Landlover

I have an opportunity to hunt on a 4600 acre ranch close to Granby Co. It is in unit 28. Has anyone hunted this area or know anything about it?

24/7 hunter

A guy I know hunts just out of granby. he got a 6x6 last year with a bow on the national forest. he says it is really rugged country. that is all I know

txhunter58

Could be very good depending on the terrain of the ranch. It is also a CWD area, so you may want to have you animal tested.

GooseHunter Jr.

Never hunted there but have been four wheeling up there years ago and it looks like good country, but like said before it has some rugged spots!!

Howler

I've bow hunted that area the last 4 years. There's plenty of elk around there, also quite a few moose. One of my friends that I hunt with there, has a step son that shot his first elk last year and it tested postive for CWD, as was already said, the area is known for having some animals infected by CWD. So, if you're successful, I'd suggest having the test run to check for CWD.
I'd think you'd be in elk on private property. The forest area that we hunt is just above private property, and as soon as muzzleloaders start banging away, the elk move down in a hurry!!

Landlover

I am pretty dumb to the whole CWD thing. All I know is that we tested a lot of our deer for it in Mo and none had it. I would guess that you can't eat any of the meat. That would be a shame. This might be enough to make me shy away from that property. I guess I need to do a little more investigating.

I just applied for preference points, so I will be able to get a muzzleloading tag three years from now. Will I have a big advantage with a muzzleloader over a bow? I had planned on archery hunting this ranch next year (2007) and muzzleloading the following year. I shoot a lot of 3d and shoot my bow all year. I feel really confident with my shooting skills out to 40 yards, if the animal is ranged.

Thanks for all of the info guys.

Howler

There has been no evidence found that eating the meat ofan animal that is tested postive for CWD, will cause humans any harm. There are a few precautionary steps to take, when handling the animal during field dressing choirs. It is suggested to avoid cutting through spinal cord and also suggest to avoid contact with the brain with your cutting tools.
My friend who's step son killed the infected animal, had the meat processed, before the test results were returned to him. He has chosen not to eat the meat. The state of CO. issued him a check that covered the cost of the CWD test and also about $280 dollars, which was to compensate for processing cost. Until now, I wasn't aware that the state paid anything toward covering processing costs of a CWD postive animal, but apparently, they do.
I, on the other hand, will have animals tested and will probably choose to eat the meat, even with a positive CWD result found.
Depending on the weather at the time you're hunting that area, depends on how much the elk will be bugling. Usually, they are really cranked up about the same time muzzleloader season starts. SO yes, this along with the added range of a black powder, you'll have an advantage!

Landlover

It looks like I need to archery hunt during the muzzleloading season in 07. I looked up some info on CWD and it was pretty interesting. I don't think it would stop me from hunting the area, but it would be pretty disappointing. Does the Colorado DOW refund your tag money or just your processing fee? It seems as if they would need to compensate you somehow, because that would really suck.

What area do you hunt Howler? The rancher said that his ranch bordered public land. Also, about how high are the elk during muzzleloading season? The rancher said that his farm is between 8 and 10K ft.

Howler

I thought, until my friend told me about his story, that the only expense that the state covered was for the cost of the test, and only then if the test was postive. My friend didn't tell me a break down of money they returned to him, just that they paid for the test plus about $280!
We hunt around 8500 upto 10,000'. As long as the ranch that you'll be hunting has water, cover, and good source of food for elk, you should see elk! I hunt just out of Frasier, usually east. This year we will be hunting west and a little north of Frasier. We got access across some private this year to a new area!
The area has descent bulls. Two of my friends have taken 6X6's in the last two years, with archery. One of my friends killed a 360" with muzzleloader 3 years ago. I have yet to kill an elk in that area! Some close calls, just not gotten to release an arrow yet. Maybe this year!!
With access to private property in the area, you really can't go wrong. Even if they aren't there, there's a lot of public ground in the area that holds elk! And depending on where the ranch is located, they may not be there one day, but be all over the place the next day. If pressure above the ranch pushes them down, and it happens every year!!