Well, not me, my daughter!

My daughter wanted to hunt elk this year so she picked up a cow elk tag for the 4th season in Jackson County, Colorado (aka, "North Park", in the Walden area). I have a 3rd AND 4th season tag in the area so figured I'd play tour guide for her tag and try to find her an elk. I am an accomplished hunter but have only dabbled in elk, and have never killed one. She has never hunted elk. It is not a stellar elk area but I know it reasonably well from grouse, coyote, deer, and waterfowl hunting.

Well, a few weeks ago the DOW called and asked her if she wanted "another tag" for the unit, at no cost. The call was kind of cryptic, and I am sure my daughter didn't really understand what they were asking, but she of course said yes.

Fast forward to today... She received a letter in the mail that she is one of 10 people to draw an elk hunt in Arapaho NWR - the first year ever they will allow elk hunting on that refuge!!

She will use her existing tag, but have access to the NWR.

I know the refuge holds a nice herd of elk in the late season but not sure if any elk will be there in Nov (still early), but it's still a cool opportunity.

If nothing else we will scout it out, but best case there will be a few elk in the area and we (as a family) and her (as a young woman) will finally get our/her first elk!

Looking forward to it!!

--Duck911

The area:

sounds like a good oportunity. Good luck

duck:

I use to own a second home in Coalmont, about 15 miles SW of Walden. I hunted unit 16 for four years and every year we use to park on the bluffs overlooking the refuge and salivate while watching the herd of over a thousand elk. Your daughter will not have a problem locating a good bull. Her problem will be to get a clean shot without hitting a cow or some other elk that she doesn't want to hit. She should have a great time.

I hope the wildlife rangers do a good job of controlling the hunters so that everyone gets a fair chance. The herd will probably scatter at the first shot so you daughter might want to crawl into the herd before first light on opening morning and be ready when the sun comes up.

KC

Any update on the 2012 hunt on the Refuge? My son just drew a tag for the Refuge for 2013. Any information you can pass along would be appreciated.

Sounds to me they want to accomplish 2 things:

1) provide additional hunting opportunities for the youth or, our future outdoors people.

2) knock a few elk out of the refuge or at least scatter the heard a bit.

What a great opportunity for you and your daughter. Once here in KS, we applied for and received a youth Whitetail tag ( she was 13 at the time ) in a State Park. The staff not only set up a blind for us but then made a deer drive. We had deer pouring through like crazy. She shot a fat doe and we still talk about it the day. They wanted to accomplish the above objectives.

Sweet!
I am in Longmont, and just came back from Walden through Loveland after a successful RFW hunt in the N. Park. PM me if you want more intel.
The ranch outfitter told me that they get about 3-4,000 elk in the valley late in the season.
It will be a bit cold to camp if that is your plan. Motel in Walden is probably called for.
I think that will be an awesome hunt! I want to hear about it, if you please, after you go.

Too cold to camp? Ha! I've been out with my Boy Scout Troop at -16� F so fall camping in Colorado doesn't scare me in the least.

I've been checking the mail box all week hoping the Refuge info would arrive so I get all the details. Nothing yet.