Colorado 42/421 question

Katoom · Aug 21, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Aug-21-18 AT 06:59PM (MST)[p]I have been bothered a bit about the outcome of my 42/421 1st rifle elk hunt last year and never really found out the true story of what is happening in those areas. The hunt was an epic failure to locate game. I hunted all over from east boundary with 43 to the western edge approaching Grand Junction, in areas that looked great and should have held game... summer concentration areas, migration routes between summer and winter habitat, deep timber, open parks, basins, ridges, etc. There was a slight amount of snow to start the season that melted off mid-week. Weather was mild during the day, down to 17 was the lowest I saw at night. Saw numerous muleys, bear tracks, cut a mountain lion track, but found little to no elk sign almost everywhere I went. A single trackway here or there, some several weeks old droppings, and not even much fall sign or rubs even though these are areas that should have held many elk through the rut.You can still google some of the specific locations in these areas and read about them being described as having relatively plentiful game. I jumped only one unseen elk (or moose maybe) at about 10,250 (about as high as it goes there), and saw an outfitter packing a bull down low on private. There were very few hunters in the NF on mile after mile of road and many empty campsites that one guy told me used to be filled during rifle season, with elk running everywhere. A rancher laying down his fences told me there used to be hundreds of head in the area, almost none now. He blamed DOW and predators and pretty much spit on the ground as he did so. He was mad about it. All week there were few shots that were heard wayyyyy off, none at all close to any area I was in. A truck driver laying stone on a road told me he used to see many elk while working and only saw 1 cow all summer of 2017. I have successfully hunted some of these areas in years past, seeing herds of elk, rutting bulls, wallows, rubs, trails, etc (in Sept, mainly). Barely any sign of that was present. Although I certainly did not pack into wilderness (I was on foot, solo) I didn't road hunt and I certainly gave it a go well beyond what I though would be necessary in 1st season.

Anyone have any experience with the trends over there and why? It seemed mismanaged or some other way negatively affected relative to the better quality hunts I had previously done. Either that or I have the worst luck and am the worst elk hunter on the planet, possibilities that I cannot rule out given the results I had!

Coloradoboy · Aug 21, 2018

I've grown up and spent majority of my adult life living/hunting in these units and have killed/helped kill my fair share of elk, bear, deer and lions out of the units and it's the same with every unit now days; ?it's not what it used to be? truth be told majority of the elk in this unit have discovered where the private land is and they never leave. I personally won't hunt it for elk other than archery and muzzy season because late August/September is one of the few times of year you can find decent numbers on public land. I personally have not hunted it for elk since 2014. I'm not saying it's impossible to kill elk consistently on public land during the rifle seasons but there's many better options out there now days...

Coloradoboy

brooktrout · Aug 22, 2018

several units in that area have seen a decline in numbers of elk with antlerless tags being abundant and classified as "B" tags.

Heavily hunted and not difficult access.

the CPW reduced these tags in an adjacent unit in response to low numbers. Not sure if they did this in 42/421 but I do encourage you to talk with the CPW officer in that area and or Steph Durno in Grand Junction as she is the area biologist with your observations and concerns

elkmo41 · Aug 22, 2018

All the bear tags they give out are for a reason, and what are those bears eating in late spring?

Katoom · Aug 22, 2018

I know there are many reasons why DOW could allocate a lot of tags but quality experience should always be a part of the consideration. These units are "advertised" so to speak, as opportunity units, few trophy class animals but a good hunt nonetheless. If game is known to be concentrated so fully on private land after the earlier seasons, and I suspect that is likely the case, and I KNOW the biologists know where the elk are, then those tags should largely be reserved for residents to provide private land recreation and meat. I can't help but feel that I made a $600 donation to the cause, plus paid hundreds more in local lodging and gas, and got little in return for it. I know It's hunting, not shooting, and I agree that should always be so, but a busted week like that really sits poorly. As an aside, during my week in 42/421, I had two buddies hunting public on a different unit which they also bought leftover tags for and were in tons of elk almost every day, as were other guys around them, the challenge was finding a legal bull. One scored a small 5x5 and another missed his shot, but they had an experience 180 degrees from mine. So it can still be done.

Thanks for your comments everyone!