I heard a rumor that Hwy 13 had to be closed recently due to tremendous numbers of animals migrating west (aka the Maybell Express). Just wanted to get a confirmation from another source close to the area or someone that had been in the area recently. We are headed that way for the 4th season. The last few years have been really slow and this rumor is encouraging news!

Thanks for any updates,

Elk Country

rumors........Ya hear that crap every year.

Well, it's a little more than a rumor. More like second hand friend of a friend kind of deal. We do hear that every year but this seems a little more credible. Just want to hear it from more than one source!

EC

More than a rumor? I have a brother-in-laws-friends-nephews-neighbors-cousin that will confirm what you want to hear.Wanna call him? dream on...

Ya know, you could call the state patrol in Craig, but I think you know what they'd tell you.....It's a frigging rumor. Think about it, how many elk east of 13? How many miles north of town to the state line? How could the state justify shutting down a hiway, not knowing when, or where the elk will cross, or how many times, when signs are already in place, and folks are made aware?

I used to Elk hunt in that country on a ranch that was along the migration route. If snows came, lots of elk, if no snow, ZERO elk, but it was a fun hunt.

Anyone here know of a pay to hunt deal in that region any more? I miss those sagebrush Elk hunts.

I used to hunt with an outfitter on the migration route in Hamilton, third season, always shot an elk on the first day except one year when it was 70 degrees, tagged out on the third day that year. The good thing about shooting an elk on the first day is it leaves the rest of the week to deer hunt!

Hey,
13 miles north of Craig at a buddy's house waiting for the season to open. We have been scouting the last 3 days, drove all the way up to 110 and 101 with no closures. Drove up Black Mountain, snow gets pretty deep up before you turn off to sawmill, turned around. Snow is 2 feet plus in areas with big drifts up to 3. Hope that helps.

Thanks jcrane. Did you see any animals during the scouting trips? Keep me posted about how your hunt goes! We will be farther west towards Maybell in area 3/301 4th season. Looking forward to a new area as we've been in 11/211 the last few years. By the way, we live rally close to each other! Send me a PM. Maybe we can meet sometime.

Elk Country

Elkcountryn

PM sent

Just getting ready to head to Steamboat Springs (Dad's 80th birthday) via Rifle, Meeker, and Craig on 13. Never heard of 13 being closed due to elk. I'll be there in about 2 hours.

Saw no live elk but did not expect to see any on public anyway. Not even on the coal company land

I just heard I70 over by Vail pass was closed because of migrating elk

That pic is nowhere NEAR Craig.....

Estes Park.............
Must be lining up for the local brewing company
trash day

When the migration gets going Highway 13 north of Craig can be a very dangerous road, especially from dusk to dawn. Even before then the deer are a real danger. I've only hit one deer on 13 (just outside of Craig) but have had to dodge many. The problem extends into Wyoming where one year my hunting buddy and I noticed that for miles there were so many carcasses of various ages in the ditch that we could always see more than one at a time. That was probably 2006 or 2007.

As to the elk, we've seen hundreds crossing 13 and have taken our share from the east side (Unit 4).

short vid of elk crossing 13 north of Craig. I can't figger out how to post it direct......

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3020926259882&set=vb.1764462206&type=2&theater

It appears that the State Patrol kept the hwy open.......

I ride that road on my Harley now and then. Even in the summer we don't ride it close to dark... too much game on it. I've been over in the truck, fall and winter, and frequently there is an electric Hwy Dept bill board warning about the elk. When I was a kid and we traveled over for football or wrestling, the bus drove ssllooowww for all the game on the road. Those were some long damn rides.
Can't say as I've ever heard of the road being closed though.

That's Testicle Park

Could be Jasper, BC as well. Last time I drove through there they were lying around on the grassy medians through town.

Yep they do close Hwy 13 near the sawmill hay fields, I think 2005-2006 talked with game warden at the base of black mountain turnoff, 1800 elk crossed there the day before, all traffic was stopped untill all elk crossed.

Below is a pic of just a few of the elk that congregate in the fields south of 18N every year, a mile or so east of Ralph White lake. We've estimated 1500-2000 a couple different years. Those fields are the first thing we check when we get in the area - if the migration is really on, the elk are there.

Safariman
Try Elkhorn Outfitters. They are just north of Craig and run a great hunt.
Phil

There's an annual elk migration north of Boise, ID that killed about 80 elk 10 years ago. Normally they cross Mores Creek at low water. However, that year work was being done upstream on Arrowrock Dam on the Boise River and they had it drained down. The water was being stored downstream behind Lucky Peak Dam and that pushed water up Mores creek to make it a back water instead of just a creek. When the elk crossed the ice, they bunched up and it broke. About 80 drowned while people watched, unable to do a thing about it.

I live in Craig and that closing 13 bullshit is just that, bullshit.

Stopping traffic to let some animals cross is not the same as closing a state highway. No different than stopping traffic for moving sheep or cattle.

Flatlander rumors.

The picture posted earlier of the elk crossing in town is not Estes Park. It is at the intersection below the dam in Evergreen.

Does anyone have GPS coordinates of where I can find an 8x8 bull next season?

Yeah, these otta get ya mighty close.

N 44� 58� 572�
W 110� 42� 098�

Oh yeah Big Buck, I believe you!

Yep, I remember watching on teeeveee news the Id. F&G shooters on the hill above shooting the drowning elk. They killed a whole bunch of them, bulls, cows, and calves. What a waste!

L.W.

And ya gotta be verrry sneaky there.

Yeah, with those coordinates you too can become a hunting superstar. Just like Don Lewis the Wildlife Serial Killer.