many places that have not had the elk pushed out of.

 

[cnelk]

Im surprised nobody mentioned burn areas... isnt that where all the YouTubers hunt?

 

[Beendare]

printed a map of Colorado and threw a dart at it, that's where I'm going this year. If only it were that easy.

Dart board works.

I've hunted about a dozen Co OTC units, there are elk in all of those. Its just a matter of lacing up your boots and finding them.

_____

 

[justinspicher]

Don’t forget that the SW part of the state (CO) is now a draw for archery.......

 

[Poser]

When I came out for my first OTC NR Hunt, I picked terrain that looked like a setting that I’d love to hunt in and then found an appropriate OTC unit. Then I ended up moving here

 

[Dos Perros]

I went off of personal recommendations from a friend who worked in the area for a couple years. The CDW data seemed to indicate the unit wasn’t junk, so I trusted him and went. Hunted there three years and while I haven’t killed a bull it has been my inexperience and not the elks’ fault.

Another OTC I summer backpacked in there and spotted elk and went back a year later and had a pretty good hunt with almost no other hunters.

 

[Wapiti1]

Im surprised nobody mentioned burn areas... isnt that where all the YouTubers hunt?

That's so last year. This year it's Other People's HoneyHoles!

Jeremy