Northwest Colorado

[rmhall17]

I'm trying to get information on units 12, 13, 23 24. I have finally drawn a rifle tag for the week of oct 21 to 29th. I know that there are the national forests and the wilderness areas. I'm trying to find out the best ways to hunt it. For now we are going to try and find a place to camp, maybe use atv's, but was curious as to the quality of hunting in these areas and if the area is overloaded with hunters? Any help and guidance on this would be appreciated this is my first hunt out west.
Randy

 

[rmhall17]

Additional questions from my last post. I know there is some atv usage in the national forests, We are going to set up a base camp (not sure exactly where)I plan on having a packframe backpack for transporting. How do you guy s cool the meat down if you still camping? I'm curious what the deer are doing at this time due to high elevations. Will they still be migrating to the lower elevations? Probably depends on the weather, but someone with firsthand knowledge may be better able to assist. I am reading as much as possible, traing six days a week, a lot on cardio and legs. I am taking my 300 win mag t/c, spotting scope, nikon binos, bought some light weight danners for hiking. I have ordered national forest and wildernes maps, and as soon as i can pinpoint 5 or 6 possible locations from topos for hunts. I will be out there the entire week. Im going to get there the 18th to try and acclimate. I have been putting in for three years so I have been doing research for many years. I hunt whitetails in WV and Va, ny. Its the middle of june now and im adjusting to spotting deer between 100 and 1000 yards from my backyard (sodfields). The spotting scope is hard on the eyes though and its a leupold. With the very limited amount of time and no way to scout it except from topos Any ideas on any of this would be appreciated.

 

[sageman]

I hunted there last year,alot of hunters,not much BLM land, the best places we found were ,Jennson state wildlife area,Yellow Jacket Pass just east of Jennson in the national forest.good luck.

 

[FamilyMan]

I have hunted Jensen quite a few times and have never found it productive for mule deer. No ATVs allowed on the Jensen property either. I you have been applying for three years for this tag, I would recommend spending your efforts somewhere else (other than Jensen that is) probably in the higher country of the national forest.

Mark

 

[Pointer]

Hi Randy -

Best of luck to you on your hunt. I can say you are off to a good start. Keep training, it will help you tremendously. Also, keep pouring over those maps. Very good idea to show up early to aclimate. Drink a lot of water, and do some light hikes to help your body adjust. I hunted unt 24 several years ago with the same tag you have (I could only hunt for a few days because of job and life issues). It was very warm, and the deer I saw were up pretty high. I did see scattered across a large elevation range though, and most of them were trying to hide out in the thicker, dark timber on the north sides of slopes. There were quite a few elk hunters running around on horses, but I still saw a few bucks. When I scouted in the summer and early fall, I saw deer more deer up high. Your hunt will depend on weather - mostly snow. Most of the deer won't likely be at timberline elevation, but unless is snows a lot the bucks won't be migrating down to the low elevations yet.

When I had to leave my hunt, I drove through unit 12 and there were a ton of guys buzzing up and down the roads in their trucks and on ATVs. If I were you, find some places on your maps where you can get away from the roads. The more distance you can get from the roads, the more hunters you'll leave behind you. I went in about 3 miles, and I even left a lot of the guys on horses behind. So keep up the training, your legs will get you into a higher probability area.

From what I saw of most public land in 24, a spotting scope wouldn't be that great of a help. Too many trees. There are lower elevation areas that are more open, but it's all private from what I know. Just something to consider from a weight standpoint if that's where you end up. 12 and 23 have more open terrain where that might be useful.

Last note, try to calculate the pitch of the areas you are thinking of hunting (rise in elevation divided by horizontal distance). The topos often seem to show the areas as looking "pretty steep," but when you get there they are either insanely steep or cliffs. Try to find some reference somewhere near you (ski hill or other relief) to compare to.

Good luck
Pointer

 

[Pointer]

Forgot to mention. For keeping game cool, I've been able to hang the quarters in a dark shady area of pines for 3 days with no problems as long as it is cool out. Put a lot of pepper on the meat to keep the flies off, and wrap in game bags to protect them. The material needs to be breathable so the meat doesn't rot, but those really cheap bags stretch out and get holes in them and the flies will get all over your meat. Walmart pillow cases actually work pretty well, although they aren't quite long enough.
Also, for future reference, the 2nd season tag for those units is usually undersubscribed, so you can draw it on a second choice most of the time.
Thought of one more thing. Take A LOT of pictures. It's going to be an adventure no matter if you get a deer or not. Even though I live here, I still look through my photos of all my hunts. Great, great memories.
Best of luck,
David

 

[bowhuntinnut]

When you get those spots picked out on your maps send me a email and i will tell you if they are worth your time. I live in Meeker born and raised. Here is a tip for ya, Look for places that you can get to good amounts of public land that do not have atv access. Places that you can get in behind the private in mid elevations are going to be the best bets. Look at 12 and 23 first more deer in these units than in 24. Good luck

 

[rmhall17]

David,
Thank you for the info. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[rmhall17]

Mark,
Thanks I will take that one off of my list.

 

[rmhall17]

Thanks I think i may look a little closer at South Fork, but I need to look at the map again for atv trails over there. A question though are most of the people that are utilizing the atv's hunting real close to the roads? I would maybe use one to get to camp, but I really want to seperate myself from other hunters. So i'm preparing for some hiking. I don't know how many miles it may take but I will definitely try. Also I'm glad a local is willing to help. I will try to get 5 or 6 spots picked out. Also I may wait to pick up supplies in Meeker, is that a good idea. Have you ever hunted Flat tops wilderness, this would get me away from the Atv's.

 

[senderornr]

Sorry to burst your bubble, this is colorado's loader unit for hunters, especially the combined seasons. LOTTTSSS of hunters and most of deer are on the private land. Hunted that unit for 3 or 4 years when we could not get drawn for the better ones. But every once in a while a blind squirrel finds a nut. Hunted Jensen a couple of years ago, back packed in and spent the night(didn't know we were not supposed to) and a 3:00am the elk hunters started coming in. Then the walkers about an hour later. Counted 58 horse hunters that opening morning not to mention the hords of walkers. We did get one nice buck early from the hunters pushing up the mountain. Not many stones unturned in these units.

 

[WSM2]

You need to get some BLM surface management maps. The maps have topo plus land ownership it will make your job easier. Good luck

 

[stinky]

Two years ago, on Halloween, the higher elevation got 3 feet of snow.

Prepare for snow, but don't let is scare you. Wait it out...let it freeze and then drive out when the ground is frozen. That said, if you are where 3' of snow falls, you MAY see elk, but you are wasting your time for deer.

That said, you'll see lots of orange in there. Wilderness is a good idea.

I've hunted in there, and saw some bucks last year, but I don't know any great areas.

Oak Ridge is full of orange, my buddy got a 3 pointer in there, but I won't go back. That said...I saw 2 other bucks being worked on when I was in there. There is enough room in there to get back...have you hunted off a bike before? Get in five miles and then go on foot. On the eastern end, there is a closed road that goes west and is mostly flat. I lied, I'd hunt off a bike in there.

Jensen...if that is on CO-13, at 9 mile hill...lots of orange. I saw fresh tracks (snowed that night). Get away from any of the parking areas and you may see something. But, I saw lots of hunters in there.

Up by Illes Grove, in the state wildlife area, (I don't remember the name) I've seen deer, on the west side of 13, also lots of orange, and I also saw an antelope JUMP a barbed wire fence.

Get a Routt and Rio Blanco NF maps and a BLM map. They will both show the private land areas on em. Look for the spots where the public touches a road and then walk in.

In Meeker, just east of town, "Green Cabins" about $6-8 per person a night for a camping spot...a flat spot on grass to pitch a tent, nothing more. You'll also get a shower, and a toulet. I do not know the price of a cabin. I don't think they have anywhere to hang a deer. My friend picked it out so I stayed there. Not having to dig a hole, first thing in the AM was a good deal. The shower came in handy too.

On the north end of Meeker is a motel...the chamber of commerce knows where it is...Showers are $5.00. They provide the towells.

Check out the Meeker Motel...impressive mounts of elk and deer in the cafe. They have a pretty good menu for under 10 bucks. All you'll see in there is orange and mounts. It is a pretty popular place for hunters to get lunch or dinner...and get your motivation back up by seeing the monsters on the walls.

I MAY be hunting in there this year...I haven't decided on where to hunt, but it is on my "possible" hunt list. I just Emailed my oterh friend...he has tags for his kids in the there

Going south out of Meeker...there is a road that runs parallel to CO-13...there is some BLM, at times hunted heavy, then a road that goes, I think SE, into the NF...It looks like ELK country, but a rancher told us that there are deer in there. There is some BIG country back in there. Don't waste your time by going south of that road, it is all private or a waste of time.

There is a Walmart in Rifle, about 1/4 mile from the exit to Meeker. Meeker has some small grocery stores, but nothing big. Craig has a Safeway and a Kmart, and is a tad larger.

PM me if you want, when the time gets closer and maybe I can be more specific about areas that I've hunted in, or where I'm going to hunt.