New Member
 

Hello all!! I have been a Colorado native all my life. I love the mountains, fishing, camping and hunting. In just the last few years have been very adamant about elk hunting. I have been going second season rifle unit 15 with no luck. Last year was the worst yet never saw one thing besides a big ass moose. I hike about 5 to 8 miles a day and saw nothing last year. The stats came out and I know why now there weren't any elk there. The success was 4%, not very good for that area. I decided to put in the draw for unit 55 for a cow and buck and will get an over the counter bull. So on to a new year. Looks like this site has a lot of information and helpful people.
I hope to talk to many people on here.
Thanks
Cliff

Welcome to the forum

Welcome aboard. I've hunted 15 for 20 years and last year was the last! Gonna see what left overs offer.
Dan

If you put in for a cow in the draw. That's an A tag. You won't be able to get an OTC bull tag. You can't have more than one A tag per species.

How many deer points do you have? You'll need some to get the buck tag.

Thanks for the welcomes.
I did not know that you can't get an otc bull with an A list elk. I never really understood those tables. But I just re-read that and now I see. Dang. Hmmmm I always like having the option of being able to harvest both. Now what do I do? And no I don't have any preference points for a buck tag. Did I really mess this draw up?

If you put in for a buck with no points you won't get it in unit 55.

If you put in for a cow tag in 55 you'll get that easily. That will be your hunt this year. Enjoy it.

All the information you need is on the web site, but if you're having a hard time figuring it out. Just call them up, and talk to a hunt planner. It's their job to help you out.


btw If you'd rather hunt for a bull than a cow in 55. You can do it by giving up your cow tag after you get it for a refund. Then you can buy an OTC tag which will be for a bull. I have to warn you that 55 for OTC rifle seasons are very crowded. You'll have the same problem with the cow tag too. Lots of hunters and ATV's. With the OTC bull tag you'll have the option to go to other OTC units. With the cow tag you'll be stuck hunting 55 only.

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Muley - thank you so much for your input, I really appreciate it. I was thinking about turning in the cow tag and getting the OTC bull but I'm not sure yet what to do.
I'm having a hard time with elk hunting in general. I have not harvested an elk yet, I have gotten plenty of deer just no elk. I have been hunting them for 10 years now but only in the last 4 years been hard hunting them. Before it was just messing around, driving around nothing to really find elk. But now I hike and scout as much as I can to get away from the crowds. I did see a cow two years ago but had a bull tag, dang it. My goal now is to harvest an elk and get some meat!! Like I said in my first post I hunt on foot, hike around all day to find something. Most of the time I don't run into to many hunters. Unit 15 had more hunters in last year then unit 55 and I didn't seem to see to many hunters.
So now I need to decide if the cow elk will work for that area. I have only been up there once so I need to do a lot of scouting this summer if I decide to stay in unit 55.
So what do you suggest Muley, seems like you know what you are talking about.
Suggestions for the area, what to do, where to go??? Jeez

Your chances would be better for a cow in 55. I would keep that tag. They'll be herded up by rifle season, so you're not looking for a single animal.

I can't give you any specific areas in 55, because I don't hunt OTC units. I live and hunt in 481 right next to 55. During the day the elk will be bedding down in the timber. It's my style to go in after them with still hunting. I don't recommend it unless you have some experience in that style of hunting.

You need to catch them feeding, or going back and forth from the feeding and bedding areas. This will be at first and last light. The problem with finding where they are by scouting is it all changes once the elk are pressured by hunters. Do your best to be up high before daylight, and see if you can find them feeding in meadows. Then try to sneak up close enough for a shot. (spot and stalk)

Elk hunting is never easy, but a DIY hunt on an OTC public land unit is even harder.

We were looking at going to 481 first because we liked the lack of driving traffic but found out you need preference points for that area. So how do you always hunt that area? If you need preference points for an area wouldn't you run out of them sooner or later? Do you only hunt every other year or something?

So what do you think about me turning in the cow tag for a preference point for next year and getting an either sex OTC tag for unit 54? Is that a good idea or should I just keep the cow tag? Well that is if I draw it in that area.
Why is unit 54 the only either sex unit in Colorado OTC?
I probably should have done this research about 3 months ago.
Thanks for the info again.

I take a cow as a 2nd pick if I don't get a bull tag. I hut every year.

You need to decide what you want to hunt. Nothing wrong with a cow.