Advice: Outfitter Frequents Drainage

[njdoxie]

I spoke with the officer in the area last month to pick his brain about access and things. He didn’t mention anything like that, but I guess I can call him again and ask specifically. They live in the mountains? What do you mean by that?


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They don’t live in the mountains but they can show up enmasse to hunt and ruin your hunt, they can carpet a mountain.


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[Marble]

I've been hunting in and around outfitters for nearly 20 years. Guides/outfitters will also put camps up in places where they MAY take a client and leave them up from August through november. Just because there is a tent there doesnt mean shit to me. If I want to hunt there, I'll figure it out.

I dont beleive what they tell me on the trail about how many hunters are where and I will camp almost on top of them if needed. In my experience the people in those camps only have a couple days of real hunting in them.

The most important thing about going into that drainage is learning it. Knowing the land and learning where elk go when they get pushed, where they stay, their ingress and egress routes. If you learn the land you will be successful.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

They don’t live in the mountains but they can show up enmasse to hunt and ruin your hunt, they can carpet a mountain.


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Ok I'm curious. Mennonites carpeting a mountain?

 

[sndmn11]

I spoke with the officer in the area last month to pick his brain about access and things. He didn’t mention anything like that, but I guess I can call him again and ask specifically. They live in the mountains? What do you mean by that?


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Colorado 82/86 early rifle

New member, first post. Gotta start sometime. Wondering if anyone has any recent experience with the early rifle hunt in Colorado 82/86. I am familiar with the area and not looking for places to go, just wondering if it worth the non-resident points required to draw the tag.

www.rokslide.com

CO Unit 82, Looking for any info!

Hey all, This will be my first year elk hunting and I am looking at unit 82 Colorado. Looking for any info on where might be a good place to start for 3rd rifle season. I know it is steep and rough country. Not asking for anyone honey hole just a general area to start looking. Thanks!

www.rokslide.com

Google search "site:rokslide.com amish colorado" and some will come up about 82.

 

[hoopp]

I drink coffee on the patio every morning looking at unit 82/Sangres. I can testify there are a lot of animals, elk, deer, bear, big horn in the unit from experience. There are some that believe they "own" the unit, but just hunt it like you would any public area, particularly the wilderness. Fire on the north end, Decker fire, look it up. Shouldn't be an impediment though. Good luck Get after 'em.

 

[Bugle]

They don’t live in the mountains but they can show up enmasse to hunt and ruin your hunt, they can carpet a mountain.


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They have to draw tags like the rest of us, right? Or do they get some type of special privileges? From the posts sndmn11 linked to, they're everywhere. How is that possible in a limited draw season?

 

[Bugle]

I drink coffee on the patio every morning looking at unit 82/Sangres. I can testify there are a lot of animals, elk, deer, bear, big horn in the unit from experience. There are some that believe they "own" the unit, but just hunt it like you would any public area, particularly the wilderness. Fire on the north end, Decker fire, look it up. Shouldn't be an impediment though. Good luck Get after 'em.

I have been keeping tabs on the Decker Fire. It looks like its secluded to the north end of the unit & there will be a south wind blowing the time I am there, so (like you said) I don't think it will impede. Thanks for the info!

 

[njdoxie]

They have to draw tags like the rest of us, right? Or do they get some type of special privileges? From the posts sndmn11 linked to, they're everywhere. How is that possible in a limited draw season?

Easy to draw 1st rifle, 2nd and 3rd rifle are OTC.


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[njdoxie]

Ok I'm curious. Mennonites carpeting a mountain?

Carpet, as in they’re everywhere.


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[Bugle]

Carpet, as in they’re everywhere.


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Man, I hope this doesn't ruin the hunt. All the research and scouting I did, I never thought I needed to watch out for Amish people. I guess it will be a lesson learned if it has an impact. Thanks again for the heads-up.

 

[HUNTNUT]

I think I have read rumors of very large Amish or Menonite camps in that unit. Maybe the Alamosa CPW office can put you in touch with the officer who works the area and they might know.

+1

 

[BeastOfTheTrees]

I had this happen to me last year somewhere in the San Juan’s. I hiked like 2 hours up a trail came to a beautiful giant meadow...ripped a locator bugle, rounded the meadow and bam wall tent. So guessing where these people might be I just sat on a ridge and listened to their cow calls and used it to my advantage. They stayed low, drove the only bull in the drainage up high. So I went deeper and higher, ended up getting close to the bull but got busted. Anyways the point is just use the pressure to your advantage, use them and set up where they push the elk. If you know that unit from e scouting stick with it and adjust off them, just don’t let them know where you are lol or they will do the same.

 

[Bugle]

I had this happen to me last year somewhere in the San Juan’s. I hiked like 2 hours up a trail came to a beautiful giant meadow...ripped a locator bugle, rounded the meadow and bam wall tent. So guessing where these people might be I just sat on a ridge and listened to their cow calls and used it to my advantage. They stayed low, drove the only bull in the drainage up high. So I went deeper and higher, ended up getting close to the bull but got busted. Anyways the point is just use the pressure to your advantage, use them and set up where they push the elk. If you know that unit from e scouting stick with it and adjust off them, just don’t let them know where you are lol or they will do the same.

Great advice, thanks!

 

[theleo91386]

I wouldn't let it stop me from hunting there if it's a good area. While I'll say most guides can out work/hunt me, I've never had much of a problem getting to areas or spots before they can hunt it with a client in tow.

 

[Mturney]

I hunted that unit last year same season. We saw a total of 5 other trucks except at one trail head where there 20 trucks. Talked to a guy who was hunting it for the second time and he said when he had hunted it years before there was an outfitter in the drainage we met in but he was not there last year. Hope your in shape. We saw elk but couldnt close the distance. It was a fun place.

 

[Bugle]

I hunted that unit last year same season. We saw a total of 5 other trucks except at one trail head where there 20 trucks. Talked to a guy who was hunting it for the second time and he said when he had hunted it years before there was an outfitter in the drainage we met in but he was not there last year. Hope your in shape. We saw elk but couldnt close the distance. It was a fun place.

Thanks. If you don't mind, could you PM me about the trailheads you're talking about? It's not letting me PM you for some reason (I have the 10 posts/7-days requirements). I'd love to pick your brain about my gameplan for the unit.

 

[Brado16]

I had the same tag 5 years ago, feel free to PM me specific Qs.

 

[IdahoElk]

I'd just hunt another drainage.
Hunting a area where a outfitter is operating is by past experiences a frustrating hunt,the outfitter will likely know every nook and cranny in the area that holds Elk and will have most likely already gone through the best spots before or while you're there.

 

[Bugle]

I had the same tag 5 years ago, feel free to PM me specific Qs.

Would you mind PM'ing me? I think the system hasn't caught up and it's not letting me send outgoing PM's, but is letting me reply. I'd like to ask about some of the specific drainages I'm looking at and what your thoughts are.

 

[jdumke91]

I’d try the area first and if you aren’t bumping into the outfitter but seeing elk then you’re good. If need be just go to one of the other game plans after you decide you’re hunting too close to them.


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