Bucket List: planning '12 OTC Elk hunt w. my brother

[ib_reel]

My brother and I grew up hunting together and have always dreamed of a OYOA back country elk hunt. So......we are doing it, jumping both feet in. We are experienced whitetail hunters and have done a good deal of backpacking. But, we are green elk hunters for sure, but everyone starts somewhere right?
We have scheduled vacations the last week of August thru the first week of September. We are planning on traveling to Colorado, but have not narrowed down the exact GMA as of yet. We are looking at the "Flattops" or the "4 Corners" area near Tellurid.
Any information or insight on these areas or other suggested areas to look into would be greatly appreciated.

Not looking for trophies to solid opportunities to create memories for a lifetime. Thanks in advance for any insight that you may be able to provide.

 

[npaden]

The folks at Colorado DOW are very helpful so make sure and take advantage of that.

Learn the gutless method, you are going to have to carry it out on your back in pieces if you get one very far back.

A good pair of boots and a good backpack are absolute necessities.

 

[Big Fin]

Here is the best CO elk hunting resource on the web, bar none.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/ElkHuntingUniversity/Pages/ElkUniversity2011.aspx

If you are not stuck with those dates due to vacation, etc., you might want to consider different/later dates. Not saying you can't catch them this early, but it makes for a much tougher hunt.

Good luck.

 

[spook12]

That early go high. north or northeast slopes.Have a couple backup plans.

 

[WV Hunter]

Get Elknuts play book and check out Big Fins link. Good luck, have fun!

 

[rmyoung1]

ib_reel,

Good for you guys. You'll have a lot of fun. Both areas you mentioned hold plenty of elk. I used to live & hunt in the 4 Corners Region and I've hunted elk near the Flat Tops. Here's my two cents:

If you are going to hunt those first 2 weeks of the bow season, you have got to get high. I think most out-of-staters make the mistake of thinking that 8,000 or 8,500 feet is high enough. It's not. You'll be 2,000 feet too low at a minimum in my opinion. During those first couple weeks of the archery season, elk will be feeding above timberline and then bedding in the thick, dark timber. Backpack in a couple miles or more from the trailhead and camp around 10,500 or 11,000 feet (or so). Hunt up toward the timberline (roughly 12,000) and set up on game trails with your bow to catch elk moving between feeding & bedding areas. Those first couple weeks of the archery season most likely won't have a lot of bugling activity (if any). You're gonna have to ambush elk in their summer routine of feeding high and bedding in black timber.

Also, wherever you decide to hunt, try to contact an outfitter that operates in the area where you are hunting to arrange a meat pick-up should you get one on the ground. Then rent a sat phone from explorer satellite for your trip and give the outfitter a call if you get an elk on the ground. Yes, you can save $ and try to pack out the elk by yourself, but hiking at an altitude that's 2 miles higher than your home state with elk quarters on your back is not much fun. Plus, you will be able to hunt further from the the roads, into less-pressured hunting areas, knowing that you won't have to make multiple trips to and from your vehicle to pull out your elk and camp.

 

[rmyoung1]

ib_reel, feel free to PM me if you have some other more specific questions about areas. I have an idea or two that I think could help point you guys in the right direction.

 

[bow hunter]

i hunted unit 62 on the uncompengre plateu. lot of elk, but alot of hunters as well. really rough country. the elk were in the bottom of a steep canyon. wish i could help more, but thats my only colorado knowledge. sure looks like fin and the boys have given you some great advice

 

[Jwill]

I would say choose your areas carefully, we went out a couple years ago and ran into a few issues in the flattops backcountry. The first was that a rancher in the area still had his sheep in the high country in a few locations, at least until their clients had tagged out down low... There was another basin that we hiked into that still had cattle on the range, plus several outfitter camps and a few diy camps, and very little elk sign. This was during muzzleloader/archery season. It was still a good hunt and we eventually found some elk, but didn't connect. These were issues that we hadn't anticipated, but that I now know to ask about prior to heading to an area. If you decide to go to the east side of the flattops, give me a shout and I can help with a couple locations to check out. I actually had several close encounters with bulls, but only had a cow tag in my pocket...

 

[Bigbuckkiller]

i love area 3 and 301 lots/tons of elk havent gotten a bull yet (havent had a tag) but i have seen lots of big bulls and have filled 2 out of 2 of my cow tags.