East Troublesome Fire - 2020 to now info needed

[old roper 42]

Lot depend on FS opening rds. I'm posting article/pictures that outfitter took where he hunted and to me it show lot difference than over around Grand Lake.

Losses in East Troublesome Fire enormous, still mounting

One of the most destructive fires in Colorado history has subsided, but the rebuilding efforts for Grand County are just beginning.Formal damage assessments for structures in the county have

www.skyhinews.com

 

[flatlandhunter41]

So my group just found out we drew our second choice for Colorado elk this fall - Unit 18 1st season. The biggest redeeming quality is the tags are either sex, so we should be coming home with meat. Looking at what I can find so far, the East Troublesome fire seems to have burned the entire unit. I know the quota in 18 is 840 tags for first rifle (per CPW site). What I am trying to figure is how burned out the unit is. I can't seem to find recent satellite images that zoom in close enough to tell what is burnt and what is not.

I am not looking for any honey holes or anything else, but I would really appreciate help in zeroing in on imagery sources. I have an OnX subscription, what I can't tell is what the dates of their images are. Like I said I can do my own leg work if pointed in the correct direction (not that I would refuse PMs with the coordinates of big bulls lol).

TIA

The unit is scorched earth. On the west side of Stillwater Pass there is a strip by the 122. 11 acres of private that were saved from the fire. All the stuff up by the RMNP north of North supply creek is good because the fire didn’t jump the east/west ridgeline there. Everything on both sides of Highway 125 from Highway 40 to the top of Willow Creek Pass is burned and everything from Highway 125 east to the south, middle and north supply creek roads through the heart of the unit is burnt. The fire was very intense. I did kill the bull in the picture in the heart of the burn unit and there were no green trees anywhere in sight. 4th day of 1st season in 2021. Post rut sanctuary bull, by himself, they are there but you just have to find them. He was about 2 miles from the road. Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[GBrokx]

The unit is scorched earth. On the west side of Stillwater Pass there is a strip by the 122. 11 acres of private that were saved from the fire. All the stuff up by the RMNP north of North supply creek is good because the fire didn’t jump the east/west ridgeline there. Everything on both sides of Highway 125 from Highway 40 to the top of Willow Creek Pass is burned and everything from Highway 125 east to the south, middle and north supply creek roads through the heart of the unit is burnt. The fire was very intense. I did kill the bull in the picture in the heart of the burn unit and there were no green trees anywhere in sight. 4th day of 1st season in 2021. Post rut sanctuary bull, by himself, they are there but you just have to find them. He was about 2 miles from the road. Good luck, hope this helps.

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Really nice bull for any unit, but especially 18. Congrats!

 

[old roper 42]

The unit is scorched earth. On the west side of Stillwater Pass there is a strip by the 122. 11 acres of private that were saved from the fire. All the stuff up by the RMNP north of North supply creek is good because the fire didn’t jump the east/west ridgeline there. Everything on both sides of Highway 125 from Highway 40 to the top of Willow Creek Pass is burned and everything from Highway 125 east to the south, middle and north supply creek roads through the heart of the unit is burnt. The fire was very intense. I did kill the bull in the picture in the heart of the burn unit and there were no green trees anywhere in sight. 4th day of 1st season in 2021. Post rut sanctuary bull, by himself, they are there but you just have to find them. He was about 2 miles from the road. Good luck, hope this helps.

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The top Willow Creek didn't burn and it was open last year for hunting. East off Hwy 125 @ StillWater Road where gate is that section didn't burn north side of gate up to Continental Divide. All the land south Grand Lake on east side of lake didn't burn. You do know unit 18 west border is about 20(Hwy 40) miles west of hwy 125 ?? Sure lot burn but lot of new green grass. Off on hwy 40 I drove up Smith Mesa Rd then Cabin Creek Rd and it's getting green. I left tuesday AM and was raining Granby and light snow over pass. You got nice bull..

 

[flatlandhunter41]

The top Willow Creek didn't burn and it was open last year for hunting. East off Hwy 125 @ StillWater Road where gate is that section didn't burn north side of gate up to Continental Divide. All the land south Grand Lake on east side of lake didn't burn. You do know unit 18 west border is about 20(Hwy 40) miles west of hwy 125 ?? Sure lot burn but lot of new green grass. Off on hwy 40 I drove up Smith Mesa Rd then Cabin Creek Rd and it's getting green. I left tuesday AM and was raining Granby and light snow over pass. You got nice bull..

Thank you, very fortunate on the bull. Yes, we went over west of 125 all the way to the west side of Unit 181. Could navigate the BLM and state land, but when I was scouting in September all the entrances to National Forest were closed with gates across the road. We didn’t go over there in the 1st season because I was concerned of access issues and wasn’t sure the elk would be at that lower elevation. There are several hay fields in the area that sure might be good to hold elk. I should’ve clarified that we hunted north of Stillwater Road and east of 125. It’s a big unit and didn’t think we could effectively cover any more than that. JH

 

[bmontang]

Thank you, very fortunate on the bull. Yes, we went over west of 125 all the way to the west side of Unit 181. Could navigate the BLM and state land, but when I was scouting in September all the entrances to National Forest were closed with gates across the road. We didn’t go over there in the 1st season because I was concerned of access issues and wasn’t sure the elk would be at that lower elevation. There are several hay fields in the area that sure might be good to hold elk. I should’ve clarified that we hunted north of Stillwater Road and east of 125. It’s a big unit and didn’t think we could effectively cover any more than that. JH

Thank you for the info. The area you mentioned is where I am thinking as well. With Stillwater pass being the only open road of any significance I worry about pressure. Do you know how it looked up around Parika Lake east of the ridge between Farview and Parika peaks?

Would horses be worthwhile out there?

Thanks.

 

[flatlandhunter41]

Thank you for the info. The area you mentioned is where I am thinking as well. With Stillwater pass being the only open road of any significance I worry about pressure. Do you know how it looked up around Parika Lake east of the ridge between Farview and Parika peaks?

Would horses be worthwhile out there?

Thanks.

We actually went about 6 miles in on Baker Gulch trail from the trail head in RMNP. Horses would be very good and not much traffic up in there. We didn't see any elk but did come across a cow and calf moose. If you're taking horses in you might be as well off to ride up the Grand Ditch Road. I haven't walked it, but looking at OnX it appears that you could see more country. The trail is deep and dark and harder to see from. Several creek crossing on log bridges going up the trail and some hardscrabble that would be difficult to maneuver with horses.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Gentlemen just so you are all aware anyone who now googles "elk 18", or "elk troublesome" will pull up this thread. You don't have to be a HT member to view them.

Just a reminder.

 

[Dsnow9]

Gentlemen just so you are all aware anyone who now googles "elk 18", or "elk troublesome" will pull up this thread. You don't have to be a HT member to view them.

Just a reminder.

Yep, kinda frustrating added those spots to places I won’t hunt…

 

[MtnElk]

Gentlemen just so you are all aware anyone who now googles "elk 18", or "elk troublesome" will pull up this thread. You don't have to be a HT member to view them.

Just a reminder.

 

[woods89]

Gentlemen just so you are all aware anyone who now googles "elk 18", or "elk troublesome" will pull up this thread. You don't have to be a HT member to view them.

Just a reminder.

Agreed. Way better to leave location discussions off the internet.

 

[Slm864]

A good plan now would be to set up several drainages away from the highly detailed area mentioned and just wait for the hoards of google informed hunters to drive the elk to you and right into the next unit.

 

[old roper 42]

A good plan now would be to set up several drainages away from the highly detailed area mentioned and just wait for the hoards of google informed hunters to drive the elk to you and right into the next unit.

That won't be bad plan except you be in the Never Summer Wilderness and east border is the RMNP. I don't know if they still have it but there used to be couple access thru park to hunt NF. They managed it at visitor center.