We will be hunting first rifle season unit 67 ELK out of Gunnison. I am driving a Jeep Liberty diesel and towing a 5x10 Trailer. I only have room for one utility vehicle so I'm trying to decide what to bring. I have never hunted this area so I looking for some advice on which would be better for THIS AREA. We plan to use the vehicle to get from base camp to the start of our hikes in. depending on where we may shoot our animal we will use it to recover the animal as well.

2007 Yamaha Grizzly 700 FI. with winch

This is smaller and will fit on 50" or smaller trails, has a winch and is fuel injected which will not need re jetting for the altitude.

2006 Yamaha Rhino 660 no winch

Much more comfortable for two hunters but needs to be rejeted and not legal on all roads.

Thanks for any help!

John

Leave 'em home........

For elk I like something big and slow over small and fast, more frontal mass and greater weight retention when you hit them. Go with the rhino.

Which one is loudest? The louder they are, the more soothing to elk.

If I had a jeep, I wouldn't be pulling an atv...

Never dropped one where I could legally take an atv. My old 4Runner always got me to trailheads just fine as I am sure your jeep would. Good luck.

Or, when the Jeep breaks down, the ATV can tow it.

Rent a couple horses.

Most trails in colorado are ATV and Jeep so the width doesn't matter I like the UTV myself. I have a kawasaki mule 4 seater I use it for camp chores and fishing, I usually hike directly from camp. When it comes to getting the animal from the trailhead back to camp I would rather have the mule than an atv any day.

My Vote Rhino.

So, no unit specific info... but this might be of some help:

In years past, we've flown to Denver and rented a Jeep Liberty or Kia 4x4... they're tiny little things. We took them up many of the trailheads that were Jeep legal, and it was white-knuckled all the way. Thank goodness we never met another jeep coming the other direction. We usually averaged around 1 mile of trail for 20 minutes driving, so it wasn't much faster than walking, but did save the legs for the final push to the top. LOTS of scraping/banging the underside of the vehicle on rocks, and I was really nervous about it since it was a rental vehicle.

Last year, we drove from MS and towed a rhino. It was WONDERFUL!!! We were able to go at least a half mile- mile further before parking, and had plenty of room for the bows/backpacks/ etc. We had a few places where trees fell and obstructed the road and the fellows on 4 wheelers had cut them back just enough to fit through, but still too narrow for us and we had to carry a saw for those areas. Plenty of room on the back of the rhino for a quartered up elk as well!

This year, we're towing the rhino again and loading up a 4 wheeler as well in the back of the truck. That'll give us a little more manuverability/ option to hunt different areas.

Thanks for the help! Like everyone my mind is full of thoughts about the upcoming hunting season. I appreciate the humor as well as advice... pictures are always great! Got a new Leupold VX_L this weekend and went to the range...got the wall tent out and measure it for a new fly awning tarp. I really need to get off my butt and get to the gym or the only big dead meat coming out this year will be me! ...How do you post pictures?

John

Ok...I think I can post pictures...This is why i dont use my Jeep liberty hunting...It can get messy!

John, you're a good sport with the humor, it was just the way you worded the title. I could hunt with a guy that can take some teasing anytime. Sounds like you have a great setup, good luck.

Kent

cool pic!! I can see that now... not that a mess in the jeep would bother me in the least, but I was thinking along the lines of why waste the fuel to pull a trailer when what you have works fine..

I drove my 4 door Powerstroke F350 to the wilderness trailhead in CO 2 years ago down what was labled on the map a jeep trail and I"d do it again to save pulling a trailer, but some family hunting issues came up plus the wife didn't like the truck going that deep..... and her sister wants to camp with other folks where they can BS and cook real food etc....

SO I'll be right there with you, a trailer full of 4 wheelers...

Jeff

I getting over 20 mpg towing with the jeep...its a diesel...any bears near Gunnison?

Classic, very funny, I almost didn't read the sign.

Kent

Make sure your on a motor vehicle legal road otherwise ya might get a special invitation to participate in the legal system. The forest rangers have no problem writing tickets to ATV/cycle users in the NF; I've heard a lot of em' complaining about getting stopped.

bring the loudest one so you can chase the elk to me

I"m glad they are doing their job!

Or at least leave them in camp until there's actually a dead elk on the ground........

And it would be good for him to remember, the new state law says it's up to the motor vehicle operator to know if the road/trail is open to motorized vehicles........


Casey

ATV's and UTV's have there place if used right, for us guys that had to give up the horses of the past.I have A Yamaha Rhino for my ATV needs and it is not replaceable to us that don't spend thousands of dollars on a Elk Hunt.

Choose the Rhino.I have had both and the Rhino goes where most ATV's go and with common sense you won't be on the roll over list.

Jayco

Thanks...I jet re-jetted the rhino...not too hard. We are going up to the mountains on the 16th to about 7-8K feet to sight in at long distances and we will see how it runs.

Thanks John

If jeep trails the rhino. If ATV trails use the grizzly. The Rhino is wider than what is legally allowed on ATV trailin Colorado. Just to let you know atv/rhino's are a toucy subject with alot of people in Colorado. Especially during the season. I use an ATV during Archery. I drive it on trail before light and then walk where i'm hunting. At dark I walk back and ride to camp. It is very nice to cut down on how far I have to hoof an Elk out. It's nice to only have to get it to a legal trail and then ride back. I have only had one person complain to me. They were to busy truck hunting and were mad they couldn't get on the ATV trail. They didn't think it was fair..............

It is illegal in CO to drive any motorized vehicle off roads or trails to retrieve game or any other reason. I believe enforcement will be stepped up this yeare with the new regulations about signage.

Every state I have hunted has an opinion on off road vehicle use. Since there has been problems, some state don't allow any use others limit use or don't allow it at all. Last year I backed packed in a wilderness area eight miles where only hooves and feet are allowed in California. I hunted Unit 10 in Arizona with my daughter for antelope in September and also used mostly our feet. Thee year before I used my jeep cj7 in Oregon because ATVs were not allowed. In New Mexico for Oryx in Feb hunted out of a truck. This year I am hunting in unit 67 and I fully understand the selectivity of people and the rules. If this area had a huge wilderness area I would be only be asking about locations to hunt because and would leave my Atv at home. This is why i am writing for help...Atvs and off road vehicles are allowed in Unit 67 so sice I have one I will utilize it. I and many others love too hunt and want to follow the rules and ask questions so we can tread lightly. I believe we are all hunters in this forum...Everyone reading and writing in this forum need to work together to not offend other hunters and when a fellow hunter needs help on how to tread lightly we help. If I were to come across one of you in the field and you had a large animal in the bottom of a canyon I would help, just like everyone else here. I feel this forum is the same as being in the field,we are all in it together for the long haul. Since I have been on this forum I have received great information and assistants on hunting but also have been treated like I am the worst person in the outdoors because I have an Atv or I am from California. Like all of you I work my tail off to support my family...Tonight I got home late from a side job to pay for my hunt and wanted to hear some exciting help my elk hunt. I am not an A*& who wants to mess up someones state leave my trash make an unethical kill and go home. I also believe most hunters I have met are not like that and want to leave this place better for there children than it was for them. okay, sorry for the soap box but just needed to get it off my chest...Maybe I need to quit working side jobs...my sense of humor will be back in the morning.

John

If you want to tread lightly you may want to consider two wheels instead of four...Rokon. They'll go places a four wheeler can't.

I am pretty sure that ATV legal trails in Colorado have a "less than 50 inch width" requirement

You would be able to legally use both of these on standard jeep/4x4 roads, but only the Grizzly on the designated ATV roads.

Do you own one? If so, how long?

For some reason I find that pretty funny! I'm not saying you are one of 'them', but I think the opinion many have of ATVers is formed by those that don't 'Tread Lightly'.

I would just take the ATV and leave the side by side at home. It'll be easier to pull, has more trails open to it, and doesn't roll over as easy.

Or just by a new pair of boots...

I would rather have the rhino myself. It would be a lot more handy for hauling stuff in (fire wood, a hunting partner, Dead animals, etc) vs. the ATV. County roads are closed to ATV/UTV use so you�re limited to jeep trails and not all jeep trails shown on the topo maps are still open to motor vehicles. Because you�re hunting an area you�ve never seen before it�s hard to say if either one of those vehicles will be any help to you over the jeep by itself.

Unit 67 lies within portions of the Uncomphagre NF, Gunnison NF, and the Gunnison BLM District.

None of these public lands are "open" to ATV/motorized unrestricted use--I know, because I was on the citizens committee that helped develop the Uncompahgre Travel Management Plan. Motorized vehicle use of all of these areas are limited to designated roads/trails only.

Some roads trails are open to all motorized vehicles, some only to ATV's less than 50 inches, others to motorcycles only (single track).

As txhunter said, the ATV trails will not allow anything wider than 50 inches, so that may limit the Rhino.

Save the motorized vehicles for hauling the elk out, and invest in good boots--it'll get you more elk.........



Casey

Were going to bring the grizzly...It has a winch and is fuel injected and will only use it if we need it. We got the boots and packs...This picture is from eight miles back at 10k feet last year 1k above my favorite place to camp (camp9k).




Thanks for the help

In all my riding in colorado I have yet to hit a trail I could not take my mule on. And have seen nothing or been able to look up anything on 50inch requirement in colorado, if someone finds something that is not hear say please put up a link.

http://parks.state.co.us/OHVsandSnowmobiles/OHVProgram/OHVLawsRegulations/OHV+Laws.htm

http://parks.state.co.us/OHVsandSnowmobiles/OHVProgram/OHVLawsRegulations/OHV+Regulations.htm


I would still vote on the Rhino, it will still run fine just a little rich. You could bring some spare spark plugs for insurance. When it comes to hualing your packs, gear and hunting partner up the hill to where you are going to hike from it is much nicer ride.

This is the ATV that I use.

I don't like ATV's UTV's for actual hunting or getting there in the morning, As I sit High atop my rock after waking up at 4:00 am and hiking for an hour in the dead quiet. I hear the woods come alive with trucks, atv's and even horses aren't the quietest when they are hualing someone up the mountain. But for mid afternoon rides to the river to fish or get firewood or hual the kill back to camp (after it is drug to the trailhead or road of course) they have there use. I wish nobody in the woods would start a motor vehicle before 9-10am, but that will never happen, even though I am 5-10 miles away I can hear everyone crunching down the frozen trails in the early dawn. But I don't mind cause I am already high atop a hill waiting for them to push the elk up to me, and you can see the elk take notice of the noise and start to work there way back up the hill.

OH yeah larry here is my horse,


Elk Fleeing the sound of the oncoming heard of ATV's at fossil ridge in gunnison

Here is on link for a San Juan national forest that lists the 50 inch max:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan/recreation/hunting/atv.shtml

You should be able to find a similar link for all other nat. forest in Colorado

Thanks TX,
that is the first one I have seen, But to let everyone know most of the roads (trails) you take hunting are FR(Forest Roads) and you can take any motorized vehicle on most of them. But then there are some (TRAILS) TR that are only motorcycle, or ATV only or Horse only. but the majority of them are NFR.

Don't forget you need a permit for all ORVs in CO. Check with the forest service in that unit ORVs may not be legal. They are not legal on all public land.