Colorado Elk.

liv4hunt · Mar 25, 2007

I will be a Colorado resident 2 weeks after the due date for applying. So can anyone tell me if, and where I may have a good chance with an OTC bull tag? I live in Craig, CO., but I am willing to go anywhere, I just want a good shot at taking a bull. There seems to be elk every where I go, but from what I've seen so far private property plays a key role with the elk hunting around here. Any suggestions would be great.

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

dslaughter · Mar 26, 2007

If I were you, I'd put in for a preference point this year and hunt OTC this fall (provided you've been a resident for 6 months before buying your tag (and can prove it)) cheap. You may figure something out this summer to make a fall over the counter tag work out for you. Every year a few guys shoot good bulls in over the counter units (and a few limited entry unit guys take there tags home...). the difference between the 500 bucks and 46 or so would make that a no brainer for me.
Good luck,
ds

Squirrel · Mar 26, 2007

It is a lot easier if you just get your driver's license right away that way proof is easy and as the first post says the points are person and species specific n-r or res doesn't matter. Start out close to home this summer and find remote areas away from roads and you'll do fine right up the road from craig in #4 lots of elk but the pressure is high according to friends who hunt there. Tons of elk north of steamboat also and it's huge country.

liv4hunt · Mar 27, 2007

Hey thanks for the info guys! I won't be able to apply in this years drawing,(I'll miss it by 2 weeks.) so the only thing that will be available to me and my sons is OTC bull tags and hopefully I can get some cow tags for my boys, any suggestions for that, they are 12 and 14 years old.

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

buckshot · Mar 27, 2007

Apply this year as non-res point only. You will have to front half the tag money about $250.00. Your point will carry over to res. status.

Squirrel · Mar 28, 2007

Do what buckshot said and pick up your cow tags in Aug when the leftovers go on sale and by then you should qualify as a res. But I think to go pts. only you have to remit the full price of 500- but check on it I'm not sure of the fine print.

ColoradoOak · Mar 28, 2007

For the preference point only you can just remit the price of a cow licence ($254).

Califelkslayer · Mar 28, 2007

GOOD ADVICE ALL. If you are set on a bull tag, you can buy #3/4/441 OTC for 2nd & 3rd season. I personally hunt #4 1st season and we've filled about 60 of our 62 tags since "01" but all but about 10 were cow tags. Living in Craig, you'll probably get local info about unknown units that might work better. Good Luck

ElkScout · Mar 29, 2007

Califelkslayer,

You obviously have spent some serious time in #4. Just curious. Since that is a CWD unit and you and your buddies have been so successful... do you test your elk and ever have one come back positive for CWD?

I hunted in #4 about 3 years ago. My buddy and I took cows 3rd season by paying a rancher a $100 trespass fee. Back when $100 was the max. Mine tested negative. Are all your animals taken on public land, private or a mixture?

I found that in Nov, 98% of the elk had moved off the mountain into the pasture land NE of Craig. I literally saw 1000s of head laying around on wheat stubble. Only thing I saw up higher where about 6-9 inches of snow was were muley bucks (some decent) running around. Hardly any elk sign at all. So we ended up paying the fee and tagged out within a couple hours.

liv4hunt · Mar 29, 2007

I have been trying to draw a limited elk tag in Utah for 12-13 years now, and now that I'm not a resident of Utah anymore I'm not that thrilled about getting back into the whole point thing starting from scratch, I know I have to, it just SUCKS!!
I think for now an OTC bull tag and maybe some LO cow tags might work for me and my boys. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that OTC bull tag give a person alot of different units to choose from? Is 2nd season a good overall choice? Any advice where to start, and maybe what I could expect? I know crowds are proably a chalange, but are there still places to escape and still find a good amount of elk?

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

Serrano · Mar 29, 2007

You can keep your UT points when you become a non-resident. Ken

liv4hunt · Mar 29, 2007

Yea, I know. This year I just bought the point for Utah. I'll start trying again next year. I figured with the move to Colorado I could use my free time learning some areas here to hunt this year.

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

Squirrel · Mar 30, 2007

You can hunt allover the state on the otc tags read the regs it's a long process to know all the ins and outs and just when you get it all figured out they have a meeting and change it all. With bonus tags etc you can kill a lot of elk in co. but you have to do what most can't or wont do. If you get away from the crowds you almost always have good hunting in this state. Getting away from the crowds can be a challenge but it is possible.

liv4hunt · Mar 31, 2007

I know it's a long shot, but would anyone want to give up some info on a Landowner that would be willing to sell me and my 2 sons a trespass permit to hunt elk and possibly deer, and also not kill the wallet?

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

HerbD · Apr 1, 2007

Live4hunt,
You might go into Cashway (your local sportshop) and ask there. They gave me some good info a few years ago. Of course you have to be lucky to get the right salesperson. And, while there check the entry-way glass as often times there will be ads for trespass hunts just before and during elk season.

Another place where I've seen ads posted was at the Village Inn Restaurant. And,while at the pawn shop, I've overheard lots of elk talk too.

BTW, you might find that deer permits cost a lot more than elk permits - at least that's what the rancher that I lease from around Hayden told me.

Hope this helps,
Herb

liv4hunt · Apr 1, 2007

HerbD, Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!! They just shut down Cashway. It's funny you mentioned them, that was the first place I talked to anyone about the elk hunting around here. They gave me a little info., and from what I saw there it's too bad they went out of business!!
Thanks again!!

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

Califelkslayer · Apr 1, 2007

ElkScout, I'd say about 35-40 of our elk have been tested. All negative. 2 of the guys can't bring it home from the butcher unless its tested. Packing cow heads out on horses is just one headache so I don't pack mine out and have it tested. My son took a 6 point last year and we stopped @ the testing station while my buddy took his 2 cows in to have tested and I didn't even bother to have my son's bull tested. Less than one percent get it and possibily one case of a human getting it. I figure if the good lord wants my hunting days to be over, he'll probably get me another way.

We hunt high cause of the time of year we hunt. All public land.

Gator · Apr 2, 2007

good area to look for a good hunt is up around the mtns just south of Slater. The walk-in or pack in is fairly easy and you will be into elk Bulls and Cows.

liv4hunt · Apr 2, 2007

Gator, I think that's what I'm going to try for. I took a drive around there over the weekend. Beutiful country!!
Thanks for the info guys!! Much appreciated!!

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

NORKALNIMROD · Apr 2, 2007

Hey,
If I don't get'em tested the little woman wont let the kids eat the meat. Hmm, if I don't test'em that would mean more elk for me! On the serious side, packing the cow heads is a pain but it's the only option and well worth it! Califelkslayer, what if we tied some aspen limbs to the cow heads, do ya think that would make the trips out a little easier?

Norcalnimrod

HerbD · Apr 2, 2007

liv4hunt

That's too bad about Cashway. There will be alot of out-of-state hunters disappointed and incovenienced this year as they won't be able to get their last minute over-the-counter tags there.It might include me too if I decide on a second cow tag.

If you're around Slater for the first season stop by the campground there and say hello.That will be my home base for hunting Wyo. Oct.15 as it's been for the last 7 years.

Herb

liv4hunt · Apr 2, 2007

Hey Herb, Do you know that Wyoming side? I might be able to help if needed?

Work to hunt!! Live to hunt!! And the rest spent keeping the wife happy!!

HerbD · Apr 3, 2007

liv4hunt

I know the Wyo side a little bit as I've hunted there for several years in the area from about Slater to Battle Mt. along Battle Creek and across the highway to Sandstone Creek. However I still don't know if it was Little or Big Sandstone.

Anyway,I'm always open to suggestions and can always use more help.

My e-mail address is [email protected].

Thanks,

Herb

stinky · Apr 4, 2007

the OTC counter units are just not that great. But, w/in 50 miles of Craig, in any direction you can do reasonably well...just get going and start looking...start asking on the local level. And keep in mind, that we you are seeing them now, is probably not where they'll be when it warms up (prior to their migration). Personally, I'd go NW, away from Denver, as far as you can get from the rest of the state.

kilowatt · Apr 4, 2007

Go over out of Maybell and south IF you are there for the 3rd season, ask about the Windmill area.

Brian

baseballrules · Apr 19, 2007

I have a hunt planned for the area near Dolores, CO. Anyone have info regarding this area? I have heard that I am not going to shoot a monster, but maybe a 300 class bull - (or smaller). Any info would be much appreciated. Good or Bad.

proutdoors · Apr 19, 2007

A 300 class bull in the Dolores area would be a dang good bull. Which weapon/season are you looking at? I used to guide in that area, and depending on the time of year, the elk will be in different areas. I would say a 240 bull would be a 'herd' bull in that area. Give some more info, and I will PM you some areas to look at.

PRO