Flat tops elk hunting 2nd rifle
09-10-2013, 09:32 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Flat tops elk hunting 2nd rifle
Hi guys, has anyone ever hunted the flat tops in gmu 24 in Colorado?
I'm hunting with a cow tag during the 2nd rifle season up there this year, and I'd love to hear of any tips or good areas you know of. This will be my first time hunting elk, and a friend of mine will be coming along with me to help pack it out. Our main goal: to enjoy the wilderness and hopefully see some elk. If we can bring home some meat, that would be a huge bonus. Since I may not get a chance to scout out the area, I'll need all the help I can get!
I've heard it has a lot of elk but it gets hunted pretty hard, and you have to go in pretty far to find the elk. The flat tops area is so huge though, I have no idea where to go. Any areas that I could go that would give me the best chance to get a cow? Any thoughts on a good spot to make camp, away from the hunters and closer to the elk? I don't need to find bulls, just a good spot to intercept some cows. Thanks in advance for any help you're willing to give!
I'm hunting with a cow tag during the 2nd rifle season up there this year, and I'd love to hear of any tips or good areas you know of. This will be my first time hunting elk, and a friend of mine will be coming along with me to help pack it out. Our main goal: to enjoy the wilderness and hopefully see some elk. If we can bring home some meat, that would be a huge bonus. Since I may not get a chance to scout out the area, I'll need all the help I can get!
I've heard it has a lot of elk but it gets hunted pretty hard, and you have to go in pretty far to find the elk. The flat tops area is so huge though, I have no idea where to go. Any areas that I could go that would give me the best chance to get a cow? Any thoughts on a good spot to make camp, away from the hunters and closer to the elk? I don't need to find bulls, just a good spot to intercept some cows. Thanks in advance for any help you're willing to give!
Last edited by dboone87; 09-10-2013 at 09:40 PM.
09-14-2013, 07:49 PM
#2
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: South Padre Island, Texas
Posts: 12
Good luck on finding any intel on this site. I'm hunting GMU 66 and asked pretty much the same questions you have asked and did not get a single response. I've never been to that part of Colorado but I would suggest get up around 10K feet and start glassing. Keep moving until you find them. I've been doing most of my scouting on google earth since I live 1000 miles south in Texas. Good luck.
09-17-2013, 06:38 PM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
thanks sotex for the reply...yeah, I've been using google earth as well as searching around the net for advice. I also plan on getting a good pair of binoculars. I was hoping since I only need to find a herd with cows, someone might know what it's like during 2nd rifle up there.
Either way, I'm excited for the chance to be up there in the wilderness and chase some elk!
Either way, I'm excited for the chance to be up there in the wilderness and chase some elk!
09-18-2013, 08:00 AM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 54
I am unfamiliar with the unit, but a great resource to use alongside googlemaps is the Colorado hunting atlas.
It's got some good overlays, winter and summer ranges, and migration corridors as well.
I use it and googlemaps because sometimes googlemaps has pics from a different season than the hunting atlas. For instance, the unit I spend most of my time in, google maps has winter shots, and the hunting atlas is summertime shots. Nice contrast.
This is a good thread with a lot of useful information http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/big-...ting-tips.html
I wish I could help more, Still learning myself.
It's got some good overlays, winter and summer ranges, and migration corridors as well.
I use it and googlemaps because sometimes googlemaps has pics from a different season than the hunting atlas. For instance, the unit I spend most of my time in, google maps has winter shots, and the hunting atlas is summertime shots. Nice contrast.
This is a good thread with a lot of useful information http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/big-...ting-tips.html
I wish I could help more, Still learning myself.
09-18-2013, 03:33 PM
#6
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 36
I have no personal experience up there either, but a great resource for scouting is on the Colorado Division of Wildlife website there is a link that breaks down each area and gives you general areas to look for deer and elk. I can't remember exactly what its called...but the website is pretty easy to navigate and has a lot of helpful info, such as the GMU maps that other people have already mentioned.
09-18-2013, 05:32 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: dead center of hatfield mccoy territory
Posts: 108
http://www.flashearth.com/
flash earth has higher resolution images in some places, much better quality for my area.
also, in google earth you can see archived images, look up your area "in the winter" and find trails and other areas of interest that wouldn't show in a summer time snapshot. you can find the denser mast tree areas by changing images.
a topo map helps a lot if you're in any hilly or mountainous areas. be sure to print those out, they can save you lots of unnecessary climbing, and they can set you up to nail him on the other side...
flash earth has higher resolution images in some places, much better quality for my area.
also, in google earth you can see archived images, look up your area "in the winter" and find trails and other areas of interest that wouldn't show in a summer time snapshot. you can find the denser mast tree areas by changing images.
a topo map helps a lot if you're in any hilly or mountainous areas. be sure to print those out, they can save you lots of unnecessary climbing, and they can set you up to nail him on the other side...
09-19-2013, 01:33 AM
#8
Spike
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 75
http://www.flashearth.com/
flash earth has higher resolution images in some places, much better quality for my area.
also, in google earth you can see archived images, look up your area "in the winter" and find trails and other areas of interest that wouldn't show in a summer time snapshot. you can find the denser mast tree areas by changing images.
a topo map helps a lot if you're in any hilly or mountainous areas. be sure to print those out, they can save you lots of unnecessary climbing, and they can set you up to nail him on the other side...
flash earth has higher resolution images in some places, much better quality for my area.
also, in google earth you can see archived images, look up your area "in the winter" and find trails and other areas of interest that wouldn't show in a summer time snapshot. you can find the denser mast tree areas by changing images.
a topo map helps a lot if you're in any hilly or mountainous areas. be sure to print those out, they can save you lots of unnecessary climbing, and they can set you up to nail him on the other side...
Thanks for the suggestion about Flash Earth Leo.
