Colorado,elk hunts (HELP)

[l2bar]

Does anybody know what the hunting is like in Gunnison gmu54 This will be my 1st time there and need a little help with it.I,m planing for the 3rd season.Do i need horses or atv. Maybe where to go to see elk.I would love some help thanks, Terry

 

[txhunter58]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-24-05 AT 08:16PM (MST)[p]Be in the best shape of your life and then improve on that if you really want to have a chance to see elk. Of course, if you get a lucky snow, they may come to you, so it is the luck of the draw on that one.

Elk are where you find them. Sounds like a sarcastic answer, but it isn't really. You will be hunting ater archery, muzzleloading, and the 1st and 2nd rifle seasons, so don't expect for elk to be anywhere close to roads. They will be far from roads, or in deep timber and almost totally nocturnal unless snow brings them out. Bottom line, is if it is warm and dry, don't plan on seeing any elk unless you walk 10-15 miles a day. Best plan: pray for enough snow to send them down out of the high country.

Don't expect after 2 posts that people are going to line up to tell you a "hot spot". Not going to happen. If you already knew of a good spot, would you post it on a hunting forum?

Good hunting.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Randy]

I2bar don't forget that you need to have a hunters safety card to hunt in Col. Just a FYI in case you didn't know.
Good Luck!
Randy

 

[ELKMASTER101]

its tough,
hard country,
go deep. stay low the snow will probably be 2 to 3 feet in the high elevations,
work the valleys.
horses are your best friend in this case.

 

[Chef]

Gunnison is going to be extremely cold too. Be prepared and ask questions during the archery, muzz, and early hunts. That might give you good leads as to what conditions the unit is in and where the elk might be.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

 

[rookie]

Terry,

I hunted unit 54 last year the first rifle season. Hunted up a drainage just north west of Gunnison.

We were only in (camped) a short distance maybe 1 1/2 miles and saw no other hunters and were in elk every day (had to hike deeper in, maybe another mile). I didn't take a bull, but that was mostly due to my inexperience and being way too fat to hunt that rough country on foot. Listen to these guys when they talk about being in shape and how rugged the country is. I worked hard last summer and fall and did ok, but after the 4th day my tank was mty and by then I had the elk located and dialed in. I just didn't have the steam to go up 2000ft in elevation and anothe mile in. There was a dandy herd bull up in there along with at least three satellites, two of which
were legal fork horns and a 5x5 (small). They were all still there when we left. 2nd or third season might be the ideal time to hunt that drainage and if you email me I'll be glad to share some information with you. You might get skunked, but you might get lucky. 15 more minutes of light last year and I think I would have had a different ending to the hunt, but you never know and that's what makes it fun!! I can't make it out this year but am planning on next. And I will be hunting off horseback, the country is so big and so rugged it is intimidating for a flatlander the first time you start up that mountain in the dark!! at least it was for me. And there are some awsome mule deer in that neck of the woods, we saw a muley buck bedded right ouside the west edge of gunnison beside an abandoned farm house that was a monster, literally a monster..But it takes several points to draw a tag, just drool! I loved the high country, but horses make it much, much better. I don't check this board often so if you email me use this address [email protected]

good luck