Hi All,

I will be doing a drop camp elk hunt the first rifle season (October 11-18) in Colorado's Unit 12. What are the chances of also doing some productivegrouse hunting from my drop camp after I have bagged an elk?

Unit 12 is in the northwest quandrant of Colorado, near Meeker, and is in the White River National Forest. My drop camp will be at 8500', and the local ridges go up to about 9000.' The terrain is ridges and gulches, with a mix of aspen groves, conifer stands and open meadows. I will be at camp for a total of7 days.

Should I bring my shotgun so that ifI bag an elk early in theweek I can spendsome of my "free" time walking up some grouse for the cook pot? I will be traveling to Colorado from Virginia andwould hate to schlep a shotgun all that way without a real chance to use it, butI would also hate to pass up some fair to good grouse hunting.

Thanks.

--twofer