I have another thread started for information on elk unit 65. My cousin and I are planning for 2nd rifle season. I have general (probably dumb) questions. 1st> Where do you find access to wilderness areas. Do you park alongside a road, back country roads, trail heads. What has or hasn't worked well in your experience if you will share. I'm also just looking for any additional information that may be good or other tools you use while planning.

Thanks,

I find access at all of the above. Trailheads are good if they're near where you want to hunt. Trails are the easiest way to put distance between yourself and roads but then again, everyone knows where the trails are. Trails are also easier to pack out meat on than through timber. If the place you want to hunt is not near a trailhead, just find a legal parking spot where you can pull off the road, and have at it.

Normally Wilderness areas are tucked inside of National Forest and access is usually going thru the NF into the wilderness areas.Although a few start right at a road/ trail head.

Best bet is order a National Forest map of the unit you plan to hunt that has the Wilderness in it.It will show trails, roads, trail heads, camp sites. Then when you get the area you are interested in more defined, order or down load topo maps.


For 65, start with the Uncompahgre National Forest map.

All of this takes a little effort on your part

Another thing, that map saddlesore mentioned is the best map for public/private land boundaries. Lots of private in-holdings in the Uncompaghre, and in CO the owner does not have to post or fence his property, it's your responsibility to know the boundaries.

Likewise, you'll see lots of public land with fences for cattle that are grazed there. If you don't have a map showing public/private boundaries, you'd think those areas are private, but they're not, just fenced.

Thanks a ton. I just bought an ONX map chip from another member here. I'll check it out and order a forest service map too. I appreciate the advice.

I'll add this for guys who have the same questions except for Idaho.
ID has a unique trespass law. If private land is range land, not cultivated or irrigated, the landowner MUST post it or it's open to hunting without getting permission. The regulations have specific rules about what constitutes legal posting. Fencing doesn't count because the FS and BLM fence a lot of public land for grazing. The posting rules are quite simple so they're not burdensome for land owners.