Colorado unit 20 Late Season

[Dwreckers]

Looking to possibly hunt the Late season in unit 20 this December. I should have the preference points to draw but never 100% certain with point creep. The season is December 5-16th. Wondering if the high success rate is more due to guides on private land or not or should I be able to turn a bull up in the middle elevation? Elk should have migrated lower and should be a bit of snow by the season start...? Wondering if anyone had any experience in this unit and is it worth the preference points?

 

[TOGIE]

i'd reckon success is largely due to private land hunting

"Approximately 15% of the herd spends a majority of the winter on National Forest lands." - CPW Herd Management Plan DAU E9 (aka unit 20) - this was last updated in 2007, but i can't imagine the stats have changed dramatically in those regards (https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/DAU/Elk/E9DAUPlan_SaintVrain07.pdf)

15% may come out to about 450 animals somewhere within 298 square miles of national forest

for those reasons, i personally don't look to unit 20 for any elk hunting aspirations on public land

but if you do find the elk in december i bet you could kill one on public. i'm sure it's possible if you do your research and ask the biologist some very specific pre researched questions.

 

[Dwreckers]

i'd reckon success is largely due to private land hunting

"Approximately 15% of the herd spends a majority of the winter on National Forest lands." - CPW Herd Management Plan DAU E9 (aka unit 20) - this was last updated in 2007, but i can't imagine the stats have changed dramatically in those regards (https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/DAU/Elk/E9DAUPlan_SaintVrain07.pdf)

15% may come out to about 450 animals somewhere within 298 square miles of national forest

for those reasons, i personally don't look to unit 20 for any elk hunting aspirations on public land

but if you do find the elk in december i bet you could kill one on public. i'm sure it's possible if you do your research and ask the biologist some very specific pre researched questions.

Kind of what I figured. Third season may be a better choice for this unit? If elk haven’t started migrating too low yet

 

[TOGIE]

i'm not sure, necessarily, what may be the best season, and if there really is a best season in regards to public land

timing the migration would be best, IMO, if i were to start planning an application and a hunt in there, but can be a gamble from year to year and can't be guaranteed it will be 3rd, 4th, or even the late season tag in any given year i'm sure.

i know exactly where to go to see large elk herds in the dead of winter at about 6000 feet just minutes from towns that are east of the foothills in unit 20, and i believe lots of those elk started their journey in rocky mountain np. the best timing to catch them would be a good question for the biologist or digging further into the dau plan, as i don't know the asnwer

 

[Dwreckers]

i'm not sure, necessarily, what may be the best season, and if there really is a best season in regards to public land

timing the migration would be best, IMO, if i were to start planning an application and a hunt in there, but can be a gamble from year to year and can't be guaranteed it will be 3rd, 4th, or even the late season tag in any given year i'm sure.

i know exactly where to go to see large elk herds in the dead of winter at about 6000 feet just minutes from towns that are east of the foothills in unit 20, and i believe lots of those elk started their journey in rocky mountain np. the best timing to catch them would be a good question for the biologist or digging further into the dau plan, as i don't know the asnwer

Yeah starting to look like a gamble catching them migrating down into the lower elevations

 

[clark2001_99]

Well I drew a late season unit 20 bull tag. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions? Thanks

 

[vanish]

Great elk hunting in unit 20 ... on private property.

 

[clark2001_99]

Great elk hunting in unit 20 ... on private property.

Hopefully find a couple spots on public and find a few.

 

[CollegeDad]

Good luck. Hopefully you will make lots of memories, and fill your freezer.