Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado elk

I'm looking at hunting unit Combined hunt 21,22,30,31,32 GMU the first season next yr Would anyone be willing to give me any ideas and Thoughts on the hunt.

Hunt hard! Have fun.

No help here, I don't get over that way any time

We hunted 23 in 2010, lots of hunters, lots of elk, lots of elevation. Are you hunting solo, group, outfitter?

We were up high with an outfitter, and did well.

looking at unit 22 mainly with a group of 3 of us.

Hello Oregonyote buster, I looked at that unit, thought about trying to hunt it first rifle season. There is a lot of BLM land west of Meeker, but according to DOW website, "Intense Energy Development" is taking place there now. a CDOW hunt planner informed that there is some new road infrastructure development taking place due to the energy demands being placed on the units.
Also some of the BLM land is no longer avaialble to hunt for this next season. There are 3321 square miles within that hunt code, or 2,125,617 acres, with estimated elk population of over 11,000 elk. last year, 900 hunters were awarded tags for first rifle season. (i personally have never been there, but found the above info online.) interested in learning more myself. I used a computer program to look at this area, where the info above came from. The elevation does not look as steep as places You can view general topography on the attached sketch map, though not very good quality.

I can echo what Cobble found on the net. One of my best friends has a ranch near Meeker and we usually spend a lot of time in his Mooney flying around and looking at the country. You would not believe the habitat fragmentation and development in that country.

I have hesitated to comment, because I have never actually hunted elk west of Meeker, but it's hard to believe that elk herds have not been dramatically affected by energy development. I have spent some time on a few ranches out there. In my experience, there are only pockets of elk abundance--they are not evenly distributed. I think that you would do better to look at higher elevation habitat east and north of Meeker. JMO.

Here's an interesting answer from THR forum
Quote from another member:
It means they have put a gas/oil pump every half mile and drove the animals out in the process and that is why the loclas aren't buying that units tag giving you a better success rate.

Not trying to discourage you or be negative. But that what it says if you read between the lines. The oil companies have done the same thing to the units I hunt too! :End Quote

It might be worth a telephone call to BLM office in Meeker region to get a better idea of general situation. It's displaced some hunters who are now looking to other areas for Elk outside that unit.

I just looked at the harvest statistics for 2010. Not the worst, but far from the best.

For the first rifle season, the success rates were:

Unit 21--35%
Unit 22--26%
Unit 31--32%
Unit 32--13%

For all rifle seasons combined:

Unit 21--21%
Unit 22--27%
Unit 31--33%
Unit 32--31%

A 100% success rate for the first rifle season seems a little far-fetched...

I was not referring to 100% success in harvesting an elk... (did i even post that?)
there was a 100% success rate of drawing a "non-over the counter" tag thru the draw process, of both residents/ non-residents with 0 preference points in first rifle season last year. Posting this probably beats the heck out of chances at drawing a tag, but that particular unit would be be a good tag to apply for with no PP's, and it borders the trophy units on the north side.

The average statewide success rate for elk harvest is ~23%, with the best harvest statistics in 1st rifle season, at about 30%

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20080526/NEWS/326977252
The remote western Colorado county already has 2,600 natural gas wells and is bracing for as many as 19,000 more over the next 15 years paper on area near there.

You didn't post that. Reviewing your posts, all I can figure is that I read it in some other post and attributed it to you. My apologies!

All I can say is that sometimes it's hell to get old!

Looks like there will be a lot of activity there for sure, Might have to look into a different area, HUH?? now what

If you can get out there and scout beforehand, that's best bet... You can always use it as a second choice on draw tag app, or wait til it becomes over the counter.
The new roads could work to your advantage, if you can use them. one website said, it's no good if you are only allowed to go in on foot or horseback, with constant semi-traffic on the same road/trail you are riding in on

First rifle, with traffic down in the valley, I'd still hunt there, and would go high for the herds. Hike a few miles in, leave the roads behind, and enjoy the hunt. At that point, a hot season will screw you up more than the traffic you left behind.

You just have to adapt your hunting style to what the area dictates. Out there you can do a lot of "road hunting", or glassing and driving. There are better places to get away from the roads, but there aren't many places that can be road hunted as effectively as 21, 22, 30, 31, 32.

That's for sure!

http://www.airphotona.com/image.asp...d=&country=&state=&pagenum=6

This is an interesting link... you can look at aerial photographs
of those units (county), taken from low altitude from an airplane. it gives a better undertanding what terrain looks like, and roads.

You will need to search by category,
Oil, then state: Colorado
these pics are older (2005, and from what i have read, the oil and gas industry has expanded wuite a bit since then)

Oregonyotebuster--check out Units 12,13&4. I hunt with an outfitter in 12&13 and these units have one of the highest success rates in the state. There is plenty of BLM around Craig, gets crowded but there is a lot of elk and mulies there. Good Luck!

Those are units to avoid, and some of the most crowded in the state.