Need help with elk license draw colorado
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 24
Need help with elk license draw colorado
Hey guys need a little help with options on drawing for an elk license. I have been working on this for like 2 weeks now and have not really gotten anywhere. I am putting in for a preference point at my first choice and then I was going to put 501 ef as my 2nd choice but after calling a hunt planner he said that they don't ever go to 2nd choice for that unit. So now I'm back to square one.
I was trying to get away from otc areas but it looks like that is where I will have to go. I ordered the outdoors magazine with the preference points and info for areas to read over. I hope that will guide me.
I was wondering if any of you guys have some opinions or thoughts on this matter. I am looking for an area that has some wilderness and not a lot of atv traffic and roads. I am a hiking hunter, I am normally out all day wandering around trying to find game. I would like it to be close to the front range so I can go do some scouting. Last year I hunted close to buford and that was a 6 hour drive. Just to far for a weekend to scout. It was hard to get away from roads and atvs.
Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post. Just trying to get this all wrapped up before the draw is due.
I was trying to get away from otc areas but it looks like that is where I will have to go. I ordered the outdoors magazine with the preference points and info for areas to read over. I hope that will guide me.
I was wondering if any of you guys have some opinions or thoughts on this matter. I am looking for an area that has some wilderness and not a lot of atv traffic and roads. I am a hiking hunter, I am normally out all day wandering around trying to find game. I would like it to be close to the front range so I can go do some scouting. Last year I hunted close to buford and that was a 6 hour drive. Just to far for a weekend to scout. It was hard to get away from roads and atvs.
Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post. Just trying to get this all wrapped up before the draw is due.
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rifle, Colorado
Posts: 2,012
close to the front range and not too many people or atv's. That is a tall order my friend. The thing you do have on your side is your willing to hike. If you are a mile from a road, the amount of people you will see is dramatically reduced no matter where you are. Biggest issue is finding areas that don't have roads littering them.
Just because a area is over the counter, doesn't mean it's not as good of a elk area. I wouldn't limit yourself that way.
Stats drawing a elk tag are on the DOW website here, they are easy to read. If you need any help, shoot me a PM
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hun...kDrawRecap.pdf
Within a few hours of Denver you have a handful of wilderness areas that is are no motors. Lost Creek, Rawah, Indian Peaks, Never Summer - and some smaller ones I've never backpacked in. It's more of getting out a map and picking a spot. They all have elk
Just because a area is over the counter, doesn't mean it's not as good of a elk area. I wouldn't limit yourself that way.
Stats drawing a elk tag are on the DOW website here, they are easy to read. If you need any help, shoot me a PM
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hun...kDrawRecap.pdf
Within a few hours of Denver you have a handful of wilderness areas that is are no motors. Lost Creek, Rawah, Indian Peaks, Never Summer - and some smaller ones I've never backpacked in. It's more of getting out a map and picking a spot. They all have elk
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
Plenty of room to roam and get away from people on the western side of Berthoud Pass and also Quanella Pass, both of which are 2 hrs from the front range. You didn't say where in CO you are. Both the ones I listed are about midway on a North South basis but if you are south of the Springs or around Ft Collins they would be farther.
I've taken some good bulls behind Granby Res in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area which allows no motorized traffic and butts up against RMNP.
I've taken some good bulls behind Granby Res in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area which allows no motorized traffic and butts up against RMNP.
#4
If I was you i'd pick a unit that has at least a 50% chance of getting a tag with no points as a 1st pick. It's better than just putting in for a point.
For a 2nd pick you have two choices. Find a unit you can get a cow tag as a 2nd pick. If that doesn't appeal to you and you only want to hunt for a bull. Get an OTC tag for a bull.
It's always better to hunt for elk than sit home looking at a point.
Crowds are not always as bad as some make it out to be. Sometimes those crowds will drive an elk right into you. You just need to know where to wait for that to happen. Look at how many elk are taken in OTC units. Hunters are getting elk. It could be you too.
For a 2nd pick you have two choices. Find a unit you can get a cow tag as a 2nd pick. If that doesn't appeal to you and you only want to hunt for a bull. Get an OTC tag for a bull.
It's always better to hunt for elk than sit home looking at a point.
Crowds are not always as bad as some make it out to be. Sometimes those crowds will drive an elk right into you. You just need to know where to wait for that to happen. Look at how many elk are taken in OTC units. Hunters are getting elk. It could be you too.
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 24
close to the front range and not too many people or atv's. That is a tall order my friend. The thing you do have on your side is your willing to hike. If you are a mile from a road, the amount of people you will see is dramatically reduced no matter where you are. Biggest issue is finding areas that don't have roads littering them.
Just because a area is over the counter, doesn't mean it's not as good of a elk area. I wouldn't limit yourself that way.
Stats drawing a elk tag are on the DOW website here, they are easy to read. If you need any help, shoot me a PM
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hun...kDrawRecap.pdf
Within a few hours of Denver you have a handful of wilderness areas that is are no motors. Lost Creek, Rawah, Indian Peaks, Never Summer - and some smaller ones I've never backpacked in. It's more of getting out a map and picking a spot. They all have elk
Just because a area is over the counter, doesn't mean it's not as good of a elk area. I wouldn't limit yourself that way.
Stats drawing a elk tag are on the DOW website here, they are easy to read. If you need any help, shoot me a PM
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hun...kDrawRecap.pdf
Within a few hours of Denver you have a handful of wilderness areas that is are no motors. Lost Creek, Rawah, Indian Peaks, Never Summer - and some smaller ones I've never backpacked in. It's more of getting out a map and picking a spot. They all have elk
#6
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 24
Plenty of room to roam and get away from people on the western side of Berthoud Pass and also Quanella Pass, both of which are 2 hrs from the front range. You didn't say where in CO you are. Both the ones I listed are about midway on a North South basis but if you are south of the Springs or around Ft Collins they would be farther.
I've taken some good bulls behind Granby Res in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area which allows no motorized traffic and butts up against RMNP.
I've taken some good bulls behind Granby Res in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area which allows no motorized traffic and butts up against RMNP.
#7
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 24
If I was you i'd pick a unit that has at least a 50% chance of getting a tag with no points as a 1st pick. It's better than just putting in for a point.
For a 2nd pick you have two choices. Find a unit you can get a cow tag as a 2nd pick. If that doesn't appeal to you and you only want to hunt for a bull. Get an OTC tag for a bull.
It's always better to hunt for elk than sit home looking at a point.
Crowds are not always as bad as some make it out to be. Sometimes those crowds will drive an elk right into you. You just need to know where to wait for that to happen. Look at how many elk are taken in OTC units. Hunters are getting elk. It could be you too.
For a 2nd pick you have two choices. Find a unit you can get a cow tag as a 2nd pick. If that doesn't appeal to you and you only want to hunt for a bull. Get an OTC tag for a bull.
It's always better to hunt for elk than sit home looking at a point.
Crowds are not always as bad as some make it out to be. Sometimes those crowds will drive an elk right into you. You just need to know where to wait for that to happen. Look at how many elk are taken in OTC units. Hunters are getting elk. It could be you too.
Thanks everyone for the replies and help.
#8
I'm saying it's always better to hunt than just put in for a point. I've never put in for a point. If I get one it will be because I failed at my 1st pick. Give yourself a chance to get a 1st pick. Even if it's low odds. You might get lucky.
Just putting in for a point is what a NR would do.
Just putting in for a point is what a NR would do.
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
Not necessarily. A lot of my family (all residents) and friends (all residents) put in for points as first choice because we know we can draw tags as a second choice so we get the best of both worlds. Some of the places I hunt always have leftover tags and those are basically bonus tags. Many times, such as last year I got a point, my second choice tag and a leftover tag. This allows us to build points for the special tags and still fill the freezer.
Additionally I built up a lot of my points when the Navy kept me deployed. I knew I couldn't hunt so i stockpiled points. Right now I can pull nearly any deer, bear or elk tag in the state and am at max weighted points for moose and sheep. I've drawn the goat and the pronghorn so I'm back to building those up.
Additionally I built up a lot of my points when the Navy kept me deployed. I knew I couldn't hunt so i stockpiled points. Right now I can pull nearly any deer, bear or elk tag in the state and am at max weighted points for moose and sheep. I've drawn the goat and the pronghorn so I'm back to building those up.
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rifle, Colorado
Posts: 2,012
I think I'm confusing myself more then anything. I have been looking at those stat pages and have gone back a few years also. Seems like I find a good area on the recap but then look at the success of the area and it is like 8%. I have camped in a lot of those areas and like them just not sure on the elk population. Then I look at the stats and they are low for that area.
I used to camp in 1 of 2 "camping" spots on forest service where alot of camps were. There were whole groups that after opening morning I would never see them leave camp. They were there when I left in the morning, and when I came home at dark. If I came back mid day, they were there. Funny thing, they never saw elk and swore there were no elk around.