Hunting near outfitters???

[John87]

Hey guys, season is getting closer and we will be headed to Colorado in just over 50 days, and I’ve been spending hours on OnX, scouting each drainage, creek, mountain and lake in the area I’m going. While doing so, I’ve marked outfitter tents that I’ve found, and there are quite a few. I’ve found around 20 campsites with outfitter tents ( a few more smaller tents from campers or hunters), and several of these camps have 2-3 wall tents each. I’m hoping this is an indication that there are tons of elk in the area (around 120 square miles, 10 x 12 miles roughly), and also realize it will be crowded. I’m wondering how far away from outfitters do you guys try to camp? 1-2 miles apart is possible in several locations I’ve got marked, but would 500-1000 yards away from another camp be acceptable? I don’t want to setup right up next to anyone, especially people that are paying a few grand to come hunt, but then again, we’re talking about public land, so how far away would you try to camp?

 

[westslopelaker]

Its public land, so you have just as much right to it as any outfitter. With that said I think 500 yards is a very courteous distance. I've had an outfitter bring clients in on horseback a couple days after the season started and camp within 150 yards of me in the backcountry. We were 6 miles in from the trailhead and had our own livestock. It was kind of annoying but it worked out fine, plenty of room for everyone.

 

[hobbes]

It's public land. I would never intentionally interrupt a hunt or elk that someone is already calling to, but I'm also not going to walk away from public land elk or an area because someone paid to get into elk that I can hike to.

As far as distance goes, it'll depend on the outfitter. I'd think you'll find some that are easy to deal with and others that aren't. You'll just have to determine if any hassle or competition is worth it.

All wall tents are not outfitters, especially in rifle season.

 

[svivian]

Good on you for doing your homework, these are the kinds of questions I like to see on here. Im not much help but good luck on your hunt and dont worry about the outfitters too much. Heck you might be able to throw some cash at one to pack an elk out for you. I would just be courteous even if they arent.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

As for indicating a good place to hunt, the outfitters are stuck in the places that their USFS concessions are good for and they really pack a lot of hunters into small areas for several seasons. They can't pack up and move to a better spot based on what the elk do each year. Where I hunt in Colorado an outfitter packs 6 hunters and 2 guides into one camp and for some seasons the elk are there and for others the elk may be somewhere else. I once asked an outfitter if he would pack out an animal for me and he tried to convince me to go somewhere else because he's been guiding several dozen hunters a year to that spot for decades. I don't think I want to hunt in the same drainage that he packs full of Texans so I focus my efforts on the deep and nasty holes the elk go to escape the crowds.

 

[sndmn11]

I would prefer others in the area to ALL camp by me so that there's only one point of possible game disturbance rather than X# scattered all over. It sure would avoid, "that yahoo camped right where I planned to hunt", and you could more safely assume others are camped NOT precisely where they plan to kill.

 

[Jethro6x6]

Hey guys, season is getting closer and we will be headed to Colorado in just over 50 days, and I’ve been spending hours on OnX, scouting each drainage, creek, mountain and lake in the area I’m going. While doing so, I’ve marked outfitter tents that I’ve found, and there are quite a few. I’ve found around 20 campsites with outfitter tents ( a few more smaller tents from campers or hunters), and several of these camps have 2-3 wall tents each. I’m hoping this is an indication that there are tons of elk in the area (around 120 square miles, 10 x 12 miles roughly), and also realize it will be crowded. I’m wondering how far away from outfitters do you guys try to camp? 1-2 miles apart is possible in several locations I’ve got marked, but would 500-1000 yards away from another camp be acceptable? I don’t want to setup right up next to anyone, especially people that are paying a few grand to come hunt, but then again, we’re talking about public land, so how far away would you try to camp?

I have become bug eyed with onx etc,, an never seen a tent etc,,,, what am I not doing? I have the full blown subscription??? do tell please,,

 

[John87]

I have become bug eyed with onx etc,, an never seen a tent etc,,,, what am I not doing? I have the full blown subscription??? do tell please,,

Maybe just no tents in the area you are searching? I don’t know, but I had studied the maps on OnX for weeks before I spotted the first wall tent, once I found the first one, I began looking in similar types of areas, then they just keep jumping out at me. Just look for white squares, don’t have to be zoomed in really close.

 

[John87]

Plus, I had them marked, then did an update to the OnX app, and got to noticing there were some marked that wasn’t there anymore, and some new ones popped up. I guess some have moved or they were just pack in hunters.

 

[Jaquomo]

I have become bug eyed with onx etc,, an never seen a tent etc,,,, what am I not doing? I have the full blown subscription??? do tell please,,

I once found our archery camp on Google Earth. Wall tents two campers, and our trucks. You have to understand that some satellite photos on OnX (and others) may be several years old, or might be taken during any season (including winter, with snow cover). OnX doesn't have their own satellites so they are at the mercy of whomever they purchase their satellite views from. So if you're looking for camps on photos taken in June or July it won't do you much good. One OnX view of a new area I'm scouting is about 60% obscured by clouds and is worthless.

 

[John87]

I once found our archery camp on Google Earth. Wall tents two campers, and our trucks. You have to understand that some satellite photos on OnX (and others) may be several years old, or might be taken during any season (including winter, with snow cover). OnX doesn't have their own satellites so they are at the mercy of whomever they purchase their satellite views from. So if you're looking for camps on photos taken in June or July it won't do you much good. One OnX view of a new area I'm scouting is about 60% obscured by clouds and is worthless.

No, I know they are photos from different sources, like google earth, and I’m not trying to pinpoint when exactly they were there, just that they were all up at the same time gives me an example of what it will be like during season. Since I’m going first rifle, I’m guessing all the camps will be mostly full.

 

[Jethro6x6]

now Its making sence,, I get all that, I use google earth to go back where I grew up,,lol
its never the same,,, sadly,,lol ,,,,, keep on keep n on,,,,

 

[Dave0317]

I have become bug eyed with onx etc,, an never seen a tent etc,,,, what am I not doing? I have the full blown subscription??? do tell please,,

The imagery for the area you are looking at may have been obtained outside of hunting season. If the satellite flew over in early August or in January, the tents may not be there.

 

[CJohnson]

Can you post a screen cap of what you’re talking about? I’ve also never seen a tent on onX I don’t think.

 

[accountantsanonymous]

I see them better on Google Earth, but can eventually pick them up on OnX if the images are within a reasonable timeline of each other.

Just a tiny white square in a sea of green.

 

[jrogers1585]

I’m interested in seeing as well.

 

[deerhunt1988]

I've found a good many camps in the unit i'm hunting this year. Here are a few for those wondering what they look like. I use the "historical imagery" feature in Google earth to try to find imagery taken during hunting season.

 

[jdinville3]

As for indicating a good place to hunt, the outfitters are stuck in the places that their USFS concessions are good for and they really pack a lot of hunters into small areas for several seasons. They can't pack up and move to a better spot based on what the elk do each year. Where I hunt in Colorado an outfitter packs 6 hunters and 2 guides into one camp and for some seasons the elk are there and for others the elk may be somewhere else. I once asked an outfitter if he would pack out an animal for me and he tried to convince me to go somewhere else because he's been guiding several dozen hunters a year to that spot for decades. I don't think I want to hunt in the same drainage that he packs full of Texans so I focus my efforts on the deep and nasty holes the elk go to escape the crowds.

Ok talk to me, I've been wondering something for a for a while and I'm sure someone has the answer. Is there a site I can jump on that shows me where outfitters have their USFS concessions in Colorado? I'm sure that information is somewhere, right? If not I'd guess talking to a forest service representative might be able to able to answer that? I try to be respectful of other people's space or outfitters in general, but saw this thread and thought I'd ask.

 

[Gapmaster]

I have become bug eyed with onx etc,, an never seen a tent etc,,,, what am I not doing? I have the full blown subscription??? do tell please,,

Sometimes tents are blurry on OnX because of the resolution. If you see something questionable, go to GE. It’s clearer. Those little white squares stick out like a sore thumb once you get used to spotting them.

You can also find pack trains occasionally on trails. Follow the main trails to drainage conjunctions and you’ll find camps, especially in wilderness/roadless areas. Go back and search through different years of imagery for best guesses on usage.

 

[bcnorth]

If space allows give space, i want to see game not people as do other resident hunters, outfitters and clients. That being said i enjoy meeting people in the backcountry, i will support anyone i meet, love to bs and i will share a camp but generally respect peoples space and will go out of my way to not disrupt anyones hunt. I wont leave elk, moose or sheep because a resident or outfitter shows up though when its public land. if i show up and someone is hunting the area, i tuck tail.

Most folks in the mountains are decent. Once their beak is wet with a whiskey or beer, you may even hear some tales of the book ram they shot or the 7 point bull elk in the next basin.