Colorado first rifle season?
- Thread starter pasteve
- Start date
Welcome to the forum.
I just logged into my INSIDER draw odds at goHUNT.com and did a search criteria for 1st Season Rifle hunts in Colorado with zero points. A lot of units came up. So the answer is, yes, you can.
I suspect you will find the entire list at this link on the CPW website - http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics-Elk.aspx
Download the draw recap report and it is all in that report.
Magnum Sherpa
Well-known member
Yeah, possible in a few units. I am a resident, but I was able to draw a 1st rifle tag in Unit 18 this past season as my 2nd choice. There is a reason that those tags are available without preference points and not even using your first choice (so you can still get a preference point). Overall success rate for the unit that I hunted is around 14%.
rmyoung1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 2,327
Yep. Definitely possible. Last year I tagged a bull in a unit during the 1st season with a tag I drew with no points. It's not the biggest elk in the world, but I'm thrilled with it. And it tastes great.
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Recurve62
Member
Actually really easy in a few units, we hunt in unit 14 and draw no problem. Killed my first bull in 1st rifle in 2014. This year we will be bow hunting but will apply for mule deer, let you know if we draw.
HighDesertSage
Well-known member
Yes. Lot's of good options out there. 4, 12, 23, 24, 42, 421, 521, & 70 offer excellent elk hunting IMO.
I'm helping a local guy with the same deal.He thought he was stuck with an otc tag for 2nd or 3rd season.A unit I familiar with and have taken elk from is a no point draw for 1st rifle,and a second choice draw for archery.So, I gave him the unit to apply for and exactly where I find elk in there.I think Randys response was to make him do a little leg work himself.It is all right there on the Co website.Your not going to find any giant bulls on average in any of those units but it will have a lot less people to deal with.Also, make sure the unit you pick has enough public land to hunt on
I was just digging through 1st rifle hunts for myself, and there were 20 Hunts last year where 0 points would guarantee a tag if it was your 1st choice (e.g. where tags went into 2nd/3rd/leftover). Maybe slightly less for Non-Residents - I haven't looked @ that column very much.
Note also that the CO draw recap summary is by 'hunt code' which, generally speaking, contains the lowest number of the units designated by the tag. So, really, there are a lot more 'units' available than just the 'hunt codes' (which is how the recaps are structured).
E.G. Hunt Code EM011O1R is all of the flat tops (units 11,12,13,23,24,25,26,33,34,131,211,231). A crapton (1621) of 1st Rifle Bull tags were available as leftovers last year.
I really like the detail in the new data sheets, but would be nice if they included a summary of the units each tag includes.
Note also that the CO draw recap summary is by 'hunt code' which, generally speaking, contains the lowest number of the units designated by the tag. So, really, there are a lot more 'units' available than just the 'hunt codes' (which is how the recaps are structured).
E.G. Hunt Code EM011O1R is all of the flat tops (units 11,12,13,23,24,25,26,33,34,131,211,231). A crapton (1621) of 1st Rifle Bull tags were available as leftovers last year.
I really like the detail in the new data sheets, but would be nice if they included a summary of the units each tag includes.
Cheaha
Member
PASteve, I am a novice too and can tell you it is possible to draw a tag with no points, especially if you are willing to accept a cow tag. My brother and I took our first elk hunting trip to Colorado this past October. We drove twenty-two hours, hiked into a wilderness area and camped for six nights. It was a total blast although we only saw two elk. (We probably could have made some better decisions regarding where to hunt within the unit, among other things.) The draw system is daunting, at least for two guys from Alabama used to being able to buy a hunting license and hunt. We both went for the sure thing and put cow tag drawings down as our first choices and we both drew cow tags. I understand how it works much better now, so this year we will put some long shots first and second, then put a cow tag as third. There are OTC options in CO too, but only 2nd and 3rd rifle. Keep in mind 1st rifle is only five days (at least in 2015 it was) and 2nd comes in basically a few days later, so not much difference as far as I can tell. By the way, we never saw another hunter after setting up camp one mile from the trail and then hiking in a few more miles to hunt during the days.
Recurve62
Member
There is a web site, mytopo.com, where you can create custom maps and they will print and send them to you. I've used them and they are very good, printed on water proof paper and very reasonably priced.
treedagain
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
- Messages
- 514
I would look into unit 62. I have taken 2 sixpoint bulls in the 1st season in 2 trys. you can scout during the week before and put a bullet in one opening morning
keep mobile and camp on the elk with a backup area picked out if someone finds the same herd.
keep mobile and camp on the elk with a backup area picked out if someone finds the same herd.
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claybreaker
Member
Yes, we did in 2014 as a group of 3. Got a pref. point as a first choice and 1st season rifle tag (bull tag) as second choice.
As mentioned above 1st season is 5 days (Sat to Wed), then 2nd season starts 3 days later on Sat and is 9 days.
good luck and Be safe,
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