Any hunters in the Colorado front range willing to let me tag along, help schlep some gear/meat around? I want to start hunting but don’t know the first thing about actually getting in the woods, despite growing up in IL whitetail country. I’m not asking to be taken on my first tag fill or looking to take over someone’s secret spots, I just want to get some basic, firsthand experience and am willing to carry some shit as a trade for some knowledge. I’m 41 and haven’t been to the gym in ~5 years(kids kinda cramp your gym rat habit) so I’d appreciate something not a million miles away and above tree line. Pretty please, with sugar on top
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CO hunters
- Thread starter The D
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@MNTC Is out setting up camp - LOL. Little late on that one.
Look at OnX and find public land. Or go to a trophy unit and hike in. Get on a ridge, walk it, rip a call or two: repeat. You will find elk, but you need to be ready to put on some milage. Elk hunting aint for the faint of heart unless you get on a private ranch.
Look at OnX and find public land. Or go to a trophy unit and hike in. Get on a ridge, walk it, rip a call or two: repeat. You will find elk, but you need to be ready to put on some milage. Elk hunting aint for the faint of heart unless you get on a private ranch.
All I've ever been successful harvesting is WY antelope. You're more than welcome to tag along. I'm nowhere close to being an expert but I haven't been skunked yet.
Something else I forgot to add…
Right now I’m only interested in rifle hunts. That’s the only thing I think I’d be “in shape” enough to handle. When we finally get our lives back to somewhat normal and I can get back in the gym I’d absolutely love to go on an elk bow hunt
Right now I’m only interested in rifle hunts. That’s the only thing I think I’d be “in shape” enough to handle. When we finally get our lives back to somewhat normal and I can get back in the gym I’d absolutely love to go on an elk bow hunt
ain't that the friggin truth! but with the weather and elevation/change out there, even private land isn't a cakewalk.
You’ll definitely want to get off the front range and most likely head west a ways. Like skyscrappin and davsco mentioned, it can be a bitch. I’m usually logging 10-15 miles a day and my best spots are all around 8k feet. I made the mistake of inviting my little brother to tag along a few years ago. We ditched him after a couple of hours of him falling behind. At the very least, I think you can just apply for preference points. Build up some of those while you figure out where/how to hunt. They helped me land cow and doe tags for this coming season. If you’re into hiking, a couple fourteeners will really help prep you for the good hunting out here.
It sounds like your a CO resident, get a point or 2 and get a cow tag in a good limited unit for 1st season. You will see plenty of elk and more then likely fill your freezer.
In the meantime (even this fall) buy a otc bull tag, get on-X and hike around a few days. I have seen tons of bulls killed by sheer dumb luck. You more then likely won’t be successful but it’s a good chance to kinda start dialing in a few things. You don’t have to be 67 miles into the wilderness to kill a bull. Just do short day hikes from your vehicle. Spend a ton of time behind binos. If you glass up a elk on public land during general rifle you have accomplished something.
In the meantime (even this fall) buy a otc bull tag, get on-X and hike around a few days. I have seen tons of bulls killed by sheer dumb luck. You more then likely won’t be successful but it’s a good chance to kinda start dialing in a few things. You don’t have to be 67 miles into the wilderness to kill a bull. Just do short day hikes from your vehicle. Spend a ton of time behind binos. If you glass up a elk on public land during general rifle you have accomplished something.
Colorado is closed to any more out of state hunters during elk season. Check Alabama.
Here here! Take a fledgling under your mighty wing, ye great hunters!Here is a guy offering to be a pack mule and a gopher in exchange to learn how to hunt in you great state.
Show some heart, he's not a Texan or an Okie....
In our camp there is a blonde wig for the new guy.
That is all.
R
That is all.
R
Estes Park is overrun with the fuckers. Be discreet.
But be sure to nab a monster bull.
Look up Samson….
They named a law after him after he was poached.
TONS of info on CPW website.
units % of chance of draw, % of success, etc.
lots on which season is best where.
Not sure where you are looking, but my rifle hunts are just as hard (or worse) than archery season.
PM me if you want info on some possible mule deer opportunities nearish to Denver. Does, no bucks, but good hunting and not as brutal as some areas
Its a lotto to get drawn for the park, but great hunting if you do.
So you saw Colorado plates. Rental trucks. Did you actually meet any Colorado hunters? If you did it was probably me. I say that because my party is the only ones I ever meet during season. I have actually seen helicopters drop hunters into position the day before season starts. The idea that because you saw Colorado plates doesn’t mean much. Aren’t you from Texas? God Bless Texas. I love Texas. But you guys can’t hunt elk here anymore either. Sorry. It’s the new law… 
I’ve thought many times how easy it would be to pop one with my glock as they’re eating next to the car
That’s a helluva thing for a New Mexican to say about somebody! Y’all can’t even be trusted to carry an otf knife!Here is a guy offering to be a pack mule and a gopher in exchange to learn how to hunt in you great state.
Show some heart, he's not a Texan or an Okie....
I knew that was gonna hit home to someone....
I've taken many newbs under my wing, one of them was from IL, we ended up becoming damn good friends and I even baptized his son.....of course the time I did take him deer hunting he got cold and ended up costing me a helluva a mule deer buck.
I've taken many newbs under my wing, one of them was from IL, we ended up becoming damn good friends and I even baptized his son.....of course the time I did take him deer hunting he got cold and ended up costing me a helluva a mule deer buck.
Meh, I don’t care one way or the other anymore. When I was a young man you would see maybe 3-4 other parties while in the wilderness area. No before first light the hillsides are lit up with headlamps and it looks like the starry sky. Soooo many people, soooo much hunting pressure. We’ve had people shooting indiscriminately over our camp at herds of cows on the hillside, people tramping all over the country with little to no respect for other hunters… they have ruined my home state in more ways than one.I knew that was gonna hit home to someone....
I've taken many newbs under my wing, one of them was from IL, we ended up becoming damn good friends and I even baptized his son.....of course the time I did take him deer hunting he got cold and ended up costing me a helluva a mule deer buck.
The thing is, if anyone out there has a really good spot anymore they’re going to try to keep that to themselves. I just don’t see anyone opening up and bringing people into their camp that is not close friends or family with them.
There are lots of places to hunt.
If the OP wants to go for it, I would recommend public land around the Craig/ White river area. Lots of elk. Look for a spot 2-3 miles off the road with at least one ridge between your spot and the road.
Get in good physical condition. Get Yourself Into Good Physical Condition! You will not believe the work involved if you’ve never done it before.
PM me your phone number if you want to get into more details.
This cannot be stated enough. If you are DIYing a mountain hunt, especially if you are hiking in and hiking out (no horses, llamas, goats, etc) you can't be in too good of shape. I WAS in good shape- I thought- on my first DIY elk hunt. Lost 15 lbs over the course of 5 days. But, I got an elk and packed him out- along side the buddy I was hunting with.
Colorado hiders. Long story short my brother and I screwed up and didn’t read the fine print on the elk application. We drew muzzleloader tags in the unit north of the area we are familiar with. Any information on the area northeast of Meeker would be greatly appreciated.
DA#1
DA#1
What info are you looking for? The CO DNR has a pretty extensive collection of draw stats, harvest stats, elk habitat/migration information, and Private/public land information accessible through their website. It is arguably the easiest state for which to plan an out of state hunt.
What is the access like north of Buford? Without giving honey holes away a general area that usually has elk. This is the last time we will be hunting in CO. Took 8 years to draw and we are getting to old to backpack hunt again.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Atlas
ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu
Took about 10 minutes to find the site, pull up the area, adjust the map, screen shot it, and use Powerpoint to annotate it.
You can drill down a lot deeper than this (for example, I do not have hiking trails highlighted). And with the additional resources available on the website, and free to download topo maps, the only thing better is someone you trust with boots on the ground in the area you are interested in. Season starts in a couple of days. Good luck.
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