PEAX Equipment

Colorado OTC Unit 25, 26, 231

ETArchery

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Feb 27, 2019
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15
Hey all,

Heading on my 3rd season chasing OTC archery elk in Colorado. This year I am taking my father for his 60th as this is hunt he has always wanted to do and we are both excited to do this type of hunt together. Physically and mentally we are as prepared as we can be coming from the east and my last two years of experience have been rather exciting and grueling at the same time ... 3 good bull encounters on OTC units (probably should have gotten one down... that's another story) but the pressure, never ending beetle kill, and learning curve is real for sure! Biggest take away has been pressure is inevitable (for the most part) and rolling with the punches is the name of the game, adapt and overcome.

This year I feel much more prepared to head into some areas with a game plan to hunt. We plan to hunt September 24 through the 30th. However I am just looking for some insight on some areas that some may have experience with. Currently I am looking very hard at Units 25, 26, and 231. It appears there are some outfitters and horse drop operations in the area and a decent amount of hiking trails through these places. There also appears to be some pretty decent areas that should hold elk and I do have a friend that hunted there six years ago and found some elk. I do not want to blow up anyone's spots on here, but rather looking to see if anyone has some insight to these places in terms of off the trail pressure, outfitter/hunting pressure, and numbers of elk.

I am happy to talk on a PM about the areas I have scouted and see if I am on the right track. I do have other units I am considering as well. This is just where I have landed for now.

Cheers and good luck this year!
ET
 
Sounds like you are on the right track. No fast tracking learning how to hunt. Keep hammering.
 
Welcome. Good luck. You already learned what you need. Now go hunt
 
If you have had 3 good bull encounters, go back there and get them this time. You did better than a lot of guys.
 
If you have had 3 good bull encounters, go back there and get them this time. You did better than a lot of guys.
Thanks man, I certainly feel it is something to hang my hat on and really some just amazing experiences.

These encounters were spread out between a couple different units, one was in some terrain that I do not intend to take my father to. He is in decent shape but I have my concerns bringing him in there. We may check out one of the areas this year in the middle of the week when pressure was low and we found elk, but it had some unbelievable pressure on the weekend being closer to more populated areas. One of the main reasons I have selected some places in this unit is that they appear to match our style this year better ... not saying it will be any easier by any means.
 
Your in part of the Flat Tops and those 3 unit borders unit closed but will open for rifle. You do know they have ML cow/either sex tags for unit 25,26,34,231 Sept 11/19 plus archery hunters. I haven't hunt there but been fishing unit 24 Trappers lake. I would think last week would get more hunters and I'm just being honest. There pretty well known units.
 
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Your in part of the Flat Tops and those 3 unit borders unit closed but will open for rifle. You do know they have ML cow/bull tags for unit 25,26,34,231 Sept 11/19 plus archery hunters. I haven't hunt there but been fishing unit 24 Trappers lake. I would think last week would get more hunters and I'm just being honest. There pretty well known units.
Yes I had been looking in those areas and even outside the flat tops just for a variety of options. The pressure definitely increases as you get later in September, but we did really want to avoid the muzzle loader hunting traffic and with 1st rifle opening October 16 there should be no issues with us running into a lot of guys going to scout. Just a bunch of archery hunters is what I will anticipate.

My biggest wonder is the amount of pressure and where that tends gets concentrated via horse hunters or via foot. There are also some interesting access roads in the areas that I would be interested in talking to some folks about if they have any experience hunting or even hiking there. Again, I won't throw up road names, mountains, pins any of that as I do not want anyone's spots to be blown.
 
Yes I had been looking in those areas and even outside the flat tops just for a variety of options. The pressure definitely increases as you get later in September, but we did really want to avoid the muzzle loader hunting traffic and with 1st rifle opening October 16 there should be no issues with us running into a lot of guys going to scout. Just a bunch of archery hunters is what I will anticipate.

My biggest wonder is the amount of pressure and where that tends gets concentrated via horse hunters or via foot. There are also some interesting access roads in the areas that I would be interested in talking to some folks about if they have any experience hunting or even hiking there. Again, I won't throw up road names, mountains, pins any of that as I do not want anyone's spots to be blown.
All you have to do is pull up outfitter hunting those units.

https://www.google.com/search?clien...itters+in+flat+top+that+offer+archery+hunting
 
Thanks @old roper 42 ! I have been looking at a handful of these outfitters in the area. Over the last couple years I have only really found one or two outfitters in the areas that I had previously hunted. Are they limited to specific places to set up a wall tent or can they just set up wherever. I also imagine that these outfitters tend to go back to same areas that have brought them success in the past with the ability to hunt multiple areas via horses. Thanks.
 
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