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My first trip to Colorado Unit 12 is upcoming for 3rd rifle.

I've heard that the private lands in this unit is not well marked. Is that correct; and if so how are they best avoided? Map available?

Also, has anyone been in Unit 12 yet this season? Any bulls moving? Will there be bugling during 3 rifle or with that action be over?

Can't sleep at night and I'm still 2 weeks out! Can't wait!

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Landowners are not required to mark private lands, you are instead required to know where you are hunting. In my experience in that unit, I don't remember any land that borders FS or BLM being marked well at all. Often just along the highways and county roads.

Use a map with UTM markings and map the private boundaries ahead of time. Then learn to plot your position on that map.


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HuntingGPSmaps.com

Better hurry

Last edited by HatchieDawg; 10/23/11.
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Get BLM maps. By 3rd rifle the bugling is pretty much over. Public places to hunt in third rifle would be Wilson Mesa but long hard walk or horses required. Indian Run SWA may be good. Morapos STL with some associated BLM can be good but it is a "beeeech" to climb into and back out. Only access is a small bit of nearly vertical land at one corner next to the road. Iles Grove STL depends on the elk migration and will not likely have elk unless there is a lot of snow in the high country and the migration is on. Hasn't happened until the end of the 4th season the last few years. One other access point is Yellow Jacket pass. There is a narrow strip of BLM land that gives you access to the NF. Good luck.

PS Is your tag good only in 12?

Last edited by Prwlr; 10/24/11.

Ed

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I will be hunting there in two days and have researched this very question. Cabela's Recon Hunt for $3 and Public Lands Layer for $10/year will do it in real time on an iPhone. I suggest caching maps in advance as cell coverage will be poor many times there.
In addition, there is a Google Earth KML file that has all of the Colorado public land boundaries in it. I absolutely love that one, it is so useful to plan and "computer scout" before the trip.
The site is http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/comap/google_earth.html but there is no current KML. I still have v.7 which appears accurate in all places relevant to me so far.
P.S. I was there scouting during the archery season and heard 4 bulls from the top of the ridge at Jensen SWA. Did not see any but I spent all of 2 hours on site. A friend tells me that their success rate on first rifle season was 75%.

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I looked a bit more and still could not find a new KML overlay. The updated v.9 was only released on 10/18 and they must be a bit behind on the KML version.
However, do not forget to look at the NREL interactive maps such as this one; these are linked from the CO DOW web site.
Good hunting!
-P

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Well, I just came back from Unit 12. Went there on Wednesday, second half of the 2nd rifle season. It snowed just one day prior, and I was very hopeful the elk would start moving. They only started moving on the second day, and I shot a nice fat cow on the Northwest side of Jensen SWA. So, good luck! It can be done, the elk are there.

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Morapos Creek trail head can be a bitch in 3rd season. Plus it is a zoo with trucks ,trails and such.

Wilson Mesa is indeed a long trek, and bulls have long since quit bugling.

I'd try the Indian Run SWA as it is lower and you can get to it easier and the get a little higher on foot.Just watch the mud

There isn't much snow and it is going fast, although more is expected tonight, but I don't know how much in the Craig area.

Jeanne Horn has her poperty marked ( J-Bar-H otfitters), but it is not required for land owners to post thier land in CO. It is up to the hunter to figure out the boundaries.


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