Unit 3 4th Season

[cheeseheadinOHIO]

Got an elk either sex tag for unit 3 to hunt 4th season rifle. We are paying a private land trespass fee north of Craig. Anyone have some general comments on the area that time of year (Nov 14th) and what to expect? Been there before in 2nd season and saw a few cows and some spikes while deer hunting. Any info only excites me... thanks in advance...
Cheese

 

[BeanMan]

Cheese,

I've got the same tag. Hope for snow and then there will be lots of choices. If it snows heavy there will be a pretty good migration into 3 and 301. If it is dry it will be hunt and peck.

 

[elkmeat]

i drew the same tag. have hunted this for many years.bean is right,no snow not much of any elk.the closer you are to hwy 13 your chances get better.just find blm and hope.back in the early 2000,s you just went north of maybell and picked the one you wanted to take home. not any more. the ranchers are being paid to plant crops to offset the elk eating all there feed.they just stay on the ranches till the deep snows pushes them farther west.after the forth season is over.i will be hunting on private land just west of 13 in the wheat fields.

 

[cheeseheadinOHIO]

I'm hunting right off 13 between 108 and 109 on private land with Gary Brannon out of Craig. I know last year they did well in 3rd season as they had some snow. I went 2nd season and didn't see much elk. It was dry but cool. Saw 100-200 deer a day. Mostly doe and some small bucks. I contacted CDOW and told them they needed to get the buck to doe ratio in check. They pretty much said I didn;t know what I was talking about. About a 25 to 1 ratio. Poor young bucks will kill themselves trying to breed all those doe. But he's the biologist... Must be good deer hunting in the 4th season though, since it takes 6 points to draw it. 2nd was zero. Shot a ears width 2x3 with good mass, biggest I saw. Never saw a shooter elk. How 'bout you guys... any more talk to get me pumped. Just got my hotel reservation form for the Elk Run Inn. I hope the snow comes after I get there and doesn't prevent me from getting there...

 

[ColoJ]

Pray for snow. Unit 3 is always about the weather.
If you get snow you should be thick in elk. No snow, hit or miss.
But with the snow comes greasy roads. Area 3 isn't a place you can just start walking. Gotta drive,glass and put a good stalk on. Big area, wide open.

I haven't ever hunted on private land but a couple places we usually see them:

Migrating off of Bald Mt. and come across at Fortification Rock. Usually late in the evening.

Little Snake DOW area always seems to do well, though the last few years have been a bit dry.


My Dad shot his first CWD deer in Area 3 last year. Barely saw any bucks, except for really young. 3 just isn't what it used to be. I am not sure if it is the winter kill, oil and gas rigs, or just that we are in a cycle, but the quality of animals up there seems to be going down.

I love that area though. Been hunting up there since I was 14. You will have a blast.