Next year three of us are planning on going elk hunting. We want to do a self-guided archery hunt. We are all in good shape and would like to get away from the heavily hunted areas. Is the archery season nearly as crowded as rifle season? Is mid September the best time to go?None of us have ever seen an elk so trophy caliber bulls are not of main concern.I have gone over the Colorado units and have a couple ideas but nothing set in stone. Any help choosing a unit for an unlimited license or specific site within a unit would be greatly appreciated.

You're on the right track. The archery seasons aren't nearly as crowded, in most places, as rifle seasons can be. I would recommend coming the week before the muzzle loader season begins. It's usually a bit cooler then and seems like rutting is really slow the first week or two anyways.
Narrow your choices down to two or three and then call and talk to the local CDOW officer for those areas and have him/her help you make your descission, they may be able to point you in the right direction for less hunting pressure and more elk anyways!
Good Luck!

I did a self guided hunt a few years back in the San Juan National Forest. It was a rifle hunt but one thing I learned is, you got to get back in away from the roads. You will see more sign and have better chances getting back away from the crowds.

Archery season is the best time of year to be in Colorado............Best advice is start getting in shape NOW!!!! You can always find a place to hunt, but getting in shape is the most important!