Colorado GMU 12

[KentuckyWolf]

I drew a unit 12 elk tag. Has anyone hunted this area before (elk or other)? Does anyone on here also have a unit 12 tag for this fall? Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is my first limited tag; all over-the-counter before. I hope that this gets me into elk and...I really want to tag my first elk (ate tag soup last 3 times).

[KentuckyWolf]

Over 23,000 members, many of whom are die hard bowhunters, and no one knows anything about unit 12 or has any experience with unit 12?

[rappstar]

Wolf,

Just trying to get your thread kicked off here....

I hunted 12 but late rifle several years ago and did kill a bull.  The white river herd is one of the largest in the state...or at least it used to be.

The 2009 stats look good from a harvest standpoint with a 25% success rate.  I'm curious, how much of that was private land though as I think there is quite a bit of private ground in 12?

I don't know that your tag is going to equal fewer hunters.  The number of hunters in 12 last year was equal some of the better SW Colorado units that are OTC.  

I hunted around Three Points Mountain and Baldy Mountain.  Wilson Mesa might be something else to investigate.  

I know a retired outfitter up there that might give some free advice.  His camps were all over that part of the country....

Jeremy

[kadbow]

A 0 pt unit may not be much different than an OTC unit.  630 archery elk tags plus deer tags and OTC rifle elk tags means a lot of hunters.  You should still be able to get into elk though just like an OTC unit.  Flat tops is a busy area but lots of elk.  Diehard hunters don't like to give away their hard earned knowledge but it doesn't hurt to ask.  Never hunted 12.  Start scouting (hopefully continue scouting, something made you pick 12).

[Keith Zimmerman]

Never hunted 12.  I have hunted 53, 54, 551, 512, and several others.  Never 12.

[KentuckyWolf]

No one here has a unit 12 tag? At least I don't have to worry about other tradganger's hoggin the elk    

[jhg]

This may help- what I am discovering scouting my own unit is most of the areas that look good on the maps have obviously been targeted by other hunters too and the sign of fall elk activity in those spots is a lot less than you would think given the terrain. Hunting pressure is pushing them off these common spots -benches, parks and the like.

Joshua

[MAT]

I hunted 12 last year for the first time.  Keep in mind there are a lot of outfitters so you'll want to stay away from their camps.  Strange but most of them are less than 2 miles from the road and just off major trails so they are not exactly wilderness camps!  The DOW gives out a lot of cow muzzleloader tags so that week is really busy.  That's the week we hunted last year (which is the best week for bugling  :(   ), and we back packed in 2 miles but still ran into hunters.  Also some areas are full of blowdowns. They are a real pain.

We both ate our tags, same opportunities as every OTC hunt I've been on.  I can't say 12 is any better than some OTC units and don't think it's worth 2 pref points.

Best advice for any elk hunter is if you locate elk don't chase them off!  Hunt them but don't over pressure them so they leave the area.  That's why you'll find so many killer spots full of old sign.

[MAT]

One more thing I forgot, the Routt NF in this area is overrun with sheep.  I think there are like 14 huge flocks (2,000 per flock). They usually have them out by 9/15.  Not trying to discourage you but you'll want to do your homework before you get there, and have a few backup plans.  12 is a good area but it could be a lot better if managed properly.