Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Co scouting run

My partner and I are going to make a little look see the last week of this month for some new territory to hunt. Visiting with some friends near Salida for a few days and then heading west to the Grand Mesa area and then down through Delta and across to Creede. IF, I can my buddy off of the way above timberline stuff . She does have a thing about getting way up there this time of year. Anybody got some recommendations for over the counter areas that might be good for rifle season. The last few trips have been in the 62/iron springs area. Looking for an area with a few less hunters maybe a few more elk; by working the dark north slopes we have been averaging about 20 percent on bulls but it would be nice to hunt an area with some better chances.
Been driving in and then walking back but we may go to horses/mules soon. My 50 plus legs just ain't what they were just a little while ago.
send me a pm if you would like.
Thanks in advance for any help.
okie

Here is a nice area easy to hunt with either sex elk available. area 371 dillon colorado. Take 1-70 to exit 201 turn right go around the statue of an elk and go west down a frontage road. At the end of the frontage rd aprx 1 mile there is eagles nest wilderness trailhead. Hike up the trail till you cross a bridge over a creek after you cross the bridge the trail cuts back around a knoll. Climb that, you can take the trail around the back and then walk out on the top or you can hike up shorter but harder. From the top you have awesome views of dillon lake, but right below are some beaver damns if you get there before light the elk will be coming back up from the meadows below. usually about a 250yd shot. Last year I had a cow tag and all I saw was 5 bulls. There is a few other spots in the area but that one is the easiest to explain and has worked best for me. There is usually snow and the tree huggers keep the trail nice and packed so the elk slide down pretty easy.

Good luck on new area I am exploring more this year myself

Ernie

My hat is off to Broncolope. Nice to see that someone would let another know how to get to a spot in an area where he could hunt elk with good chances of doing well.
I'm not to sure how many guys would do that.

I'm also an Okie and if Broncolope ever has a urge to travel to S.E. Oklahoma and hunt Eastern Turkeys I'd be happy to point him to some places where they live.

Thanks bronc. I will pull out the topo tonight and look it up. Always like to look at new country. Have you seen any good muleys in there? Unit 62 has been pretty good to us but the crowding has us going way the hell and gone back in the blow down canyons on the north slopes.
Zeke; what part of the southeast do you live in?
okie

This guy was giving us a show up the road further. If you take I-70 exit 205 and go north on hwy 9 till you get to green mountain reservior turn left before the reservior on the right there is a parking area by the river(good fishing) there is a 4wheel trail on the left. It goes back in good ways and splits off a couple of times, best off road acces to the area.

I'd bust him in a heartbeat. Way better than what I've seen. Is there generally lots of snow there during general rifle season?
As close to denver and the main hiway I would think there would be lots of hunters in that area. Looks pretty easy in the access.
okie

I don't know about the east side of that divide, but I have hunted on the west side quite a few times and the snow can get pretty deep in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th seson. Twice I have had 18" of snow in the 1st season. That is whay they put Vail there. East side might be different

BroncoLope

is that near the turnoff for UTE pass? I have heard that UTE pass is a good area but have never checked it out. tom

Okie,
Sorry I didn't keep up with the post, They usually get some snow for the 3rd and 4th rifle seasons. Most of the time it is not that bad. That area is not over pressured to bad, because the access is actually horrible. For area 371 there is only two or three roads you can drive into the rest has a lot of private property and wilderness area. but once you know the sweet spots it pays out pretty good. If you are on one of the roads you will have company. What I like to do in those areas is get above a spot that I see others pressuring early(4:30 - 5:00) before light. Then when they go in, normally around first light, they push them up to me.

Pumpgun,
The only UTE pass I know is between colorado springs and woodland park, that is no where near area 43. there may be something similar you are thinking of up in that area.

Ute Pass is covered by 59 and 511, 59 is a CWD area, but they are in there. Les

thanks for the info blope. will try to get up there next week and mosey around a little. Hope to anyway; baby tells me I have way too much looking planned for too little time.
take care ya'll