Any Bull Reports from 76?

oldmossback · Oct 24, 2016

Just wondering how the elk were this year in 76? Any success? Still trying to convince my son to cash in his points .

270Whatelse · Oct 25, 2016

What's he waiting for? A better unit?

oldmossback · Oct 25, 2016

He wants to continue to save his points for 61. Trying to talk him into 76

chindits · Oct 30, 2016

Helped a friend of a friend pack out a ML bull from where I hunted in 2013. It wasn't a fair representation since I didn't have the same amount of time in the field. However, I was amazed at how few elk I saw. I am guessing he took a sub 300 6er, another friend took a dinker 6er first rifle. He and another local spied up a 350 bull but no one got him to my knowledge. Another friend got skunked during rifle season, but saw a few bulls and one nice one.

I saw a guide packing out a clients bull and we saw the same outfit pack out another bull during ML. Nothing huge, but no shame in them bulls. I asked him if there were more people hunting because of the left over tag sale and it just felt crowded to me compared to 2013 when I didn't see another hunter. He didn't think there were more hunters. He said less elk though and He blamed it on an early storm forcing the elk down to an OTC unit last year and a major harvest. I don't know, since I just saw a little snap shot of 76 this year. I'll never have those points again so the unit is a has been for me.

I have been hearing a lot about the moose in that unit though.

marburg · Oct 30, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Oct-30-16 AT 02:54PM (MST)[p]Hunted 76 a couple years ago on an early rifle tag. I honestly did not see what all the fuss is about...did not seem much better than other Colorado units to me. Elk were around and you could take one with moderate effort, but not much different than other areas I have hunted.

Not worth 15 years of waiting that is for sure. Hunt elsewhere more often would be my advice.

cmbbulldog · Oct 30, 2016

My buddy and I both killed bulls close to 300... one a touch over and one a touch under. We both posted on the site. It was a fun hunt, but we didn't see any big bulls per se. Never saw another hunter where we were, but we were almost 2 miles in before it was light every day.

Not sure I would wait many many years to draw the tag, but we had fun.

Tomichi · Oct 31, 2016

I spent 8 nights in my jeep down there in the early rifle. Very few elk left in the Alpine...Learned some new low country.. Had a good friend who some one in his family has a archery tag almost every year..Their words "Not a good year to have a 76 tag".. I agree fair numbers of 290 to 320...I found NO TOP END. The tag holder did see ONE shooter after I had to leave.
But that is cyclical.. Weather and a 8 hour migration to a OTC unit is a fact in 76 and always will be. Tough unit for CPAW as January counts and summer fall populations are not even in the same galaxy.. .My concern is..."I am a classification nerd" cow to calf numbers... My notes are showing 30 calves per 100 cows..I was in the twenty's the first 4 days.. That's the first week of October?? Whats the cow to calf going to be out of a chopper the first week of January 2017???? SW Region terrestrial staff....Red alert Red alert!!!!!!!

270Whatelse · Oct 31, 2016

Moss I see you are from Colorado, have you or your son spent anytime scouting the unit? Just curious since this is the third year in a row you have posted the same thing. Should be able to have a good hunt in either 61 or 76 imo.

ColoradoOak · Oct 31, 2016

Tomichi,
Low cow:calf ratios are a problem throughout the SW region. I believe funding was approved this year for a long term study to determine the causes. I don't have time right now to look up the information, but I think I might have the project proposal somewhere.

chindits · Oct 31, 2016

I'd like to see what their conclusions are and if they will ever get a mitigation plan off the ground.

oldmossback · Nov 1, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Nov-01-16 AT 01:40PM (MST)[p]270WHATELSE, Yes we live in Colorado though no where near 76. We have never set foot in the unit , something always seems to come up. We would scout it if he ever drew. He has 7 PP points now. He is only 20years old and never killed a bull. He is about 6 years away from drawing 61 first season but does have enough for 76 first season. From how it sounds he will keep saving points.

BCDEER · Nov 2, 2016

I did the first rifle hunt. hunted behind Rio Grande Res.
beautiful country, Hunted hard but only had a chance at 2 small bulls. That being said another guy was hunting close by and seeing bulls every day. If I were to do it again I would opt for the archery tag, The bulls would not shut up during that hunt. Also a lot of the timber they were bedding in was open enough with good trails that you can get in on them. Looking for a new recipe for tag soup! The good news is I have a 6A bull tag here in AZ this month so all is not lost!