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CO Elk! Any opinions or thoughts??

Kulpak02

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
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35
Location
Pennsylvania
Hey whats up fellow outdoorsman!! I have some questions and I was also seeking opinions. I thought this was a great place to come looking. My Brother and I have elk hunted in CO Unit 12 3 times now and we have been successful all 3 times. All 3 have been 2nd season. However we have always hunted that unit with other guys. This year they are not going and we still want to hunt Elk. So we are thinking we maybe should change Units for new scenery. We were talking about going around other people and 2 guys have asked if they could join in the fun. Of course we said yes. Taking 2 guys out to CO that have never hunted Elk and giving them the experience will be amazing.


Nobody has any PPs. We are looking at first season right now in units with good draw odds at 0 pts. Right now (and we know time is running out) we have it narrowed down to a few units. 12, 18, 28 are the 3 that we are strongly considering but not committed 100% yet. Those are just the 3 that stood out using OnX, Gohunt and Google Earth. We have some ranges, drainages, and a few trails marked on my OnX right now for those units. I also got an area of a unit to check from a guy on Rokslide. I am still checking that out. There are some other units that we have looked at and feel ok about also. Its doesn't really matter to us if we get bull or cow tags. Its all about the meat. We are all taking tents so we don't have to stay at hotels. Unless first season this year is anything like last year. Then we might have to break down and use a hotel. We would like to backpack in to get away from the road but if sleeping at the trailhead is a good option we arent opposed to that either. Any suggestions?


I am just looking for your opinions on the units and if you think another unit would be a better option for us. We are coming from PA and we are planning on having a day of scouting before the season. Thanks for reading and Good Luck to you all turkey hunters!!
 
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Camping at trail heads is good if you don't scout and want to be able to switch areas, backpacking allows you to get more sleep and makes it easier to be in position during first lite and at dusk. Both strategies are effective but have their drawbacks.

Use the search buttons and google for unit specific info there is a ton on here.

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Camping at trail heads is good if you don't scout and want to be able to switch areas, backpacking allows you to get more sleep and makes it easier to be in position during first lite and at dusk. Both strategies are effective but have their drawbacks.

Use the search buttons and google for unit specific info there is a ton on here.

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Yup Thank you. I have been checking out old posts on all the units mentioned above dating back to 2015. This is a very helpful site with a bunch of knowledgeable guys. Thank you.
 
I feel like you are already ahead of 90% of us if you managed to find elk in a CO OTC unit consistently

Haha yeah I know. The problem is the group that we usually hunt that area with isn't going this year. So we don't feel like we should hunt it. It's more of a repect thing I guess. I know its crazy but thats just how we feel. Thanks
 
LMAO, you're leaving elk on CO OTC public land, to go find elk. Keep doing what you're doing.

But then how do you learn anything lol

My goal is to kill one good bull, so in that attempt I'm building points all over. I realize that just because you draw a good unit doesn't mean you will kill crap if you don't know how to find elk. Therefore I switch units every year so that I'm forced to figure out a new area and deal with finding elk with no prior knowledge. This drive's my father-n-law crazy, but if you hunt the same spot year after year you just learn how to hunt those elk, not elk in general.

I'm not going to get a bull every year but that's not really my goal.
 
Haha yeah I know. The problem is the group that we usually hunt that area with isn't going this year. So we don't feel like we should hunt it. It's more of a repect thing I guess. I know its crazy but thats just how we feel. Thanks

Have you addressed this to the dudes not going this year? I suppose even asking paints them into a corner just a bit, and you all should know them somewhat well, so maybe leaving it as is, is smart. But they might be happy to have you go out and keep the mojo of the group going.
 
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Haha yeah I know. The problem is the group that we usually hunt that area with isn't going this year. So we don't feel like we should hunt it. It's more of a repect thing I guess. I know its crazy but thats just how we feel. Thanks
That is a stand up position and would be appreciated by many that shared their honey holes out of kindness to friends. There was an entire thread on here about that very thing. I agree you could ask if you felt comfortable with them, making it clear that a "no" to you could be given guilt free. I know some would disagree but it is out of respect and appreciation both.
 
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Kulpak02, I can't offer any advice about where to find new spots in CO, but your instinct to hunt a different area when you aren't with your original group is correct, especially if you are taking new guys. A lot of friendships and hunting partnerships have been soured over this very thing. Few people think it through, but the scenario often goes like this. You hunt with the original group for a couple years, it doesn't suit them so you return with a couple other guys. Great success is had, except for one of the guys, Joe Blow, doesn't jive with the group and isn't invited back. He decides he likes to hunt elk and invites a couple more guys to join him in the future. He doesn't know any other spots and isn't hanging out with you guys so he goes back and does the same thing. Five years from now you are hunting with your original group and you run into Joe Blow and his group of guys watching that favorite spot where the elk always drift to when the pressure is on....

In searching for an alternate spot, it is probable it won't be as good as what you already know. It might be even better and you will have expanded your knowledge base and options in the future . Developing and expanding your knowledge base of several areas is always a good thing because the quality of elk hunting in any area is always fluid.
 
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