Enough land to hunt ?

oilcan · Feb 27, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-13 AT 07:03AM (MST)[p]My Accountant has leased a ranch in colorado for many years for Deer and Elk hunting. Talking to him the other day he said his group is getting up there in age and a few could be dropping out in the next few years and he wanted to know if i was interested in joining them.

The ranch is 8500 acres i hunt mostly Public land so i don't have a good feel for how much land that really is to hunt.

I don't think those guys really get out and hunt it they just pick a spot and sit there in there 70's.So my question,is this big enough to really get out and hunt with out running into the boundry's or would this be a sit and glass place.Also how many hunters do you think 8500 acres can support with out it fealing "over crowded" and running into each other.I am mostly asking about the Elk hunting i would think it would be fine for the Deer.
Any thoughts thanks

TOPGUN · Feb 28, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-13 AT 07:20AM (MST)[p]You're talking 13+ square miles (sections) of land and unless it's open flat land with no vegetation I would think it would be great for deer and pretty good for elk. The latter do move around an awful lot, but that's a big chunk of land and if it's rolling mountainous type terrain, all the better. A place like that could easily support a group of 8 people if they are all compatible with the way each hunts.

Gator · Feb 28, 2013

IMO those places are hard to get in, You usually have to wait until some-one in the group dies. If the price is something you can swing I would jump on it.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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oilcan · Feb 28, 2013

From what he has told me it definitely is not flat there are some deep canyons.
The cost is ridiculously low by todays prices my share would be just a little more then the price of an Elk tag.They have leased it for 26 years from the same guy and he has hardly raised the price at all.

TOPGUN · Feb 28, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-13 AT 11:52AM (MST)[p]You gotta be kidding if the price is that low and you're asking if it's worth it! A place like that with any decent amount of game on it is probably worth thousands per year per person for the sole hunting rights. In Texas they're paying many thousands of dollars per gun for hunting leases on a lot less property than that! Do it before you lose the offer and don't look back!!!

mntman · Feb 28, 2013

Take it for that cheap. Even if you use it to give your hunting rights to your kids so they can enjoy a low pressure hunt...

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

oilcan · Feb 28, 2013

Maybe i didn't word it correctly my intention wasn't to ask if it was worth it there's no doubt i'm doing it i have been waiting 4-5 years for one of them to drop out.The Deer hunting is really good there i was just curious if you guys thought the acreage was decent to hold the Elk without pushing them off the property and there being enough room for a group of people.

He leases the ranch for the 2nd and 3rd season,sub leases the 2nd out and hunts the 3rd for his group.There share is $3600 split 6 ways right now for $600 per person.Like i said ridiculously cheap.

ducksbucksandbulls · Feb 28, 2013

What unit?
does it come with landowner tags...

plenty big enough to spot and stalk for sure.

Gator · Mar 1, 2013

sure it is, and just think HOW you and your group can make it better with improving the waterholes,saltblocks,winterfeed,the list can go on and on, 13 miles of land is good enough.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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hank4elk · Mar 1, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-13 AT 11:18PM (MST)[p]Plenty of land for elk and deer. Just don't push them off while hunting, you will be able to go after the same herd. I've done it on 360 ac places and 5-8k acres. If its mountainous/canyon country there is a lot more ground involved too.
Like Gator said a few habitat improvements for deer and elk and they will come and stick around sometimes.
6 hunters in a group is hard even in million acre forests,if you don't work together. As a team you could fill some tags.
No brainer for that price.

Buckshot2 · Mar 11, 2013

Yep, some places might only be 100 acres, but because of the terrain hunt like 600. I was going to tell you to at least look it up on google earth, but for that prices, hell its a no brainer.

Utah400Elk · Mar 11, 2013

The nerve of some people! He should be ashamed even asking you. If you give me his name and phone number I would be willing to call him and give him a piece of my pay check...I mean my mind. Just kidding, sounds like it might be a good deal. Ask to see hunting photos from their kills. I might be a little worried about the old saying if it sounds like too good of a deal then...

rmanwill · Mar 11, 2013

Sounds like you fell in to a great deal. Sounds as if you know these other hunters and what they have had for several years and now you get to join for a minimal amount. Jump while the getting is good. You should have a great hunting parcel for some time in the future if the land owner does not change things down the road. Congrats.

2tuna · Mar 11, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Mar-11-13 AT 10:01PM (MST)[p]For a comparison, the Barker WMA in New Mexico is about 5500 acres. It has about 20 tags given each year (archery and muzzleloader combined) and seems to average about 25% - 30% success. It's good country with a combination of timber, steep ridges, old burns, open meadows, some pinyon/juniper and decent water. It's got a little of everything.

It's also bordered by the Valle Vidal and Philmont scout ranch, so the elk got plenty of opportunity to get away from the pressure.

Having said that, my buddy and I hunted it in 2010 and in 7 days of hunting felt we covered the unit pretty well. We probably hiked 3/4 of the trails, half the major ridges and valleys, and most of the perimeter. By the end of the hunt, unlike any other unit we've hunted, there was a sense of it being finite, even if we hadn't seen all of it. But honestly, it was a great hunt with at least 3 herds at that time on the unit. I'd happily hunt it over and over as it felt like there was a lot more to discover, but as a NR I can no longer apply.

To answer one of your questions, there were at least 5 other parties hunting while we were there (archery) and we only bumped into other hunters once while we were away from the road. I thought it would have been much higher.

One caveat is that there's only one road, with no off-road vehicular access permitted and, unlike most of NM, people seemed to pay attention to the rule. With an ATV it would have felt a lot smaller, and a lot more crowded.

The piece of property you're talking about is 40% larger. If the range is any good, and particularly if it's surrounded by public, I'd imagine your property might be a dream come true. And plenty big enough for you to keep discovering new things about it for a long time.

oilcan · Mar 11, 2013

2Tuna thanks thats some good info.

Utah400Elk he does the Taxes out of an office in his home so i see the pictures along with his mounts every year.It's the only reason i look forward to getting my taxes done half the time is spent talking about how the fall hunts went.

I know it may sound to good to be true but they have a very sweet deal going on but i realize if the old property owner dies it will end real quick.I just hope i get to enjoy it before it does.

Utah400Elk · Mar 12, 2013

I was just messing with you. It sounds like a good deal to me. That is plenty of land if its hunted right. For the price of a CO elk tag it would be a no brainer for me. Good luck.