Picking an OTC CO Unit

[nursul]

This will be my first year elk hunting. I started researching a couple month ago. I went to toprut and found OTC units with 50% or more public land and 20% success rate. Then I narrowed it down to units that where in wilderness areas. I’m from Iowa and I wanted to experience an elk hunt in the mountains. Didn’t matter where 15 hour drive or 18 hour drive isn’t much different. Then narrowed it down a little bit more to population of hunter’s under 750. Looked at access points, I wanted the options to road hunt and the options to hunt 10 miles from a road (not sure how the altitude will affect me). Then I looked at mountain peaks and landmarks to pick the prettiest unit outta my top 5. At least if I’m not killing elk I get a kick ass fall camping trip in the mountains. Like I said before this is my first elk hunt I have never been in the mountains other than driving through Colorado once and I’ve never seen an elk other than tv or the zoo. Haha. Hope I picked the right area if not I think I got a few year left in me going out west.

I did essentially the same thing fours years ago...from MO. I will say, the onset of websites like toprut have helped folks like us a lot, wish they were popular when I started. I’ve been going to CO for a solo DIY OTC Archery hunt in the Silverthorne area (I’ve shared the units I hunt here, their public and no secret). This write and your attitude are spot on. It ain’t no joke it’s hard to fill a tag. That said, you’ll love the experience and probably get bit by the same bug I did. The encounters with moose, goats, bears, mule deer...and yes the ELK. Like I said, attitude and effort, just make sure you pack those as you hit the trailhead, Have a blast and bask in the encounters, who knows maybe your stars will align.

 

[nursul]

^^^^ Ive seen cattle in Wilderness areas. Probably just drifted into them, but there can be cattle

Thanks....I’ve had same experience

 

[DBuck]

Wilderness areas are great. No cattle and no road hunters. You have to be committed and in shape to hunt them. Still there is hunting pressure often times from guides but they tend to go in 5 plus miles. You can hunt in between and still have good hunting. My standard is 2 to 4 miles. You will need a couple of buddies who share the work when someone gets a bull down. Most out of state hunters make the mistake of hunting dark timber. You will want an area that is more open. A mix of aspen and pine with open meadows is preferred. Look for game trails on Google Earth it is a good indicator where you will find elk.

Thanks for the info, I mainly hunt primitive/wilderness here in Arizona. Here they run cows in primitive in some places but I believe it was due to the ranchers be grandfathered in. Every time I think about pulling the trigger and looking into hunting Colorado I get deterred from hearing about the enormous amount of hunting pressure. I'd like to make it up there on of these seasons to scout it out before buying a tag.

 

[DBuck]

Thanks....I’ve had same experience

I know a few of the wildernesses that I hunt have ranchers running cattle in them and believe I was told they were grandfathered in which allowed them to run cows.

 

[chasewild]

Wilderness areas are great. No cattle and ....

This is incorrect. Livestock grazing is allowed in all wilderness areas per Wilderness Act and USFS regs.