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Estes park "?'s" #3314915 09/18/09
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC WyoWhisper OP Campfire Regular
OP WyoWhisper Campfire Regular Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC	We seeing as I just moved in this area. I have a few questions. I want to take my youngest boy (3.5 yrs) into the park this weekend and show him some Elk. Any info on what areas to venture into once in the park would be great. I'll post some pics when I return. I sorta pic up the amateur photo bug thing and have been playing with a D90 for a few months. Thanks Guys!

GB1

Re: Estes park "?'s" WyoWhisper #3315094 09/18/09
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA S saddlesore Campfire Ranger
saddlesore Campfire Ranger S Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA	Horseshoe Meadow, just up the road from the entrance.It's the first big meadow. Take the side road of the old Fall River Raod past the outhouses,sometimes the elk move up there along the stream If no elk there,continue on up the hill on the main road to the T.Turn left and go down to Beaver Meadows.Last year all the elk were down there. You can either go up towards the stables and then turn left before the camp ground ,or continue along the road and turn right on the road that takes you along the south side of the meadows near the private cabins. You need to be there a little before day break ( If you go early enough ,you can get there before they start collecting entrance fees) If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3315133 09/18/09
Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 5,764 Likes: 2 North Carolina C colodog Campfire Tracker
colodog Campfire Tracker C Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 5,764 Likes: 2 North Carolina	Saddlesore's got it! Go early, the sea of curious tourists tend to show up later in the park and evening seems to be 100 elk and 1000 tourists. Don't take your elk call though, they will ticket you for harassing the animals ,although it was fun 40 years ago. "Camping places fix themselves in your mind as if you had spent long periods of your life in them. You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend." Isak Dinesen

Re: Estes park "?'s" colodog #3315310 09/18/09
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA S saddlesore Campfire Ranger
saddlesore Campfire Ranger S Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA	Next weekend should be peak,but try to get up there mid week to get a few less crazies. Another area is the YMCA area in from Allenspark.Been awhile since I was there though If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3315541 09/18/09
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 6,312 Likes: 1 Joplin MO S supercrewd Campfire Tracker
supercrewd Campfire Tracker S Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 6,312 Likes: 1 Joplin MO	Just check downtown... NRA Life Member

IC B2

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3324103 09/22/09
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC WyoWhisper OP Campfire Regular
OP WyoWhisper Campfire Regular Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC	Originally Posted by saddlesore Horseshoe Meadow, just up the road from the entrance.It's the first big meadow. Take the side road of the old Fall River Raod past the outhouses,sometimes the elk move up there along the stream If no elk there,continue on up the hill on the main road to the T.Turn left and go down to Beaver Meadows.Last year all the elk were down there. You can either go up towards the stables and then turn left before the camp ground ,or continue along the road and turn right on the road that takes you along the south side of the meadows near the private cabins. You need to be there a little before day break ( If you go early enough ,you can get there before they start collecting entrance fees) Hey SS, Where is Horseshoe Meadow...near HS loop? I think I know where you are talking... didn't find them there yesterday. Found em just before the gate and just after the gate.

Re: Estes park "?'s" WyoWhisper #3324127 09/22/09
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA S saddlesore Campfire Ranger
saddlesore Campfire Ranger S Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA	The meadow is the big one about two miles from the gate. The road goes west along the north side and then loops back south at the west end.There is a small lake there and then the road crosses a bridge.Right before the bridge, The old Fall River Road takes off to the right and goes up the canyona long the stream and there is a trailhead and out house there about 100 yds from the turnoff After you cross the bridge,there is a turn out on the left. Theorad thenstarts up the hiland eventually come sot a TEE. Turn right and you will head to Trai lRidge Road. Turn left and it takes you down to Beaver Meadows, the old museum, and eventually to the other park entrance. If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3324142 09/22/09
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC WyoWhisper OP Campfire Regular
OP WyoWhisper Campfire Regular Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 681 Weaverville, NC	gotcha.... Gonna try it again Wed. If the weather holds or improves. Might head back to Red Feather. Less people ;-)

Re: Estes park "?'s" WyoWhisper #3324159 09/22/09
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 4,278 Colorado-7600' L leftycarbon Campfire Tracker
leftycarbon Campfire Tracker L Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 4,278 Colorado-7600'	If possible avoid the W/E. Traffic jams up there make Denver look tame. Lefty C

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3324169 09/22/09
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia C CREDITMAN Campfire Member
CREDITMAN Campfire Member C Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia	Just rode thru the park on Saturday. There was a hugh bull tending to some cows in a meadow on the right not far into the park. Must have been the Horseshoe meadow that saddlesore was talking about. Almost had a traffic jam with all the cars pulled over looking.

IC B3

Re: Estes park "?'s" WyoWhisper #3324176 09/22/09
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,164 Likes: 7 George_De_Vries_3rd Campfire Ranger
George_De_Vries_3rd Campfire Ranger Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,164 Likes: 7	Horseshoe is just in the park from the town of Estes and is one of the best places to observe elk; there are two entrances to the park from Estes; Horsehoe is just past the entrance the road of which runs along Fall River. We were just there and the elk are heavy in the rut. It has always been a good place to be. Last week I observed at least ten 5x5s and 6x6s in this area. Obviously, the best times are just after the park opens a 7 am and at dusk. They are most active then especially if it's a warm day. And, yes, weekdays are best. I was amazed at now busy it was. Last edited by goodnews; 09/22/09.

Re: Estes park "?'s" CREDITMAN #3324191 09/22/09
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO K Kelk Campfire Regular
Kelk Campfire Regular K Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO	Originally Posted by CREDITMAN Just rode thru the park on Saturday. There was a hugh bull tending to some cows in a meadow on the right not far into the park. Must have been the Horseshoe meadow that saddlesore was talking about. Almost had a traffic jam with all the cars pulled over looking. Is this the one? Shut up and hunt!

Re: Estes park "?'s" Kelk #3324248 09/22/09
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,164 Likes: 7 George_De_Vries_3rd Campfire Ranger
George_De_Vries_3rd Campfire Ranger Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,164 Likes: 7	I believe I posted a pic of the one you're talking about on the Campfire Forum, 2nd page, Saddlesore's thread about the temp's in the mountains--big 6x6 right near the road.

Re: Estes park "?'s" George_De_Vries_3rd #3324259 09/22/09
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO K Kelk Campfire Regular
Kelk Campfire Regular K Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO	That be the same one. It was funny to me after we left that spot that on the opposite side of the road away from the crowd there was 2 bulls fighting and no one watching. Was a good day in the park. After leaving this spot we found another 3 6x6's, 2 5x5's down the road a ways. Hardly anybody was there so taking pictures was easier. Shut up and hunt!

Re: Estes park "?'s" Kelk #3324281 09/22/09
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 23,580 Likes: 23 C Calvin Campfire Ranger
Calvin Campfire Ranger C Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 23,580 Likes: 23	Wyo, I really hope you get a tag for that bull next year.

Re: Estes park "?'s" Kelk #3324284 09/22/09
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia C CREDITMAN Campfire Member
CREDITMAN Campfire Member C Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia	The one that I saw appeared to be bigger. He was off the road a good distance & sometimes you could only see the tips of his horns. I only had a small digital camera with me with not enough zoom.

Re: Estes park "?'s" Kelk #3324288 09/22/09
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA S saddlesore Campfire Ranger
saddlesore Campfire Ranger S Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 19,120 Likes: 6 Colorado Springs, CO, USA	Quite a few years ago we did an annual trek to Yellowstone to photo elk in the rut.Then the fires hit,then the wolves.Now RMNP has a lot better herd of mature bulls and I think bigger bulls. After the rut, when snow hits, we sometimes find some nice bulls up on the road near the old ski area, The last few yrs though they have been doing a lot of construction work there so that has hindered that. Later though,you don't seem to find the bigger bulls close to the road.Mostly rag horns and maybe some 5 x 5's If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3324307 09/22/09
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO K Kelk Campfire Regular
Kelk Campfire Regular K Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO	Creditman, That is the big bull that was in Horseshoe Park. No doubt he is a good bull. Hopefully he stays in the park this fall and doesn't venture out. He has potential to get really big. Here are a couple more we found. Shut up and hunt!

Re: Estes park "?'s" saddlesore #3324318 09/22/09
Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO K Kelk Campfire Regular
Kelk Campfire Regular K Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 559 NOCO	Originally Posted by saddlesore Quite a few years ago we did an annual trek to Yellowstone to photo elk in the rut.Then the fires hit,then the wolves.Now RMNP has a lot better herd of mature bulls and I think bigger bulls. After the rut, when snow hits, we sometimes find some nice bulls up on the road near the old ski area, The last few yrs though they have been doing a lot of construction work there so that has hindered that. Later though,you don't seem to find the bigger bulls close to the road.Mostly rag horns and maybe some 5 x 5's Seems the bigger bulls have retained some of their wariness once the rut ends. I've had similar experiences as you late in the year. Little raghorns are plentiful but the big guys are unseen. I try and go every year before hunting season so I can get pumped up. One of these days I'd really like to see some bulls of this caliber on public land with a tag in my hand. I've seen a few, but was never able to get into shooting position. Speaking of which, are you ready for your hunt up in the NW CO? Should be a great hunt. Especially for how long you had to wait to get a tag. Last edited by Kelk; 09/22/09. Shut up and hunt!

Re: Estes park "?'s" Kelk #3324335 09/22/09
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia C CREDITMAN Campfire Member
CREDITMAN Campfire Member C Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 162 Georgia	Kelk, Thanks for the pictures. What kind of camera were you using for those shots? I've got to get one with more zoom. One of those looks like you were in his bed with him,

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