CO bound in 2020

[Bvas]

The stars are finally aligning for me. A CO elk hunt has been my bucket list hunt as long as I can remember. I’ve reached the point that I am financially able, my kids are old enough, and I have the vaca time. I know 2020 season is a long ways off. But I am super excited and you can never start planning too soon.

As of now there are 3-4 of us going out. Planning on about a 10 day trip with 7 days to hunt. One person in our group has been to CO on three previous trips. So has knowledge of the unit we intend hunt. Only bad part is it has been 10yrs since he was last out there.

I know it’s not kosher to blab info about specific locations. But if anyone would like to share info, feel free to send me a pm. I’m not lookin for honey holes. More interested if we can still get away from the crowds in the unit we plan on going to.

[monterey]

What unit are you planning on?

[Bvas]

62

[fnshtr]

You should get some good advice here. I've never hunted unit 62.

There are 4 of us that are going out this fall. Health has prevented me from chasing elk the last couple of years and I am anxious to go this year. WARNING: Elk hunting in the Rockies gets in your blood.

Best of luck!

[bucknut]

I can't give any info on 62, but can give some pointers. The best advice I can give you would be get into great shape and take as much time off as you can. 14-16 days would be much better. Driving from Ohio you will need at least a day at elevation to acclimate. Also it will take a day or 2 to learn a bit about the land and get the idea of the whole elk hunting thing. Don't look at it as a one time adventure, cause you'll be back. Buy a good frame pack and good mountain boots. I load my pack with 50# and hike a 3 mi hill climb loop every day in prep for the trip.  We have a group of 4 and we go every other year and it costs about $1500 per person tag and all. (less when you don't kill anything) We go cheap though.  We tent camp or stay in a utility trailer and don't eat too lavishly. Buy the Elk 101 DVD and it will cut 10 years off of your learning curve.  If you have any questions about gear or anything PM me and I'll help all I can.

John

[Bvas]

Thanks John. Ten days is the minimum. If everything works for all going, we are hoping for 12 days. I actually started gathering some gear a few years back in anticipation of this trip. But know there are some more things I need to get.
We intend to do cheap as well. And $1500-1800 is about what we expect.

I do my fair share of hoofing now, but have been told by many to start the weighted pack training ASAP. I will check into the dvd and drop you a pm in the next couple days.

[76Aggie]

Brad, I am not at all an expert but I have hunted 62 many times beginning in the early 80's.  Very pretty unit but I have seen the crowds increase exponentially since I first hunted there.  62 is easily accessed from Delta or Montrose by Divide Road.  Last few times I was there I saw great increase in travel trailers and even motorhomes along Divide Road (Hwy 90).  My suggestion is for you and your friends to plan on hunting from a spartan spike camp and hoof it as far as you can away from Divide Road as well as away from the many old logging roads throughout the unit.  There is potable water in the unit but not so many running water sources.  Getting sufficient water into a distant spike camp can be an issue but not insurmountable. 

This area has had many trees killed by beetles over the years and the trees have fallen down in heavy snowfall.  This can create some navigation issues.  There is a lot of game in the unit but crowds often drive them into pockets of difficult to access dark timber.  You may want to consider a bear tag.  Last hunt there we saw many more bear than we have seen in the past.  Go light and go deep.  I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.

[amicus]

Its been a few years but I hunted that unit. Its very pretty area but there was some traffic.
My friend shot the biggest black bear I have ever seen on that hunt. Lots of black bears and Elk. Had a nice bull at 20 yrds my arrow grazed the front of his chest and he was gone. Good luck.

Gilbert

[ESP]

I have not hunted that unit but have been on several DIY elk hunts in Colorado.  I recommend that you start working on your conditioning now.  Is it required? No, but it does make your experience a little more tolerable.    Don't forget to stretch, there are some great ten-minute yoga youtube videos that if done regularly will help almost all phases of life.  Most of all enjoy the planning process as much as the hunt.  The planning is part of the hunt.

Best of luck

ESP

[kadbow]

I will second the idea of a bear tag. There are a lot of bears in 62 and CPW has made bear tags very affordable for the NR. ($100)

[amicus]

I don't think bear tags are over the counter. I think you have to draw. Might want to look that up.

[Bvas]

Thanks for all the insight guys. I will definitely be sendin y’all some pms when I get more free time.

I already plan on getting a bear tag. I would rather have it and not use it, then have an opportunity and no tag. Kadbow is correct. They are $100 OTC.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Ill add one more voice to  time aspect of elk hunting.  I go with a buddy in MT that has been hunting the same area for 25 yrs, he sets up a base camp ahead of time, and I've been going out there for 10 years. I still consider 2 weeks off work minimum hunting time (12-14 days hunting).  Less than 10 days just isn't enough time for an elk hunt.  Especially being new to the area and elk hunting.....take as much time as possible. Plan on the first trip trying to learn the area and be ready to hit the ground running next year.  If you get a chance at an elk in a new area the first year you hunt there that's a bonus.

R

[Stinger]

I hunted Unit 62 this past year during the first week of bow season.  We had access to private land so did not see many other hunters except when we got out on the Divide Road, and even then only saw a few.  It had been a hot summer and the huge fire in Unit 61, just across the road, had obviously made a difference.  The fire trucks were still all over.  We saw one cow and a calf the entire week.  If we do it again, we would go back later, maybe during the first week of muzzleloader season.  I don't think there was enough pressure where we were to make them disappear; we just weren't where they were.  I can't stress enough the comments about being in shape.  I thought I was ready and found that I wasn't even close.  At nearly 9000 feet where we were, the air was thin for this beach boy.  I believe there were elk down in the dark timber, but we couldn't get down to them. Well, I probably could have got down there, but never climbed back out.  I will also suggest getting an OTC bear tag.  Lots of sign, and had two of them within 20-30 yards of my ground blind, but I didn't have a tag.

[monterey]

I have hunted 62 several times.  All back in the '80's. It's pretty country but I was not impressed with it as an elk unit.  Even back then there was quite a bit of traffic.

The thing to keep your eye on is the ongoing decisions for the five year big game season structure.  Nothing is decided yet but there could be changes in OTC opportunities statewide or by units.

[GCook]

2020 isn't far off if you aren't in mountain shape.  Now is the time to prepare.  You'll enjoy it a lot more if you aren't worn out after the first 3 days.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Bvas]

Guys, thanks for all the input so far. Keep it coming!!!

Any general knowledge is welcome. Doesn’t need to pertain to 62. We haven’t decided for sure that is the unit we are going to. Main reason we are leaning that way, is that one in our group has previously hunted successfully there.