Wifes brother lives in Aurora, looking for some decent elk hunting within 2 hrs. Been hunting the grand mesa area but its 6 hrs further and room cost add up.

Area 36 North of Vail has some Elk

I lived along the Front Range for six years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and I never found any place to hunt elk that close to home. I had elk in my yard year-round when I lived in Evergreen Meadows, Kittredge and Nederland, west of Denver, but always had to head west to find a place to hunt.

What are those? Only had to pay for my tent once. Get as far away from Megopolis as possible and one will have more fun and success.

There are certainly elk close to Denver, but the closer you are the more hunting pressure and it is a sea of orange on weekends.

Years ago I hunted 36 north of Vail in ML season and it was a little crowded then, I would never attempt it in rifle seasons.

For these reasons, I don't have any areas I could recommend.

I recall a story from at least 5 years ago, prolly more like 10 years now.

Happened in Nat'l Forest somewhere near that road from Sedalia to Deckers.

A young novice hunter, hunting with his Dad, bagged a record bull elk there close to the ridgeline along the Front Range.

I'm thinking those trails would be pretty loaded with dog walkers and mountain bikes but who's to say it couldn't happen again.

Not to sound discouraging, but let me relay a story to you - now this may or may not have happened.

Imagine spending 20+ years figuring out your hunting spot. With most of the first years filled with no elk. Lots of miles, money, and time spent - putting in the legwork. Taking time to learn where the elk run when they get pressured, and how to out maneuver the sea of orange.

Now imagine you're in camp minding your own business on your only vacation of the year.

2 guys driving down the road decide to stop in. They seem friendly enough, the usual banter. Usual questions...where is the game? What have you seen? Any luck? ect....

They tell you that they are scouting for an upcoming deer season when they are going to bring their kids and look for a doe.

Being good natured, you actually tell them a pretty good spot (for a doe), even point it out on the map....that they conveniently pull out of their back pocket. Suspicious...yet?

They soon part ways. Now imagine your surprise a day later when you happen to notice their pickup parked exactly next to yours at the trail head.

What did you do?

You just created another competitor. Someone or many someones who now you will have to contend with. And heaven forbid they happen upon you when you're packing out an elk!

Moral of the story (and there are many) - surest way to screw up your hunting area is to tell others about it.

This is a fact!

So pardon me for not disclosing a hunting spot, within 2 hours of the front range. Its not that I don't want to help you....I actually do.

Here's my best advice. Look into the Ranching for Wildlife late cow hunts. They usually take place in December and the success ratio is very high. It will take a preference point or 2- you won't be able to draw the tag every year...but when you do- you will have a very good chance at bringing home a cow elk. I have taken several first time hunters on these hunts and our success is still right at 100%. Largest herd of elk we've ever seen was over 700 animals, all in our unit, all within 300 yards...and yes one shot kill for the first time hunter. Later she said the hardest thing was finding a cow with a clear shooting lane.

Now if your question was really, "where do I find a bull?" My only truthful answer is- "in the woods"

There are very few shortcuts to an easy elk, having money is the surest way. Short of money I'd say Invest the time, energy and years to figure out a spot. Only then will you truly be worthy of the trophy.

I was kind of thinking the same thing but you said it much more colorfully than I could.

If you post a photo on here with an elk, you'll get the same story in PMs, guys telling you they're looking for a spot to take their kids. Guys you've never seen here who don't post regularly.

Heh, heh, heh.

OK, I get it. Who really posted this inquiry?

KC

Short answer is yes, if you know where to look.

Being he lives in Aurora, that should bring ample opportunities to do some leg-work and scouting, even before the deadline.

When he has found a good place, please have him PM me.

ever looked around buena vista, leadville or salida? there are some good units around there with lots of elk, all within 3ish hours...then again it helps to live in the unit you hunt in too, makes bow season A LOT longer

I hear cops up in the Boulder/Ft Collins areas kill monster bulls right in the city limits.

If you're thinking of the case I remember, the elk was taken illegally. I think they shot across the road (285). Not sure exactly where but probably close to Cherokee Ranch, which holds about 700-800 elk. As it turned out, the story was not at all what was originally reported.

Maybe someone else has a better recollection?

I saw five bulls and a bunch of cows in Loveland last week, just east of the Big Thompson.

Boulder is the place to find your elk...for sure.

http://www.9news.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/29/boulder-elk-killing-sentencing/14789747/

Quite possibly the one.
My memory is vague but I just remember this -
The gist of the newspaper story was the young man taking his first elk and it being a nice bull that was a record of some sort or another.
The part I found remarkable was that is was close-in, on the front range above Sedalia someplace.

The one I remember is Kyle Lopez 307 muley buck, up near the Hyman burn just west of Sedalia in 2007 and now most of the roads and trails are open again after the fire

The one I remember is the 385 bull that was roadkilled on Santa Fe(85) and C-470 (right IN town/Blakeland). It used to be hanging in the CDOW HQ