Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado elk migration for Craig area

Anyone know if the migration has started?

A guy who I know is doing a trespass fee hunt in Units 3/301 and the land manager told him yesterday that elk are funneling onto the property. I hunted 3/301 third season in 2010, the Mathers Ranch on the 6 or 7 Road and we had 5-6 inches of snow and it was pretty cold, we did not see one elk.

Dont know if the migration started but I hunted in GMU 4. Hunters apparently migrated there........

I've been hunting those units between Craig and Steamboat for 20 years. I have never seen so many people. I ran into people and/or people tracks 2 - 3 miles off the road/trail. I rarely ever see people or tracks that far in.

We also saw more elk on private than in previous years. This was by far the worst year I've ever had trying to find elk. I put in 38 miles in the last 4 days trying to find elk. I found very few fresh tracks, even in places I've seen/killed elk. I thought water would be the key but didnt find any shortage in areas I hunted.

Long winded way of saying the elk seemed to have migrated out of Routt NF but dont think the weather had much to do with it.

Hoping they are down on private land ready for whatever pushes them to start migrating. Also hoping snow early in 3rd Rifle is that push.