Help with NW Colorado Archery 2024

[RanchoSueno]

Hello! I am a lady bow hunter and have been hunting northwestern Colorado for 3 seasons now. First year, I took my brother and he got a cow on the last day. Second year was my first go Solo and I had a blast. Was into elk every day, they were responding to calls and I had a couple shot opportunities but just couldn't pull it together. This year also solo, every spot I found elk in before(except one area) was dry as a bone. They weren't talking and they were extremely dispersed. I know the winter kill was horrible and it will take several years(.. and going to mostly draw) for the area to hopefully recover(so long as the wolves don't eradicate them). I am dying to kill my first elk. Cow, raghorn or branch antlered doesn't matter as long as it's legal. With that said I am escouting and running numbers on a draw tag for the northwestern side. I have 3 elk points saved up and think I would benefit with being able to hunt an area "less" pressured. My hope is to haul my horse out with a decent base camp to get way in and ride around different finger drainages finding fresh sign and with a little luck more talkative animals. After last season, I know how much I will benefit with having a pack animal along. I start colts for a living and already started tuning on my little gelding for this adventure. I am not exactly asking for honey holes and I don't want to blatantly discuss units so no one else blows their spot up but if anyone has any insight they'd care to share or even unit selection I would absolutely appreciate it.

[Swede]

I do not know Colorado at all, but I see your post above is your first, so I wanted to take a minute to welcome you to WapitiTalk.com. The guys here, except me, are rude and disgusting but they are easy to get used to. Just hold your ground and feel free to participate all you like.

[RanchoSueno]

Thank you! I've cruised a few of the forums and was surprised at all the helpful content compared to the satire on social media. Hoping something will be lesrned to help me get all the pieces together next September

[WapitiTalk1]

Welcome to our humble hunting forum RS, glad to have you on board. We have a couple of resident experts from the Centennial State here and I’m sure they will chime in. Question, are you buying points/have plans to look into the other elk states? Just saying, don’t sleep on Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, even NM. Honestly, I don’t believe we have a “bad” member on WapitiTalk, myself and my Mods make sure of that. I would caution you though on one of our members/MODS that goes by the name of Swede, before you realize what’s occurring, he’ll have you killing your first elk from a tree stand. Kidding of course, Swede has published what I consider to be the premier book on how to hunt elk from up in the canopy. Again, welcome…glad to have you on board. v/RJ

[RanchoSueno]

No, I haven't yet! To be honest, I just started hunting CO with otc tags and had the idea to try to nab a deer tag one season. Happened to draw it with zero pts and applied for an elk pp. I've just continued that trend. I have read through wyoming and new mexico but it might as well be foreign lingo. Needing to draw a general permit plus tags then having the break down of different units just confuses the crap out of me. I haven't had someone experienced walk me through their draw process. I apply for my home state of Michigan elk drawing, kentucky and pennsylvania otherwise

[>>>---WW---->]

I'm not surprised that your hunt was a little slow this season. We had one of the worse winters in northwest Colorado that I've seen since way back in the early 80s. The winter kill was horrific to say the least. It will probably take several years for the deer and antelope to recover to the numbers they once were, if ever. Hopefully, the elk will respond a little sooner.

Archery elk success rates are always around the 10% rate even in good years. So don't feel bad. Your time will come if you keep after it. Can you tell us what units you have hunted in the past? I live in the Craig area and may be able to help you in some small way. Feel free to PM me if you want.

[saddlesore]

Welcome.
Colorado resident here. I have hunted Colorado for 48 out of 49 years, and New Mexico 10 years before that. Although I have a life time crossbow archery permit, (medical) I have mostly hunted with center fire rifle or muzzle loaders. Most of those years in NW Colorado. Because muzzle loader season falls in the same time as archery season, I have some knowledge of the what is happening then.

First, although it is hard to understand Wyoming permitting process, if I was nonresident, I would not spend that money for the tag, required qualifying license, and habitat stamp in Colorado ( close to $1000). Look at WY, ID or MT. Colorado manages their wildlife by politics, ballot initiatives, and ability to make money.

You will need a few more points than 3 to secure a tag in a better area and those better areas are fast becoming over hunted. OTC units are very over crowded.If you are set on hunting Colorado, I would look elsewhere rather than the NW corner for a few years. If NW corner,I can give you a few areas,but can't guarantee you will see elk.

You are correct, NW Colorado suffered a disastrous winter kill. 40% or more in the elk herd and worse in the deer herds. Antelope were worse. I hunted Unit 12 south of Meeker and was able to tag a cow elk with my ML. Only because I know the area so well. It came hard and I only saw 3 elk in the 8 days I was there. Most people saw none.The outfitter I know , only had two elk in her walk in cooler, last year she had 19 in the first three days.

It is hard to put any thoughts as to what will happen to tag allocation,seasons,draw processes in the future.I feel it will take at least 3 years,maybe 5 for the herd to come back, but not to the numbers we have seen before. If we experience another bad winter, it will be devastating. CPW will start releasing wolves next months.Add that to the equation and it will only get worse.

What I saw this year was many hunters went to other units and that increased the pressure in those units and the OTC units suffered the most.

I hunt exclusively with mules. Since you are working to get a pack horse along with your saddle horse, that is great. You can easily fill up a set of panniers with all the gear you need to process an elk once it is down.Plus you don't have to wear your day pack while riding. Horses and mules do well in the strange back country if they have a companion.Yourself you will eat and sleep better with a more comfortable camp. Invest in a good sawbuck packsaddle and panniers. Don't start off saddle panniers for a riding saddle and learn how to pack and tie a few hitches.

I would strongly suggest you camp at the trailhead, so you will have certified hay, grain and access to water instead of packing back in and setting up a small camp.That gives you a 5 mile radius to hunt and if it doesn't pan out, you can move more readily. I typically get up at 3 am, feed the stock, cook breakfast, get ready, and saddle at 4:30,being in my hunt area by 6:30 at least

Feel free to message or email me if I can help in any way.

[RanchoSueno]

I don't intend on having a pack horse, just my riding horse to lead along when packed full and to ride along different areas to cover ground. He is a goofy little thing. The girl I got him from bought him as an orphaned 2 month old and raised him in solitary. He's the kind you can ride off into the woods and leave tied like a golden oldie. I wish I had the ability to bring 2 but I don't have another I would trust in the mtns that also wouldn't break my soul if something happened to them out there. I usually stay around the steamboat/clark area. My intent is to go for a 4, 441 & 5 archery tag but I don't want the same experience I had this year otc. I wouldn't mind trying a new area, I just would definitely hope to have a little guidance so I don't spend the majority of my time learning that new area. I know that is the name of the game, I just have invested so much into the NW corner and feel like I have learned a ton that it is only a matter of time before I play my cards right

[saddlesore]

I guess I would be wondering why go back to the same area where no elk were seen as it is not going to change in a year or two.

[RanchoSueno]

That's why I'm looking for help, I know that just because they weren't talking or seen where I was doesn't mean they wont be on the next ridge over. Just a year ago they were where I was looking but of course that was pre-winterkill

[saddlesore]

Throw everything out that was and think winter kill. Other parts of the state, bulls were talkative in peak rut and little before.

[RanchoSueno]

I appreciate that blunt honesty maybe I'd be well off to throw a dart at the south of the map. At least I have a few months before application time

[saddlesore]

Only place I could help is Unit 54, north of Gunnison.That would be a lot of walking if planning to use your horse to pack elk. Using saddle panniers is tough work when you go to lift an elk quarter out of them. Especially hunting solo.

[>>>---WW---->]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvVN5oHNWTk
Hope this video works to help you understand the seriousness of the situation here in northwest Colorado. Many of these pictures were taken within two miles of my home. So, I saw most of this first hand.

In my honest opinion, hunting in this area should have been canceled last season in order to help the herds rebuild.

[Swede]

Copper River salmon are the best. Ditto Idaho potatoes, Washington apples, and Walla Walla sweet onions, etc. Colorado is the best place for out of state hunters to go for deer and elk. So goes the advertising.
I do not know what all of your objectives are with your choice of a hunting place. If getting an elk is the main thing, I would recommend looking over several states harvest statistics by hunting unit and pick one where you have a good chance. Stay with it as your go to place when you do not draw a real quality unit somewhere else.

[Lefty]

Welcome to the forum!

Having a horse no matter what state creates a different type of hunt and experience.


Ive tossed this out,, And I get where others are coming from that dont agree, But you only need one elk. If an elk is there ,,, hunt it!! Good luck

[saddlesore]

I could help, you in Unit 12 between Craig and Meeker. I know where the elk are, as I hunted it the past 15 years, but I can't get in there to hunt or climb to a higher elevation. Age caught up with me. Unit 12 is in the center of the herds that migrated to the west and suffered the huge winter kill. Bulls will most likely be rag horns, 4-5 points.Won't be any spikes as last years calf crop all died.

You would have to bring your own water for your horse as there is none close.I haul 100 gallons for two mules.There is an outfitter close that will pack your elk out should you be successful. If I draw a ML tag and my hunting partner goes, you can camp near us at the trail head. If I am solo, I will most likely camp at the outfitter's. 3-5miles in to hunt areas. Must be there before 1st light. Archery hunters I talked to this pasts season were into elk every day. Either place is down in a hole or a climb up high. Ml season usually starts the 2nd Saturday in September and runs for 9 days.

I think it takes 2 points to draw an either sex elk tag. Not many deer around, but a few. If you believe Lefty, you only need one elk.

No worries about me,I am 80 years old and chasing women is long past me. Couldn't do anything if I did catch one.

[RanchoSueno]

Thank you all!! I appreciate all of the insight. I will have to see on unit 12. That would be a hold up on having to haul water in. Maybe I will have to price check sombrero to see about an additional pack horse just so O can get myself, gear and water in

[saddlesore]

Thank you all!! I appreciate all of the insight. I will have to see on unit 12. That would be a hold up on having to haul water in. Maybe I will have to price check sombrero to see about an additional pack horse just so O can get myself, gear and water in

Only need to drive your truck in . We camp at the trail head. Sombre horses about $700/horse now.Their corral is about 2 miles down the road. If you want to pack in high,there is water up there.Just none at the trail head close.

[RanchoSueno]

Got some cheap trailmax panniers to get the ole dun pony under some loads! This dude has only had a handful of rides and I was surprised to only end up with one yard sale. Going to get a lot of miles on those hoofs between now and September. First pack trip next month to look for elk sheds north of me

[Indian Summer]

For panniers I would HIGHLY suggest these. They are 100% waterproof. SUPER durable. but more importantly, look at the overall size. I have the panniers that you are using. You will have them stuffed to the brim, bursting at the seams and unable to get the straps over the tops before you have come close to your weight capacity. Speaking from experience it’s very nice to be able to fit everything including bulky items to be able to balance your loads without jumping up and down on them. Do you use a sawbuck or a decker saddle for packing? Or pack with a riding saddle? Livestock is a game changer. If you ever decide to hunt Wyoming I could definitely set you up with a good plan to fit your goals and abilities. Nice necklace!
http://www.packsaddleshop.com/collectio ... e-panniers

[saddlesore]

The XL Hunter from Mountain Ridge Gear is a bigger and better set of panniers and you can use them on Deckers, Sawbuck, or riding saddle. Durable heavy material,water proof, extra individual outside pockets to keep gear that you may need quickly.

https://www.mountainridgegear.com/colle ... ng-pannier

[RanchoSueno]

For panniers I would HIGHLY suggest these. They are 100% waterproof. SUPER durable. but more importantly, look at the overall size. I have the panniers that you are using. You will have them stuffed to the brim, bursting at the seams and unable to get the straps over the tops before you have come close to your weight capacity. Speaking from experience it’s very nice to be able to fit everything including bulky items to be able to balance your loads without jumping up and down on them. Do you use a sawbuck or a decker saddle for packing? Or pack with a riding saddle? Livestock is a game changer. If you ever decide to hunt Wyoming I could definitely set you up with a good plan to fit your goals and abilities. Nice necklace!
http://www.packsaddleshop.com/collectio ... e-panniers

Just my riding saddle, I'm hoping to enjoy the use of these guys this season to make a pack outfit worthwhile. I couldn't fit it into the budget this year so trying to make use with what I have. The little bay dun is a stud though so maybe I'll have to nab a donkey jenny or two and make some fun little mules to really dive into the gig. I did pick up another pair, used, on craigslist that are super nice canvas. I cant find a name on them but they are definitely deeper and sturdier. I will check out the ones you shared also as I don't think the trailmax will last to many treks. Thank you!! Hoping one day to fill the whole chain with ivories lol

[RanchoSueno]

The XL Hunter from Mountain Ridge Gear is a bigger and better set of panniers and you can use them on Deckers, Sawbuck, or riding saddle. Durable heavy material,water proof, extra individual outside pockets to keep gear that you may need quickly.

https://www.mountainridgegear.com/colle ... ng-pannier

Thank you! Ill look into them further! I like how they are more like pack panniers instead of one whole piece. Not too worried about loading with these shorties but anything much taller would be nicer to load, weigh and lift.

[RanchoSueno]

I paid $50 for trailmax "used" but brand new and $75 for the heavier, canvas ones "used" but not stained or wrecked. I just put in for Kentucky and Colorado draw, Michigan will be in May. Hoping to try to figure out Wyomings preference point deal so I can start racking points for different states.