Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting CO 19

I have been offered a chance to hunt during the last week of Oct. Anyone know about the area and the animals? Just wondering

Thanks

I've hunted it, but that was before I knew better. It runs about 2 elk per square mile, while the rest of western Colorado is over 4 elk per square mile. And if you remember that the average group size is closer to six elk, you're looking at a small herd every 3 miles or so. Not good.
But there are some decent bulls, and a decent amount of wilderness. But unit 19 is no special treat in the grand scheme of Colorado elk hunting.

I say to move on. I live in and have hunted unit 19 my entire life but the DOW has reduced the herd size to the point that I don't hunt it any longer. You will waste your time, money and the soles on your shoes hunting it for the next several years - it is dead. I wouldn't even say there are descent bulls in the unit now. Nothing is good there and it is a real disapointment for my family to see what has happened to the elk herd the past 5-7 years.

How are the deer in this unit?

Almost as bad as the elk

The deer have been gone since the mid-80's. When I was a kid the unit was full of deer and the elk were hard to find. That switched in the 80's and as the elk population exploded the deer disappeared. Now the moose seem to be everywhere......

There is a reason there are 272 leftover Bull tags...

It is too bad you can't come back for several years in a row. You can put in for a preference point AND get a bull tag for the 19. If you can find bulls in the 19, you can find them anywhere. Watch out for the moose...