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Looking for info.......

D

Deerslayer

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Anybody know what the weather is like in 19 or the White Pines area? I haven't been up there but have a friend heading in there soon and he was asking. Crown Point area?
Any body know anything on the weather or animal movements there it would be appreciated......
Thanks....
 
DS - I assume you mean Unit 19 here in Colorado? If you do, I have a place up there by the CSU forestry school and we hunted there during third season. Had a lot of snow and took two elk. Most of the herd moved down lower, away from the pressure by that Sunday. Some elk are still around I'm sure but they're real spooky and in the tough places now. Crown pt. got good snow and a lot of hunters as usual. White Pine would be a better choice but in the dark nasty stuff.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 11-14-2002 14:07: Message edited by: Stormy Peak ]</font>
 
Thanks Stormy.....the info is for a friend who has been disabled, and is just now getting a crack at them. He lives in South Dakota right now but is familiar with the area. He plans to be up there real soon, and wondered about the weather.....thanks again.
 
Not sure Boman.........

...how 'bout it Randy....I see you lurking on here, is your tag good for 191....sounds like the man may have a tip for you ;)
DS
 
DS:
Thanks again for the help, I didn't think of this.

Stormy & Bowman:
I'm the friend DS was getting info for.

Bowman --I'm not sure if that tag is also good in 191, I know they did issue "late season" tags for 191 also, so it may be good for both units, I'll check & get back with you.


Stormy --As DS mentioned, I'll be hunting in 19 starting next week. The area on the west side of 'West White Pine mt' is the part of 19 I'm most familiiar with. In the past I've noticed that West White Pine is fairly good if theres good snow, but when the hunting pressure gets heavy, the elk tend to "head-out." What's your experience? , I'm not very familar with East White Pine & the east side of West White Pine; so, if West White Pine doesn't produce, I was thinking about "Jacks Gulch" or "Beaver Park" (as you said, there's lots of activiey --people-- on Crown)
 
I figured Randy......most of the later seasons or drought management are pretty unit specific, unlike the over the counter bull tags which usually cover many units....
 
Stormy:
You mention the CSU forestry place, if I remember right that's up in Pingree Park. I know it's quite rough on the south side (and, believe-it-or-not, I have seen moose sign in there; have seen them on Sheep Creek north-west of Crown, too, but anyway...). I venture to guess that you were on horse-back last week, the area around there isn't real easy access, and it's a long pack now that the road to Cirque Meadow is no-longer open (as it was 30+ years ago when I first became familiar with it --but I also remember when you could drive over Crown Point to Brown's Lake).
Thanks-a-mil for the info, any other suggestions for me?

Thanks again,
 
Randall - I'll try to answer both of your posts. I grew up there as my parents have a home there and I have some land too, in the area called Poudre Springs. On opening morning of third season, we had a huge bull moose standing next to the trailer feeding. The moose are around all the time now, so they're numbers are growing. They love the little creek that flows through my place because of all the willows.

We don't hunt on horseback, just use our feet
The country is big but not outrageous. All the places that you talked about are good places to find elk and I've hunted them all. Jack's Gulch and Beaver Park were insane with people this year - as usual. Some elk were taken out of there and I'm sure there are elk still there but, they're really hiding now. Dark timber and north ridges were the rule at the end of third season. My son and I got onto a small herd south of there on the last day where we tracked them in the snow and he took a large cow. His first elk.

I haven't been over in Sheep Creek since I took a nice 6x6 over there. Too many people and a few people are guiding illegally in there- in my opinion. Too bad because that is one of my favorite areas. They are also logging closer to the wilderness now down in there between the east and west forks, so that has put a damper on the secluded feeling too.

I remember driving over Crown pt too but that was a long time ago. I'm glad most of the roads were closed as it made the hunting better. The real skinny on the area is this; we had enough snow to bring the elk out of the nat'l park and they came out a day before third season opened. Two large herds. We got into them opening day and both herds then moved down into the Stove Prarie area onto the private property they like so much. There are elk still around in small groups, but it's pretty tough hunting and most people are driving the road looking for sign. We have had snow off and on for a few weeks so there will be snow about 7500'. Hope that answers your questions.
 
Stormy....I have a question for you, since you seem so well versed in that area....

Is the Stove Prairie road leading into Sky Ranch accesible?...there is always a closed gate with a chain, but I have been told both ways......one thing I have heard is it is for show, and it is legal to unlatch it and drive threw during the hunting season, but I have always turned around becuase it just doesn't "feel right"...what do you know on this???
 
DS - yes, around ten to fifteen years ago the access issue on the Old Flowers Road went to court (so I'm told) and the ruling was to open access on the road to the public. I have been driving through those gates for a long time now. The people at Sky Ranch are extremely nice and have alway been hopitable to me. The gate at their place is to hold their stock. One of their old mares slipped around my truck and out the gate one time. I was trying to block her with the truck so she wouldn't get out and she got a little irritated with me. She bit my bug shield and broke it, then escaped. My kids were laughing so hard they almost wet their pants. It was pretty funny.
Just remember that it is private property on both sides of the road most of the way to where the old locked gate used to be on the west side. And it does seem strange to open the gate and go through at Sky Ranch because the gate almost sits in their front yard.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 11-15-2002 10:50: Message edited by: Stormy Peak ]</font>
 
Stormy:
Thanks for the update
The area you talk about around Pingree reminds me of a guy I met, back in '98, on the road going into Cirque Meadow, I was with my dad, we were going in, the gentleman we talked with was coming out, he spoke of a place he had down by the forestry school, any chance you were the guy we talked too?
Anyway, you say the elk head towards Stove Prairie, I think they're probably in the area around Cabin Creek, East White Pine, and further east where it becomes mostly private (as you know).
You're still in the area, so you're info is more current than mine, but as I recall they ended-up doing the gate on the Old Flowers access road like they did the Buckhorn access road to Storm mt, only open during hunting season (is that how it is, or is it always open now; like I said, you're info is more current than mine).

Again, thanks for the updated info on the elk, I may consentrate my efforts closure to Stove Prairie.
 
Randy......I am told it is open only during hunting season. The forest is closed after that back that far. The Sky Ranch is a church camp run by the Methodist.....so that probably explains why they are so nice to you Stormy ;) ...I actually know two folks who have worked there in the past, but never pursued the access issue because I no longer have an interest in hunting along the front range. But the tow friends who worked there were the first to tell me anyone could access through the ranch gate......

Randy...good luck in there......I know it has been hit hard, but you should do alright as long as you "think like and elk" ;)
 
A little confusion here guys. I thought DS was refering to the Sky Corral ranch in Stove Prarie and not Sky Ranch over by Pingree Park and my place. My post referred to Sky Corral ranch only. Now, you can drive through Sky Ranch (church camp) anytime it's open, but only for about a mile before you encounter another gate. That road was closed many years ago by the City of Greeley and local residents. You have to walk around now. Sorry for the confusion.

Randall - I don't think it was me that you talked to. My place is a few miles north of CSU and Sky Ranch. As for the elk, the word I hear is that most of the herd is now down low on mostly private land. There weren't many elk around Pingree Park after opening day, but we were persistant and finally found some still hanging around. The problem with Stove Prairie is that the elk are smart enough to know where they are safe. Maybe you can get permission on one of the ranches.

Good luck
 
Now it's clear (you guys had me confused on the "Sky Ranch" deal, I knew it was above Tom Bennet camp ground on the way to Commanche resevior; and i knew the place you were talking about on the Flowers road)

Thank you both much, hopefully in a week-or-so I'll smell like elk
 

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