I hope to hunt the Colorado second rifle season (started about October 23 in 2004 and runs about a week) in unit 75 NE of Durango either this year or 2006, specifically in the Weminuche Wilderness arrea. This will be a cow rifle hunt. I have collected some information which has led me to focus on hunting three specfic drainages or canyons. My sources suggest that, baring an early heavy snow, the elk will be around tree line in this area. If the elk have been pressured, they are liable ot be in the dark timber. Tree line in this area is about 12,000'. I'll be camping around 11,500'. I see on the 7.5' quadrangle maps that the trees seem to be located on the slopes angling down to the creek draining the canyons and on the ridges, but right around the creeks there seem to be no trees.

I am a first time elk hunter. My idea is generally to go up a canyon a good ways, until I top out above tree line, cross over the ridge into the adjoining canyon and generally go down that canyon, returning to the point I started from. I'm guessing I want to remain out of sight up in the trees as I am moving and not walk in the open along the creek itself. Having covered half of two canyons in this way in a day, I would cross over and repeat the same approach for the next canyon (day 1: west slope of canyon B, east slope of canyon A; day2: west slope of canyon C, east slope of canyon B; day 3: west clope of canyon D, east slope of canyon C). It would appear that one of these day trips would cover maybe 5 miles with an elevation gain of about 600 feet to top out at tree line. I view this as principally scouting with the provision that when my scouting reveals elk, then the scouting transitions to hunting.

What should my procedure be? All I can think of is to watch for elk sign -- tracks and elk poop as I walk. Also, that I glass for elk in openings as openings reveal themselves, particularly at first and last light. I would also examine ponds or lakes away from the creek to see if elk are going to that water to drink, perhaps contemplating a late afternoon ambush. I plan to be prepared to bivouac out overnight if I spot elk and a stalk is enabled by staying out.

I am well aware of the physical conditioning requirements, equipment requirements, rifle requirements, meat packing difficulties and prefer that responses focus on the actual hunting techniques, finding the elk techniques. I've backpacked in this area before and at and above these altitudes.

Good post, you got my blood up a little. I live in MT, but spent 12 days backpacking through the Weminuche in July '93. I rode in on the Silverton train, and wondered all through that country. I climbed into every little off the trail basin I could find, and saw lots of elk.

I would say have quality binoculars for sure. Also, I would say a good morning plan is to actually be clear up at the edge of timberline already at the first crack of daylight. That may involve a good headlamp and and alarm clock set for 3 AM, but I imagine those elk are going to be diving into the timber early once they figure out a hunting season is on. Just my thoughts.

I grew up in Alamosa and hunting the San Juans and all that country. It is good to be up high for sure early. If it were me I would find a nice ridge line that I can spot the sides of the mountain as well as down in the canyons. If there is snow on the ground I would not worry about getting super high. Since it is a cow tag they are going to start bunching up and moving down the mountain a little for the winter. If you had a bull tag I would suggest getting up as high as you can. I had a cow tag once for the second season in unit 76 and thought I woul work my but off. Took all morning to get way up high. Realized there were about 20 cows in the bottom just up the draw from where we parked. I would really get where you can spot the side of the mountain, and just spot and stalk. Hope that helps.

Dirt2:

I rode the Durango/Silverton train from Durango up to the Elk Creek siding, backpacked up Elk Creek, over Hunchback Pass, down the Vallecito Creek, up Johnson Creek, and then down Needle Creek to catch the train back down to Durango. It was a 7 day trip of about 35 miles. Wonderful. Beautiful country. My trip was in late August 1985.

Thanks for your advice.

If they get in the black timber the only think I know to do is go in after 'em. Look all around both at full height and down in a squat, each time you pause. When movin' along always take an odd number of steps, and not in the cadence of a two legged critter. Head into the wind and you might just walk up on 'em. You are gonna be shootin' at the north end of south bound elk, so try to get an angle where you can hit the offside shoulder.

I hiked up into Chicago Basin, then over into the next major drainage to the east. I don't have my maps handy, but saw lots of elk everywhere but around Chicago Basin (too many people there). Saw a bear, saw a several coyotes (including one pair hounding a muley doe trying to find her fawn), and had a camp-raiding porcupine!

I think Chicago Basin is the area that the needle creek drains. There are several 14 k peaks accessible from there. If you follow the trail up through Chicago Basin it crosses a pass (Columbine Pass?) at about 12,850' and over into the Columbine Basin, the area drained by Johnson Creek. You may well have gone in the way I came out. You are right about Chicago Basin having a lot of people. We didn't see any elk, but we weren't looking. I have only recently -- fall 2002 -- gotten into hunting. It is amazing how much game you can see when you start looking for it. I see pronghorn antelope all the time when I drive to Taos, NM, now. I have driven this road many times before, but never saw a pronghorn until I started looking for them. Ditto with seeing deer off the sides of the road in various parts of the country.

Good to know there are plenty of elk up there. I'm not looking for a whooper 7x7 bull elk, just a decent cow elk!!! I figured this was the best way to get a toe hold into the elk hunting game. The license is half the cost of the bull license. The odds of scoring are higher. I have no place in my home (8' high ceilings mostly) to mount an elk head, so what do I get with a bull, tougher meat and a rack I can't display? If I fail, I'm out less money (and I read various success rates, mostly in the 20% range, for elk hunters).