Why so many leftovers in CO unit 19?

[Timvz26]

There are about 250 tags leftover for 2nd-4th rifle season, and it’s not due to the past burn, it’s been that way the past 5 years. Curious if there is any input as to why? I would think a limited draw would be more appealing than an OTC hunt but I may be wrong. Thinking about picking up a tag here but I am kind of skeptical now...

 

[Muley_Stalker]

It looks like they offer too many tags. 550 is a lot. It's much harder to get a 1st rifle tag.

 

[Dsnow9]

There are about 250 tags leftover for 2nd-4th rifle season, and it’s not due to the past burn, it’s been that way the past 5 years. Curious if there is any input as to why? I would think a limited draw would be more appealing than an OTC hunt but I may be wrong. Thinking about picking up a tag here but I am kind of skeptical now...

Where are you seeing that? I don’t see the list posted yet

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

There are about 250 tags leftover for 2nd-4th rifle season, and it’s not due to the past burn, it’s been that way the past 5 years. Curious if there is any input as to why? I would think a limited draw would be more appealing than an OTC hunt but I may be wrong. Thinking about picking up a tag here but I am kind of skeptical now...

There are a number of units where the quota is high because success is very low. Possibly a heavy timber area with winter range dominated by private. So your still hunting blowdown with low densities.

 

[Timvz26]

Where are you seeing that? I don’t see the list posted yet

Hunting draw results/odds, it shows how many tags are leftover

 

[Dsnow9]

There are a number of units where the quota is high because success is very low. Possibly a heavy timber area with winter range dominated by private. So your still hunting blowdown with low densities.

I can attest to that!

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I'd never hunt that. I like blowdown but not that bad.

 

[TOGIE]

elk are in tough areas in unit 19, gonna need llamas or horses for first or second rifle IMO. freshly burned unit too. mega beetle killed unit.

who knows how much national forest they'll have open by hunting season anyway. currently, the emergency fire closure layer on the hunt atlas still shows the elky western half of the unit closed to national forest access. that could change by hunting season. but who knows.

i really wanna hunt elk in unit 19. i've found them. but i'm not trying without plenty of help from friends or llamas. they're deep and high first rifle and it's rugged in there.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

i really wanna hunt elk in unit 19. i've found them. but i'm not trying without plenty of help from friends or llamas. they're deep and high first rifle and it's rugged in there.

Where do I sign up?

 

[TOGIE]

Where do I sign up?

1 GIS pdf examining the unit in question counts as a deposit w/ digital signature via PM


nah, just a good ol fashion agreement to meet at the walmart parking lot in foco to pack vehicles counts

 

[Wallydeuce]

I can attest to that!

View attachment 184564

Suffered a severe concussion and busted ankle in something like that (minus the snow). My only thought going backwards was, "I hope I don't get impaled ".

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Suffered a severe concussion and busted ankle in something like that (minus the snow). My only thought going backwards was, "I hope I don't get impaled ".

Yeah, i'm too old with lousy balance to hunt blowdown anymore. The problem is elk like it in there.

 

[Timvz26]

It is interesting that there are 110 1st rifle tags that people are willing to spend points on to get but there is an abundance of later season tags available that nobody wants.

I am guessing that the assumption that the elk dive into blow down timber and wait out the hunting seasons is why nobody wants the tags. It will be interesting now that a big portion of the unit burned how they will adapt to it. Anyone hunt a fresh burn like this before? I am guessing if there is decent regrowth then the elk will be on the edges at least.

 

[Timvz26]

elk are in tough areas in unit 19, gonna need llamas or horses for first or second rifle IMO. freshly burned unit too. mega beetle killed unit.

who knows how much national forest they'll have open by hunting season anyway. currently, the emergency fire closure layer on the hunt atlas still shows the elky western half of the unit closed to national forest access. that could change by hunting season. but who knows.

i really wanna hunt elk in unit 19. i've found them. but i'm not trying without plenty of help from friends or llamas. they're deep and high first rifle and it's rugged in there.

My cousin and I are fit and in shape, mid-thirties and full of piss and vinegar, we hunted unit 66 last year and camped above 11,500 feet last year during first rifle. Perhaps we are naive but deep and high is what we enjoy. However deep and high with no elk sucks lol. We were banking on WY general tags but the point creep got us so we are trying to get a tag somewhere decent.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

My cousin and I are fit and in shape, mid-thirties and full of piss and vinegar, we hunted unit 66 last year and camped above 11,500 feet last year during first rifle. Perhaps we are naive but deep and high is what we enjoy. However deep and high with no elk sucks lol. We were banking on WY general tags but the point creep got us so we are trying to get a tag somewhere decent.

Send it! Love to see what you turn up.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

It is interesting that there are 110 1st rifle tags that people are willing to spend points on to get but there is an abundance of later season tags available that nobody wants.

I am guessing that the assumption that the elk dive into blow down timber and wait out the hunting seasons is why nobody wants the tags. It will be interesting now that a big portion of the unit burned how they will adapt to it. Anyone hunt a fresh burn like this before? I am guessing if there is decent regrowth then the elk will be on the edges at least.

1st rifle can catch the rut. It also has no deer hunters and no cow hunters in a lot of units. Less tags means less hunters. 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons are a zoo. I never hunt them.

 

[TOGIE]

My cousin and I are fit and in shape, mid-thirties and full of piss and vinegar, we hunted unit 66 last year and camped above 11,500 feet last year during first rifle. Perhaps we are naive but deep and high is what we enjoy. However deep and high with no elk sucks lol. We were banking on WY general tags but the point creep got us so we are trying to get a tag somewhere decent.

oh i'm not trying to dissuade you. i think the point i was poorly trying to make is the unit isn't crawling with elk, success is low, and based on where i've caught glimpses of elk and seen all the sign during my time guiding backpack trips in there chances are when you shoot one you'll be 6-10 miles into a wilderness area at 11,000-12,000 feet and your trailhead will be 8700 to 9200 feet.

so, that and the fire is probably why you can grab a tag. to me it sounds like an adventure to seek in some of my favorite mountains in colorado. id encourage it. just not one i'm trying to do alone.

 

[rick19Kilo]

I can attest to that!

View attachment 184564

Nice, that looks like you were filming a hybrid of American Ninja Warrior/Meateater! Great photo, props to the photographer.

 

[D-Mac]

There are some elk in there, but like others have said not a lot. It is thick in many places. Also I’ve seen a lot of folks back in “deep and high”. It’s a busy unit just with hikers and people recreating. I don’t mean to dissuade you but a lot of people talk about how they are willing to go further than the next. Honestly, there are a lot of folks that are willing to hike in far. Doesn’t do you any good if everyone else did it or the elk aren’t there. (And packing a bull out on your back off trail for 6+ miles sounds great until you actually try to do it) Quite a few (not all) of those elk move into a neighboring unit or the eastern part of the unit, ie private patches as the seasons continue.
All that being said, it’s a beautiful area and elk are there! Any time spent wandering in those woods will be time well spent!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

1st rifle can catch the rut. It also has no deer hunters and no cow hunters in a lot of units. Less tags means less hunters. 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons are a zoo. I never hunt them.

4th is great as well and for similar reasons. I don’t think I would hunt 2nd or 3rd unless I was trying to kill a deer and an elk and only had a week to do it.