Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Advice for Colorado elk Unit 67 first rifle 2008

Does anyone have any information on Unit 67 near Gunnison? I have a bull tag and My friend has a cow tag. I have never hunted this area before and it is my 2nd time hunting Elk. Should I show up a week early and scout or a couple days before opening day. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

I don't know anything about that particular area but any time you can show up days early and scout that dramaticly increases your chances for success. Not to menyion it gives you time to acclimate to the altitude. Good luck.

Thanks for the advise...Altitude...We are not road hunters at all but I was going to use my 2006 rhino to move from area to area. Anyone use one at 9-10k feet? Should I re-jet the carb?

Hopefully be my first successful elk hunt... How hard is it to get one out of the back country. I carried a bone out mule deer out from 7 miles back last year...it almost killed me. How do you get these big dudes out?

I was going to use my 300wsm with a 180 gr barnes bullet...

I got maps ordered...

Thanks again for any advise

John Mcdonald

Figure a mature bull is 3 time that of a deer. Try to figure out how you are going to get it out before you shoot it.
Although trials may be open to ATV use, driving them off trails to retrieve game is still illegal

Check on regs for closures to motorized vehicles. The Forest Service has maps now of differnt uses for differnt area. Due to abuse, a lot of areas have been shut down to off road use.

Depends on what season you are hunting as to what your hunting tactics will be.

Arriving early is always good. Too much scouting may drive elk out of the area you will be hunting. So do it judiciously with glasses rather than feet.

Very important to find out where other camps are, as they can effect your hunting drastically

I don't know anything about ATVs but like Saddlesore said they may not be legal in the area and at any rate should be left on the road. As far as getting the animal out goes I figure that one I have it down I've got all the time in the world, relatively speaking. If I have to make multiple trips then that's what I do. Your 300 WSM and 180gr Barnes are just fine for elk. Getting there arely will let you cose the best campsite as most people show up the day before season starts. Good luck.

There's horses everywhere in that country. I used to go to the nearest ranch, rent their horse and trailer for a few hours. I traveled with my own saddle panniers. Just be sure to hide your california license plate.

Thanks for all the information...looking at a map of the area There seems to be forest roads throughout the area... As long as I dont go into the wilderness area I should be within a few miles of a road which I could legally get my Atv on.

(watch4bear) Your not kidding about the license plate...last time I went hunting and showed up with my yellow vw convertible with my greenpeace sticker on the back and my sweater tied around my neck I got abused by the local folk. Since then I learned to keep that sweater at home!

Thanks John

What Season, first rifle elk or first combined?

Trophy Hunting?

What sort of camping are you doing?

How much hiking do you plan to do?

How far from the road do you want to be?

Do you own a freighter pack?

I can offer some suggestions after knowing some of these answers...

SUPERCREWD We are very hard hunters!!! This is my second elk hunt(never shot one) so I just want a decent animal. I have a wall tent with stove but will also have my backcounty backpack setup for going in deep if we need to.

I have two large hunting internal frame backpacks but no freighter pack.

We will be in on the first rifle elk only season October 11-15. Are the elk still bugling? I hope so I had a close encounter in 96 out of Durango that I cant get out of my head.

Thanks John

I think the calling will depend on the weather. More than likely a cow call will work better but I find the weather a big factor in if they talk or not. I will pour over a few maps and PM some map coordinates. It sounds like you are well outfitted. Just plan on several pack trips should you be successful...

I am afraid I may be quoting Jim Zumbo regarding elk... "they are everywhere, they are nowhere..."

A panorama from where we cut wood today. You have to cross about 10 miles of BLM to get there but it should be worth it. In the center is Sawtooth Mountain. There is road access thruout the BLM but that of course is not where the elk are. Not too many bad areas there. It is a Trophy unit so I might advise waiting for the spikes to pass...

I PM's the GPS of where the photo was taken, just a bit more south and east to that area... I was a 9368 feet, a few more feet to climb...

Wow!!This site is great! I want some information and I got pictures. I got my maps so I marked the area and was looking also up by the Continental Divide, near La Garita Wilderness. I talked to my buddy and hes not sure if he can get up there til opening day and he still looking for a cow landowner tag. I got my Bull tag so I will be up the week before to scout the area(sit and watch). Any good fishing??


Thanks John

It will take some eyes on to figure out where you want to be. Largely if you can leave the beaten path you will do well. 1st elk season is fairly limited in hunter numbers if I remember correctly.

River or reservoir? The river should be low enough by then. With the record snow and high water this fall should be phenominal river fishing. Rumor the new state record Kokanee was taken this spring. Something like 52 pounds...

Congrats on your tag, it's a pretty good one. How many points did you burn?

First off, you WILL need to rejet your rhino for the altitude. I can talk to my buddy who's going out there with me for archery opener. He's got a rhino we took last year. They are invaluable, but can technically be illegal on many ATV trails (50" width maximum on ATV only trails, IIRC). Up to you if you want to take the chance. Also don't forget to get a Colorado OHV sticker for your ride to be legal (Again, IIRC, around $25 last year). Our rhino saved us about a 1.5 mile pack out with a big cow last year.

Google earth can be another invaluable tool for scouting. You can really find areas that look 'elky', then figure out where to park and walk in from. Don't forget the easy to get to, obvious, areas... you may be able to post up on the escape routes and allow other hunters to push the elk to you early in the week, then hunt the hard to get to areas later in the week. The week of scouting prior should put you into the bulls opening day.

Post on and search the forums on monstermuleys... those guys are big-time serious about their deer and elk hunting. You'll pick up some more tips there.

Supercrewd...

How bad was the deer winter kill?

I put in for tags in five states and drew nothing. I forked out some bucks for a Landowner voucher...Ive been all over google earth and I ordered some maps which i got earlier this week...My friend has a 700 fuel injected grizzly which might get us in to some of the 50" wide areas and should run better in the altitude. Do you think it would be better than the rhino there? Did not know about the Colorado OHV sticker...

Thanks John

DOW is estimating 30% but really has no clue as to the big bucks. Rumor has it that they were caught up high when the snow hit (also just after the rut) and took a big hit (rancher types not ranger types). I of course drew a tag this year so I am anticipating numbers to be way down at least where I am hunting.

Hmmm.. I guess we won't know till the season rolls around and the big boys start coming out of the woodwork.

I chickened out on the deer tag. Dang winter anyway, just hope we don't get another bad one this year.

Well today I found a unit 67 elk cow land owner voucher for my friend so now were set. One bull tag and one cow tag! Now its about getting in some sort of hiking shape, shooting and getting our gear together.

Thanks for all the help

John