O.K. let's say your a late 50's Non-Res. bowhunter with 7PP. looking to hunt in 2012. not a trophy hunter any bull would do. willing to hunt most of Sept. what unit would you apply for??? I need all the help I can get Thanks J.C.

I'm not an archer, so I can't help much. Don't know about that "great elk hunter", I have killed a few though.

I was stopped by the great elk hunters too. I hunt elk every year, and I never have more than 1 point. I have no clue what to do with 7 points. The units I hunt only take 1 point for either sex hunts, so you'd be wasting too many points.

You'll get help here.

Drop exbiologist a PM. He runs, or used to run, an information system on yearly elk kill, draw odds, densities, etc for various states - Colorado being one of them. You'll at least know what's available and where everyone is spending their points.

Having said that, there is good elk hunting in most of the elk units in Colorado - especially if you're after any bull. Find a good outfitter and you'll be in good shape.

From this years pref. point issue of Colorado Outdoors. (Jan/Feb, 2012) The folling units had these point requirements for drawing non resident archery. 19 of the listed units required 0 points. Anything not listed must be OTC.

unit 2, 19 points
unit 10, 18
unit 40, 5
unit 61, 15
unit 76, 9
unit 201, 20
unit 851, 10

unit 4,12, 29, 69 and 501, 1 point
unit unit 20, 3 or 4 points depending on bull or either sex,
unit 39, 49, & 67 , 2 points
unit 66, 3 points

From the same issue,you canget herd size and bull to cow ratios

Saddlesore and everyone else with input...

What would you do with 3 resident PP's?

Ive hunted all the areas marked with green dots at least once during either archery or rifle seasons over the last 42 years , many areas over and over successfully.
most of those areas hold decent elk populations IF your willing to get into hard to access canyons away from roads
but given a choice I prefer 24,25,26,35,36,44,444, as most contain areas with limited access that get less hunt pressure,
but if your after big elk try 65.66.67

I sure can't reccomend anything for sure.I burned 20 points in 2009 and now just put in for areas that require no points. I am too old to start re-aquiring points.

Go to Colorado web site, pick HUNTING then BIG GAME then select STATISTICS and then look at the at ELK preference points needed for non-resident archery. After you have found which ones meet your points, then you can start narrowing it down some. I would think any archery unit with 7 pts required would be a good unit to hunt. Remember if you pick a unit needing less points and you get picked, you lose all your points.

That is the information I posted above.

If "any bull will do" then save your points, and go into an over the counter archery unit.

Thanks guys I was sure that I would get some good reply's I'm looking at 66 for sure but if any one can point me to a otc unit I can save my points for another year.

Originally Posted By: nclonghunter
Go to Colorado web site, pick HUNTING then BIG GAME then select STATISTICS and then look at the at ELK preference points needed for non-resident archery. After you have found which ones meet your points, then you can start narrowing it down some. I would think any archery unit with 7 pts required would be a good unit to hunt. Remember if you pick a unit needing less points and you get picked, you lose all your points.


That is the information I posted above.

OOPS....Sorry

I would do what saddlesore noted, and apply for unit 66. Hunt all sides of the Alpine Plateau that is public land (Some of it is designated Wilderness).

Or I would buy a OTC tag and hunt unit 65 and gather more PP's.



Casey

If I was after any bull, I'd likely save my points and go to about any unit 340mag listed. An outfitter in any of the northern units should be able to put you on a bull - assuming you are able to hike and do what it takes to make it happen.

I'd give 40 a serious look for the archery hunt. Grand Mesa has got some good bulls. Don't know about access to BLM and Nat'l Forest but there's gotta be some. It's not to far from me, never hunted it but I have heard good things about it. For 6 pts. I think you'd draw and wouldn't be run over by OTC hunters.

Take a hard look at Unit 40 - Glade Park. The elk hunting is excellent. It is largely private land, however there are three or four patches of public ground 6 +/- square miles each (one National Forest and two or three BLM). Lots of elk on the National Forest in archery season and easy access with good camping sites.

TTT

This site makes it easier to figure out points. Point wise you are in no man's land. You ought to go OTC until you have enough points for 76 or 61, or die of old age.

http://monstermuleys.hunterstrailhead.com/huntsearch.php?ST=CO

Thanks Beanman as old as I feel the dieing of old age may come sooner than later!! I'm looking at a few OTC units but it looks like 66 may be the unit I try for. Thanks J.C.

J.C.:

I suggest that you use those preference points now, while you can. You're in no-man's land already and waiting to use your points will just make it worse. Don't get yourself into the situation where I am. I'm 64 and I have 14 preference points for elk. There are many units that can be hunted OTC and there are several units that require just a handfull of points. But there's a big gap between the units that can be drawn with just a handfull of points and the premium units that require 17 or more points. Taking "point creep" into consideration, I will probably never be able to hunt one of the premium units because by the time that I draw a tag I will be in my seventies and too old to hunt the hard places. And you will be in the same situation. That's why I recommend that you use your points now.

Take a look at unit 49. It takes just a few points to draw a tag. I've hunted there a couple of times. It has decent elk numbers and every year many representative bulls and one or two really big bulls are taken out of those mountains.

KC