Units 23,24 and33...........

Straight Shot · 01-25-2006, 04:47 PM

Just booked my first Elk hunt! According to the outfitter we will be hunting units 23, 24, and 33 in the White River Basin NF. It is a pack in hunt, and I was wondering if anyone can lend any information about these area's. We will be hunting the first rifle season.

manboy · 01-25-2006, 08:35 PM

what state?

Straight Shot · 01-26-2006, 11:02 AM

Whoops!! Nothing like leaving out the important stuff. The hunt will be in Colorado, meeting up with the outfitter in Meeker, CO.

game4lunch · 02-01-2006, 09:10 PM

So you'll be hunting from Oct. 14th - 18th if I read the regs right.
Not from that area (N.W. Colorado - Rio Blanco and Garfield counties) but do hunt at similar elevations and terrain. I'm sure there's elk there. It will be up to your guide to put you on them. Let me say good luck!
Don't know where you are from, but let me offer some advise to the "first time elk hunter".
Bring a big enough caliber that can accurately shoot to 300 yards. You will be hunting an animal as big as a horse, seriously. Don't would him, you'll only make cayote fodder.
Maybe most important is weather. Bring warm, dry clothing. Plan on dressing in layers. It can be below freezing when you get up in the morning, and 60 degrees by early afternoon. Can snow, rain, you never know in October in the Rockies.
Be in shape. It is common to get what is called altitude sickness which will knock you on your a**. Ruins an elk hunt. It's not so much the hunting, but the bringing it out that gets you. Hunting them is fun. Shooting them just makes for work!
I'm not sure what you are asking about, but hope this helps. The terrain is probably 8000 - 10,000 feet. Pine forrests mixed with open sage and aspen parks.
You might get more terrain info at Topozone.com. Type in White River Basin NF in search and see what is there.
Again, good luck. Remember, hunters on the national average only harvest an elk once every five years!

Cougar Mag · 02-03-2006, 06:23 PM

If memory serves me right.....the Flat Tops correct? The last time I checked, unit 24 had huge harvest numbers, is a draw unit and is also in a CWD zone. I hunted units 25/26, east of 24 I believe which was over the counter. We were on a do it yourself archery hunt.

As gameforlunch mentioned altitude sickness, you might want to go to your doctor and request a prescription(forgot the name) for it. I did and never had any effects at all, and I scouted long and hard the day after we made camp. Good luck. I hope to return to Colorado on an archery hunt in '07.